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OAKDALE From FARMLAND to DREAM VENUE By Marissa McCormick
Just off the beaten path, The Richmond Weddings™ Team traveled to Ashland Road to explore and discover one of Richmond’s newest and most unique venues, Oakdale. We chatted with Chris Stem, Partner and Bookings Coordinator for the farm. Driving onto the pristine grounds, the overall ambiance of Oakdale is like something out of a storybook. A pristine white barn sits small in the foreground against the forest behind it. Trees, that look like they’ve been there forever, sway in the ever-present breeze. The dark, lush green giving way to those signature Virginia technicolor leaves in the fall. The venue is set up to face the sunset, so you and your guests can watch the yellow sun settle on the Hanover Vegetable Farm across the street. And in the corner of the picture sits a quaint and quiet pond with a landing, a magical place to say your “I do’s.” Chris explains, “You’ll have the trees in the background, lights, and power down there.” The breeze plays on the surface of the pond as light
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shimmers off of it, a little slice of heaven. And you’re not just limited to a pond ceremony. “You can get married on any part of the 100 acres you want to. If you want more of a field, we’ll have groomed pastures for that.” Even though the venue was brand new in the fall of 2019, just like its quiet surroundings, it seems like it’s been there forever. Basking in the silence, one would never know that you’re less than 10 minutes from both Short Pump and Downtown Ashland. It’s almost boggling to wrap your head around. “The location of the property really meant something to us, you’re close to amenities, but you’re far enough out that you can have a beautiful, private, unique wedding.”
