Stop juggling wedding vendors.
Separk Mansion
209 W 2nd Ave, Gastonia, NC 28052, USA
Separk Mansion
209 W 2nd Ave, Gastonia, NC 28052, USA
Wedding venue in
Gastonia, NC
Starting at
$16,800
·
Up to
250
guests
·
All-Inclusive
★
4.8
/5
couple sentiment
Loved for
staff, all-inclusive experience, and elegance
Location
Gastonia, NC
(
20–30
min
from
Charlotte
)
Vibe
Typical Investment
$16,800
to
$38,000
Rain Plan
Indoor ballroom backup for rain
Catering
In-house catering included with venue packages
About the author,
Patrick Meehan
Co-founder, Total Weddings
Hey, I'm Patrick. My wife and I own Total Weddings. I pay attention to the parts that actually affect how your wedding feels, not just what looks good online. I am not affiliated with Separk Mansion, and this guide is not sponsored. It exists to help you make a confident decision and avoid surprises later.
Stress level
Separk Mansion is a low-stress venue if the timeline and vendor team are strong. What removes stress here:
Experienced venue staff
Clear flow
Vendors who know how to work in structured spaces
What adds stress:
Tight timelines
Late starts
Unclear rain plans
Weak coordination from non-venue vendors
This is a venue that rewards preparation.
Guest experience
Guests generally love Separk Mansion. It feels like a real venue, not a warehouse or event hall. Once guests arrive, the experience is cohesive and elegant.
Parking, however, is limited. For larger weddings, shuttling is often necessary, and that should be planned early. When shuttles are handled well, it’s not an issue, but ignoring it can create frustration.
Most couples opt to have guests stay in Charlotte and travel in for the day.
Rain plan
The rain plan at Separk Mansion is workable, but it’s tight.
If it truly rains, you’ll need to make decisions. For outdoor ceremonies, renting a tent is often the best option. Trying to move everything fully indoors can get difficult with larger guest counts, especially once cocktail hour and transitions are factored in.
This is not a venue where you want to wing the rain plan. Ask specific questions. Understand where cocktail hour would go, how guests move, and whether tenting makes sense for your size wedding. Planning for rain early removes a lot of stress later.
Photo & video notes
This venue offers a lot of great options for photos and video. Some of our favorite spots are the main stairwell, the checkered dance floor, and the checkered sunroom. There’s variety here, which gives galleries and films depth.
The biggest thing I wish couples would do differently is slow down, especially during first looks or first touch moments. These are often rushed because the timeline feels tight. When couples protect that time, it almost always results in better photos and a better emotional experience.
This is a venue where giving yourself space matters more than choosing the “perfect” photo spot.
How the day typically flows here
When the day goes well at Separk Mansion, it’s usually because the timeline is solid and realistic. Warm weather, outdoor time, and built-in buffer all make a big difference.
When the day feels rushed, it’s almost always because getting ready or photos run late. The mansion has stairs, multiple levels, and lots of movement, especially for first looks. That means you need more buffer time than you might expect.
Intentional planning around transitions is key. Moving people up and down stairs, gathering family, and shifting from one space to another all take time. If you walk into the day knowing that and plan accordingly, everything feels smooth.
Pricing
Separk Mansion uses an all-inclusive base package, then scales pricing based on guest count, bar selections, and service charges. Once you see a real invoice, the pricing makes a lot more sense.
When you stack everything together, a typical 150-guest wedding at Separk Mansion often looks like this:
Base package (100 guests): $16,800
Additional guests: $5,250
Bar & staffing: ~$5,400
Service charge (15%): ~$4,800
Taxes: ~$2,100
Estimated total: ~$34,000–$38,000
That range matches what we see on real invoices.
All-Inclusive 100-Guest Wedding Package (2025): $16,800
This is the foundation of most weddings here and includes:
Venue rental for ceremony and reception
Catering for up to 100 guests
Tables, chairs, standard linens, flatware, and glassware
On-site venue coordination
Staff for setup, service, and breakdown
Access to multiple getting-ready spaces
This is where couples get a lot of value, many venues charge this amount before catering is even included.
Additional guests (this is the big one)
Once you go over 100 guests, Separk charges $105 per additional guest. For a 150-guest wedding:
50 additional guests × $105 = $5,250
This single line item is often the biggest reason totals climb faster than expected.
Bar costs (example from a real invoice)
Most couples upgrade to a 4-hour full house bar. A realistic example for 150 guests:
House full bar package (beer, wine, house spirits): ~$4,800
Additional bar setup fee: ~$350
Additional bartender staffing: ~$250–$300
Bar costs typically land around $5,300–$5,500, depending on guest count and staffing needs.
The service charge (do not skip this)
Separk applies a 15% service charge to food and beverage. This is not a tip, it helps cover staffing, service, and operational costs. On a wedding of this size, that service charge alone can add $4,000–$5,000 to the invoice. This is the line item most couples don’t expect if they’ve only looked at base pricing online.
Taxes
North Carolina sales tax (7%) is applied where applicable and typically adds another $2,000+ at this guest count.
Worth it usually comes down to convenience and guest experience.
What couples tend to love
Couples consistently rave about the staff. It’s one of the most common things people mention after their wedding day, and it shows in how smoothly the day runs. Communication is clear, transitions are handled well, and there’s a strong sense that the team knows what they’re doing.
The venue itself is naturally beautiful. You’re not walking into a blank space that needs to be transformed. Between the mansion, the gardens, the ballroom, and the interior details, the aesthetic is already there.
Couples also love the flexibility of spaces. There are multiple places to get ready, several strong photo locations, and options for how the day flows without everything feeling cramped.
Overview
Separk Mansion is one of those venues that feels better in person than it does online. It’s an old mansion with real character, yes, a few squeaky floors, but also a lot of true beauty. White walls, classic architecture, gardens, and a ballroom that feels timeless without trying too hard.
What consistently stands out here is the staff. Every time I’ve worked at Separk Mansion, the experience has been smooth, calm, and well-run. That matters more than most couples realize. A great venue is one thing. A great venue with a great team is what actually makes the day feel enjoyable.
A big reason couples choose Separk is value. You get a luxury-feeling, full-service experience at a noticeably lower price than you’d pay for something comparable in Uptown Charlotte or surrounding Charlotte venues. Couples don’t feel like they’re settling... they feel like they’re being smart. You’re still spending real money, but you’re not paying the Charlotte premium just for a zip code.
This venue works best for couples who want a beautiful, traditional-looking wedding that already feels finished. It’s elegant and timeless, not edgy or highly customized. If that’s what you want, Separk Mansion usually delivers.
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