I held my wedding reception at VFMA's Mellon Hall on March 9 and would recommend it to any bride looking for a big venue with elegant flair! The campus was beautiful, the room is enormous and the staff could not have been more helpful. We wanted to bring in our own caterer and were able to do so in the space. Brendan is prompt and professional and willing to help with any detail. 5/5 for sure!

We could not have chosen a better location for our ceremony and reception. The chapel is absolutely beautiful and Eisenhower hall was perfect for our cocktail hour and reception. I worked closely with Brendan Davidson throughout the whole planning process. To say he was wonderful is an understatement. He always went above and beyond in answering my questions and providing me with helpful hints. He made the planning process go so smoothly. Jessica was also wonderful to work with. It was evident that they take pride in their work. The whole day was flawless. The food was great and the service was excellent. My guests absolutely LOVED the cadets. Anyone who chooses VFMAC will be lucky to work with Brendan and Jessica!!! Thank you for making our day so special!

My husband and I were looking for a nice venue with character for a wedding for 250+, and we were hoping to find somewhere that would allow us to bring in our own catering and alcohol. Valley Forge Military Academy (Mellon Hall) provided that and so much more! From our first contact, Brendan and Jessica went out of their way to be accommodating and to make the process easy. Our guests loved the venue, and it was the perfect place for a reception with a live band (the stage is raised, so it was perfect for the dancers and non-dancers alike). By bringing in our own alcohol and caterer, we saved thousands - and all of our guests raved. I would HIGHLY recommend VFMAC to anyone looking for a unique venue, with great staff and the flexibility to bring in your own caterer.

Excellent and elegant place to have a wedding... beautiful structure and grounds!. The chapel and reception hall were a stone throw away from each other which was ideal for our large crowd to avoid delays in traveling from ceremony to reception venue.
The staff was very helpful throughout our process.
Our guests absolutely loved the venue! (chapel and reception hall)
The mellon hall was perfect for our reception because we wanted to use our own caterer which was allowed with mellon hall.

I wish I could put into words how amazing our wedding was but that would take a good 5 hours to do. Brendan and the rest of the staff at VFMAC went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect for our wedding. From day 1, Brendan saw my vision and he made it come to life. Whenever I had a question or thought of something for my wedding I would email Brendan... it didn't matter what day of the week or what time it was, he always got right back to me. He was unbelievable. It made planning so easy and fun!! It poured rain on our big day but I honestly forgot all about it because of how great everything else was! The attention to detail was absolutely amazing. Brendan and his staff thought of things that I would have never thought of. The day of the wedding, they had added their own little touches and it was stunning. Our wedding was a week ago and I am still speechless about how amazing everything was. Our friends and family keep contacting us telling us how much fun they had and how beautiful the venue was (and how good the food was too :)) My husband and I wish we could rewind and do it all over again! (And the best part is, we wouldn't change a thing!!) We truly believe that there are not enough words to thank Brendan, Jessica and the whole entire staff at VFMAC. We will forever be grateful!

I can't say enough positive. It was not only the perfect day but the perfect experience. Planning the reception with Brendan Davidson was so smooth, effortless, and even enjoyable! My sister got married here, and the venue means so much to our family. Every server was responsive and very kind. Sabina was a star. I told Brendan he may have a namesake because we may have to name a child after him, because he was just a dream to work with, and our reception was just perfect, in every detail, in every way. He gave my mother and me his cell phone number to contact him at any time, and we never waited more than five minutes to receive an email response from him. I don't know how he does it, but it's almost superhuman:) I wish that every family can have a wedding like this. Talk about above and beyond!!

Our wedding at VFMA&C turned out perfect. We wanted a unique venue which was what first brought us there. Many of our guests commented on what a great place it was - both the chapel and Eisenhower Hall have so much character. Brendan and Jess were great to work with while planning the wedding. They were very knowledgeable and quick to respond (through emails mostly). They were very organized, professional and accommodating on the wedding day. Even the cadets working at the reception were all so polite. We used the on site caterer, and the food was great. There is nothing I would change about our wedding day. Thanks so much to Brendan and Jess!

Brendan and his team were awesome to work with. So accomodating and made coordinating the smallest details totally stress free. The venue is beautiful. We loved that we could bring our own caterer and our own alcohol! Couldn't have been a more perfect location!

Valley Forge is a hidden gem!! My husband went to school at Valley Forge so it was a very special place to us and we were ecstatic to get marrie there. The chapel is gorgeous! We did not need one decoration in the chapel. Mellon hall was breathtaking!! Absolutely perfect!!! Brendan and Jessica were amazing! They responded quickly to emails and were so helpful with everything!! They helped the weekend run so smoothly. The cadets and organist were fantastic. My wedding was a dream come true!! VFMAC was unbelievable!!! I highly highly recommend it!

Working with Jessica and Brendan made planning a wedding at VFMA a breeze! From day one, both Jessica and Brendan were flexible and accomodating of helping me plan the wedding and reception long-distance. Jessica and Brendan were both very easy to contact and no question or request was left unanswered! I am so impressed with how accomodating VFMA was to my specific desires - from helping iron chair covers to helping pack-up and carry out gifts the next morning - the staff could not have been more professional! The little touches were the best and Brendan's attention to detail allowed me to enjoy my own wedding day and know that every guest was being taken care of.
THANK YOU!

Jessica and Brendan at VFMA are amazing to work with. Brendan was kind enough to send a congratulatory email after our wedding and this was my response: "Almost an exact month after our wedding and we still get a ton of compliments on the setting and the service you provided. You guys were so easy to work with and we had a great experience both planning and on the day of. One of the best things you did, we didn't even ask for! It was setting up the cocktail hour with candles and making it look just fantastic. " This shows how much they go out of their way for you. VFMA only does a dozen or so weddings a year, so they can dedicate a ton of time and resources to you. We were lucky enough to be able to setup a couple days before and even though we cleaned up right away, we could have left things there for a few days after since we were the only wedding there that weekend. The grounds are great for taking pictures, and the black and white checkered floor in the ballroom made for awesome photos. We had 187 people and they fit comfortably with plenty of room for people to dance. The downstairs cocktail room was more than roomy to have everyone eat, drink, and use the photobooth. The only thing was that we had a July wedding and we did have AC, but it got hot in there. I honestly think it was because we were literally dancing for 4 hours straight though, so no matter what the temperature, we probably would have been sweating. If you're looking for an absolutely amazing value and you don't want to go the traditional hotel route, this is the place for you. (P.S. You don't need to be an alumni of VMFA to have a wedding there, although most people probably think so)

We had our wedding at the VFMAC this past weekend, 12/4/10. It was spectacular. Jessica, the venue coordinator, and Brendan, her assistant, were not only thorough, but thoughtful and considerate of our wishes for our wedding day. From the first visit to the Academy to our wedding day, they helped us every step of the way! The venue is charming and elegant - and the perfect space for a great party! It is unique, the grounds are gorgeous, and the cadets are respectful and sweet. We brought in our own florist, cake and DJ - but do not underestimate the menu provided by Sodexho! The food was EXCELLENT and our guests raved about our entrees and desserts. The best part is that they are so flexible and easy to work with - we never worried once about how it was all going to fit together because they were so, so accomodating. If you are looking for a venue in Philadelphia - VFMAC is absolutely the most bang for your buck! I HIGHLY recommend - we couldn't be happier!

Brendan and Jessica were great event coordinators!! They were very friendly, responsive, and flexible. They really understood our needs and our budget, and I feel like they knew me on a personal level by the end of all the planning. We were planning the wedding from a different state, and they made sure everything was perfect,met with us on weekends, and handled everything (even things we didn't think of). Eisenhower Hall and the chapel are beautiful (as many of my guests kept complimenting the venue) and the value is amazing. Too bad I can't do it again because I had a great time.

Jessica and Bredan helped us to do everything that we wanted and more. The venue was transformed into an amazing wedding reception. It was more than we could have envisioned. The response from our guests was that the reception was impressive and unique. Most of them raved that it was the most fun they had ever had at a wedding and that having it at VFMA had made it so special. The entire wedding from the ceremony to the reception went without one hitch! The staff that catered the reception was personable and extremely attentive. The Groom is an active alumni at VFMA so having our wedding there made it so special. He proposed there during an alumni weekend Sunday parade. It was such an amazing opportunity to be able to have our special day there. We had our wedding in the Fall to be able to take advantage of the beautiful foliage on the campus but the campus is also amazing during the spring with it's full, colorful trees and sprawling green landscapes.

I worked with Jessica at VFMA and she was wonderful, we got all that we wanted and the venue was so beautiful! The food was great and the staff were all so nice. I could not have been happier the way everything turned out.

When you go with Valley Forge, keep in mind that it's not really a venue that's dedicated 100% to weddings; it's primarily a school. We had some difficulty getting responses through email, and there is no air conditioning in the halls, which we thought wouldn't be a problem, but it was a bit stuffy by the time we got to the reception. That's not their fault though; they were very up front about it, and any other time than July or August probably wouldn't be bad. We were also surprised to find the day of the rehearsal that there was actually a dedicated coordinator who we hadn't met prior, and I would've liked to have talked with her ahead of time. All in all, it was the perfect venue for our military wedding, and the photos are beautiful. Also, you can use the chapel on campus, and then walk a few yards to the reception hall, so it's really convenient for guests. They have two halls available; one is handicapped accessible and one is not. The one that is has a great patio. They also seemed to work with the vendors seamlessly and can recommend vendors who have worked with them before. I think all of our vendors had.