Location: 230 Fayetteville Street, 5th Floor, Raleigh, NC 27601 Capacity: Up to 45 guests (standing); 30 seated Type: Urban Event Suite Website: empireeventsnc.com
The Glass Box is a single room built around a run of floor-to-ceiling windows, set inside a downtown Raleigh building built in 1902. Empire Events operates it, along with three other Raleigh venues including The Stockroom at 230 three floors below, and books it for ceremonies, receptions, and weddings sized to a guest list a couple already knows by name.
The building first housed banks and professional offices, and from 1920 it held McLellan's Dime Store, whose upper floors served as stockrooms. The property is known today as the Carolina Trust Building, built in the Classical Revival style. The Glass Box occupies its own floor within that building, separate from The Stockroom's space below.
The Room
The room's defining feature is the light: floor-to-ceiling windows bring in steady daylight. Hardwood floors run underneath, and a pantry nook with a sink and refrigerator gives caterers a handy working base. Tables and chairs are included with the rental, and the room works as one open, flexible space.
The Balcony
A private outdoor balcony opens off the main room, giving guests a breath of fresh air during a cocktail hour or reception, a few steps from the party. It comes with the rental and is yours alone, so the party can drift outdoors for part of the evening and stay together.
What We Design Here
The windows set the color problem here: whatever we bring in has to read against a wall of daylight and the street beyond it. We lean toward pieces with enough density and structure to read clearly against that glass, in tones that sit comfortably next to the hardwood.
Because the room is one open space, we tend to concentrate the work at the points where people actually gather: the spot a ceremony centers on, the head table, the bar. Scale matters more than volume here, since every part of the room is in view at once.
Practical
The Glass Box sits in downtown Raleigh, an easy walk from the restaurants and bars on the surrounding blocks. The venue recommends nearby parking decks at Moore Square, Wilmington Station, and Alexander Square, all within two blocks, along with limited street parking. An elevator serves the building for guests who need it. Empire Events, which also runs The Stockroom at 230 in the same building, handles booking and availability directly.
Hidden Door Floral Studio is a Raleigh wedding florist designing for weddings across Raleigh, the Triangle and North Carolina, and happy to travel beyond. To talk about your wedding at The Glass Box at 230, schedule a consultation.
Need flowers there today? See same-day flower delivery in Raleigh.