The Cox Mill Pavilion, converted from what was an equipment and hay barn, has drawn rave reviews from the wedding parties, as well as from their caterers, wedding planners and wedding guests. since we opened it in 2014. People liked it so much that we duplicated it on another site on the farm. Opened in 2018, the Black Meadow Pavilion is about a quarter-mile away, and sits atop a ridge that affords stunning views of the Southwest Mountains.
People love how the casual but comfortable rustic setting of our Pavilions helps everyone enjoy a barn party. They also love how the open side allows the party to spill out of the barn onto the deck or lawn, and how the oak plank walls allow unlimited freedom to decorate. They love the sturdy farm tables, and the spacious dance floor. They are reassured by how the Pavilions themselves can serve as rain site alternatives for their ceremony. And they all praise the staff for their helpfulness. If you are looking for a farm wedding with your reception in a barn, we should be high on your list.
Beginning with 2024, we are offering a third ceremony site on the shores of our beautiful lower pond, with a tented reception facility at the top of a hill overlooking that pond. The pricing is impossible to beat ($2,000 for a Saturday), but the space is adequate for groups of up to 140. We call this the “Love Pond” site.
Do you trust Reviews? We hope so, because the reviews we receive are terrific. We have a page on this site where we have copied reviews for you to check. You can also find lots of reviews on our Facebook page (see Facebook's Review tab, or take a look at the reviews posted on WeddingWire.com.) Or just do an internet search for "Wolftrap Farm Gordonsville Reviews" and chase down the latest reviews that way.
The Cox Mill Pavilion and the Black Meadow Pavilion are each enclosed on three sides, giving an "indoor/outdoor space" effect, and each features:
Seating for over 150 under the roof, and room for another 40 or so on the patio or deck, with tables and chairs included (but not linens). The tables are larger than normal banquet tables (8' x 42"), which means they can be decorated more extensively without crowding the place settings. Also, they have pedestal bases, so no "knee-knocking" at the corners. The chairs are contoured for comfort, and really are the most comfortable folding chairs you have ever used.
Spacious climate-controlled restrooms, with an over-sized ladies' dressing room. There are plenty of lights and mirrors in there. The ladies' rooms were planned with brides and bridesmaids in mind.
Caterer's warming kitchen, equipped with triple sink, warming cabinet, cooler, microwave, work tables, bakers' rack, and a large back door access to caterer's truck/trailer. Plenty of electrical outlets and water, including hot water.
Plenty of lighting options allow you to change the mood for different activities (fancy carriage lights on the walls, overhead lights that are on dimmer switches, and a rustic chandelier over the dance floor that is also on a dimmer switch);
Stage for DJ or small band;
Spacious Snap-Lock dance floor;
Festive Patio or Deck area (great for setting up the bar and gift tables);
Acid-Stained Floor (reddish brown);
Ten ceiling fans for summer; four patio heaters for cool nights;
Firepit, and we supply the firewood;
Freedom to decorate. with rustic oak board walls that can take a nail and exposed rafters that work great for all those hanging decorations; (We also have a "closet" where we accumulate left over decorations, such as mason jars, table runners, etc. You are free to use whatever is there from time to time.)
Views of horse paddocks (including horses), barns and riding ring at the Cox Mill Pavilion; Mountain views (including daily sunsets) from the Black Meadow Pavilion.
Adjacent parking area;
Manor House Lawn ceremony site for Black Meadow Pavilion; Hilltop ceremony site behind Cox Mill Pavilion featuring mountain backdrop, with doorway directly from ladies dressing room to edge of Ceremony site;
We also offer additional activities for your big day, including fishing, corn hole and other lawn games. Feeding carrots and apples to the horses near the Pavilions has become a popular cocktail hour activity. And we have added a “Party Patio” you can reserve, featuring a hot tub, corn hole and other patio games, lounge chairs, fire pit and great views.
The “Love Pond” ceremony site has everyone facing our beautiful lower pond, with the aisle running from a lovely bride’s cabin to the alter area at the pond’s edge. After the ceremony, its up the hill to the tented reception site overlooking the pond. Standard round tables and chairs are included, plus a stage, dance floor and twinkle lighting. This site uses portable restrooms.
Our STANDARD Rates
(Discounts we offer are specified below. These are the only discounts.)
BLACK MEADOW PAVILION: This is the new pavilion near the Manor House, named in recognition of the name James Madison bestowed on the farm when he owned it. It accommodates 180 people inside, and has a large deck featuring magnificent views of the mountains. When the Black Meadow Pavilion is booked, the ceremony may be held either on the front lawn of the Manor House or beside the Pond.
Saturday Package: Includes Friday & Saturday nights use of the Manor House, Servants’ Cottage and Pond House, use of the Black Meadow Pavilion from time of arrival Friday until Midnight, Saturday. $7,500 plus tax on the $2,500 lodging portion, which is $182.50, for a total of $7,682.50.
If this package is booked, there is the option of booking Baldy’s Retreat, the Barn Apartment and/or the Cox Mill House as add-ons. Baldy’s Retreat is $500/night, the Barn Apartment is $250/night and the Cox Mill House is $300/night on Friday and Saturday nights, plus tax. (Must book both Friday & Saturday nights.) There is also the option of booking one or more of the three “Glamping Tents” near this pavilion for $90 each per night, plus tax.
Sunday Package: Includes Manor House and Servants’ Cottage for Sunday night, plus use of the Black Meadow Pavilion from 8:00 a.m. until midnight Sunday. (Note that check-in time for the Manor House and Servants’ Cottage cannot be guaranteed to be before 2:00, though our staff will try to make ready the Manor House rooms that the Sunday wedding party plans to use for staging as early as possible after Saturday guests leave.) $3,650 plus tax on the $650 lodging portion, which is $47.45, for a total of $3,697.45. Additional houses and the Glamping Tents may be added at the week-day rate.
Week-day Package. Includes Manor House and Servants’ Cottage for the night of the event, plus use of the Black Meadow Pavilion from 8:00 a.m. until midnight. $2,000 plus tax on the $650 lodging portion, for a total of $2,047.45. Additional houses and nights may be added at the week-day rate.
National Holiday Package: Includes Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Veterans Day. Same as the Sunday Package.
COX MILL PAVILION
This is the Pavilion that faces Wolftrap Drive. It accommodates 160 people inside, and has a patio and lawn area, with views of horse paddocks. Guests are to enter and leave via Cox Mill Road and are not to go beyond the barns. When the Cox Mill Pavilion is booked, the ceremony site is the hilltop behind the Cox Mill Pavilion.
Saturday Package: Includes Friday & Saturday night use of the Milker’s Cottage, use of the Cox Mill Pavilion from time of arrival Friday until Midnight, Saturday, plus use of the Hilltop Ceremony Site. $4,000 plus tax on the $600 lodging portion, which is $43.80, for a total of $4,043.80. If this package is booked, there is the option of booking Baldy’s Retreat, the Barn Apartment and/or the Cox Mill House as add-ons. Baldy’s Retreat is $500/night, the Barn Apartment is $250/night and the Cox Mill House is $300/night on Friday and Saturday nights, plus tax. (Must book both Friday & Saturday nights.)
Sunday Package: Includes Milker’s Cottage for Sunday night, plus use of the Cox Mill Pavilion from 8:00 a.m. until midnight Sunday, plus use of the Hilltop Ceremony Site. (Note that check-in time for the Milker’s Cottage cannot be guaranteed to be before 2:00, though our staff will try to make ready the Milker’s Cottage rooms that the Sunday wedding party plans to use for staging as early as possible after Saturday night guests leave.) $2,750 plus tax on the $250 lodging portion, which is $18.40, for a total of $2,768.40. Additional houses may be added at the week-day rate.
Week-day Package. Includes Milker’s Cottage for the night of the event, plus use of the Cox Mill Pavilion from 8:00 a.m. until midnight. $1,500 plus tax on the $250 lodging portion, for a total of $1,518.40. Additional houses and nights may be added at the week-day rate.
National Holiday Package: Includes Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Veterans Day. Same as the Sunday Package.
Love Pond site
Saturday: $2,000 for the day, from 8:00 a.m. to midnight.
Friday & Sunday: $1,250 for the day, from 8:00 a.m. to midnight.
Week-days: $750 for the day, from 8:00 a.m. to midnight.
National Holidays: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Dan and Veterans Day – same as Friday and Sunday
July, August & November, and Mid-Winter Discount: The Saturday rate is discounted by 20%
DISCOUNTS
Winter Discount (December through March): The rates for both the houses and the Pavilions are discounted by 20%. From mid-December to mid-March, only the Cox Mill Pavilion is offered, as we have the ability to close off its open side and provide some heating. That is not possible at the Black Meadow Pavilion.
July, August & November Discount: The rates for the Pavilions (not the houses) are discounted by 20%
Late Booking Discount: If the date you are filling is less than four months away, the Pavilion rate (not the rate for the houses) will be discounted by 40%. So, for example, you save $2,000 on a Saturday Package at the Black Meadow Pavilion. The Late Booking Discount is on top of any discount for a particular month.
Down Payments
The required down payment is equal to 50% of your total charges. The down payment can be paid in two equal installments, one due upon signing and the second 60 days thereafter. The balance is due the day before your wedding or event. We accept all kinds of credit cards, but there is a 3% processing fee that is added on. You have the option of mailing a check to avoid the 3%. The mailing address is 2504 Little Lake Court, Virginia Beach, VA 23454.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (Covering lots of things you did not know you should ask about):
1. Can I use my own caterer and choose my own DJ, florist, and other vendors? Yes, so long as the critical vendors are insured (caterer, entertainment, and transportation). Note: We are a kick-back free venue. If we give you the names of any vendors, it is because we think well of them, not because they are paying us.
2. Do we need an ABC license? No, so long as you do not charge (i.e. not a "cash bar"), the event is not open to the public, and you purchase your alcohol from a retail source (ABC store, grocery store, etc.).
3. Are there nearby places for other guests to stay? Yes. Roundhill Inn (formerly Holiday Inn Express) & Comfort Inn in Orange (plus local B&B's), Best Western at Zion Crossroads (Gordonsville address), Holiday Inn Express in Ruckersville, and Shenandoah Crossings (lodge, cabins, yurts; Gordonsville address). There are also a variety of AirBnb’s in the area, including several operated by Wolftrap Farm that are about 20 minutes away.
4. What is total capacity? The Black Meadow Pavilion seats 180 under roof, and the deck can be used for overflow for another 45 or so. The Cox Mill Pavilion seats 160 under roof, with overflow space on the patio for another 45 or so. However, if you are willing to add tents near the pavilions, we can accommodate about as many as you want to bring. The Love Pond tented reception facility can accommodate 140. The houses on the farm (including Baldy's Retreat and the Cox Mill House) will accommodate close to 60. The glamping tents can accommodate another 6 - 8 people.
5. How do we book? Once you tell us you have made your decision, we temporarily block the date for you and send you an agreement that a financially responsible person must sign. You pay a down payment of 50% of your charges (can be broken into 2 equal payments), and the balance is due on the day before your wedding date. All payments are non-refundable. If we email you the agreement and you quit responding to our nagging to sign and return it with your down payment, we unblock your date and move on.
6. Can we extend our stay? For Saturday weddings, you can add on a Thursday night in one or more of the houses for half the normal week-day price. For longer stays, the discount is not as steep, but we will offer one. If you extend through a Sunday night, understand that we may book other events into the Pavilions for Sunday unless you are willing to pay for your Pavilion for Sunday.
7. Parking? Parking for the Cox Mill Pavilion is provided near the barns and alongside our private road. The Black Meadow Pavilion and the Love Pond site each has its own dedicated parking lot.
8. Camping? Sometimes guests coming to the wedding want to camp on the farm. If it is OK with you, it is OK with us, within limits. We have not been charging extra for this. We also do not object to a few RV’s, though we have no specific facilities for them. The closest RV park is at Shenandoah Crossings. Next closest is Small Country in Louisa.
9. Clean-up? Yes. You are responsible for leaving the grounds and your Pavilion as you found them, except that we will clean the floor of the Pavilion, and the bathrooms. If you use a caterer, you can usually pay them to do most of your clean-up, if you choose. It is not that hard. Our dumpster is at the far end of the Cox Mill Pavilion. If you have the Black Meadow Pavilion or the Love Pond site, you just bag your trash and our crew hauls it to our dumpster. You are also expected to bag your trash and remove whatever you brought from the houses you used, and to put things you used back where you found them.
10. Are Pets Allowed: Yes, you and your guests may bring dogs, but here are some things to remember: a. Some dogs think horses are fun to chase. Use a leash if your dog might try it. A horse can easily kill or seriously injure a dog. b. Dogs may become anxious if left alone in a strange place, and do damage. If the dog is not an experienced traveler, use your crate or do not leave them alone. c. Dogs should NOT be on the furniture or in the beds. Inform your onsite guests. Additional cleaning fees will be added when we have this problem. Please, help us continue to allow pets by being responsible pet owners.
11. Restrictions: We try to keep them to a minimum, but we are learning as we go. So, NO CONFETTI! No “real” rose petals (they stain the floor). No smoking near barns, equipment or hay storage, and put butts where they belong. IF YOU MOVE THE TABLES OR CHAIRS OUTSIDE OF THE PAVILION AND DO NOT PUT THEM BACK, THERE IS AN EXTRA CHARGE. The tables in the Pavilions are not “outside furniture” and rain will definitely damage them. Furniture from inside the houses must STAY inside the houses. Your contract will have a "Guide for Using the Pavilion" attached, which includes clean-up guidelines.
12. How do I check availability? Check your date on the calendar (CLICK ON BUTTON BELOW) to see if it shows your desired site as "Booked". (Remember, you have two Pavilions and the Love Pond site to choose from, so check whether the one you want shows as booked. If it is not listed as “booked”, it is available.) If it shows clear, make a phone call or send an email to double check. NOTE: First Come, First Served. We do not put "holds" on dates for anyone until you tell us you have made your decision and are ready for us to fill out a contract to send to you.
13. We want a Saturday wedding, but we do not need the houses; Or we want a Sunday wedding and want to book the houses for Friday and Saturday nights. Can we do that? Not during the high demand wedding months. We avoid taking bookings that interfere with someone being able to book our full "Saturday Packages". Sometimes we make exceptions around holidays or when your booking will fill a slot that otherwise is unlikely to be booked. And you now have the option of booking the Cox Mill Saturday Package, which includes only one cottage anyway, or the Love Pond site, which does not include any houses.
14. How Does It Work if There Are Multiple Weddings Going On? As you will see when you visit, the farm is huge, and it has two entrances. Users, guests and vendors for the Black Meadow Pavilion and the Love Pond Site are to use the entrance off of Highway 15 and weddings booking the Black Meadow Pavilion package will use the cluster of houses and cottages near the Black Meadow Pavilion. Users, guests and vendors for the Cox Mill Pavilion are to use the Cox Mill Road entrance and the houses nearer the Cox Mill Pavilion. Remember, the farm is 600 acres, which is almost one square mile. There is room.
The nearest neighbors to the farm complex and the Pavilions are over 1/4 mile away. You will see people. There will be people coming to the stables to tend to the horses, Our staff will be in and out and available to you as needed. You will have their cell phone numbers, and several of them live next door.
15. When can I come see the farm? You may drive through to view the grounds at any time. You may stop and take a look at the Pavilions or the Love Pond site at any time, but no Wedding Crashing please. To see inside the houses, you need to arrange a tour with our staff, and we recommend having our staff accompany you for any serious venue shopping so we can try to answer your questions. You can arrange that by calling 540-832-1803 or emailing us, using the contact form on our Contact Us page. The optimal time to tour on a week-end is usually Sunday afternoon, after the week-end guests have departed. Understand that on a Sunday tour, you will likely see unmade beds, with the houses in the process of being turned for the next guests. If you can schedule your tour during the week, you can see more and not be as rushed.
Feel free to email or call (540-832-1803) with questions we have not covered above. To email, just use the contact form on this website.
