The Elia takes up to 175 guests for a seated dinner and up to 250 for a cocktail-style event, in about 7,000 square feet of indoor event space. The venue is at 254 North Front Street in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina, within walking distance of hotels, shops, restaurants and the nightlife of the city center.
Seminars and company events
The Elia hosts corporate events, networking evenings, trainings and meetings, as well as small conferences and retreats. The floor plan can be set for a presentation, a dinner, a cocktail reception or a dance floor, so a day of sessions can become an evening event in the same space. Holiday parties are a regular part of the calendar. Every rental includes an on-site venue manager, tables and chairs, white or ivory linens, decor options for guest tables and the setup and breakdown of the in-house inventory, which saves an organizer from renting furniture.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are the core of the business, and the venue presents itself as the only all-inclusive wedding venue in Wilmington. The all-inclusive package covers planning with a coordinator from eight weeks before the date, a one-hour rehearsal, access from 10 am to 11 pm, ceremony and reception decor, a lounge area, a DJ, a four-hour beer and wine bar with bartenders, appetizers for the cocktail hour and a buffet dinner with wait staff. An à la carte option rents the venue from 10 am to 10 pm with a venue director, furniture, linens and ceiling draping, and lets couples hire their own vendors. Micro wedding packages are offered on select dates, and rehearsal dinners and milestone birthdays are also hosted.
Rooms and capacities
The event floor holds a ceremony area, a reception space, a statement bar and a lounge. It seats 175 for dinner on round or long tables with Chiavari or bentwood chairs, and takes 250 standing. Two private getting-ready suites each have a coffee bar, lounge seating, a mini fridge, a TV with a game console and large mirrors.
Catering
Food is not prepared in-house. Organizers choose a caterer from the venue's exclusive list, and those caterers provide full service and wait staff; for weddings, the caterer arranges a tasting. Outside alcohol is not allowed, and the bar runs on venue packages, from beer and wine to specialty cocktails, a mimosa bar and house, premium or custom full bars, with professional bartenders. Outside vendors are welcome with a certificate of insurance.
Getting there
Street parking is available downtown, and two public lots sit about a block away: the River Place lot at 14 Grace Street and the Water Street parking deck at 210 North Water Street. Several hotels are within walking distance, and some offer their own parking. Wilmington International Airport is about 15 minutes by car.
