Party & Event Venue Near Statesville, NC
Do you host events other than weddings and receptions? People ask us all the time, and we do! Our historic estate in Harmony, NC, just north of Statesville and about an hour from Charlotte, is a lovely setting for gatherings of all kinds. Let our staff set up, decorate, and cook for you, so you can spend your time with your guests.
Rehearsal Dinners at the 1812 Hitching Post
Celebrate the night before your wedding with the people closest to you. Our Wisteria room and tented patio are a relaxed, welcoming place for a rehearsal dinner, with lakeside trails and gardens for a stroll before or after the meal. Our staff handles the setup, the food, and the clean-up, so you can enjoy your family and friends.
Rehearsal dinners are available on Friday evenings, with a catering purchase for the couples who have a rehearsal already planned on Friday. Your venue rental will be for the two hours following your rehearsal. Rehearsal dinners have a 20 person catering minimum; catering can be for 20 or more people.
Your Rehearsal Dinner Venue Rental: $450
Your rental includes:
- 2 hours after your rehearsal for an on-site rehearsal dinner
- The Wisteria room and adjoining tented patio, with restrooms inside and access to the public areas outside, including the lake and trails
- 5 dining tables and 40 chairs, with full-length tablecloths for the round tables
- A drink table, gift table, cake table, and food table
- A venue attendant for parking, questions, security, and trash removal
Hosting more than 40 guests? Let us know. We can add staff, tables, and linens.
Choose Your Catering
Every menu is prepared in our on-site commercial kitchen and includes tea, water, lemonade, and coffee, with ice, cups, and condiments. Our staff decorates and stocks the buffet, busses your tables, and cleans up.
Pizza Buffet: $35 per person
Three kinds of pizza (pepperoni, cheese, and veggie), spaghetti with meat sauce, a fresh garden salad with assorted dressings, and warm garlic bread, finished with a cookie and brownie bar. Includes high-quality disposable plates, napkins, and flatware.
Italian Buffet: $40 per person
Parmesan-encrusted chicken, penne alfredo, a fresh garden salad with assorted dressings, warm garlic bread, and roasted green beans. Includes premium disposable plates, coordinating flatware, napkins, and serving ware.
I Do BBQ: $45 per person
Slow-smoked pulled pork with Carolina barbecue sauce, boneless barbecue chicken, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, a salad bar appetizer, dinner rolls and butter, and an ice cream sundae bar with assorted toppings. Includes premium disposable plates, coordinating flatware, napkins, and serving ware.
Your Choice: $65 per person
Build your own menu with two appetizers, two entrées, four side dishes, and one premium dessert, plus a s’mores bar at our firepit. Includes mismatched vintage or classic white china dinner plates, linen napkins, table chargers, and metal flatware.
Examples (venue rental plus catering)
| Guests | Pizza Buffet | Italian Buffet | I Do BBQ | Your Choice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | $1,150 | $1,250 | $1,350 | $1,750 |
| 30 | $1,500 | $1,650 | $1,800 | $2,400 |
| 40 | $1,850 | $2,050 | $2,250 | $3,050 |
Make It Your Own
Add bartender service, a firepit with or without s’mores, yard games, a DJ, custom décor, or professional photography. Alcohol is served only through our bartender service ($125 per service hour).
Other Events We Host
- Birthday parties and anniversaries
- Bridal and baby showers
- Graduation and retirement parties
- Christmas and holiday parties
- Tea parties and posh picnics
- Family gatherings and reunions
- Corporate events and meetings
Your event can be casual or formal. Enjoy added extras like outdoor games and a fire pit, delicious food from our on-site kitchen, music from our DJ, and even professional photography.
You’ll enjoy:
- Indoor and outdoor dining spaces
- On-site catering and bartender service
- Custom décor options
- Rocking chairs, gorgeous landscaping, and lakeside walking trails
- Outdoor smoking areas
- Pets welcome with advance notice
Party Rental Pricing & Availability
$450 for a six-hour rental, with the same inclusions as above.
- Monday through Thursday, year-round, or any day in winter (December, January, and February): choose your six-hour window between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
- Fridays in season: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Saturday or Sunday rentals may be possible. Contact us with your date.
Hosting more than 40 guests? Tell us what you have in mind. We can add staff, tables, linens, and more.
Add Anything You Like
- Catering from the Hitchin’ Kitchen
- Fire pit, with or without s’mores
- Games, like cornhole and Giant Jenga
- DJ and music
- Bartender service
- Custom décor
- Kids’ activities
- Professional photography
- Staff services to set up and clean up anything you bring
- Party planning services
Tell Us About Your Event
We’d love to show you around and talk through your plans.
Call or text (704) 437-1710 or email 1812hp@gmail.com.
Schedule an appointment to visit the venue
Schedule a phone call before you visit to learn more
Rehearsal Dinner FAQs
Can we host our rehearsal dinner at the 1812 Hitching Post?
Yes, if your wedding is here. We offer rehearsal dinners only for weddings held at the 1812 Hitching Post, so your family and wedding party can enjoy the property the night before the big day.
When are rehearsal dinners held?
Rehearsal dinners are held on Friday evenings. Bookings are first-come, first-served and subject to availability. Please book your rehearsal dinner as soon as you know you want to have it at the 1812 Hitching Post.
How much does a rehearsal dinner cost?
our rehearsal dinner is a $450 venue rental plus catering for your guests. Catering is $35 per person for the Pizza Buffet, $40 for the Italian Buffet, $45 for I Do BBQ, and $65 for Your Choice. For example, a dinner for 30 guests costs $1,500 with the Pizza Buffet or $1,800 with I Do BBQ.
What does the venue rental include?
YYour rental includes your choice of location for your tables, typically the Wisteria room or the patio, with restrooms inside and access to the public areas outside, including the lake and trails. You’ll also have five dining tables, 40 chairs, full-length tablecloths for the round tables, a drink table, gift table, cake table, and food table, plus a venue attendant for parking, questions, security, and trash removal. Your rental is for two hours, so you can enjoy dinner with your guests after your rehearsal. Our staff handles setup and clean-up before and after your event.
Is catering required?
Yes. Rehearsal dinners require a catering purchase. Our minimum catering is for 20 people. Our menus are prepared in our on-site commercial kitchen, and our staff sets up the buffet, busses your tables, and cleans up.
What menus can we choose from?
Choose from four popular menus.
The Pizza Buffet has three kinds of pizza (pepperoni, cheese, and veggie), spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, garlic bread, and cupcakes for dessert.
The Italian Buffet has parmesan-encrusted chicken, penne alfredo, salad, garlic bread, roasted green beans, and cheesecake for dessert.
I Do BBQ has slow-smoked pulled pork, barbecue chicken, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, a salad bar, rolls, and an ice cream sundae bar.
With Your Choice, you build your own menu with three appetizers, two entrées, four sides, your choice of premium dessert, and a s’mores bar at our firepit.
Are drinks and dessert included?
Yes. Every rehearsal dinner menu includes tea, water, lemonade, and coffee, with ice, cups, and condiments, plus a dessert.
How many guests can we invite?
Our rehearsal dinner setup is designed for up to 40 guests. If your group is larger, let us know what you have in mind, and we can add staff, tables, and linens.
Can we bring alcohol?
Yes. Our bartender service ($125 per service hour) allows you to bring your own beer, wine, and up to two mixed drinks served from a container. Alcohol, even for the wedding party before the ceremony, is not allowed anywhere on the property without our bartender service.
How does the timing work with our rehearsal and dinner?
Your venue coordinator can lead your rehearsal and your dinner can follow.
Can we bring our own food or caterer?
Rehearsal dinners include our in-house catering, so outside caterers aren’t part of this service. You are welcome to bring your own cake or dessert.
Can we decorate?
Sure! We can pre-plan exactly what you want ahead of time. If you need to add time ahead of your event to decorate, it may be possible.
What can we add?
You can add bartender service, a firepit with or without s’mores, yard games, a DJ, custom décor, or professional photography.