2011 Hitched
By Johanna Calfee
The dress. The rings. The vows. The … grapes? In the past several years, an emerging trend is taking over Virginia’s plethora of vineyards and wineries–the trend of hosting weddings and other big events amidst their vines. For brides-to-be, this option often serves up the perfect blend of indoor and outdoor settings, inclusive packages at a set price and the ideal backdrop for amazing wedding photography.
For local couples who want to explore this option, there are many vineyards within an hour and a half drive that offer weddings services on-site. Read on for a few nearby places that welcome you to say “I Do” by their vines.
Keswick Vineyards–Keswick, VA
“Breathtaking” is a word the staff at Keswick Vineyards hears a lot. Set on 400-acres, Keswick Vineyards is part of the historic Edgewood Estate, located about an hour and a half from Lynchburg. Keswick’s history is as rich as its award-winning wines. The land was “part of the original 1727 Nicholas Meriwether Crown Grant that comprised nearly 18,000 acres on the east side of the Southwest Mountains,” according to Keswick Vineyard’s Web site. Edgewood Estate was also the site of two historically significant events during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.
With its time-honored past and vibrant vineyards today, Barbara Lundgren, the Special Events Manager at Keswick Vineyards, believes there are many reasons they already have 16 weddings on the books this year, and three more for 2012.
“The beauty, the history, the flexibility, the full wedding package and the very homey feel attracts brides to us,” Lundgren said. “The owners [Al and Cindy Schornberg] actually open their home to the bride and groom for the day, for a full 12-hour window. That way, they can spend the whole day doing hair and makeup and relaxing before their ceremony. … And obviously, it’s just gorgeous here!”
Lundgren says when a couple books Keswick as an event space, all of the vineyards are open to the wedding party all day and golf carts are even made available for those who want to take a tour and get some fresh air. When it does come time for the ceremony, the wedding package ensures that every detail is covered and every luxury present.
“We have a Sperry sailcloth tent, which is exclusive to this area. Inside, there is an Astroturf floor so there are no mud issues; heels don’t sink into the ground. Ladies, heels are not an issue!” Lundgren said.
Wedding packages include Chiavari chairs with cushioned pads and all the tables needed for the ceremony and reception. It also includes use of the dressing rooms, indoor bathrooms, a full kitchen in carriage house, the gazebo and the pool deck. The dance floor and its perimeter lights are also part of the package price, as well as a wine barrel to display the cake.
“The package is valued at less than you can rent everything for,” Lundgren said.
Prices range from $7,500 on a Saturday to $6,500 on Fridays and Sundays. For those on a tighter budget, Lundgren says a weekday wedding is the way to go.
“It’s a steal!” she said. “We do have a couple of families coming in for weddings on a Monday or Tuesday for $2,500.”
Of course, one of the biggest aspects of the package is the wine. Keswick Vineyards produces six wines–three reds and three whites, as well as a Norton Chocolate Sauce, so there is a vino for every taste bud present at the reception.
“Our wines are outstanding,” Lundgren said. “And we have a flexible wine policy, with no minimum wine purchase required.”
From the stately grounds and elegant estate house, to the ripe vineyards and lush scenery, Keswick Vineyards offers what every bride wants–the perfect setting for her Big Day.
“I think the access to all the facilities and the flow of the events really makes the weddings here,” Lundgren said. “I’ve been doing events for nearly 20 years, and it’s just a beautiful flow and a nice feel. People feel very comfortable here.”
For more information about wedding packages offered, visit keswickvineyards.com.
DeVault Family Vineyards–Concord, VA
Located 20 minutes from Lynchburg and Appomattox, and just a quarter mile off Route 460, DeVault Vineyards in Campbell County is one of the newest and most locally convenient players in the local viticulture. As part of nine wineries that comprise the SoVA wine trail, DeVault’s proprietors, Terry and Sharon DeVault began growing grapes back in 2001 and are now thrilled to be in business and offering their 32 sprawling acres to brides and grooms for their Big Day.
“[When a bride has her wedding here,] she has exclusive rights to our entire property the day of wedding and the rehearsal night before,” Sharon said.
That right includes more than meets the eye. DeVault vineyard has a whole host of recreational activities, which includes a tennis court, volleyball net, basketball goal, stocked pond and an indoor pool with a diving board. For brides who want to have their rehearsal and rehearsal dinner at DeVault, these fun options give the wedding party and select guests a chance to play and unwind before the wedding the next day.
When the Big Day does arrive, DeVault has that covered too.
“We have a wedding coordinator on-site who takes care of all the vendor details. She will make phone calls to all who are late or delayed to ensure that the bride doesn’t need to worry about anything,” Sharon explained.
DeVault’s wedding package is a flat site fee of $1,500. That price includes the venue, rehearsal night and the entire day of the wedding.
“That also includes exclusive rights to tasting room for cocktail hour before the reception,” Sharon said.
Another bonus DeVault offers to brides and grooms is a 15 percent discount off total bill of wine sales for wedding. Currently, the vineyard produces six wines–three reds, two white and a rose, but Sharon says more are on the way.
“We have two additional wines coming by this summer,” Sharon said. “I just sent the label off for one today to be printed.”
While their wines are gaining popularity, Sharon says that it’s their sweet Sangrias, which includes their Norton grape, that has people stopping in from all over to have a taste.
“We have two sangrias that rock the sangria world!” she exclaimed.
With three weddings on the books for 2011 as of press time, Sharon expects more to come and encourages couples to book now to get the date they want. For more information about DeVault Vineyards, visit www.devaultvineyards.com.
Lazy Days Winery–Amherst, VA
Located halfway in between Lynchburg and Charlottesville, Lazy Days Winery is the newest nearby vineyard to sprout up. Once a cattle stockyard, the 66 acres that Lazy Days now calls “home” has been repurposed into a picturesque winery. Heather Hayes, the vineyard’s manager, says that the winery officially opened its presses to the public last June. She believes Lazy Days’ location and spectacular views makes it a perfect place for wedding day festivities.
“What’s great about Lazy Days is that we are located in Central Virginia and we have wide open country … it’s beautiful here,” she said. “[Brides] would come for our scenic views and because we have plenty of space for large weddings.”
The option of either an indoor or outdoor wedding, or a mixture of both, is available to any couple who chooses Lazy Days as their wedding site, thanks to a commitment by the staff to use what was already on the land as event space.
“Lazy Days Winery embraces recreating and repurposing,” Hayes said. “We have a covered area that’s been repurposed–it used to be a stockyard. It’s very rustic and has beautiful views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.”
Since the first grapes were planted three years ago, the team at Lazy Days has converted the old Amherst Livestock Pavilion on-site into a contemporary tasting room and event space. Currently, they are working to restore a 300-seat indoor theater that will allow them to host even more events.
For now, Hayes says a couple can choose to say “I Do” under the repurposed covered area, on the large lawn space, one of the vineyard’s many tree-lines hills or at their “country-style” amphitheater. While all the details of their wedding planning are still coming together, Hayes says their site fee is under $1,000. And though five wines are produced from their fields, she says that there’s no requirement to purchase wine.
“If it’s a nonalcoholic event, that’s okay, too,” she said, adding that she hopes couples will come ready to have fun. “We are out in the country so we are a great place for pictures and parties!”
For more information about Lazy Days Winery, visit www.lazydayswinery.com.
More Places to Say “I Do” by the Vines
If vino and views sound like the perfect way to tie the knot, there is no shortage of close by vineyards that allow weddings. Here are a few more to choose from:
Blue Ridge Vineyard–Eagle Rock, VA
(540) 798 7642, www.blueridgevineyard.com
DelFosse Vineyards & Winery–Faber, VA
(434) 263-6100, www.delfossewine.com
Hickory Hill Vineyards & Winery–Moneta, VA
(540) 296-1393, www.smlwine.com
Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery–Nellysford, VA
(434) 361-1266, www.hilltopberrywine.com
Rebec Vineyards–Amherst, VA
(434) 946-5168, www.rebecwinery.com
Sans Soucy Vineyards–Brookneal, VA
(434) 376-9463, www.sanssoucyvineyards.com
Veritas Vineyard & Winery–Afton, VA
(540) 456-8000, www.veritaswines.com
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