Cyrus McCormick Farm Wedding

BlackBird Images recently shot at wedding at the Cyrus McCormick Farm in Steele's Tavern, Va (about 15 miles southwest of Staunton, Va). It's a nice place for an outdoor wedding, with a variety of pretty spots available for the service. The couple we photographed chose to have the service in an open area near a few of the larger buildings. Here's a photo of the service, shot from a hill above:


And here they are just after walking back down the aisle as husband and wife:


Using the Farm for a wedding venue does pose one problem, though: the Farm won't let you use any of the buildings, even for dressing. The bride solved that problem by bringing a tent; she used it for last-minute makeup and wardrobe checks. So, it's a pretty place, but it's a little inconvenient, especially if you have a number of guests attending. Plus, if you're making last-minute hair adjustments, you could find yourself in a position like this.

1763 Inn Wedding

Even though the summer wedding season is in full swing, we're already getting bookings for next year... based on the fact a lot of couples are asking for advice about venues, it seems many are choosing their wedding photographer before they choose the location for their wedding. So, in the next few weeks we'll try to pass on our thoughts about a few more Virginia wedding locations the BlackBird Images photographers have visited.
Last year we photographed a wedding at the 1763 Inn in Upperville, Virginia (not too far from Warrenton, VA - about an hour from D.C.). The Inn has a restaurant, a number of dining rooms (including one detached reception hall that, we're guessing, can hold between 75 and 100 people.) It also includes extensive grounds; in the photo below you can see a number of guests and a bridge that leads to the back half of the property.

And yes, the two white spots in the water are swans.
Even though there are rooms in the Inn itself, there are also a number of cabins in the woods behind the lake - there are 18 total rooms available. The Inn offers a nice balance: it operates like a bed and breakfast, and has a very cozy feel, but it also has more rooms available than the typical bed and breakfast and can accommodate a larger wedding party.
For the service itself you can either use one of the reception halls or a large outdoor patio overlooking the lake (with room for seating around 150 people).

Why the photo of this young man? (He's inside the reception building.) Over the years we've developed a simple rule of thumb: if the location is comfortable and flexible enough that kids can have a good time... it's a pretty safe bet that everyone will have a good time. The 1763 Inn is one of those places; great staff, service that was smooth and transparent, and plenty of room for everyone to enjoy themselves. To check them out, you can visit their website by clicking here (sadly, their website doesn't do them any justice at all - it's a lot prettier than it appears.)