April 21, 2007

Table Rock State Park, South Carolina

Online Vendors

National Stores

We know that lots of people have problems with the ethics of the Wal-Mart machine, but we were able to see past that to shop at Sams. In fact, we found lots of great food and serving items in large quantities. They also had the best price we could find on disposable cameras.


Overall Rating: Five Table Rocks




A.C. Moore
We were able to find lots of things at A.C. Moore, which is a large craft store. This is where Tabitha got the Wilton three-tier cake stand and some of the invitations. This is also where she got the "guest book" picture frame and mats. The only downside to this store is that you have to go on certain days and with certain coupons to get discounts. Watch the junk mail coupons and mark your calendar.

Overall Rating: Four Table Rocks




Michael's
Very similar to A.C. Moore, Michael's has a large line of Wilton products, but also has the same issues with coupons. We had to make the most of the two in order to get the best pricing and selection.

Overall Rating: Four Table Rocks

Local TRSP Area Vendors

South Carolina State Park Service
Considering that we wouldn't have even been able to have the wedding as we did if it weren't for the State Park, I'd have to say that things went well. For the most part the staff was very helpful and the facilities were great. I would have to say though that it can depend on who you talk with- we had an occasional inconsistency between different staff members. For example, when we called in advance about parking passes for the extra cabin cars, they told us that it wouldn't be a problem and explained the procedure to us. When we actually arrived though, there was a little bit of a barney fife character that acted like he was doing us the favor of our lives by doing what the other workers had already promised. For the most part though, things went well, and we never did encounter any problems that we couldn't resolve eventually.

Overall Rating: Four Table Rocks




Victoria Valley Vineyards
We can't take any credit for the spectacular gathering at the winery on Friday night- that was all thanks to my Dad and family. They were in the area to check things out and stopped by the winery. While they were there they discussed with the owner the idea of hosting a party, and we're glad they did. I didn't have any of the wine, but they had really great hors d'oeuvres including very ripe and sweet fresh fruit, tasty cheeses, fresh veggies, and chocolate truffles. The staff kept things well stocked, and the owner even arranged for a limo driver to shuttle guests to and from the park. The whole operation was very classy, and the pricing was quite fair.

Overall Rating: Five Table Rocks




Laurel Mountain Inn
Since everyone was traveling to the wedding, we had to find places to stay. We booked all of the cabins that we could, but that still left a few people needing rooms. If you find yourself in the situation, we encourage you to look first to the Laurel Mountain Inn. It is directly accross the street from the park, and is perfect. There are only a few rooms, but the setting is very nice, and the rooms are in great condition.

Overall Rating: Five Table Rocks




Schell Haus B&B
When we first saw the Schell Haus we were really excited about the idea. The house and the views were really nice, and we knew that a few of our guests would especially appreciate it. We didn't have the best results with the manager though. We had a hard time getting him to return phone calls promptly (same week) or at all. When we agreed with him about a discounted rate for the volume of guests, he "forgot" what we had agreed on and wanted to come up with something else. I would suggest that you handle any such dealings in writing. Also, when our guests called to book and pay for the rooms, he charged them the full rate, with the intent of refunding the discount after they checked out, which is a little bit shady in my opinion. As I mentioned, the house is very nice, but don't have high expectations for the business aspect of it.

Overall Rating: Three Table Rocks




A Nice Little Motel
Looks can be deceiving, as we found with this place. We were a little bit turned off at first by the property, but some of our guests were intrigued by the lower rate. Unlike the B&B, our guests reported excellent dealings with the manager of this option, and the rate was very satisfactory for the ones who stayed there. It isn't quite as close as the other options, but is still very close to the park. It isn't quite as quaint as the other two options, but from what we heard, we can recommend it for sure.

Overall Rating: Four Table Rocks




Abele's Restaurant, Morganton NC
OK, so Morganton isn't quite local to TRSP... but it is where Tabitha works. She was able to get her favorite kind of pie there in large quantities. The strawberry rhubarb pies were frozen and ready to cook, and were quite a hit with most of the guests.

Overall Rating: Five Table Rocks




Whitt's Barbeque
Wow... that is all I can say. Tabitha's parents found this place near their house in Georgia, since it is the same caterer for their annual church barbeque. They provided the pork and turkey in vacuum packed units that were easy to transport and reheat on site. We also got some sauce from them, and we added a few that were relevant to us as well. The additional sauces included one from Pig Pen in Cleveland, Mississippi, and one from Tabitha's favorite in Augusta.

Overall Rating: Five Table Rocks




Gurosics Berry Plantation
Double Wow... Did you have any of those strawberries? If not, never fear! I was sure to eat your fair share too. They were so spectacular. If you are ever near Augusta in the harvest season, I would say it is worth the time to stop by and get some fantastic fruit!

Overall Rating: Five Table Rocks




If you have any questions about any of these vendors, please feel free to let us know! We would be glad to tell you more about our experiences.



The punch was a recipe from a friend...
Debbie who had it at her baby shower - very good and not sherbet based.
Citrus Slush Punch

2 ½ c sugar 1 (46 oz) can pineapple juice
3 c water 3 c cold water
1 (12 oz) can frozen orange juice 2 (2 liter) bottles ginger ale, chilled
1 (12 oz) can frozen lemonade

Over high heat bring sugar and 3 cups water to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in frozen orange juice and lemonade; add pineapple juice and the 3 cups cold water until blended. Pour into 2 (9x13x2 inch) pans. Cover and freeze overnight, until mixture is firm. Cut into small squares and place in 2 gallon punch bowl. Pour chilled ginger ale slowly over squares; stir until punch is slushy. Makes 65 (1/2) cup servings.

Note: This punch can be made well ahead and kept on hand. Divide recipe between 2 (gallon size) freezer bags and freeze flat. This will thaw quickly. Use 1 bottle ginger ale per bag of punch for ease of mixing.