Virginia Weddings / Commitment Ceremonies / Renewal of Vows

A WEDDING CELEBRATION, COMMITMENT CEREMONY, OR RENEWAL OF VOWS at Belle Grae Inn is a truly personal experience. We delight in creating an event especially for you. The Belle Grae staff dedicates its talents and energy to making your rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, and reception personal, private, and special for you, your family, and your friends. Therefore, we want you, the client, to participate in the design of your menus and activities.

WE ASSIST YOU in planning bridesmaid luncheons, rehearsal dinners, a garden ceremony, the wedding feast and reception, and the "morning after" brunch with family, friends, and opening of presents. Each menu is designed for your taste and personality and priced for your budget.

INNKEEPERS Elizabeth Stewart Bennett and Rod Bennett are available to assist in menu development and cost. Appointments may be made at the Reservation Desk. Call 1-888-541-5151 or 540-886-5151.

General Information

FACILITY SET-UP FEE

A facility use set-up fee of $1000 includes set-up; table skirting; appropriate silver, crystal and china; and banquet and display tables, linen tablecloths, and napkins. This fee is based on the number of guests, unique set-up, table arrangements, etc. Cost will be adjusted accordingly. The normal length of a wedding reception, arrival to departure, is three hours. Should you wish to extend the party, the cost is an additional $100 per hour or any portion thereof.

You are invited to have the commitment ceremony in Belle Grae's Wedding Garden, Courtyard, or Garden Room at an additional cost of $250. Belle Grae will arrange delivery and set-up of requested rental items (tents, chairs, tables, candelabra, kneeling bench, etc.) and that actual cost will be added to your master bill.

A LA CARTE MEALS COSTS

The average cost per person for reception food plus tax and service is:
 

-- $15 for breakfast receptions	-- $20-25 for brunch receptions
-- $15-25 for afternoon receptions	-- $25-50 for evening receptions

-- Night-time receptions will be assessed a minimum of $10 per person beverage fee. This fee can be consumed in beer, wine, ABC, and/or non-alcoholic beverages.

-- Evening receptions that require the use of the entire restaurant (all four dining areas) have a minimum of $3,500 for food and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and require the rental of all lodging rooms and suites. Saturday evening receptions require the purchase of the Two-Night Belle Grae Wedding Package listed below.

-- To all costs, please budget 20% service and 10% tax.

WEDDING PACKAGE

The wedding package includes all rooms and suites (6 rooms and 7 suites) for a minimum 2-night stay, rehearsal dinner on Friday evening, and wedding reception on Saturday afternoon or evening, and the "morning after" breakfast/brunch with family and friends.

1. Rehearsal Dinner: Hors d'oeuvres, Salad, Entrée, and Desserts. Average cost is $25-40 per person.
    

2. Wedding Feast (sit down or stand up) priced per menu. See above for guestimate prices.
    

3. Breakfast/Brunch served daily to Inn guests is included in the room rate. Additional guests are welcome by reservation. Cost is $11.50 per person.
    

4. Lodging costs for six rooms and seven suites accommodating 26 persons if paid by one check are $2100 per night plus tax and service. If rooms will be guaranteed by the bridal party, yet paid by the individual guests occupying the lodging space, the rate is $145 per night per room and $175 per night per suite plus tax and service. Some units can accommodate a third occupant at a rate of $30 per night per person.
    

5. Facility usage includes space provided for "Inn Guest Welcome Station;" on-duty host from guest arrival to departure; set-up for rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony (if applicable), reception; dance space; inn guest breakfast/brunch set-up; table linens, china, glass and flatware; chaffers and serving pieces; tables and chairs, etc., on site for up to 100 guests. Facility fee is $1000.
    

6. Tables, chairs, and serving pieces for parties in excess of 75 and tents and items specifically requested by the event coordinator will be priced accordingly.

WEDDING CAKES

The Belle Grae Inn wedding cake cost averages $5 per guest, which includes cake (bride's choice of flavor and design), set-up, presentation, china and silver flatware, serving and packaging.

If a bridal party prefers to contract their own cake, the provider will be responsible for cake set-up one hour prior to guest arrival. Belle Grae Inn will provide table, skirting, silver, china, service, and packaging at a non-negotiable cost of $2.50 per person ($250 maximum cost). Contractor must provide boxes for excess cake.

BAR

Bartenders are available for a cost for $20 per hour with a 5-hour minimum. A tip of 20% is added to the master bill for "open bar" (drinks paid for by the host/hostess), or if cash bar, 20% of total bar sales will be added to the host's bill. Belle Grae Inn has a Virginia liquor license, therefore we must purchase and distribute all ABC consumed on site. (In extraordinary circumstances where Belle Grae is unable to secure your preferred wine or champagne, it may be possible for you to provide your own wine; corkage fee is $15 per bottle.)

ENTERTAINMENT

You are welcome to contract with bands, DJ's, or combos for the wedding ceremony and/or reception. We have a large smooth surfaced concrete patio for outside dancing (Courtyard bar also available) and the dance floor in the Garden Room accommodates 20 couples, normally adequate size for even large weddings. The Garden Room is acoustically perfect so large speakers are definitely not necessary. Staunton noise ordinances prevail, so sound must be held at a tasteful level. Staunton maintains a very strict 11:00 p.m. curfew for loud music outside and "inn." Event coordinators must assume responsibility for any fines or penalties for ordinance violations.

PARKING

The Inn offers 35 spaces in the Garden lot behind the Inn. Guests will find room for six cars on Frederick Street in front of the Inn. Disregard the yellow loading zone, which is our space for the bride's limo and her guests. We have access to 100 spaces in the church parking lot directly across Frederick Street and we can arrange for valet parking. Valet parking is available for $15 per hour, 5-hour minimum, per attendant plus tips.

PAYMENT

1. To reserve a date, please issue a check for $500 to Belle Grae Inn. The check will be deposited upon receipt. If it is necessary to cancel, you may do so up until 90 days prior to the event and a $250 refund will be issued.
    

2. Menus and minutiae will be decided, number of guests determined, and final contracts drawn 90 days prior to date of the function. At signing of the contract, please deliver a non-refundable check for 50% of estimated costs.
    

3. Identifying the minimum number of guests for which you will be financially responsible and the tweaking of contract details must be in place 30 days prior to the event. If the number of guests varies more than 10% from the number estimated with the signing of the contract, menu costs may have to be recalculated. Please mail or deliver a non-refundable check for the balance of the estimated costs. If your final number of guests exceeds the minimum number contracted for, per person charge for the additional persons will adhere.
    

4. Incidental costs and/or bar charges due Belle Grae Inn or refunds due you will be exchanged the day of the event.
    

5. The event is priced assuming payment is made by check or cash. If payment is to be made by credit card, please budget a 5% handling fee.
    

6. Wedding insurance is available through a variety of insurance carriers. You may want to explore this option to protect all concerned in the event of an unforeseeable emergency.
    

7. If for any reason you should need to cancel or postpone the event, part or partial credit of the above payments may be transferred to the new date at Management's discretion.

It is our intention to hold all costs as quoted at the signing of the contract. Seafood or specialty food items are subject to the market costs of the day of preparation. You will be advised of any appreciable cost difference and given the opportunity to make substitutions. If unforeseen circumstances occur, Belle Grae Inn reserves the right to substitute a food item with a comparable or more expensive item.

For a sample list of hors d'oeuvres that we offer, click here.

BRIDESMAID LUNCHEONS AND SHOWERS

Belle Grae Inn has formal dining in the Old Inn for 12 to 40 or the Garden Room will accommodate up to 60. Presents can be opened in the parlor or dining area or Courtyard. Rates for new menu options available upon request.

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