Barns at Hamilton Station wedding ceremony chairs vintage

The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Wedding Venues in Northern Virginia

This is the ultimate guide to the best outdoor wedding venues in Virginia, based on my 18 years of experience as a wedding planner in the DC metro region!

It’s been 19 years since 9/11/01 and we are still taking our shoes and belts off in airports. I think post-Covid-19 life will hold some vestiges of our amid-Covid-19 lives. Wanting to have access to outdoor space for weddings and other large gatherings is one of the things I see lasting a much longer time.

If you are on the hunt for an outdoor wedding venue and aren’t limiting your search to Virginia, I did a round-up of outdoor DC wedding venues too. And if you are specifically looking for a wedding venue with a smaller guest list in mind, I wrote a list of the best small wedding venues in the DMV.

Outdoor Wedding Venues in Alexandria, Virginia

Torpedo Factory – there is a small outdoor space out back that is often tented and used for cocktail hour. I’d love to do a petite dinner party out there.

River Farm – your ceremony and cocktails are outdoors, your dinner is in a tent, and dancing is in a room adjacent to the tent.

Woodlawn – your ceremony and cocktails are outside, and your dinner/dance is in a tent.

Mount Vernon Inn – there is a courtyard where you can have your ceremony.

The Lorien Hotel has a nice courtyard that you could use for cocktails. They also have a rooftop suite where a tiny wedding ceremony could occur.

At the Carlyle House, you can get married and have cocktails outside and then dine in the tent. There are strong amplified music restrictions here.

The Athenaeum has a small courtyard that could be used for either ceremony or cocktails.

The Alexandrian Hotel – there is a large courtyard area that many use for the ceremony and also the dinner. Cocktails and dancing typically occurs inside.

the ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Northern Virginia -  The Alexandrian Hotel wedding courtyard
The AlexandrianDeb Lindsey Photography

Outdoor Wedding Venues in Arlington, Virginia

Hendry House – there is a small house here that can be used for your wedding cocktails and dancing – the rest is done outside or in a tent.

the ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Northern Virginia -  Hendry House Arlington VA ceremony arch
Hendry HouseStephanie Dee Photography

Army Navy Country Club – you can have your ceremony and your cocktail hour outside on the terrace.

Le Meridian Hotel has a roof top terrace where you can host cocktails and there are also firepits for post-dinner relaxation (and s’mores, obvi.)

Outdoor Wedding Venues in Loudoun County

Belmont Country Club – you can get married outside.

Great Marsh Estate – Your ceremony and cocktails are outside. Your reception is in a barn.

Whitehall Estate – your ceremony and cocktails can be outside.

Barns at Hamilton Station – your ceremony is outside.

the ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Northern Virginia -  Barns at Hamilton Station wedding ceremony
Barns at Hamilton StationKurstin Roe Photography

Oatlands Plantation – In years past, your ceremony and cocktail hour were outside and your reception was under a tent or if you were 45 people or less, in the greenhouse.

the ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Northern Virginia -  Oatlands Plantation wedding reception tent
Oatlands PlantationKurstin Roe Photography

Rust Manor House – Your ceremony is outside. Your cocktail hour is inside the manor house, and dinner/dance is in a tent.

the ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Northern Virginia -  Rust Manor House Leesburg Virginia wedding ceremony
Rust Manor HouseProcopio Photography

Thomas Birkby House – Your ceremony and cocktails can be outside. The dinner/dance is in a tent.

Murray Hill – your ceremony and cocktails can be outside. Your dinner/dance is in a 3-sided barn.

Shadow Creek – your ceremony and cocktails can be outside.

Stone Tower Winery – your ceremony is outside.

Fleetwood Farm Winery – Your ceremony is outside.

48 Fields Farm – Your ceremony and cocktails can be outside.

Faith Like a Mustard See Farm – Your ceremony and cocktails can be outside.

Lansdowne Resort – your ceremony and cocktails can be outside.

Riverside on the Potomac – Your ceremony and cocktails can be outside. The recpetion barn has very large doors that can be opened.

the ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Northern Virginia -  Riverside on the Potomac wedding barn
Riverside on the PotomacKristi Odom

Morven Park – Your ceremony and cocktails can be outside. If your event is small enough, you can dine al fresco on the cobblestone area between the buildings. You can also set up a tent for your reception.

the ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Northern Virginia - Morven Park wedding ceremony
Morven ParkMichelle VanTine Photography

Tranquility Farm – Your ceremony and cocktail hour is outside. Your dinner/dance can either be in the barn, or you can set up a tent.

the ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Northern Virginia - Tranquility Farm Wedding ceremony
Tranquility FarmPlume Photography

Have you settled on Loudoun County for your wedding venue? Great! Now quickly book your hotel block. I wrote this comprehensive list of Loudoun County hotels for weddings.

Outdoor Wedding Venues near Charlottesville and the Route 29 Corridor

My pal Amanda Shaver from Ashley Baber Weddings helped me with this section of the ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Virginia. She has worked in and around Charlottesville for many years and her word is bond.

Mount Ida Farm – Your ceremony can be outside.

Pippin Hill – Outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour (covered outdoor rain plan option)

the ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Northern Virginia -  Pippin Hill wedding ceremony
Pippin HillAshley Baber WeddingsJen Fariello Photography

Veritas Vineyards – Outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour is on a covered porch

the ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Northern Virginia -  Veritas wedding ceremony outside
Veritas VineyardsJodi and Kurt Photography

King Family Winery – Outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour (covered outdoor rain plan option for less than 100 guests)

Castle Hill Cider – Outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour

Early Mountain Vineyards – Outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour

Barboursville Vineyards – Outdoor ceremony, outdoor or indoor cocktail space, indoor or tented reception space

Inn at Willow Grove – Outdoor ceremony, outdoor/covered cocktail space

Highland – Outdoor ceremony, outdoor cocktail space, pavilion reception space

The Clifton – Outdoor ceremony, outdoor or indoor cocktail space, tented reception space

Keswick Vineyards – Outdoor ceremony, outdoor cocktail space, tented reception space

Market at Grelen – Outdoor ceremony, outdoor cocktail space, teneted reception space

Pharsalia – Outdoor ceremony, outdoor cocktail space, tented reception space

Monalto – Outdoor ceremony, outdoor and indoor cocktail space, limited indoor reception space, reception tent rental required

UVA Gardens/Colonnade Club – Outdoor ceremony, rehearsal dinner

Red Pump Kitchen – Rehearsal dinner/small events with open wall on Downtown Mall

Outdoor Wedding Venues in Northern Virginia

Riverview at Occoquan – Your ceremony and cocktail hour can be outside.

Middleburg Community Center – Your ceremony can be outside.

Salamander Resort – Your ceremony and cocktail hour can be outside. You can tent a patio area near the ballrooms and have your dinner/dance there.

Goodstone Inn – Your ceremony and cocktails can be outside, and you will set up a tent for your reception.

Red Fox Inn – Your ceremony will be in a garden. Your cocktail hour and your dancing is outside under a tent. Your dinner is inside.

Potomac Point Winery – Ceremony and cocktail hour can be outside.

Meadowlark Gardens – Your ceremony and possibly also your cocktail hour is outside, depending on the size of your guest list.

So what do you think of my ultimate guide to outdoor wedding venues in Northern Virginia? Did I miss one? If so, contact me and I’ll add it to the list! I always want this to be as comprehensive of a guide as possible.