Hidden In Rural Virginia Is A European-Inspired Oasis Voted The Best Wedding Event Space In North America

If an American bride is dreaming of a wedding at an elegant estate in the English countryside, there's no need to fly across the pond and suffer jet lag, high travel costs, and logistics woes. Instead, she should consider the English Tudor-style Dover Hall near Virginia's capital. Voted the Best in North America for Weddings, Parties, and Celebrations by Condé Nast Johansens in 2025, Dover Hall is a 38,000-square-foot manor house set on 55 acres. Dover Hall was built in 2000 by a family who spared no expense -– to the tune of $30 million — sourcing chandeliers, artwork, and furnishings from across Europe and creating unique spaces with Gothic arches, high ceilings, and massive windows and fireplaces. (It doesn't actually date to medieval times like nearby Agecroft, an English Tudor estate on the bank of the James River.) With indoor and outdoor areas ranging from a ballroom and billiards room to a rose garden and reflecting pool, "Dover Hall is the stuff wedding dreams are made of," a wedding photographer wrote in a recent Google review. She continued, "You cannot go wrong with any nook or cranny of this stunning estate." 

Dover Hall is in the rural town of Manakin-Sabot, which is a half hour from both the city of Richmond and Richmond International Airport. Charlottesville and Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport are about an hour's drive. Yet another airport, Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, is an hour and 20 minutes from Dover Hall while Washington, D.C., is two hours away.

Surrounded by rolling hills and horse farms, Dover Hall has 27 bathrooms and 19 fireplaces amongst spaces like a formal dining room, solarium, library, pub, and wine cellar. The 2,400-square-foot ballroom is adorned with custom-built coffered ceilings and wrought iron chandeliers and can seat 125 guests. To add to this room's impact and versatility, enormous doors open onto a 4,000-square-foot terrace with seating areas and fire pits to accommodate indoor-outdoor settings, and a room with a bar is attached for ease of service. The Glass Hall is another appealing space for large groups. Able to hold 400 people, this 6,400-square-foot light-filled space has a 24-foot ceiling and 13-foot glass walls.

There's no need to source outside catering as Dover Hall handles all food and beverages. Executive Chef Leah Randolph, who the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, and Travel Association has voted "Chef of the Year," will wow your guests with Creole crab cake canapés and a peppercorn-crusted beef tenderloin drizzled with truffle Bordelaise entrée. One recent client praised Randolph's cuisine, writing: "Her food is nothing short of unreal! ... The flavors, presentation, and quality of the food were top-notch." When it comes to wine, Dover Hall has you covered, too, as the property has its own vineyard producing a bright viognier and a full-bodied cabernet franc, and is building a tasting room. In addition to its own wines, grown in the Monticello AVA, a collaboration with global winemakers results in a well-curated wine selection.

Guests from out of town will need a place to stay, so what are the choices near Dover Hall? The estate itself can accommodate guests in 10 elegant suites with four-poster beds and sitting areas. A gourmet breakfast is included, and you can also organize a private dinner prepared by Chef Randolph. For those with a lower budget, the surrounding area is full of lodging options like a Residence Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Hilton, and Hyatt in the $150-$225 range, all under 6 miles away. Continuing closer to the capital city, even more choices become available, including a high-design hotel with its own art gallery. 

As for fun things to do to entertain your guests, they can walk, bike, or jog along the 1.25-mile Canal Walk or explore by boat on a Riverfront Canal Cruise. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has a wide-ranging collection, including a renowned Faberge egg display, and two museums that focus on history are the American Civil War Museum and the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. People who are traveling with kids will find the Kings Dominion amusement park, the Children's Museum of Richmond, and the Metro Richmond Zoo surefire hits. For those who have more time to see the surrounding area, the Colonial Parkway connects historic sites like Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg (an hour east), while those looking for sun and sand could travel north about an hour and a half to charming Colonial Beach.