Spotlight on Sites

  After the engagement ring is on your finger, the questions looms, “Where should I have my wedding?” Although many options are tempting, from historic homes and favorite restaurants, to exotic locations like mountain tops, many brides must find a balance between budget, planning time and out-of-town guests’ requirements. Hotels offer convenience, value, a wide array of capabilities and experienced staff to make wedding planning and the big day effortless, cost-effective and polished. Convenience Today’s brides are busy with families, careers, studies, travel, hobbies and, of course, a fiance. Some brides are even planning weddings from another town or state. Many of the wedding guests are traveling from a distance to share in the special day. Some will be drinking during the reception. Hotels offer the ability to hold both the reception and guest rooms in one place so that no one will need to drive afterwards. Most hotels offer a complimentary bridal suite with wedding packages and many airport hotels allow …

Provided by Villagio Hospitality Group Northern Virginia’s first destination brewery campus, Farm Brew LIVE, has opened to the public. Located in Manassas, Virginia, Farm Brew LIVE is an eight-acre campus that features craft beer, craft food and live, local music. Included in phase one of opening are 2 Silos Brewing Co. and tasting room, The YARD outdoor live music venue, The Pit BBQ and beer garden and La Gringa Food Truck. Farm Brew LIVE is part of Innovation Park in Prince William County on the site of the historic Thomasson Barn. 2 Silos Brewing Co. is a 30-barrel brew house, capable of producing 15,000-20,000 barrels per year. That equates to 4.5 million pints a year! “We are committed to promoting the craft beer culture by making our 2 Silos Brewing Co. beer selections the finest in Northern Virginia region,” says Head Brewmaster and Co-Founder of 2 Silos Brewing …

By Alyssa Souvignier Brides looking for an affordable venue option for their wedding reception may be interested in Twin Lakes Golf Course. Located at 6201 Union Mill Road in Clifton, Virginia, this newly renovated ballroom seats 175-200 people comfortably for a wedding reception and at a price that may be surprising. The venue, which is located within a picturesque golf course setting, bases pricing on a flat fee of $400 per hour for the first five hours (five-hour minimum required) and just an additional $200 per hour after that. Set-up is included. Additionally, costs are constant regardless of the day of week chosen for the reception. According to Twin Lakes Events Manager Kara Martinez, most venues base pricing on a per person cost and require brides to use a preferred catering vendor. Twin Lakes does not work with preferred vendors …

By Helena Tavares Kennedy Imagine jumping on a plane to venture off on your honeymoon with your new spouse just minutes after your wedding ends! That can be a reality if you host your wedding at the Holiday Inn Dulles located at 45425 Holiday Drive in Sterling, Virginia, and they even have a free shuttle to and from the Washington – Dulles International Airport. With a recent $7 million renovation to the entire hotel including event spaces and guest rooms, there is even more reason than ever to host your wedding at Holiday Inn Dulles. With over 100 full time and 20 part time staff to assist you at the hotel, you will be well served for all your wedding needs, from the actual wedding event itself to hosting family members overnight in the hotel rooms. With an average of …

By Ashley Simpson The Hilton Garden Inn Hotel of Woodbridge opened in April of 2015 and began hosting weddings just last year, at the start of 2016. As the largest venue in Prince William County, it’s no surprise that the hotel’s wedding calendar is filling up quickly for 2017 – and beyond. “The venue itself is 2,500 square feet,” Event Coordinator Evelyn Vargas said. “We had 13 weddings in 2016, so this is a brand new venue. Everything feels so new and is in such pristine shape.” The Hilton Garden Inn Woodbridge, which this year ranked 6th out of 700 of the brand’s hotels nationwide, offers plenty of attractive features for couples planning a wedding in addition to its size and luster. The appeal of a spanking new venue combined with the sheer convenience of the entire process makes the …

Poplar Springs has given two couples an all-expenses-paid wedding this fall. Warrenton, Va—On Friday, August 4, wedding venue Poplar Springs announced the winners of its wedding giveaway contest for October 15 of this year. The cutoff date to enter the contest was Friday, July 28 at noon, and the rules originally stipulated that one lucky couple would win an all-expenses-paid wedding to be held at Poplar Springs. A panel of judges interviewed the top three contestants at a cocktail hour reception last Friday afternoon. The panel included General Manager Marianne Postma-Harris, Chris Pearmund of Pearmund Cellars, CEO of Profecta Marketing Lindsey Forsten and Pam Kamphuis, the executive editor at Piedmont Virginian. “Weddings are costly, and we wanted to create an opportunity for one couple who really needed and deserved it,” says Marianne. “We were looking to award one couple with the most …

Located in Hume, Virginia, in western Fauquier County, the Marriott Ranch offers brides and grooms a unique wedding site with three different event venues available on their 4,200-acre working cattle ranch. With 25 full-time employees and a pool of seasonal workers, the Marriott Ranch averages about 24 weddings each year as well as scores of other events like company picnics, executive retreats and other social events.

Not only is Stonewall Golf Club a beautiful setting and backdrop for weddings, but the longevity of their staff helps them excel in both service and satisfaction for each client.

Salem Oaks Farm, practically a stone’s throw from lovely Middleburg, Virginia, is a working horse farm with approximately 20 horses.

Looking for a dramatic venue without all the drama? Hylton Performing Arts Center located in Manassas is the place for you!

Miranda looked like a beautiful, bold, red-head with a soft look in her photos. The shoot took place at "End of the World" in Edmonton, and the sun was slowly setting, leaving the bride with beautiful, warm light, which is super unusual for the winter months. Her champagne-colored skirt was glowing and flowing in the wind, while her bold make-up completed the vintage chic look.

Northern Virginia brides have a plethora of beautiful wedding locations to choose from, but if you love to golf, the Chantilly National Golf and Country Club is a perfect choice. Located in Centreville, it features a gorgeous Ed Ault-designed golf course with a traditional par-72 layout as well as a fun practice facility which includes a chipping green, putting green, bunker area, and even a 275-yard driving range.