Couldn't be happier with our choice of James Monroe's Highland!! If you aren't excited about the idea of having just another generic, impersonal Virginia winery wedding and are looking for a location with a long history, character, and beautiful scenery, you absolutely need to look into this venue. Highland is a special place. The Highland Events manager (Jason) was super helpful, professional, patient with all my questions, and so very personable -our favorite "vendor" of all. The price was surprisingly reasonable compared to other central Virginia outdoor venues, and a large chunk of it is a tax-deductible donation that goes toward funding Highland's education and preservation projects - it felt amazingly good to invest some of our wedding money in this way.
Having an outdoor wedding can be nerve-wracking due to the unpredictability of weather, but we got lucky for our late April wedding. They have a backup indoor space in case of very bad weather, but honestly, it would've been a huge disappointment had we had to move indoors. The historic grounds were green and gorgeous, with brick walkways and interesting spaces at every turn. The long driveway up with framing trees is an iconic location for bride-and-groom photos. The secluded ceremony area (the Blue Ridge yard) surrounded by boxwoods and a white fence was an intimate setting for our wedding of 70 (it would've fit dozens more and they have a larger space if needed), with lovely, peaceful scenery as the backdrop. A charming garden area was the cocktail hour space (where guests have the option of taking a brief walk through the indoor exhibit spaces which are literally right there), and then a covered hilltop outdoor pavilion was the reception area. Although it sounds confusing, all these places are just a few steps away from each other (less than a 2-minute walk). Things ran smoothly, there were zero glitches on the wedding day thanks to the friendly Highland staff, and we and our guests loved the setting. It was magical.

James Monroe's Highland was the perfect venue. The team (Jason and Shai) are wonderful - warm, kind, helpful, and experienced. They put us at ease from Day 1, connecting us with great vendors that made the rest of the planning process seamless. We wanted a mountain setting with beautiful views, and Highland delivered. It is a special place that is grounded in history, which was meaningful to us. I highly recommend James Monroe's Highland!

We held our daughter’s October wedding at Highland. It was the perfect venue for a fall wedding! The venue offers multiple options to hold the outdoor wedding ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. Each of options are beautiful and provide space for small to large events. Our guests loved the views. The event staff was exceptional in the care they took in responding to questions prior to the event, preparing the venue for the wedding and ensuring the day of the event went as planned. Highly recommend!