Wedding Advice: Venue

Planning timeline
I think this is the first thing that should be done. I booked my venue over a year in advance (February 2010). Venues, especially popular ones, can book that early. Make this your first priority. Plus, it sets the tone for the entire wedding!

Suggestions
-Choose a location that adds to the essence you are going for! Modern? Try an art gallery. Vintage? Try a historic site. But do your research! I chose a historic site but there are also many limitations with that such as certain fire restrictions, liability policies, vendor restrictions, etc. Think about what the venue can do for you. I chose a historic site with a garden -- instant way to lower flower costs if you want.

-Ask the right questions before booking. Don't want any other weddings going on at the same time? Be careful about booking a wedding at a large hotel (think Bride Wars at the Plaza!).

-Is the venue all-inclusive? This can save a lot of money! I had to rent tables, chairs, silverware, and linens but that is one thing a venue like a hotel can be very good for.

Oatlands: Wedding Day Pictures

Venue Spotlight: Oatlands

One of the many gaint old trees in Oatlands

4 acres of land and gardens

Place: Oatlands in Leesburg, VA

Price: $5000 base (of which 80% is tax deductible because its a historic preservation site) + cost of tent ~ $1700 - 2000 so puts it about $6700 - 7000

Thoughts: I REALLY like Oatlands. Not just for it's pretty lands, but for it's part in my past. I use to run cross country meets here - it was my favorite course! Also, after my AP US
History group impressed the Journey through Hallowed Ground (JTHG) folks and got an internship, I attended a press conference by the governor at Oatlands to hear about the JTHG preservation program. I don't know what it is about the historical component I like, but this has it, and it has personal meaning to me too. There are still caveats though; the mansion isn't really used in weddings. Guests can tour it in between the ceremony and the reception. And the reception is outside, under a tent. Hm. I did intially want a garden wedding though so I think that's why Oatlands appeals to me so much. As long as the weather is good (crossing my fingers already) I don't think an outdoor reception would be so bad. Plus, if rain is in the forecast, I can always get the siding for the tent (complete with windows). Also, they have a deal with Landsdowne for hotel room blocks, and that would be such a nice place to put up guests. The other two had deals with Comfort Inn (which also included a complementary ride over) that is pretty ideal - I'm sure Landsdowne has a van that could shuttle too, I might just have to pay. Hrm. But overall, I think I am leaning toward Oatlands. After this post I'll add some professional wedding pics (a lot!) that really show Oatlands in all it's summer splendor!

View of the gardens coming from the mansion

Where the ceremony is held; they are already

preparing it for spring and summer!

Garden teahouse where string quartet or harpist plays

(note proximity to where bride and groom are standing)

Side view of Garden Teahouse, ceremony is on other side

View from Rose garden, just one of the many areas of the land

Venue Spotlight: Raspberry Plain

Front of Raspberry Plain

These pictures aren't my own. I did like this place, it was very colorful (not neutral) although it matched what colors I currently want to do (pink & burgundy) but then again I already think I am changing my colors to possibly pink and peach so we'll see. Burgundy is just kind of dark for summer I feel like.

Place: Raspberry Plain in Leesburg, VA

Price: Catering not included; exclusive day rental = $7400 for 6 hours (Whitehall = $7500 for 5 1/2)

Thoughts: I liked it -- not impressed with the gardens / ceremony site. More use of the interior mansion - like 3 rooms.. a spot for guestbook, pictures, etc. I liked the historical component, it was owned by the first sheriff of Loudoun county then sold to Thomas Mason, George Mason's younger brother.

Front room, place for guestbook, picture of couple

Place to sit and chat, pictures on the table

Open room for mingling with cocktails

Formal Garden Ceremony (kinda blah)

Reception Hall

Reception Hall Wide View

Venue Spotlight: Historic Whitehall Manor

Okay so I am really delayed with these pictures. Sadly I forgot to bring my camera to Raspberry Plain. Oops.

Place: Historic Whitehall Manor in Bluemont, Virginia
Price: $$$ ... $21,000 for location rental (plus catering) = 60% of budget at 21k = no go
Thoughts: Pretty, but WAYYY too commercialized. The mansion isn't really a part of it (more so than Oatlands though) and the giant reception room was added on in 2005. Sorry, but I would like a little bit more historic appeal than that. I am definitely not choosing this place. But here are some pictures anyways.

The Mansion and front lawn

Cute swing in the front

Cake cutting and guest book room

Reception Hall

Loudoun Locales

Not surprisingly, I have come back to Loudoun County as the place I want to have my wedding. I have lived there since I was three, when Ashburn was just developing. Plus, it has a great variety of amazing venue options between it's wine country and many plantations and mansions. Here are a few particularly eye catching spots. Because many of them are historic homes, they will have distinct colorings, so I will have to check and make sure they don't clash with my future colors (which have still yet to be determined, but I am getting closer!). Most of these places are in and around Leesburg. Now I just have to determine what I like better -- vineyard or plantation? I am going to have to make some touring appointments over Spring Break!

Venues

Plantations/Mansions

Rosemont Manor - Berryville, VA

Unique Perk: 12 on-site guest rooms for wedding party

Oatlands -- Leesburg, VA

Unique Perk: I ran here during XC in high school! I also attended a JTHG press release here as a result of a AP US project that went really well

Morven Park - Leesburg, VA

Unique Perk: Epitome of Horse Country, holds annual Polo Cup and Antique Car Show

Raspberry Plain - Leesburg, VA

Unique Perk: Sweet Colonial Feel, Horse drawn carriage

Whitehall Manor - Bluemont, VA

Unique Perk: Slightly more mountainous backdrop than the others

Maymont Italian Garden

Okay--So Jon has been telling me about this place for ages. Maymont also has a Japanese Garden, which he went to during some promo thing for Nordstroms, and he always wanted to take me on a picnic there. So somehow we got to talking about it being a possible wedding venue and I found out they have an Italian Garden as well (fitting!). This place looks like it has a lot of potential--check out the sweet pics! I am kind of leaning toward this now because then guests won't feel pressured to stay at the pricy hosting hotel (and I have a feeling this is cheaper). Plus the landscape is gorgeous!

When?? Where??

When

So I just wanted to record some of my initial thoughts about this, considering the most frequent question I receive is "when is the big day?!" Well, for now its just an open-ended engagement, but I am guessing that Fall 2011 is the likely time, considering I will be done with undergraduate school then and either off to work or at med school! Ideally, I had wanted to work a year after undergrad and then get married and then go to med school (just so my parents wouldn't have to shell out all the dough for my wedding) but I suppose a loan will be fine.

Where

I have always wanted one of those cute little country style weddings, out on a plantation-like place or something like that. So, surprisingly, that makes Charlottesville a great destination! Plus it's east coast, 2 hours away from my family and 8 hours away from Jon's. So not too too horrible. As for specific destinations, I was thinking along the lines of Boars Head Inn or Keswick.

Boar's Head Inn

Keswick Hall Inn