Now that I've gone through the process of choosing a few of the major vendors for the wedding, I thought I would pass along some of Richmond's Best (in my book, of course) that I've found while planning. Hope this little series helps any Richmond brides out there!
Some Great Reception Venues In & Around Richmond
1. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Marble Hall or Pauley Center)
This is where our wedding will be! The Marble Hall is a big grand open marble room (just like it sounds) and is in the musuem itself. The Pauley Center is in another building right next to the museum, which is also beautiful. It has more of a period vibe to it than the Marble Hall. The Marble Hall has an outside terrace that is included in the rental fee that is available for use. The Pauley Center also has an outdoor area, but you would need to construct a tent.
2. The Boathouse at Sunday Park
The Boathouse was one of my favorite places. There is a beautiful garden with an arbor that looks out over the Swift Creek Resevoir for your ceremony. The reception site is a beautiful year-round tent (with lighting, AC, etc) that looks over the water. The only downside is that you are literally right next to the Boathouse Restaurant, which is quite popular in the summer. On weekends they have bands playing out on the deck so it can really compete with your event.
3. American Civil War Center
The Civil War Center is right down on the river downtown, directly across from Brown's Island & Belle Isle. It is a completely outdoor venue so a tent is imperative (unless you are brave enough to risk bad weather). It is beautifully historic and would make for some outstanding photo ops. There is also a separate area for a ceremony, if desired. You would also need to keep in mind any events that may be going on at Brown's Island, particularly if you want to get married in the summer.
4. Maymont Park
Maymont Park is just beautiful! I know much less about this venue because we ended up never visiting for the purposes of checking out a wedding venue. We have visited it, however, on numerous occasion at our leisure and the gardens are gorgeous. We've seen several brides having their portraits done on the grounds. A downside is that it isn't entirely private (particularly during the daytime).
5. Science Museum of VA
The Science Museum offers several different venues within the museum. The Rotunda, which is in my opinion, by far the best option, is the old Broad Street Train Station so it feels incredibly elegant. There are two rooms off to either side for rent, which is highly recommended for music, as the Rotunda is not ideal for music. The second location at the museum is the outdoor pavilion, which is under a year-round tent. It has a lot of potential, but would require quite a bit of decoration to make it your own.
6. Lewis Ginter Botannical Garden
Lewis Ginter is another gorgeous botannical garden. Like Maymont, I am somewhat unfamiliar with weddings here, but have visited on numerous occasions to appreciate the gardens and the million lights festival. They have multiple places, indoor and outdoor, for a ceremony or a reception throughout the venue.
7. Tuckahoe Woman's Club
This venue is tucked back in Windsor Farms, a really nice neighborhood off of Cary Street Road. It's directly across the street from a gorgeous Babtist Church and at first glance, you may not even notice the Tuckahoe Club. The inside, however, is lovely, with a big, beautiful open auditorium room and a nice patio on the side for some outdoor feel.
8. Main Street Station
My former roommate had her wedding reception here and it's a beautiful site! It is a functional train station, so there is potential for outsiders to enter your event space, but it never happened at the reception I went to. It's very elegant without being over the top, and requires very little decoration. It's centrally located downtown, especially for guests who might like to experience an after party in Shockoe Bottom.
9. The Jefferson Hotel
Not a cheap option, but the most elegant place you will find in Richmond. The Jefferson has in-house catering, flowers, cake, etc., and of course a place for your guests to stay! This is a great option for a bride who has a little more to spend and likes the idea of a place that has a lot of in-house services to avoid dealing with tons of vendors.
I've never actually been in person to the following locations, but have either heard great things about them or was very impressed by the photos and packages I've seen online:
10. James River Cellars
11. VA Crossings Resort
12. Renaissance Conference Center
13. Dominion Club
14. Tuckahoe Plantation
15. Mankin Mansion
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