Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards is one of the jewels of the East Coast wedding venues. It offers sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a highly talented in-house culinary team, and beautifully designed spaces to celebrate your big day. Over the past decade, I have worked over TWENTY weddings at this stunning venue, and here are my top tips for planning the perfect Pippin Hill wedding.

Credit: Sarah Houston Photography

Drape the chandeliers with greenery

There are 3 wrought iron chandeliers hanging in The Granary, the main reception space. When Lynn Easton and Dean Andrews, the owners of Pippin Hill, were designing the spaces they kept their fellow wedding vendors in mind and put these chandeliers on a mechanized pulley system so they can be easily raised and lowered for decorating. I have not seen this at any other venue and it makes creating stunning hanging floral moments an absolute breeze. So spring for the greenery on the chandeliers or even lean in further and add hanging flowers like wisteria for a secret garden vibe. Unlike other venues where your floral design team will have to bring in ladders or even a cherry picker to access the high ceilings, the chandeliers can be decorated with total ease and efficiency making it achievable at almost any budget.

Credit: Sarah Houston Photography

Incorporate farm tables

The Granary is a large space able to accommodate up to 200 guests. If your guest list is not quite so large, I always suggest incorporating farm tables into your design plan not only to better fill that space but also to add to the organic aesthetic of Pippin Hill. A mix of round and rectangular tables allows your florist to design different tablescapes for each shape, creating an interactive journey for your guests as they walk into your wedding reception noticing all the details you have carefully chosen. Farm tables go perfectly with smaller, oblong centerpieces mixed with taper candles and styled fruits and vegetables. These different elements run down the center of the table accented by the gorgeous wood tones of your farm tables.

Credit: Sarah Houston Photography

Emphasize the view, don’t overdo it

Pippin Hill offers two gorgeous ceremony locations: the Main Lawn and the Vineyard Lawn. The Vineyard Lawn is great for guest counts of 140 and above while the Main Lawn fits 140 and below. At either option, you are facing one of the best views of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Charlottesville area so when you are designing your ceremony flowers don’t try to overshadow that view. We love designing a grounded floral arch that envelops you and your partner with flowers but allows your guests to see the vista behind you.

Credit: Hannah Forsberg Photography

Lean into seasonality

From the setting and surrounding beauty to the cuisine, Pippin Hill is a venue that celebrates Virginia agriculture. By embracing in season flowers, no matter if you are getting married in May or November, your wedding will blend beautifully with what is around it. You also can incorporate unexpected details like fresh fruits and vegetables in your tablescape to mirror the gorgeous produce the culinary team uses. These original approaches to floral design take your wedding day from cookie cutter to gourmet. 

Credit: Sera Petras Photography

Decorate the entryway

Another uncommon but very appreciated aspect to Pippin Hill is their intentionality when it comes to your wedding timeline. From stepping out of their car to the sparkler send off, your guests are experiencing a new corner of Pippin. The staff at Pippin is so careful to guide your guests to your ceremony without letting them glimpse the Granary so you get that Wow moment as the doors first open for dinner. After your guests walk down the hydrangea path, they will be greeted in the entryway. It is always worth it to create a jaw dropping floral moment on the table in the entryway to really set the tone for your wedding day.

Credit: Rebecca Yale Photography

Use lighting and draping or hanging floral installations

The two story, vaulted ceilings in the Granary are stunning and really tall in person! By using draping and lighting or even a hanging floral installation you can create that cozy, inclusive vibe that can sometimes feel difficult when working in such a grandiose space.

Credit: Theo Milo Photography

You really can’t go wrong when you are getting married at Pippin Hill but these tips and insider knowledge will help you create the most out of this gorgeous venue. We have even more experience and advice to share so be sure to reach out for help with your wedding planning.