Destination Venue Series: Glenstone Gardens

Awe-Inspiring European Elegance at Glenstone Gardens, Middleburg Virginia

Glenstone Gardens evoke an aura of refinement and mystery, shrouded in an exclusive allure. Within this private estate lie formal gardens, ancient trees, hidden enclaves, and wide-open lawns. Every corner reveals picturesque views at every glance. Whether it’s an intimate gathering or an extravagant tented affair, Glenstone Gardens offer a sophisticated setting steeped in historic Southern hospitality—the beauty that only a historic garden can achieve.

Grounds & Aesthetic:

From the moment you pass through the main gates, a powerful feeling of serenity envelops you. This property comprises private gardens, expansive manicured lawns, and majestic centuries-old trees. Tucked away on the property are two large, two-story farmhouses modernized with sophisticated charm, perfect for getting ready on the wedding day.

Choosing this venue for your wedding allows your guests to leisurely wander through the magnificent splendor of the property in private, without having to mix with uninvited guests (as in a hotel) or adjust the ceremony start time due to business hours (as in a winery). Every detail of the property is thoughtfully curated for the best guest experience, ensuring you and your closest friends and family are well taken care of from arrival to departure.

Location:

Glenstone Gardens is located in Middleburg Virginia (Northern Virginia). Only 35 mins from Washington Dulles International Airport, this is a great destination location if your friends and family live both north and south of Virginia. Past couples with family in both New York State and North Carolina, find it the perfect in-between spot to host their wedding weekend. The Town of Middleburg is a picturesque medium sized historic town with southern charm on literally every corner. Known as the Horse and Hunt Capital of the U.S, it is steeped in equestrian tradition and rich in comfortable atmosphere. Guests will feel warmly invited at every turn. This extremely charming town offers numerous cozy restaurants, five star boutique hotels, and shopping.

Group Size:

The property accommodates up to 250 guests maximum. It’s also an ideal spot for an intimate wedding, offering numerous garden enclaves perfectly sized for hosting smaller groups, ensuring guests don’t feel overwhelmed by the property’s sheer size.

Price:

The site fee starts at $29,500 for a 2024 Wedding Day Celebration of 48 – 250 guests. The property can also be rented for additional events (rehearsal dinner, welcome party, or after brunch, etc) as an add on, starting at $5,000 more per event. The price includes the exclusive use of the entire property for the wedding day with additional wedding prep/tear down time, beautiful bridal suite, grooms quarters, valet parking attendants, and a date night for the couple prior to the wedding at the Red Fox Inn & Tavern (Glenstone Garden’s sister property in downtown Middleburg).

Intimate wedding pricing for 18 – 48 guests starts at $26,500 for a weekend date and includes a 2-course dinner with wine by Red Fox Inn & Tavern culinary team. This is a great price, if you are considering an intimate wedding – definitely consider this beautiful location.

Budget:

So what type of budget do you really need to host a wedding at this location? You can expect to spend a minimum of an all in budget of $200k+ to host a wedding of 100 guests at this location, not including overnight accommodations or guest lodging. Pricing will vary based on your particular style, but overall to have a stunning tented wedding at this location, you can expect to spend this price and above overall on the wedding day.

My Review:

This location is ideal for a bride who prioritizes the privacy of a private estate, is a gracious host, has a profound love for refined gardens, and is more than willing to invest in the additional expense required to have a luxurious tent with flooring. As the venue is entirely outdoors, similar to many other venues, you and your wedding planner will need to consider the potential expenses of tenting the ceremony and cocktail sites as a backup plan. After visiting, I’ve been captivated by the allure of the property and have moved it to the top of my list for my large-scale wedding clients with refined taste.

Inclusions:

The property has a extensive list of throughly vetted planners & designers and caterers that you are allowed to work with onsite. This property does not include onsite rentals or catering. All restrooms, tenting, catering equipment, and necessary vendors must be brought in. Tenting is required. There are no overnight accommodations onsite.

Professionalism:

This property has an extremely professional and dedicated in-house events team that manages the property, alongside your outside wedding planner. They do not include an in-house wedding planner.

History:

This 26 acre private estate has been family run since the 18th century. The magnificent oak tree onsite (the best ceremony location onsite, in my opinion) is said, incredibly, to be sacred and is over 450 years old. The owner Matilda’s grandparents created the seven distinct garden enclaves that still prosper to this day.