Kathy & Aaron » Venues

Clifton Inn

Kathy — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:00:19 +0000

We’re working with the lovely and cheerful Crystal Whitaker to finalize our plans to use Clifton Inn as our all-in-one ceremony, reception, and hotel site. The Inn has 18 rooms available for our guests (although a few will probably be reserved for Aaron and I and the families). Anyway, it’s a very very charming bed and breakfast close to Charlottesville.

The original property was part of a 3,000 acre land grant belonging to Peter Jefferson. Through the Jefferson family, approximately 350 acres of the land was passed on to Thomas Jefferson’s daughter and her then-new husband Thomas Mann Randolph. As U.Va grads, Aaron and I had to work in that Mr. Jefferson connection, even though we tried to stay away from the usual wedding-in-The-Chapel. No offense to anyone who got married in The Chapel!

A few of the things that got us excited about Clifton:

Lowering our carbon footprint w/ everything in one spot, very close to town (exit 124 off of I64, Pantops Mtn)
A great chef, with a specific interest in local, seasonal foods.
Crystal (event coordinator) is really fun.
Picturesque (Blue Ridge views! A personal fav).

Veritas Vineyards and Winery

Kathy — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:47:14 +0000

On Saturday we also did a quick drive by of Veritas Vineyards, located near Afton Mountain. They were setting up to have a summer festival type event (complete with Beatles cover band) so the tasting room was incredibly crowded. Managed to snap a few pictures and get the business card of the event coordinator. Maybe Ryan or Jenny can hook me up with a good deal? :P

Venue Search: Clifton Inn

Kathy — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:43:54 +0000

Clifton Inn is very beautiful. Even though it is the middle of the summer, there are still many plants and bushes in full bloom with a variety of flowers and colors. The day we went they were setting up for a wedding, so it was a free look at what we would probably get. Aaron did NOT like the chandelier covered in seashells though. Oh, well.

Delfosse Winery

Kathy — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:36:07 +0000

These pictures are from Delfosse Winery, located 20 miles south of Charlottesville, VA. It’s another one of the venues on our never-shrinking list.

Taubman Museum of Art

Kathy — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:32:03 +0000

In June we visited the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke VA. This space is very modern, and really piqued my curiosity. I wish it wasn’t 2 hours away from Charlottesville, though.

Finding a Venue

Kathy — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:02:57 +0000

This is turning out to be a pain. We’ve tentatively decided to have our wedding around the central Virginia, Charlottesville area because we met here. Unfortunately, that sort of narrows down the options to Jeffersonian inspired buildings and bed & breakfasts, wineries, or — you guessed it — the “U.Va” wedding (the Chapel). I don’t think we will be having it at the Chapel. I’ve been to a few weddings there and it’s cute, but kind of small and dim. Plus, so many people want to get married there they sort of shuttle you in and out. Anyway, if you have any ideas they would be greatly appreciated. I am going for a modern, clean look and would like to place to reflect that as well. Unfortunately, nothing really comes close to ‘modern’ in Charlottesville, unless you count the art galleries or maybe the Taubman Museum of Art way off in Roanoke.

But I don’t really feel like planning a wedding in Roanoke … :)