Beyond the THE BIG DAY

It’s not only the wedding day that Loudoun caters to. From bachelor parties and bridal showers to rehearsal dinners and thankyou gifts, Loudoun has a little something for every stage of a courtship.

Engagements

There’s nothing more romantic than a proposal at a vineyard with a view. Pop the question in the tumbling vines of Stone Tower Winery atop the spectacular Hogback Mountain, then celebrate with a glass of 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon in the elegant-style Harvest Barn. For an even more intimate proposal, Three Creeks Winery tucked away on a winding road has a rustic barn tasting room on the banks of a small creek. For a picture-perfect engagement, use the beautiful white mansion at Morven Park as your backdrop. Purely Picnics can create an insta-worthy picnic setup on the park’s extensive lawn where you can pop the question over charcuterie and bubbles.

Bachelor Parties

There’s plenty of adrenaline action for friends coming to town. Kick off the day before your big day at Autobahn Speedway in Sterling where you can race your mates to the finish line in Italian-style electric go-karts. Nearby, practice your draw at Ultimate Archery in an intense, though friendly, game against your best buds. From there, visit The Ballpark Loudoun. This interactive facility uses cutting-edge technology that tracks speed and elevation off the bat to calculate where your ball would go in any Major League stadium. If weather permits, check out Pev’s Paintball in Aldie, which features inflatable obstacles, towers, rock fields and other hurdles across multiple playing fields.

Bridal Showers

Pamper your friends at one of Loudoun’s superb spas like King Spa – modeled after the traditional Jjim-Jil Bang spas of South Korea. There, get access to state-of-the-art steam rooms, saunas, thermal baths, mud rooms and a vast rooftop swimming pool complex replete with waterfalls, showers and hot tubs. For a different approach to relaxation, OMFloat in Ashburn specializes in using water to assist with sleep and relaxation – this practice is called Therapeutic Flotation Therapy. Another great option for an afternoon with friends is a tea tasting through Dominion Tea in Purcellville followed by some retail therapy at local boutiques like Nostalgia or Twigs.

WEDDING AND THANK-YOU GIFTS

Rehearsal Dinners

Restaurants for those all-important, pre-wedding dinners run the gamut from fine dining to low key. In the heart of historic downtown Leesburg sits Shoes Cup & Cork where you have free range to customize your own experience. Forklift provides a similar experience where the modern, industrial-style space can transform to fit your event needs. On the sloping hills of Bluemont lies Bear Chase Brewing Company where guests can enjoy dinner and local craft beer along with a view. Farm-to-table favorite Clyde’s Willow Creek Farm offers a plethora of fine dining spaces including a large, brightly lit flagstone terrace, providing that perfect hint of elegance.

Forget the big box stores – Loudoun is perfect for quirky local gifts and accessories. Purchase wine, beer, whiskey, bread, cheese, jams, handcrafted goods – sheep’s wool gloves, hats, scarves –from a myriad of wineries, breweries, farm stores and farmers markets, all part of the #TakeLoudounHome initiative to inspire and promote local artists and artisans. Loudoun’s historic downtowns meanwhile are retail destinations too, with a slate of chic stores and trendy boutiques selling fashionable home décor and upscale urban gifts and accessories. Don’t miss Middleburg’s Washington Street and Leesburg’s King Street, the county’s two leading retail thoroughfares.

Accommodations/Venues

Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles North (703) 723-5300

EmbassySuites.com

Hampton Inn Dulles/Cascades (703) 480-7454

BFSaulHotels.com

Hampton Inn & Suites Dulles Airport (703) 480-7454

BFSaulHotels.com

Holiday Inn Dulles Airport (703) 480-7454

BFSaulHotels.com

Homewood Suites by Hilton Dulles North (703) 723-7500

HomewoodSuites.com

Springhill Suites® by Marriott (703) 480-7454

BFSaulHotels.com

Attire/Fashion

West Belmont Place at The National (703) 729-8000

ConferenceCenter.com

White’s Ferry Manor (571) 528-7070

WhitesFerryManor.com

Grace Riane Bridals (304) 676-3089

GraceRianeBridals.com

May Aesthetics Boutique (703) 653-0781

MayAestheticsBoutique.com

Caterers

Savior Fare Limited (540) 338-8300

SavoirFareLimited.com

Sincerely, Me

Inc. (703) 957-7877

SincerelyMeBeautyInc.com

Bakery/Desserts

Farmhouse Simplicity brianne@farmhousesimplicity.com FarmhouseSimplicity.com

Very Virginia Shop (703) 973-6400 veryvirginia.com

Designing Flowers (540) 338-3983

DesigningFlowersnova.com

Shew-sical Entertainment Services

(888) 743-9742

Shew-sical.com

Alex Mangione Photography (607) 377-7317

AlexMangionePhotography.com

Planning & Decor

An Exceptional Event

(703) 505-3677

AnExceptionalEvent.com

Wizer Productions (301) 788-8156

WizerProductions.com

Photography

Executive Bathrooms Plus, LLC

(540) 550-5133

ExecutiveBathroomsPlus.com

Genevieve Leiper Photography (703) 200-0428

GenevieveLeiper.com

Rentals & Decor

Bella Balloons Co (240) 440-1794

BellaBalloonsCo.com

Akbar Sayed Photography (443) 878-2451

AkbarSayedPhotography.com

Farmhouse Simplicity brianne@farmhousesimplicity.com

FarmhouseSimplicity.com

SnKWorks Photography & Videography (703) 303-3849 snkworks.com

Curated Events (703) 661-8290

CuratedEvents.com/DC

Transportation

Reston Limousine (703) 478-0500

RestonLimo.com