Hay House can be rented for weddings, receptions, banquets and private dinners for up to 75 seated guests or 100 standing. Company and club groups of 25 or more can also book a weeknight evening that combines a guided tour with a catered buffet dinner. The house is an Italian Renaissance Revival mansion at 934 Georgia Avenue in Macon, Georgia, owned and run by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.
Seminars and company events
The house does not sell meeting rooms or conference equipment. What it offers business groups is the Tour and Dinner evening, suited to a client dinner, a team outing or an association gathering. Guests start with a docent-led tour of 30 to 40 minutes through the restored rooms, then sit down to a catered buffet dinner served on the main level. A minimum of 25 guests is required. The format runs on weeknights only, Monday to Friday, subject to availability, and groups arrive between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
For a daytime visit, groups of 20 or more receive a group rate for a one-hour guided tour of the first three levels. Large groups are split and tour at the same time. Corporate sponsors of the house may receive a discount on standard rental rates, as may patrons and qualifying nonprofit organizations.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings, receptions and banquets are the main rentals. Seated ceremonies and receptions take up to 75 guests, and standing or cocktail events up to 100. A one-hour bridal photography session in the house is included with any wedding and reception rental. The house can also be booked for professional photo sessions on their own.
Couples and planners can call for a free appointment to view the house before booking. The staff note that the house is often reserved up to two years ahead, so dates should be checked early.
Rooms and capacities
The mansion covers 18,000 square feet over four levels. Rental capacity is stated for the house as a whole rather than room by room: 75 seated and 100 standing. Dinners for groups are served on the restored main level.
The house is not air-conditioned. Portable air units can be supplied at the renter's expense through Portable Air and Power of Macon, which matters for a summer date.
Catering
The house does not publish a caterer policy for private rentals, so ask the staff when you book. The Tour and Dinner format includes a catered buffet dinner.
History and setting
The house was designed in 1855 by the New York firm T. Thomas and Son and completed in 1859 for local industrialist William B. Johnston. In its day it was among the most technically advanced homes in the country, with hot and cold running water, central heat, gas lighting, a speaker-tube system and its own kitchen. A central block with two matching wings rises to an octagonal cupola, which also drew hot air out of the house. Its interiors are known for their decorative paint finishes and stained glass.
Two families lived here over three generations. The Johnston-Felton family was followed in 1926 by insurance executive P.L. Hay. In 1977 the P.L. Hay Foundation gave the house and its contents to the Georgia Trust. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974, and restoration work continues while the house stays open to visitors.
Getting there
The house stands in Macon's Intown neighborhood. Parking is behind the building. Wheelchair access is through the gift shop entrance at the rear, and the upper floors are reached by stairs only.
