Blank Canvas or All-Inclusive

 
Photo: Corrin Jasinski

Photo: Corrin Jasinski

How to choose which venue is right for you:

You just got engaged and you’re giddy with excitement over beginning the wedding planning process. You think to yourself, “I don’t know the first thing about wedding planning, let alone venue shopping!” Don’t worry, you’re not alone! There are many decisions concerning your big day, and one of the first will likely be deciding the location of the event. There are generally two types of venues to tour: 1) the “bank canvas” and 2) the “all-inclusive” venue. Luckily, it’s your day so you get to choose which type of venue is best!

  1. The “blank canvas” venue is for those who want to create their own day – one that is uniquely and truly you. This type of venue provides you with a platform to build your day upon. If the idea of planning your wedding excites you, like choosing a caterer, a theme, and all your decorations, then you’ll want to go with a blank space. When you choose this sort of location, it allows you to connect with wonderful vendors that you have the chance to hand-pick. If you do go this route, we highly recommend a wedding planner to assist you with all of the nitty-gritty details.

  2. If you’re a more hands-off type couple, the all-inclusive venue is a better fit. At these locations, more is provided for you so you have less to think about. The venue becomes your one-stop shop for all your wedding needs. However, you may be limited in the options provided with all-inclusive spaces. If you’d rather focus on planning your honeymoon or you don’t mind if your linens must be ivory, white or black, then you’re better suited for the all-inclusive location.

Here at The Historic Post Office, our goal is to be a “blank canvas” so you can create your own special day. However, we do provide the necessary furniture rentals, full-service warming kitchen, and getting-ready suites. We provide our couples with a list of preferred vendors to make planning easier and stress free. Additionally, we offer a list of a la carte items that you can add if you wish. Our goal at the HPO is to be as accommodating to our couples as possible!

At the end of the day, we encourage you and your fiancé to discuss and choose what works best for you. Whatever you decide, the most important part is that you’re excited about your wedding day!

Sort through more HPO blog posts below!

 

Madeline Harris

Reviews
Rachel + Clifton
What HPO Couples Are Saying
Rachel + Clifton

“The Historic Post Office exceeded my expectations. My wedding was absolutely beautiful! The staff was very helpful and answered any questions I had in a timely manner. Their suggestions, professionalism, and expertise did not go unnoticed. The HPO staff definitely knows how to do weddings and does them extremely well! The bridal suite and groom suite were both beautiful and elegant, a perfect place for pre-ceremony pictures! I definitely recommend using the HPO for any and all events, not just weddings. I would love to work with them again in the future if given the opportunity! Loved every minute of being there!”

Rachel + Clifton
Betsy + Chris
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Betsy + Chris

“We decided to go with The Historic Post Office as our wedding venue because they have these events down to a science. Everything leading up to the wedding went so smoothly with our HPO coordinator. Their existing relationships with vendors made that aspect so painless as well. The day of was fabulous too. Getting ready in the beautiful bridal suite, the elegance of the venue itself, and the flip between ceremony and reception was all perfect! We would definitely recommend HPO to anyone looking to plan their wedding.”

Betsy + Chris
Keilani + Caleb
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Keilani + Caleb

“Absolutely loved working with the HPO over the course of a year as I planned my wedding. It provides you with the perfect clean-slate venue that allows you to bring in your own vendors and really make the place your own. The staff is so lovely to work with and made the process so easy. Special shout out to our HPO coordinator who I couldn’t have imagined the day without. She coordinated all of my vendors and told me where to go and when on the day-of, which made everything so easy. It’s 100% worth the money to get one because they know the vendors and space so well. Loved my experience at this absolutely gorgeous venue and wouldn’t have had it any other way. Thank you!”

Keilani + Caleb
Alejandra + Noah
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Alejandra + Noah

“The Historic Post Office simply did not disappoint. The venue was clean and the staff was wonderful. Our HPO coordinator went above and beyond to ensure that our special day was nothing short of perfect. She was available throughout the entire planning process. I knew I could count on her for anything! The venue itself is elegant and had everything we needed for the day of. The wedding party suites were comfortable and spacious, giving everyone plenty of space to get ready and spend the day together. We could not have asked for a better venue for our wedding day. Thank you all so much for everything you did!”

Alejandra + Noah
Davina + Cory
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Davina + Cory

“The HPO is such a beautiful venue and the staff works so hard to make your day seamless and everything you want it to be! I cannot say enough great things about this venue from the communication from staff, the pricing, the bridal and groom suites, the lighting options, the layout options, etc. They will not disappoint!”

Davina + Cory
Marisa + Eric
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Marisa + Eric

“I knew I wanted my wedding to be at The Historic Post Office and actually booked and paid my deposit before touring. The venue is breathtaking and the staff is phenomenal. There is no better wedding venue in my opinion. There is so much history in the building and it’s absolutely beautiful. I recommend The HPO to anyone looking for a wedding venue.”

Marisa + Eric
Candice + Geraud
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Candice + Geraud

“Absolutely AMAZING!!!! I had my intimate wedding at the HPO. It was so beautiful! The HPO Team helped make my wedding day perfect. They are so professional, supportive and calm! All the vendors were set up and on time, my decorations were perfect and the DJ rocked! I wanted a romantic evening wedding and that’s exactly what I got! HPO is the best wedding venue in Hampton Roads.”

Candice + Geraud
Caitlyn + Austin
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Caitlyn + Austin

“From the moment I walked into The Historic Post Office I knew I HAD to get married there. My husband and I booked this venue a little over a year ago to be sure that we got it! Our wedding was a day I’ll never forget. Our HPO coordinator was AMAZING through the wedding planning process and always kept me calm and handled so much so I didn’t have much to worry about. She communicated with all my vendors which took a lot of the stress off of me. For that, I will forever be grateful! The staff on the day of was great! The venue itself is so beautiful and helped my dreams come true! Best day ever!”

Caitlyn + Austin
Tiifani + Sam
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Tiifani + Sam

“This venue was our dream venue! They communicated well with us prior to the wedding and the staff who was there during the event was super helpful! My photographer found great places to take pictures, the bride and groom getting ready rooms were a dream, and the space is so gorgeous we hardly had to decorate! You can rent linens directly from them, which was a huge help as well!”

Tiifani + Sam
Heidi + Sam
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Heidi + Sam

“We made the decision early on to add on the coordination services they offer and were so lucky to work with the HPO Team. They made our entire vision come to life and the reception was exactly how we pictured it. They communicated with vendors, coordinated the set up, and even broke down the event at the end of the night. They were so responsive to my emails and always provided valuable insight when I was making decisions. They are so knowledgeable! We had the absolute best experience with the HPO and can't stop recommending them to our friends and family.”

Heidi + Sam
Alli + Alex
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Alli + Alex

Speaking of the planning process, the best decision we made throughout it was hiring an HPO Day-Of-Coordinator. My husband and I cannot sing their praises enough. They are so terrific at what they do and made the wedding planning process easy and made our wedding day completely stress-free. The HPO Team is organized and professional with a spectacular attention-to-detail and calm personality that make them a dream to work with. My husband and I were able to be completely present during our wedding day because of their hard work!”

Alli + Alex
Ashley + Joel
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Ashley + Joel

“I am not sure that I can say enough amazing things about the Historic Post Office! As soon as we walked in, we knew that this was where we wanted to get married. We actually changed our wedding date to match what was available! The space is absolutely beautiful but still gives you room to decorate and make it your own. Our guests are still raving about this venue. We hired an HPO coordinator, and we could not be happier with all of the help that she provided. Our coordinator absolutely went above and beyond to make our wedding day magical. I could not imagine a better place to share such a special day!”

Ashley + Joel
Leslie + Michael
What HPO Couples Are Saying:
Leslie + Michael

“Our HPO coordinator helped me remember so many details towards the end that I would surely have forgotten. Her suggestions and recommendations for other vendors were amazing. She worked directly with my other vendors to make sure everything ran smoothly. The reception was perfect and if anything went wrong I was completely unaware. You can't go wrong with this venue or their team.”

Leslie + Michael