You’ve just made one of the most important decisions of your life—you’re getting married. Now the prospect of making a lot more, admittedly less weighty, decisions may be daunting. Maybe you don’t want to spend a year scheduling vendors; maybe you want to pick the place and then not worry about the details; or maybe you’re starting a months-long research project in Antarctica. For whatever reason, you just want the wedding to happen.
The good news is, there’s an option for that: the all-inclusive wedding package.
Some decisions you need to make first. But once you’ve set location, date, and number of guests, you can go shopping for a venue that will get you beautifully and stresslessly wedded.
If you have picked the Charlottesville area, the next step is deciding the scale of the event you and your partner want. Is this a simple, one-day family-and-close-friends ceremony? Is this a quiet mountain weekend? Or have you two always wanted a bang-up party with all the people who have been part of your life, most of whom will need to come into town for the weekend?
Charlottesville can accommodate any of these possibilities. For the big blow-out event, many hotels—the Omni Charlottesville, the Doyle, The Draftsman—can provide the space, the catering, the event management, and the place for your guests to stay; many couples like the idea that their big day will be self-contained. Another option is one of the area’s resorts; the Boar’s Head Resort, the Club at Glenmore, Keswick Hall and Resort, and The Clifton Inn all offer inclusive packages.
“At Glenmore, our goal is simple: more joy, less stress,” says Sierra Stevens, event sales specialist. The Club can accommodate up to 240 guests, and prefers to get the planning started at least four months out. Its package, which costs $87-112 per person plus the cost of a room rental, offers exclusive use of the event space(s); access to its decor inventory; tables, chairs, and full settings; in-house catering with waitstaff/bar service and beverage package; and day-of events support. “Because we manage the food, beverage, staffing, and rentals internally, communication is straightforward, and budgeting feels much more transparent,” says Stevens. “Couples still get to personalize their menu, layout, and overall vision—they just don’t have to manage every moving part themselves.”
There are also restaurants that can provide the venue, catering, and décor while you have options for where your guests stay—The Wool Factory, The Space Downtown, Common House, and Restoration Hall at Old Trail, among others. Or go for the complete Charlottesville experience and hold your wedding at Monticello, which also offers a wedding package.
Then of course there are the wineries, cideries, and breweries our area is known for, including Mount Ida Farm and Vineyards, Early Mountain Vineyards, Eastwood Farm and Winery, Castle Hill Cidery, Three Notched Brewery, Potter’s Craft Cidery, and many more. These venues vary in the size of events they can accommodate, and the elements included in their packages.
Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyard’s bespoke wedding package, which costs between $5,000-22,000 in addition to a food and beverage minimum, can accommodate up to 200 guests, and includes its indoor and outdoor venue space, preparation rooms, and parking; tables, chairs, and table settings; catering consultation to aid in menu selection; full waitstaff and bartenders; and a full dinner tasting on-site (with wine pairings).
At Hazy Mountain Vineyards and Brewery, “Our package includes the venue, bridal [and/or] groom getting-ready suites, on-site catering and bar, as well as full-service wedding planning which includes the day-of team,” says Danielle Sabbag, director of sales and planning. Hazy Mountain glassware, round tables, and chairs are part of the package; for smaller weddings (50 guests or less), dinnerware and flatware are also included in the $14,000-29,000 price.
Then there are the smaller venues for a more casual or intimate wedding event—from The Oakhurst Inn in the heart of town to Montfair Resort Farm, The Market at Grelen, Orchard House Bed and Breakfast, and the Golden Horseshoe Inn, among others. What kind of services are included will again vary; some venues have a list of preferred vendors (planners, caterers, photographers, etc.) from which to choose.
The Indigo House in Afton, for example, partners with A&J Event Planning to offer an inclusive package at a fixed price of $22,975 for up to 50 guests. The package includes lodging for two nights for 8-10 people; its event space; day-of coordination services; brunch or dinner and dessert, including a cutting cake and 50 cupcakes; table settings and décor; and nonalcoholic beverages (with option to BYOB or hire a bartender). “This is the second year we’ve offered the inclusive package, and it’s been such a fun event,” says owner and innkeeper Stephanie Thomas.
Whatever you decide, no all-inclusive package will leave you totally decision-free. Often you will have to hire your florist and/or photographer; choosing your dress or tux and finding your officiant is up to you. But then, you’ve already picked a life partner—all these other decisions should be a little easier.
