Newly Renovated Wyndham Virginia Crossings Hotel

Perfect Place for a Destination Wedding

Plus, Highlights From the TheKnot.com, WeddingChannel.com

Second Destination Weddings Study

Glen Allen (Richmond), VA, October 2012------Invited to a wedding?  Chances are, it won’t be at The Little Church Around the Corner!  Last year, over 350,000 American weddings were held in romantic, exotic and unique destinations in the US and beyond.  Destination weddings are growing in popularity, according to a recent survey by The Knot.com and TheWeddingChannel.com. The second Knot Market Intelligence Destination Weddings Study tracks destination wedding trends in a review of nearly 3000 US couples who opted to wed away from home.  The practice reflects changing demographics and Americans’ increasing mobility as family members disperse across the country.  An added incentive is the allure of a special locale that is attractive, fun and different.

Fresh from a $3 million renovation of all indoor and outdoor spaces, the Wyndham Virginia Crossings Hotel, just outside of Richmond, offers everything needed for a perfect destination wedding. Set on 20 lushly landscaped acres, the Wyndham Virginia Crossings provides a singular Southern ambiance, excellent food and beverage options, 183 luxurious guestrooms, and -- especially important for destination weddings -- space, privacy, an array of activities and services, and excellent value. And, The Knot itself named Wyndham Virginia Crossings one of Virginia’s top wedding venues.

Today, one American couple in four will take the nuptial show on the road. That’s 25 percent of all wedding couples, up from 20 percent in 2009.  For reasons of cost and convenience, destination weddings in the continental US were up from 60 to 70 percent since 2009 while international locales declined from 40 percent to 30 percent in the same period.

“The trend is definitely towards US destinations,” says TeriLynne Petersen, Director of Catering at the Wyndham Virginia Crossings Hotel near Richmond, Virginia. “Southern states are increasingly popular as destinations and Virginia offers a variety of scenic areas, romantic venues and Southern charm.”  That charm is epically evident in the federal style buildings, sweeping lawns, colorful gardens and striking views that give the Wyndham Virginia Crossings Hotel its special sense of place.

When the estate’s elaborate iron gates open to the winding, tree-lined driveway, guests enter a gracious era of elegance and charm. Weddings can be set in the beautiful formal Courtyard garden, with the bride walking the bridal path that sweeps down from the graceful Jefferson Building. Or, choose the more intimate Pergola, overlooking the woodlands beyond. Another unique site for a ceremony is the newly created Jefferson Garden that replicates the seasonal plantings at Monticello, just as they were in Thomas Jefferson’s Day.