Thinking about planning your wedding at Dover Hall? Below you’ll find a complete guide to help you navigate the intricacies of your best day ever at Dover Hall.
About Dover Hall
Dover Hall is a stately wedding venue located in Manakin-Sabot VA. Glancing at Dover Hall, you might be led to believe that the English-inspired home is a cornerstone of the area’s history. In actuality, Dover Hall’s construction was completed in 2000. The 38,000-square-foot estate quickly transformed from a family home to a luxury wedding venue. Today, the 55 sweeping acres that stretch across Goochland County’s equestrian countryside serves discerning couples located in Richmond, Charlottesville, Northern Virginia, Maryland, and beyond; who wish to experience Dover Hall when they say I do.
With on-site lodging for up to 10 guests, in-house catering, and an expansive selection of rooms and estate grounds to choose from for your wedding day, Dover Hall creates a truly unforgettable experience for your best day ever!
Getting Ready Suites at Dover Hall
Dover Hall provides its couples with access to two unique getting-ready suites for the morning of their wedding. The Queen Elizabeth suite and the Billiards Room. Each space is picturesque in its own way. Providing an intimate space where you will button your bridal gown or tie your bowtie before meeting your beloved down the aisle.
The Queen Elizabeth space is as filled with grandeur as you might expect, judging by the name. It’s a 2400-square-foot private room located in the wing of the estate house. Making it an ideal location to get ready the morning of your wedding. Especially if you plan on having a first look. Or if you just prefer the ease of being able to get dressed on-site. With the European-inspired influence in this room, it is a dream to photograph! The getting-ready photos we capture the morning of your wedding will be filled with a backdrop of lush furnishings and rich paintings. A true Europhile’s dream!
Searching for a Richmond Wedding Photographer to bring the joy-filled moments of your Dover Hall Wedding to life? Click here to contact me.
In the Billiards Room; a Roosevelt-era trophy room, the vibe is more masculine. Filled with a Monarch pool table and a 70-inch television where the groom and his groomsmen can prepare for the day while enjoying libations and a round of pool before heading to the ceremony.
Your Wedding Ceremony at Dover Hall
Dover Hall offers a number of spaces to select for your wedding ceremony. As a venue, they love to allow their couples the freedom to decide which space is most suitable for their unique wedding day vision.
The best part about an outdoor wedding ceremony at Dover Hall? You can absolutely bring your fur baby along! Whether you decide to make your pup your ring bearer, flower sprinkler, or just part of the family photos, Dover Hall allows dogs on their grounds!
Outdoor options for a wedding ceremony at Dover Hall include the Reflecting Pool, the Bluestone Terrace, the Two-Tiered Garden, the Rose Garden, and the Cobblestone Court. Additionally, an indoor wedding ceremony can be planned in the Ballroom. Not sure which space is best suited to saying I do to your forever date? I’ll break them down a bit more!
Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Spaces at Dover Hall
Located just beyond the gardens, lies the Reflecting Pool. A 90-foot-long swimming pool surrounded by a vast grass field and stone terrace. Setting up your wedding ceremony by the Reflecting Pool at Dover Hall will involve seating guests at either side of the pool, with your grand entrance down the aisle happening on either side of the pool. A dotted stone pathway will lead you to the altar.
Directly behind Dover Hall, you’ll find the Bluestone Terrace. This space is over 4,000 square feet and provides a more laid-back vibe for your wedding ceremony. Adjacent to the stone-walled garden, the stone-walled terrace may be outfitted with bistro lighting for a sparkling experience while saying I do.
Just a few steps beyond the Bluestone Terrace, you’ll find the Two-tiered Gardens as well as the Rose Gardens. Both of these spaces are more intimate in size for hosting your wedding ceremony at Dover Hall, but truly stunning in their scenery nonetheless. These spaces would be ideal for an intimate wedding ceremony experience of 50 guests or less. Can you imagine the soft scent of fragrant roses filling the air as you say I do? Each space feels as though it is layered in romance, jumping directly out of the pages of a French novel.
Searching for a Richmond Wedding Photographer to bring the joy-filled moments of your Dover Hall Wedding to life? Click here to contact me.
Lastly, the Cobblestone Court is another outdoor space at Dover Hall to host your wedding ceremony. This space, much like the Bluestone Terrace, is 4,000 square feet and offers beautiful views of the gardens. The Cobblestone Terrace is located on the Northeast side of the Estate House and also has space for enhancing your ceremony experience with twinkling cafe lighting.
Indoor Wedding Ceremony Spaces at Dover Hall
Thinking about planning your wedding during the more inclement months and wondering what options are available for an indoor wedding ceremony at Dover Hall? This expansive estate provides two options. The Ballroom, and the Glass Hall. You may choose to host your indoor wedding ceremony at Dover Hall in one of these rooms with your wedding reception in the other. Or you have the ability to host your ceremony & reception in the same space. However, opting for the latter will require a room changeover as your guests enjoy small bites and sip on libations during your cocktail hour in either the Library, Formal Dining Room, or Parlor.
The Ballroom is by far the most magnificent and grand room inside the estate house. It is over 2,400 square feet and contains wood coffered ceilings and wrought iron chandeliers. The centerpiece of this space is a sandstone fireplace originally from the coast of Scotland. Additionally, the Ballroom has floor-to-ceiling doors. These doors will gently sway open as you make your grand entrance down the merlot-carpeted stone stairway and up the aisle past your guests. It’s breathtaking to behold and a gorgeous indoor location to hold your wedding ceremony at Dover Hall.
The second option for an indoor wedding ceremony at Dover Hall is inside the sparkling walls of the Glass Hall. The Glass Hall is the newest addition to Dover Hall. It is approximately 6,400 square feet surrounded by 13-foot tall glass walls and an impressive 24-foot high ceiling adorned with crystal chandeliers and twinkling bistro lighting. This space, though it provides a feeling of being outdoors, is fully climate-controlled. Additionally, it is located just steps away from the Ballroom, providing an easy transition for your guests from ceremony to reception.
Your Wedding Reception at Dover Hall
Dover Hall is truly an all-in-one wedding venue! Giving couples the ability to host their ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, all on their grounds! Having all of your events in one location creates a seamless experience and cuts down on travel time for you and your guests. So you’ll have plenty of time for a first look, attending your cocktail hour, and walking the grounds and the rooms of the estate house with me to capture every extraordinary moment of your wedding day!
Options for hosting your wedding reception at Dover Hall include The Ballroom and The Glass Hall, each with the ability to accommodate a specific number of guests. The Ballroom is able to accommodate up to 150 guests for a seated, plated dinner reception, or 200 guests for a station and cocktail setting reception. Are you planning a more grand-scale wedding day with an expansive guest list? The Glass Hall is able to accommodate seating for up to 400 guests!
Catering at Dover Hall
Dover Hall provides couples and their guests catering exclusively by their in-house catering staff, with executive chef Leah Randolph leading the team. Leah began her career at Dover Hall as a sous chef before climbing the ranks to executive chef in 2021. Her leadership abilities combined with her overall attention to detail and an impeccable level of service made her the perfect choice for paving the way to provide an enhanced food and beverage experience to Dover Hall’s couples along with their guests.
Dover Hall’s wedding catering experience can only be described as elevated. Each menu item is created by first sourcing fresh in-season ingredients. Additionally, the catering staff’s vast knowledge of wine and beer, coupled with the venue’s selections, allows you to craft a wedding menu truly reflective of your personality in a way that creates a high-touch culinary experience! Did I mention that Dover Hall has their own wine? 7 Lady Vineyards Wines is their house label that pairs exquisitely with your plated dinner!
Searching for a Richmond Wedding Photographer to bring the joy-filled moments of your Dover Hall Wedding to life? Click here to contact me.
A typical menu for a Dover Hall wedding will include the following. Passed canapes, action stations, an amuse bouche, a first course, second course, dessert menu, and a bar package. Every bite is elegantly plated and served to your guests in a way that focuses on food as art. Overall creating a delectable dining experience!
Dover Hall Wedding Cost
The average cost of a wedding at Dover Hall will vary. This is dependant upon the time of year your wedding will take place. But, I’ll break it down a bit more!
For wedding receptions at Dover Hall taking place during off-peak season, the starting cost is $12,000. For peak-season wedding receptions at Dover Hall, the starting cost is $15,000.
Wedding ceremonies at Dover Hall are similarly priced. Off-peak season wedding ceremonies begin with a starting cost of $12,000. While peak-season wedding ceremonies at Dover Hall begin at $15,000. It is important to note that these prices apply only to the facility fee. Which does not yet include the food and beverage minimums that must be met for their exclusive in-house catering.
Dover Hall’s peak wedding season months include May, September, October, and December. Mid-season at Dover Hall occurs during the months of April, June, August, and November. Finally, Dover Hall’s low season occurs during the months of January, February, March, and July. The starting prices listed above will begin in accordance with the day of the week you are planning your wedding. Typically, higher rates are applicable to Friday and Saturday weddings. Accordingly, Sunday and weekday weddings are priced from the mid to low range. Lastly, the use of the Glass Hall is not included in the above-listed facility rates. However, it is available for rental for an additional fee of $7,500.
Searching for a Richmond Wedding Photographer to bring the joy-filled moments of your Dover Hall Wedding to life? Click here to contact me.
Dover Hall Wedding Brochure
Dover Hall offers its couples an online wedding planning brochure, available at this link. In it, you’ll find more details on the cost breakdown of their weekend wedding package. Including food and beverage minimums, a sample weekend wedding timeline, and a sample wedding day menu!
For more information on your wedding photography experience, you can reach out to Nicki Metcalf Photography here.
