This Wednesday I wanted to detail my experience with having my wedding at the Greenbrier because it really was great.

We started out looking at the Greenbrier because that is where Hubby wanted to get hitched.  We also comparison shopped in the DC area.   What we found out is that it would cost us about the same maybe less to have a fantastic wedding at such a grand resort as it would in DC.

Room rental was $500.  Some room rentals in DC went up to $10,000 just for room rental.  We had to guarantee a minimum number of rooms occupied the nights of our event, but for the night of our wedding it was 1/3 of our guests and less than that the night before, and they discounted the room rate significantly.

We also negotiated that people could rent multiple rooms cabins for the same price per night as a room so if it was a 4 bedroom cabin they would pay discounted room rate x4.

The Greenbrier coordinates with Gillespie Flowers (they have the Florist shop inside the Greenbrier), Scott Logsdon with East Coast music and helped coordinate with the Pastor, Brent Sturm, who is the Pastor at the Methodist Church in the area.  The event coordinators really served as event planners making sure that everyone knew what was happening, when and where in regard to everything happening at the Greenbrier.

They really went above and beyond in terms of the service they offered.  I really wanted a Smith Island Cake as my wedding cake, not only had they never made one before they didn’t even know what it is.  Never the less, I sent a sample cake to them and their pastry chef recreated a huge wedding cake that tasted amazing, just like a Smith Island Cake should, after trying to recreate the frosting and not getting it just right they ordered icing from the Sweet Shoppe, a company I recommended because icing is a big deal to me.  I don’t like fatty tasting buttercreams, hate fondant… very picky.  They really worked with me on this, and I can safely say to any other brides that if you request it they will try their best to do it.

Hubby’s family really likes Virginia wine, they being very proud Virginians, and I am in full support.  They requested we have Jefferson wines from Monticello at the rehearsal dinner when there weren’t any wines we particularly liked ont he banquet list.  The Greenbrier worked with them, et voila.

When we were having a sample dinner at Sam Snead’s we fell in love with the white chocolate mints served there and requested these be put on each table for guests, done.  (Although I wish they would have boxed up the extras to go home with me, mmm, I love those chocolates, they are the ones that look a bit like a brussel sprout for anyone interested)

We wanted a DVD stand to play pictures, done.

We wanted chocolates in certain guest rooms when they arrived with a note, done.  They put free boxes of chocolates in all our important guests rooms (Mother of Bride, Fatheror Bride, Grooms parents, Grandparents of Groom, etc)

I even needed a new fragrance and bought the last bottle of a scent they had in the cosmetic store and the lady gave me the almost full sample bottle as they would be no longer carrying it, as well.

I had bought the plates, vases and votives for part of our flowers and brought them in from outside, that wasn’t a problem.

Just to illustrate how smoothly things went when we pulled up with a huge car load of stuff and the wedding planners came rushing out and boxes went here and there and everything ended up in the right place, the vases to the florist, the toasting flutes and cake cutter stored, presents for our guests to their rooms, guest book to a spot where people would sign it.

The food at the rehearsal dinner at Sam Snead’s steak house was great.  We had steak, vegetarian, sea bass or chicken with a salad and family style mashed potatoes and asparagus.  It was all very good.

At the wedding we started with a salad with Virginia country ham, goat cheese and mandarins which was a combination of salty, citrusy and rich fullness with crisp greens.  We next had a leek soup that was by far the best course.  It had a light green froth on top.  It was smooth and rich, not too salty and very creamy.  I ate every bit of it.  I really appreciated the sit down meal because I can see how Brides might not get enough to eat without it being part of the agenda.  The main course was a skin on breast of chicken with a nice, not heavy, brown sauce with mushroom beggars purse and green beans.  The food turned out so well.  It was a menu most people could agree with since it was chicken (and a few vegetarian entrees), but it was done in a really nice way.

As a tribute to my Grandmother I requested that for the wedding Somewhere over the rainbow play at some point during the ceremony, but I found as I would go throughout the Greenbrier that weekend the house band would play it when I would come by.  That was such a nice touch.  Something that the staff did without me knowing that really made me feel like my Grandmother was there and having a good time.

I cannot recommend a place for a wedding or even a vacation more highly than the Greenbrier.  They have amazing class, style, staff and food.  If I called for curlers and a curling iron it would come within a few minutes, if I forgot toiletries they do their best to get me everything I need.

The free afternoon tea with petit fours in their beautiful rhododendron cups is so much fun and a nice time to sit and talk in the afternoon.  The whole place is just relaxing.

So many people commented that I was the calmest bride they have ever seen and in large part it was because the Greenbrier did everything they possibly could to make sure everything ran smoothly.  Because of that I spent my days enjoying the guests who were there with us, not fretting about anything.  So thank you to all at the Greenbrier, you will always be my favorite home away from home.

(Will post some pictures soon as there are a lot and I must cull)

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