Along the Savannah River, overlooking River Street and all of historic Savannah, you’ll find Westin Savannah Harbor Resort – a popular wedding venue with one-of-a-kind views of the city. This property is loved by locals and ideal for destination weddings. The hotel suites are beautiful and the ameneties are perfect for a wedding weekend. I explored the site alongside Sarah, Senior Catering Sales Executive, and Meaghan at the Westin. Patricia with Your Plan A Events virtually toured the space from her Jacksonville office and shared some ideas and inspiration for this Savannah waterfront wedding venue.
Keep reading to view our tour of this diverse space full of unique ceremony and reception spaces.
MEET THE WEDDING PLANNER
Share a little about your journey planning destination weddings all around the globe:
Our team has had the pleasure of planning events across 14 U.S. states and two weddings abroad. One of our favorite things about traveling and planning with couples in new destinations is matching them with the perfect fit vendors who not only fit their ideal budget but truly connect with the couple on a personal level. We have found that in events one of the most important (if not the most important) considerations for a successful day is feeling an authentic connection to everyone and everything in the room. That’s where the magic can truly come alive!
When planning a wedding in Savannah, what would the process be for your team based out of Jacksonville, FL?
We always jump on an initial Zoom call to get to know your love story, what gets you excited everyday, and how you want your wedding to feel. We take great care in getting to know our couples and every step of the planning process stems from there. Selecting vendors is a detailed process where we allow our couples to enjoy the fun part of selecting what they love most from a group of narrowed options we prepare just for them.
We have done the background research to ensure their vendors are professionals in the industry, have the couple’s best interests in mind, and will be able to achieve the goals they have set forth with us during the planning process. With this in mind, couples can sit back and decide for themselves what options they like best and feel most connected to at the end of the day.
When it comes to visiting venues, our team has visited numerous venues in Savannah already. We have a foundational knowledge of the area and what it has to offer. However, we always work directly with selected venues to coordinate video tours to help answer logistical questions and attend an in-person 30-day walk through to finalize all the details before the big day rolls around!
WORKING WITH YOUR PLAN A EVENTS
What is the benefit to hiring a planner and working with your team?
When you hire our team to plan your wedding, you are selecting someone who has your best interest in mind at all times. It is our number one job to ensure you and your partner have the best day possible. There is absolutely nothing higher on our list of to-do’s than ensuring that.
We plan anywhere from 12-15 weddings a year and take on no more than two a month. This means that you are a priority at all times in the planning process. We meet with our clients on weekends and after normal business hours because we know not everyone has time to plan their wedding from 9 to 5 M-F. The Your Plan A Events team has been a part of hundreds of weddings and events since 2014. We have learned a lot from our experiences. We know what to look for, how to save you money, and what will work or will not. Getting married is something most people aim to do just once in a lifetime. Why not hire a professional to ensure the investment you are making in that milestone event is backed by experience, intention, and care?
If a couple is not considering hiring a planner for their day, what is one tip you could share with them to make their experience stress-free?
Enjoy the process and try your best not to allow the pressures of social media or people around you to rush the process. Trust your gut and do what makes you the most happy every step of the way. After all, the day is about the love you share with your forever person so don’t let anyone or anything get in the way of that!
THE VENUE
WESTIN SAVANNAH HARBOR BALLROOM AND LAWN
The Harbor ballroom overlooks the Harbor lawn and Savannah River. Inside the ballroom you can see a modern and elegant design, perfect for a ceremony rain plan or air-conditioned reception. Harbor ballroom can accommodate 300 guests. The arch windows are beautiful from the inside and out.
Picture the arched windows framed with foliage and exquisite florals. A beautiful backdrop for your wedding ceremony. The Harbor lawn can accommodate 500 guests. An outdoor ceremony on the lawn, cocktail hour inside, and a reception flip of the outdoor space can showcase the beauty of Savannah’s skyline from the water.
RIVER LAWN AND ESPLANADE
The River Lawn’s iconic view that leads to the Riverfront Esplanade is a wonderful space for a wedding reception. The lawn can accommodate 200 guests. Picture a clear top tent nestled between the palms, cocktail hour musicians adding to the esplanade’s environment, and extravagant lighting to fill your reception space.
AN ELEVATED WEDDING EXPERIENCE
What about this venue gets you excited to design the space?
We love the versatility of indoor and outdoor experiences the Westin has to offer. Ideally, we would be marrying the two of these together! We love the clean lines and neutral tones of the building that create an elevated editorial feel to build off of. We would extend this relaxing greige color palette into the reception space. The location feels like it is nestled away while being close to the action of the city. Since the venue is in such close proximity to and has such a clear view of the Talmadge Bridge we plan to incorporate the lines of that intriguing architectural design as well.
What style wedding can you envision taking place in this space?
We would want the overall design to feel playful and fun all while keeping things elevated at the same time. The setting would be relaxed with brunch as the main course and inspiration behind what is served. We would contrast the hard elements of the building by softening the surroundings with lots of texture in green plants, textured table coverings, and welcoming lounge settings. A color palette inspired by blue hour would drive the overall aesthetic. A classic take on the southern gathering place with a moody, sexy feel.
Urban | Southern Chic | Understated Luxury
PATRICIA’S INSPO FOR THE WESTIN SAVANNAH
Share a little about your wedding day vision for this venue:
We are calling this Subtle Southern Luxury. We want to create a cool, sexy atmosphere that is welcoming and eye catching all at the same time. It makes you feel like you are on the best date night ever and you can totally let loose. You are around all the people you love most. You’ve got the brunch bites and booze to keep you feeling good!
What dress trend could you envision in this space?
simple silhouettes, crepe, crisp lines
What is one trend you would like to put a spin on in this space?
Lighting – we would love to see something unique hung in a clear tent other than bistro lights or a chandelier. Ideally, this would be a new kind of modern light fixture or multiple smaller pieces that elevate candles from the ground. We want to continue to extend the warm, dynamic cocktail setting.
What is inspiring this design?
Bringing the outdoors in with extensions of local architectural designs. Making the most out every moment in time and space possible.
What are some unique wedding day details that would look really cool at this venue?
We would love to see the Harbor Lawn utilized for the ceremony with an angled runway type of seating. The views all around this space are stunning. We feel this is the perfect space to take advantage of something unique and utterly eye-catching. These angled straight lines could be repeated over and over again in signage and other pre-wedding stationery design!
We would love to see guests welcomed with a refreshing sweet hibiscus tea or floral infused mimosas before the ceremony starts. For the reception, we would love to see stations with small bites such as southern style biscuits or chicken n’ waffle shooters and more casual seating around the fountain. Ideally, there would be family style tables mixed with cocktail seating throughout the space. This would allow elder guests to have a more classic style setting and younger guests to flow easily from the dance floor to snacking between hits.
We would love to see the couple either arrive or exit on the water on a getaway cruise!
MOOD BOARDS
HOW TO BRING THE VISION TO LIFE
What is important to look for in your wedding venue?
Is there a place for guests to stay nearby? Are you inviting a large portion of your guest count from a distance away? If so…how close is the nearest airport? Will you need to budget for transportation in between events and at the end of the night? Do you have a specific menu in mind…? Ensure that the preferred caterer or on-site hospitality team can achieve any unique menu ideas you have in mind. Setting a maximum guest count and budget before you lock in a venue is key. Note- food and beverage minimum is different from what the cost for a specific number of guests might be. It’s always a good idea to ask for an estimate for your ideal guest count prior to committing to an all-inclusive venue.
What are three vendors you can envision working along side you in this event space?
Love Anneliese Photo – A Savannah-based wedding photographer with a romantic and warm style and an in-the-moment approach to your day.
Event Works Rentals – A Savannah-based rental studio with unique pieces sourced just for your day.
One Creative Factory – An Atlanta-based Design and Letterpress Studio.
Check out more venue features
Want to see more spaces in Savannah? Check out some more of my favorite venues around town:
Hollyoaks on the Marsh with Ivory and Beau
Harper Fowlkes House with Elegant Savannah Weddings
