Mount Ida Farm Reviews

Mount Ida Barn was a beautiful setting for an outdoor/indoor wedding. Everyone I dealt with at Mount Ida from start to finish was extremely professional and I would highly recommend this venue. It is very reasonably priced and the grounds looked beautiful for the outdoor ceremony and the barn is beautiful and big for a nice sized reception. We were so happy we picked this venue!

We recently had our wedding at the Event Barn and Gazebo and it was spectacular. Our guests could not stop talking about how beautiful the space was, and the staff was so courteous and friendly. They were a dream to work with. We would recommend Mount Ida to any couple!

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L! We stumbled across our dream venue and couldn’t have been happier! It was
important to have a great indoor rain option which we luckily didn’t have to use, but we had peace of
mind with the iffy forecast knowing the indoor option was beautiful too. The Grove Ceremony site was
unlike any other, enjoying the amazing mountain view just up the hill from the Lodge. The Lodge itself
provided the perfect space for cocktail hour, dinner, and then the ability for some of the older folks to
talk all night in the main dinner room while the others partied in the separate dancing room. The
outdoor space with deck furniture and a fireplace was also a nice plus for cocktail hour and late in the
night. Mount Ida has four venues, so take a look at them all as they each have their own unique
personalities. We almost didn’t tour the Lodge, and what a mistake that would have been! Mount Ida
also has many houses across the property available for rent making it very convenient for our immediate
families. You cannot get ready in the Lodge, so this was convenient to get ready in a house while still
having a view of the Lodge and all its glory including two staged Clydesdale horses.

Book Mount Ida now! We got married at the Event Barn and it is worth every penny (any more). It ended up raining on our wedding day and I am so grateful we had the indoor option at the Event Barn. I was sad we didn't get the beautiful gazebo photos for the wedding ceremony but luckily we did get a few pictures there for our first look.

Our guests loved how easy it was that our ceremony was in the Event Barn and so was the reception (seriously, don't sleep on an indoor ceremony, it worked out for the best). Everyone we worked with like Bronwyn and Rachael were so nice. The space photographs so well and caterers LOVE Mount Ida (if you want Exchange Events as your caterer, go ahead and book Mount Ida).

They have four different spaces to choose from (and pro-tip Event Barn does not require their wine/beer) so there are tons of options with Mount Ida. I am so grateful we had our wedding there!!

The Lodge venue is beautiful. The views are spectacular. Our event manager Matt was very helpful and easy to work with before and during the reception. The entire event went smoothly and all our decorations were packed and ready for us to pick up in the moring.
I would reccommend staying on the property if available. The only thing missing was a arbor onthe ceremony site so my son in law built on and set it up. I would reccommend this venue.

We loved having our wedding at Mount Ida! We got married at The Lodge and couldn’t be happier with our decision. We actually hosted two events there – a small ceremony in 2021 and a larger reception in 2022. Though this was not our original plan, we felt so supported by the Mount Ida team and they made a stressful planning & re-planning process significantly easier. They were very flexible with us when we had to reschedule twice due to Covid. Bronwyn was incredibly responsive to all of our questions and the whole team made sure our wedding was spectacular (once we finally got to have it!). The venue itself is just stunning, and all of our guests were blown away by the beautiful view. We also used the cottage on the property to get ready the morning before the ceremony, which was perfect for me, my mom, and 7 bridesmaids. I would highly recommend The Lodge at Mount Ida as a wonderful wedding venue!

Got married on 11/13 at the Thomas Ridge ceremony site, and had our reception at The Event Barn at Mount Ida, and it was absolutely stunning! The views of the mountains and fall leaves at Thomas Ridge made the backdrop of our ceremony out of this world, and only got better with sunset pictures! The reception at the barn was equally as gorgeous! We have nothing but great things to say about our wedding & the staff, and have heard glowing reviews from our guests! Would 1000% recommend checking out Mount Ida for your Charlottesville-area wedding!!!

Mount Ida is a great vendor and a well oiled machine when it comes to weddings. Our wedding was supposed to be September 2020, and they worked with us to be as flexible as they could be within their means to have the wedding day we dreamed of. So we split up our wedding- had the ceremony September 2020 at the absolutely gorgeous gazebo among our immediate family, and then planned and replanned our wedding reception until we finally pulled it off this past weekend. They were so accommodating the whole time and we had many calls and check ins during those 2 years. The reception was absolutely gorgeous. So many raving compliments about how dreamy the Event Barn was!! We did a grand entrance into cocktail hour where we played a short video of our ceremony on the 2 flat screen TVs that flank the stage, and then opened up the curtains that unveiled the grand ballroom and my husband and I walked out to meet all of our guests. They went wild! It was a magical moment that we’ve been waiting a long time for! Thank you so much for an unforgettable night!!

We had such a wonderful experience as Mount Ida's Water's Edge venue. The venue was stunning, and the entire Mount Ida team was easy to work with. Planning a wedding during a pandemic is stressful, and the Mount Ida team was there at every step to answer any questions we had.

Mt. Ida Event barn was the perfect venue for our May wedding. The gazebo ceremony site is simply beautiful and the property is immaculately well taken care of. We had to postpone our September wedding to May- adjust numbers and seating — and add a tent to comply with local guidelines. The team at Mt. Ida was accommodating and responsive throughout the process. While there are a fair amount of restrictions for the venue itself- they are ultimately very accommodating. Special shout out to Kim who was particularly accessible and awesome with my many many questions leading up to the big day and Matt who served as our venue coordinator ensuring everything to run smoothly.

From our initial tour at Mt. Ida in January 2020 (before COVID19 came to North America) to our wedding in April 2021 (a year into COVID19), the team at Mt. Ida has been a dream to work with. Those 15 months were fraught with uncertainty and constant change, yet the team remained communicative, accomodating and flexible. We had a delicious rehearsal dinner at the Tasting Room & Taphouse, an amazing two-night stay at Mt. Ida Manor, a beautiful ceremony at the lakeside Gazebo and a wonderful cocktail hour and reception at the Event Barn.

In particular, we would like to give shout outs to Bronwyn and Kim. Whenever we have questions, Bronwyn was incredibly responsive (ie we would hear back from her within a day) and professional with her communication. In addition, Kim served as an excellent intermediary between Mt. Ida's owner, the management team and us. She proposed feasible and reasonable solutions to problems posed by changes in the state's gathering recommendations/restrictions. In all, we couldn't ask for a better or more beautiful venue for our wedding weekend, nor could we ask for a better team to handle it.

This wedding venue is absolutely beautiful! Tracy was great to work with and made everything so easy!

When our original wedding venue cancelled on us two months before the big day citing COVID, my now husband and I scrambled to find a new venue for a micro wedding while postponing our big celebration to next year. I was thrilled to find Mount Ida was offering elopement packages and it was truly the best experience we could have possibly had. We selected the Aventador House and Thomas Ridge ceremony site. All of our guests were blown away by the beauty of the property and ceremony space. It was a weekend we will never forget. Special thanks to Matt who was so helpful and gracious throughout our stay! This venue will always have a special place in our hearts.

For anyone looking for a classically beautiful wedding venue right outside of Charlottesville, look no further. The Lodge at Mount Ida provides a stunning canvas for couples to create the wedding of their dreams. With their breathtaking sweeping mountain views to their exceptionally friendly staff, it's a no brainer for my couples when they make the decision to have their weddings at the beauty that Mount Ida truly is. I always look forward to my next event there!

We had our wedding here in October 2019. It was like a setting out of a dream! The staff definitely has some rules that you should be familiar with in the contract, but nothing that hinders a good party! Easily accessible by busses from central Charlottesville. Worth the spacious insides and gorgeous views.

We had a beautiful setting, beautiful view, and spacious area. The separate dinning, dancing, and out door area left enough space for guests to spread out and find their own little nooks. We got compliments from so many guests that this venue was the perfect Charlottesville venue!

My husband and I got married at Mount Ida on 9/21 and it was absolutely perfect! We fell in love with the venue the moment we first walked into the Event Barn. Then when we saw the Gazebo we were sold. We stayed the weekend at the Manor House with our parents and bridal party. It was so fun spending the whole weekend together. All our guests loved the venue and talked about how beautiful everything was. I highly recommend Mount Ida.

We visited The Lodge Mount Ida about a year before our wedding, and not only is the property absolutely stunning, but the people were so sweet and welcoming they had a big influence on our decision to choose Mount Ida! They were very sweet, and allowed us to visit a couple of times so our parents could see, and were very easy to work with. The wedding couldn't have gone smoother!

I was married at the Lodge and I couldn't have asked for a better venue! Not only were the on site staff extremely friendly, but they were available for our entire weekend stay. We did the mini destination package and our families rented two additional houses for a 3 day weekend. Tracy was available for any of our questions that weekend and Matt was phenomenal with any maintenance or on site help we needed as well. Mount Ida also has remote staff that worked with us and were available during the entire planning process. I did not have to set up, take down or put away a single thing the entire weekend and especially the day of. Mount Ida is worth every single penny and then some. We will forever be getting compliments on how relaxed the staff was day of as well as the horses and exceptionally gorgeous property. We can't wait to continue to visit and drink wine at their taproom too!

Everything about this venue is stunning! It was the first and only one we looked at because we fell in love with the Event Barn right away. From the stone fire place, to the beautiful ceilings and bridal suite. The staff was so helpful and made sure everything went off without a hitch!

Outstanding venue, gorgeous, impeccable quality, outstanding customer service. Book it for your fairytale wedding.

Our wedding at Mount Ida Farm was absolutely perfect and everything we could have hoped for! The outside ceremony location at the gazebo is just beautiful. It was truly a fairy tale entrance walking down the staircase and the aisle! Multiple people at our wedding said it was the most gorgeous wedding they had ever been to. The staff and everything run so smoothly during the entire process. With their list of vendors, their excellent communication, and their incredible location, they made our wedding absolutely magical! We are so happy we chose Mount Ida Farm for our wedding!! Thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts!

Mount Ida Farm (The Lodge) was our first choice for our December 1, 2018 wedding before we even visited, and we are so happy we got married there. Tracy was absolutely incredible and so accommodating. The property is stunning and so many of our guests told us or our families that it was the most beautiful wedding they had every attended. We also rented some of the homes on property for our families and bridal party, and everyone had a blast. Our wedding was an absolute dream and it's all thanks to the Lodge and the amazing staff!

My husband and I had our ceremony and reception at the gazebo and barn, respectively, in July 2018 and it was amazing! It's very secluded, peaceful atmosphere, with mountains, hills, lakes, Clydesdale horses in the surrounding area. The owners and staff onsite were very helpful throughout the entire wedding planning process. They provide a preferred vendors list, which we found very beneficial since we were not from the area. Although they require a day of wedding coordinator, I honestly felt like the onsite staff member, Tracy, was more organized and helpful during the rehearsal and the day of the wedding, than our wedding coordinator. Overall, our wedding turned out beautiful, we got so many compliments from friends and family asking how we found this amazing place, and we will definitely come back for anniversaries to the visit their vineyard at the lodge location. Our only complaint was that the toilets were not open down at the ceremony and my husband almost had to go back to the barn minutes before the ceremony began, and the groom, groomsmen, and father of the bride had to stand outside in the July heat for almost an hour before the ceremony started. May consider having the gentlemen stand inside the air conditioned house down at the ceremony and keep the bride and bridesmaids in the air conditioned bus until the gentlemen need to walk down the isle?

Mount Ida Farm (The Event Barn) was the PERFECT venue for our wedding! While it is incredibly expensive by our standards, when compared with other barn and vineyard venues in the area, it is properly priced. Savings with Mount Ida are that you don’t have to buy alcohol from them (vineyard wine is more expensive than buying from your caterer or on your own), and the venues (ceremony and reception) are so beautiful that centerpieces and decorations can be more minimal. There are some specific rules that Mount Ida does require, and I recommend you ask questions and read closely. For example, they require you to have a day-of coordinator (I HIGHLY recommend you do this even if you do not choose Mount Ida), events are required to conclude by 11pm (county laws), and rehearsals have to take place before 12pm if it is on Friday-Sunday I believe due to other weddings (we just did ours at a restaurant). Besides being absolutely stunning and a warm, welcoming place for our wedding, Mount Ida has a fabulous team. Kathryn and Kathleen in the corporate office, Bronwyn for pre-event coordination, and Tracy for day-of management were all super friendly, helpful, and organized. Bronwyn was especially a gem when our original day-of-coordinator did not show up for our walk through. She was calm, collected, and un-phased by the snafu and was willing to walk through paperwork and timeline with me and my now husband. She reassured us that everything would be perfect and that there was nothing to worry about—she was right! She also made sure we had time to practice our first dance in the space, which made us way more comfortable for the day of. I am sure I am missing many details that are amazing in my review, so if you think you like Mount Ida from the pictures online—go visit! The venues book up quickly, so I recommend you ask for available dates during the months you’re thinking about in the same note that asks for a tour.

It rained on our wedding day this past weekend and even with plan B in place it was absolutely beautiful! Everyone at Mt. Ida was amazing to work with and went above and beyond! Perfect venue...it was a dream come true!!

We got married at The Lodge and were one of the first weddings to take place there. None of our guests had been to The Lodge before and everyone was in awe of it's beauty. There is so much you can do with the venue to fit your personality and can accommodate a large number of guests - one of the few in the Charlottesville area. We also rented out several of the houses on the property for the wedding party and our families. It was a magical day and would highly recommend it.

From the day we toured Mount Ida up to today, Milicent has been the best person to work with when planning a wedding! She had everything under control from day one & I felt so comfortable with everything she did! I would HIGHLY recommend Mount Ida when choosing a venue, the place couldn't be more stunning & there are so many options! The one thing that made our wedding weekend so memorable was renting out the house for the weekend, this made our wedding! The wedding party got to all stay in the house together and get ready, it was so fun! I could go on and on about how wonderful the team is so don't think twice, promise you'll love it!!

We got married at Mount Ida in May 2015 and it was PERFECT. I spent MANY hours researching venues, and stopped all research the moment I saw Mt Ida's gazebo ceremony location. This is the perfect venue that has VA charm (horses & barn), but that I could make a bit more elegant because of the Manor homes, gazebo, etc. (it can be rustic instead if you like!). The Mt Ida grounds are HUGE, stunning and perfectly landscaped. Milicent drove us all around the property on our wedding day so we could get the perfect photos (on a bridge, in a field with mountains in the background, inside the Manor home, on a dock on the lake, under the gazebo with the trees and lake lit at nighttime, etc!). There's so much amazing space to take advantage of, it truly feels like your own wedding getaway! You are allowed to select your own outside caterer AND you can bring your own alcohol. HUGE money savers!! Mt Ida is a bit of a drive from Cville, which I was initially nervous about, but we rented buses to transport our guests and it worked out PERFECTLY. This allowed all of our guests to enjoy themselves at the wedding, knowing they had a ride at the end of the night. Cocktail hour was hosted on the lawn, inside their new extension and outside on the porch with a fireplace. The dinner was held in a separate room, that fit all 150 of our guests very comfortably. Dancing was then held in the extension room (where cocktail hour was). This is a huge dancing area, which allowed ALL of our guests to dance and not be too crowded. Again, I was nervous about this unique set up, but it helped the reception flow perfectly and I would recommend this set up to anyone! Milicent and Tracy are wonderful to work with. They are very responsive, both were present on our wedding day to help as needed, and overall just went above and beyond to help us. This is a HUGE perk for a venue to keep you sane as a bride! Stop your venue searching now, Mt Ida is perfect! Thank you SO MUCH Mt Ida for our dream wedding!!!!

We booked Mount Ida site unseen, just based on pictures online and from a personal friend. I was nervous that the place was not going to be what it is in the pictures, but I was thrilled when I saw it the first time...it looks even better in person! What is comforting to the bride is that the venue is so gorgeous that you do not have to stress about the details (flowers, decor, etc.) because the place speaks wonders for itself. Also, Milicent was great and fun...made the planning process and the day of a breeze.

Mount Ida Farm was absolutely perfect for my wedding! It was so beautiful even without the flowers and decorations we added. It was the wedding venue of our dreams! And Milicent Lynch and her staff made it absolutely perfect and memorable! Our guests kept commenting on how stunning Mount Ida was. I would highly recommend this venue!

Mount Ida is the quintessential dream wedding venue. From the moment you enter the gate, it's just plain magical. Rolling hills with mountain views, a barn that's been converted into a gorgeous event space, and a manor home that will blow your mind.

My husband and I knew we wanted to have our wedding in the Charlottesville area and we had our hearts set on a barn for the reception. Mount Ida was the first venue we visited, and we knew it was the perfect place for us to tie the knot. Not only does it have a stunning outdoor ceremony site in front of a gazebo and pond, it also boasts a room at the event barn with a gorgeous fireplace that doubles as an indoor ceremony site should the weather be uncooperative.

The option of renting the manor house for the weekend was another huge plus for us, and we ended up staying there with our wedding party. We hosted our rehearsal dinner outside of the house under a tent, and we were able to spend more quality time with our best friends than we would have had we just stayed at hotels. The 10,500 square foot house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has nine bedrooms (all but one with king beds), and is more beautiful than words can describe.

I can't imagine a more picturesque location, and Mount Ida was everything we wanted and more! Our guests were gushing over the beauty of the venue, and our wedding party was thrilled with the manor house. One of my bridesmaids even said, "you know when you think something's going to be good, but it ends up being way better than you imagined? That's how I feel about this house." And one of my mom's closest friends told us that "the venue looked like the French countryside." Direct quotes, promise.

Tracey and Milicent were fantastic throughout the weekend, helping us with any issues that arose and answering any questions we had. If you're considering Mount Ida for your wedding, don't even think twice. Just book it.

I don't believe a more beautiful wedding venue exists! From the pre-contract discussions to packing up to leave the day after the wedding, everyone associated with Mt Ida was a pleasure to work with. We stayed in the house on site, where we also hosted a very casual rehearsal dinner on the lawn. The staff there took care of our every need all weekend long, with someone always as close as a phone call and frequently dropping in to replenish ice and check to see if we needed anything. On the ceremony day, they had multiple people on site to ensure that every detail went right. Milicent personally ensured the bridal party was shuttled to breathtaking sites for photos and ensured that the bride and groom first look took place in a secluded, beautiful location. I also can't say enough about how helpful Tracy was throughout our entire stay. Mt Ida Farm is the perfect place for the wedding of your dreams.

Mount Ida is BEAUTIFUL! Milicent and the rest of the staff were wonderful to work with - responsive, helpful, flexible and super sweet. It is a huge convenience and cost saver that they provide tables and chairs.

It’s all in the details, & Milicent knows how deliver your dream wedding. We had looked at all the other popular venues in/around Charlottesville, but the moment we stepped onto Mount Ida Farm, we knew we had found something special. The location is breathtaking, but Milicent blew us away. She's a wonderful mix of happy, bubbly, & personal, yet professional, hard-working, & effective. She gets it done. A beautiful lunch was waiting for us w/a personalized a chalkboard welcoming us. Milicent spent 4 hrs discussing every aspect& had a solution for any potential problem. By the time we left, we weren’t just leaving another venue, we had found special spot where we’d begin our life together. Other venues seem to do the same commercial wedding over & over again, inserting a different couple into their production. Milicent made sure that didn’t happen. We planned to get married at the gazebo, but it rained. People think rain & weddings don’t go together, but at Mount Ida, it does! Rain gave us the most beautiful wedding I could’ve imagined. After we said ‘I do’, she whisked us away for a quick photo shoot. I hopped into a hummer with our photographer, Jen Fariello, who asks her to take us“somewhere pretty”. Milicent smiles & starts driving. Then in an instant she turns off the road.Not even 10 minutes into our marriage &we are off-roading. In the rain& a Humvee. “There’s a method to my madness, I promise” she says smiling. Then I see it: the most beautiful mountain vista- a perfect photo-op. Leaves were changing & rolling hills for miles.She hops out of the car &helps me with my dress, getting it photo worthy. I share this story because she surprised me. There she was, out in the rain, in a gorgeous lace dress, making sure my new husband and I had a special photo-op moment on our wedding day. Milicent delivered 150%. I recommend her to any bride, bc she will get exactly what you want. Mount Ida is beautiful on it’s own, but Milicent made it feel like it was made for us.

From our very first email inquiry, the staff at Mount Ida went above and beyond accommodating us for a visit to the farm. They worked with us to schedule a visit from afar and provided us with great information on how we could customize our wedding weekend at Mount Ida to make it perfect for us. Compared to the other Charlottesville venue options, we found Mount Ida to be fairly affordable, especially once we realized how much we were getting for our money: on-property shuttles, a catering kitchen, bridal and groom's suites, a wonderfully professional in-house events coordinator (Milicent) and property manager (Tracy). They did make it clear that they require you to have your own day-of coordinator to handle all the bride & groom's day-of needs...which I would definitely recommend regardless! We booked when they were still in the process of renovating the barn, so we were totally blown away with how even more beautiful it was when we came back for a walk-through a few months later. The new addition could also be used as a rain location just in case—which would put any bride at ease! All of our guests were blown away by the picture-perfect ceremony at the gazebo and the reception at the barn. Even though it took our guests around 45 minutes to get to Mount Ida from Cville, it is well worth the drive! Overall, we were so happy with our wedding at Mount Ida and would recommend it to anyone willing to get married a little off the beaten path in Charlottesville Wine Country!

Mt. Ida Farm was truly a dream wedding venue. From the time we stepped foot on the property last summer, we knew this was where we would have our wedding. Milicent graciously gave a tour telling us about the history of the property and making us feel more like friends or family then potential clients. When ever I had a question on the venue, I knew I could call on Milicent and she would quickly return my email or call with an answer.

The venue in its entirety is breathtaking as soon as you drive onto the property. I wanted to give my wedding guests an "Awe factor" and Mt. Ida certainly did that for me.

On our wedding day, the staff at Mt. Ida was incredibly accommodating. Everything that day was seamless.

What makes Mount Ida Farm stand out from other wedding venues in the Charlottesville area is the staff and support they provide throughout your entire event. Realizing this place is different from your typical vineyard, we decided to make this a family Reunion Weekend. We rented two homes for the weekend in addition to their Gazebo Wedding Ceremony site and their Event Barn. Milicent and Tracy helped us move into the homes and unpack our weekend refreshments, The homes were immaculate and beautifully appointed and all our guests felt they were treated to a wonderful Virginia Country weekend. They have staff who worked around the clock driving shuttles for us between the homes and assisting in the wedding preparations. When it was obvious that the rain was settling in for the whole weekend, the "Plan B" for the ceremony was transformed into a magical venue. Our guests were warm, dry and comfortable and complimented everyone on the intimate and romantic ceremony. The "Plan B" ended up being perfect.
The staff changed the ceremony space into the cocktail/reception space within minutes, while guests were busy with drinks, music and appetizers. We also had our Rehearsal Dinner in the barn the evening before, which was also just beautiful.
Milicent took on quite a challenge as she "pinned" the boutonnieres for our 3 little boy attendants. First, she found and "caught" them, and then she magically made them feel very special and important for the ceremony. This was above and beyond, especially since everyone else was busy with the rain and photographs. Thank you Milicent, Tracy, and staff for welcoming our families into Mount Ida for our Family Reunion and Wedding. Our guests and families had the time of their lives.

Our daughter got married on June 29, 2013 and everyone said it was one of the prettiest weddings they had ever attended. From the moment we entered the front gate of Mount Ida Farm, we knew this was a special place and it was going to be a very special weekend. The scenery was spectacular! Arriving at the Mount Ida Mansion, we were greeted warmly by the venue's hostesses Millicent and Tracy. Immediately, they made us feel right at home, giving us a relaxed feeling. Throughout the weekend, they provided advice, personal service, and it became obvious that they loved the venue and their jobs. Regardless of need, the venue staff was always readily available, providing quality service at all times during the weekend. The physical facilities at the venue are well maintained and provided a beautiful backdrop for all of the wedding activities throughout the entire weekend. Truthfully, due to the quality service of the staff and the immaculately maintained physical facilities, it was one of the most memorable weekends for all guests and the wedding party. We highly recommend Mount Ida Farm!

I had my wedding reception at Mount Ida, and I could not be happier with how the day went! The barn was beautiful and everyone had a wonderful time. One guest described the wedding as “like a fairy tale,” another referred to it as “straight class,” and a third could not get over “all the little details that really made it special.”

As a bride living in Chicago and planning a Charlottesville wedding, I had one day while I was in town to visit the seven reception venues in which I was interested. Our tour of Mount Ida with Milicent was scheduled in the middle of a long day of tours, but it easily stood out as the perfect venue for my wedding! My mother, my sister and I fell in love with Mount Ida as soon as we set foot on inside the charming barn. Once we saw the gazebo area it was all over. We continued with the rest of the venue tours, but after we saw each new venue we all agreed Mount Ida was still the clear winner.

Milicent and her team worked very well with my wedding planner to create my perfect wedding. The day went perfectly (even though it rained during cocktail hour). Some of the Mount Ida cows even came over to see the guests as they were arriving, and the guests were delighted! Milicent even drove me, my husband and our photographer around to some of her favorite photo spots during the cocktail hour, and the pictures turned out great. My only regret is that the night couldn’t have lasted longer.

I am so glad I chose Mount Ida for my wedding reception, and I recommend it to all brides!

Seth and I got married at Mount Ida on August 17th, and everything was perfect! Milicent and the team did an amazing job making our wedding the event we dreamed it would be! We loved getting ready in the groomsmen and bridal suites in the barn on Saturday. Even though there was a light drizzle, we had our ceremony outside, and it went off without a hitch. The barn looked amazing for the reception. I love the new addition, and their new chandeliers. I wish we could do it all over again-it was such a perfect day!

My fiancée found Mount Ida and we went out to meet with the folks there. At the time, they hadn't held their first wedding, so we were a little skeptical of booking there. We couldn't have been happier with the venue and folks we worked with.

If you're reading this review, you probably realize how expensive the venues are in Charlottesville. Mount Ida is a fairly economical option that is well worth the price. Our guests still rave about how beautiful and classy our venue was. Best of all, the wedding venue matched us perfectly: A very classy, yet country venue.

The crew at Mount Ida worked very hard to make sure we had the wedding of our dreams and we were so pleased with our choice. Book your wedding here, you won't be disappointed.

My wedding at Mt. Ida Farm was absolutely magical! Not only is the venue absolutely gorgeous, but the Mt. Ida staff is awesome to work with! My new husband and I had the most memorable weekend possible. We rented two houses on the property for our family and wedding party, had our rehearsal BBQ on the grounds, our ceremony by the lake, and the reception in the barn . Our photos around the property were so beautiful and unique. Everything was just perfect! Without a doubt the most amazing setting for a wedding that I could have ever imagined!

We had our wedding on March 30th. Mount Ida was a great venue! All of our family members and friends had a great time. All of their staff were very helpful and timely. They set everything up according to the diagram and timeline I had given them. They communicated very well with me and my wedding planner. Milicent and her crew went above and beyond to get the venue ready for our wedding, even with the unexpected snowfall 4 days before the wedding. Our wedding even got featured in the Borrowed and Blue website: http://www.borrowedandblue.com/charlottesville/weddings/kelly-howard

I'm so thankful for the Mount Ida team for making our day so special!

Mount Ida Farm is the most magical place to host your wedding!!! We just got married here on June 29, 2013 and words cannot describe how HAPPY we were with our entire experience there! We rented the Mount Ida manor home for the weekend and we are so glad we did! The house has so much history and the rooms are spacious and the entire house is beautiful!! The bridesmaids did a wine tour/bridal luncheon on Friday at nearby wineries where Mount Ida shuttled us to and from so we could relax and enjoy ourselves before the rehearsal dinner! On Friday evening, we hosted our rehearsal dinner on site which was a GREAT choice! On Saturday, having the whole bridal party at the manor house getting ready together was special for us. We had our vendors come on site to help us get ready (hair and make up for girls!) and it just made the whole day more enjoyable and relaxing for our entire bridal party! Then the actual WEDDING!! The ceremony site is BREATHTAKING!! Amazing, Amazing Amazing. There is no other word for it!!! It is gorgeous, serene and everything we ever dreamed of in a wedding venue. Cocktails at the barn in the addition and on the patio was perfect for our guests and the reception at the barn was INCREDIBLE. It is such a beautiful space that can be transformed into anything from the most rustic event to the most elegant. We are so happy with how everything turned out!!! Milicent and Tracy (and the rest of the staff!) went above and beyond with EVERYTHING to make sure our wedding was PERFECT...and it was PERFECT!!! Our guests keep telling us it is the MOST BEAUTIFUL WEDDING VENUE they have ever seen :) My husband and I can't stop thinking and talking about how lucky we were to have found the most magical place to have our wedding...Mount Ida Farm!!!!

Mount Ida Farm is beautiful wedding location! The staff was very helpful and the facilities were very nice. I highly recommend getting a house on the property, as it was very helpful to be all in one place for the weekend.

We LOVED Mt. Ida Farm and Vineyard. First, they were very accommodating when it came to scheduling a visit. We did visit in what is considered the off season (March) to tour the facilities, but we never felt rushed when touring and our tour facilitator patiently answered all our questions. Our tour facilitator was Matt. We HIGHLY recommend working with him. He is very professional and had more answers to questions that we never thought of (such as rain plans, electricity backups, portable restrooms, driving between sites and more). He definitely knows Mt. Ida in and out and can answer almost any question. As for the facilities, they were wonderful. They were clean, modern, and useful. Also the staff was fast at fixing issues and were there to NOT add stress. They really wanted you to enjoy your wedding day. Mt. Ida does have a lot of conditions when it comes to picking the site, reception area, and housing. We chose the Black Branch Ceremony Site for its amazing views of the mountains, but as a result, you have to have your reception at The Barn. We liked the Barn, but we liked The Lodge better. Matt and the staff definitely walk you through all the conditions, but definitely read everything so you have no surprises. If you read all the information and understand it, nothing should be a shock. There are several other venue options I did not discuss as well here so you must tour to find the right location on the property for you. The team also put new signs in to help direct guests and vendors and those signs were lifesavers! We also recommend a good map made by your coordinator to send out but otherwise this is a great place to get married!

It's hard to even put into words just how fabulous our New Year's Eve wedding was at The Lodge on 12/31/19. We are still getting texts and calls almost a month later about how gorgeous the venue was and how perfect and intimate of setting it was for our wedding. The staff at Mount Ida was absolutely fabulous and so incredible to work with. My bridesmaids and I got ready up at the Manor home and it was such a beautiful and relaxing setting before the wedding. Of course, not to mention just how amazing the weather ended up being (honestly, bury that bourbon, it works!!!) so our golden hour sunset shots were phenomenal! Thank you to Tracy, Bronwyn and the rest of the team at Mount Ida, I will be recommending this venue to any of our friends in the future!!!

Mount Ida is BEAUTIFUL. We loved everything about the venue. The staff is very helpful and accommodating. It is pricey but you get a huge bang for your buck. It's a little tricky if you use vendors from outside their approved list, but as long as you stay on top of things early you'll be fine. I would choose Mount Ida again in a heartbeat!

Mount Ida was a perfect venue for our wedding, it accommodated the large guest list we had while still providing an intimate space that was gorgeous and romantic. The gazebo offered a beautiful space for us to get married offering a natural chuppah that our florist decorated magnificently. The staircase allowed for a dramatic entrance for our wedding party. The barn looks like a barn from the outside and then a magnificent reception space on the inside. The barn offers high ceilings, a huge dance floor, two pretty fire places and the bridal suite was perfect for pictures getting ready. I would highly recommend having your wedding here. Something important to note (in my opinion) is there is a HARD stop time of 11pm, something that I struggled with greatly.

Mount Ida is an absolutely breathtaking venue. The updated barn is perfect. The gazebo for the ceremony is exactly what I was looking for. It is on the pricier side but well worth it :) The venue coordinator is quick to respond to any questions and they were very helpful throughout the whole process, especially on the day of.

We loved this venue! We use The Lodge during its first year of availability. Millicent and her team were very easy to work with, and did a great job the day of. This venue is so beautiful, and had all the pieces we were looking for. It easily accommodated the seated dinner and other activities for our 200+ guests. Highly recommended!

This venue is very professional however, very inflexible.
we ran into major ceremony delays and Mount Ida would not allow us to stay longer. we were very, very sad.

a really great venue - the gentleman that gave us a tour knew all the answers to any question and really made us feel comfortable

If you want a rustic chic venue then this is your place! All of our guests were asking all night how we found this place and it was one of the most beautiful places they have been. Barn venues are popular, but the Lodge takes the barn feeling to the next level and provides an elegant feel! We could not be happier with our choice to have our wedding at the Lodge. It was simply magical!

We had our wedding at Mount Ida Farms, The Event Barn in September this year, and our guests are still raving about it. The property takes your breath away from the minute you pass the gates. Before the big day, we were actually most excited about how our guests would feel driving up to the barn because of how gorgeous and vast the land is — it feels like you are driving into another world or dimension. We had our ceremony at the gazebo, with both cocktail and reception at the barn, and were so happy that our guests didn’t have to drive a far distance after the ceremony. The venue is so pretty that it’s tempting to not invest much in decor, but we decided to and had wonderful vendors make it even more gorgeous. For example, we had draping along the walls and uplights in the dining room and it completely transformed everything (would recommend if you can swing it!). The venue is also huge. Our 200 guests fit comfortably in the dining room, and during cocktail hour there was the option to stay inside or be on the deck, as well. We love how exploratory it all was for our guests. The bridal suite is comfortable, clean and picture-perfect — we were very comfortable there getting ready, especially given the large bathroom that’s connected. The grooms lounge is pretty tight so be aware of that — but the guys made it work! The day had some hiccups, as all weddings do, and Mount Ida quickly acknowledged and fully rectified anything that didn’t go to plan on their end. [[That being said, from our experience I’d offer a couple “pro-tips” :) - make sure early on that you can have your rehearsal at the venue if you’re getting married at the gazebo; have your coordinator(s)/vendor point-people have walkie-talkies or some way to communicate since there is no cell service (a gift but a frustrating curse for running an event); If possible, highly recommend you book a day-of coordinator who has worked that exact venue prior — it would be a great advantage because there are natural moving parts that they’ll need to anticipate and manage between the two spaces; I would say the same for music and sound — if you want music at the gazebo, in the cocktail hour/dance room, and in the dinner room, it requires multiple setups if you want it to sound good and a vendor who has worked there before or done a walk-through with you would be best; For our entrance, we had our wedding party enter through the curtains, and we entered through the opposite barn doors — the guests loved it so much! Since the dinner room is long, it’s a nice way to give both ends something to see; And highly recommend booking shuttles who have experience at the venue as well (we used Blue Ridge Tours and Albemarle Limousine and our guests were impressed and loved not having to drive…it’s also super dark at night and a windy route).]] Working with the Mount Ida management prior to the event was fantastic. They always made sure to take their time to make sure you have peace of mind with every interaction, and they are SO nice. Overall it was a beautiful day, and great experience and thank goodness the rain held off until after our reception kicked off. Thank you, Mount Ida, for giving us and our guests such a wonderful memory!

My husband I got married at the Lodge at Mount Ida Farm this past Saturday. The Lodge is an absolutely STUNNING venue located about 30 minutes outside of Charlottesville. The venue staff were very friendly and the venue is perfectly maintained--their team executed our floor plan and set up perfectly. Their amenities are top of the line--tables, brand new chairs, chandeliers, two absolutely stunning suites--the works! We couldn't have imagined a better venue for our big day.
One thing to consider before booking at the Lodge is that you are required to submit insurance paperwork and waivers for each vendor you hire not on the venue's vendor list--so the flexibility to hire smaller, less established vendors is not there. You also have limited access to the bridal suite prior to the ceremony (2 hours at maximum) and there is a hard curfew of 11 pm and no ability to serve liquor neat. This ended up working for us, but there are some restrictions involved working with the venue that I wanted to share! 10/10 would recommend.

Mount Ida is exceptionally beautiful and Millicent, the director was a selling point for us because she was so warm and on top of it. She worked seamlessly with our coordinator and vendors to help create a gorgeous day, even when we were planning from out of state. We rented the manor as well, which was nice bonus for the weekend- to all be together out in the country without any city traffic or busyness. Because Mount Ida is so nice and new, there are a few regulations and some very thorough paperwork. Ultimately, that helped us be prepared and happy, but it was a bit tedious during the planning process. Overall, it was the perfect place for us and we were blessed to have such a lovely space to set the stage for the meaning and joy of the occasion.

My review could be called “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and here’s why.

The Good: You can’t beat the beauty of Mt. Ida Farm. They’ve made recent improvements from the flooring to a full scale stage and have a new manager, Tracey Shifflett, who is a delight to work with.

The Bad: Something to keep in mind is the sun. Our ceremony was in mid-October between 5:00 – 6:00 pm, and our guests who sat on the right side of gazebo had to place their hands or programs over their sunglasses to be able to see the ceremony.

The Ugly: Be aware at that time of year the wolf spiders were out. They were in the bridal suite where my daughter was told to make sure her gown was up off the floor to prevent them from crawling in the layers of her gown. We were told that this is a "barn," and the cool weather was bringing them indoors (they reside in the mulch). It's safe to say it is a "barn" in name only. Though they assured me they sprayed, I did request a second spraying. I then found one in the ladies room mere inches from my foot, and though they are harmless, they are huge and frightening! Also, we were recently informed by a couple of our guests that a huge wolf spider fell from the ceiling and began crawling on their dinner table. Fortunately, it was killed quickly.

All in all, we still loved the venue, but I feel these are a couple of issues that future brides should be aware of.

Beautiful venue. Communication from vendor could have been better.

Mount Ida has BEAUTIFUL ceremony and reception sites and was the perfect setting for my wedding. I have wonderful pictures and everyone who came had a great time. The shuttles worked great between the ceremony and reception sites, and they were flexible with some big umbrellas that provided some coverage during a few drizzles just prior to the ceremony.

My biggest complaint about the vendor was that after our ceremony, they took my groom, my photographers, and I off the farm for other photo-ops, which sounds nice. However, the first place they attempted to take us turned out to be gated and the person driving didn't have the code to get in. Furthermore, it seemed that the real reason they wanted to take us there was to get pictures at their new ceremony site (likely to post online). In the end, it was a waste of 15-20min of my groom and my time, and it prevented us from enjoying either some time alone or popping into the cocktail hour.

Additionally, prior to the wedding, they did not seem particularly organized with which documents I needed to request from my vendors, which ones they already had, etc., which made it somewhat difficult for me especially because I was planning the wedding from afar (Nashville, TN) while completing residency.

Mt. Ida is a beautiful place for a wedding. I did, however, find the difficult to work with and inflexible. They are slow to return calls and emails. When we did reach someone they were very pleasant. Frankie was at the wedding and did a fabulous job on the day of. There are several different locations for weddings but we felt that we were the only ones there.

This review is hard because I absolutely love the beauty and views that the Lodge at Mt. Ida has to offer, and it will always hold a special place for us because we had our wedding here. However, the owner/parent company (Murcielago) was extremely difficult to work with throughout Covid. We had already paid Mount Ida in full when we had to postpone our April 2020 wedding. If you have done any wedding venue research, you'll know that April dates in Charlottesville tend to be more expensive because that is considered "wedding season". We paid for an April date, so we expected to be able to have another "wedding season" date when we rescheduled. Mount Ida only offered us dates in February or March and said we either take that or wait until they book new couples for 2021 and see what's left over (In their words- Fridays and Sundays). This was obviously not an acceptable solution for a couple who has already PAID IN FULL. Eventually we wore them down and they offered us 4/3/21, which was great. However, we then needed to reschedule again when it was clear that April 2021 was still going to be limited to a 10-person gathering limit. Again, we had the same issues trying to get what we already paid for- except this time they tried to tell us that there was no cost difference between March and April. I was able to obtain their pricing information and found this to be a lie (which I already knew), and we had to eventually get a lawyer involved- again, just to get what we paid for! VERY shortly after they received the letter from our lawyer, a date in early April magically became available to us!

As unlikely as another pandemic may seem- if you want to have your wedding here, make sure it is very clear in your contract what will happen in the event of a rescheduling. Once they have your money, they don't seem to care how they treat you as long as they can still book new clients.

Good morning, first of all I want to say that the wedding venue was so beautiful and our children are now happily married and enjoying their honeymoon. The Wedding time went by all too quickly and my husband and I did not even have a chance to visit your tasting room. A couple of our family staying with us did go and really enjoyed it. The scenery during their morning run was also breath taking. It truly is a beautiful place.

In regard to the house where we stayed. It too was wonderful so well set up with a nice large kitchen to gather around and visit while we all caught up. There were family members from NJ, UAE, CA and NY.

There were a few issues in the house. The master bedroom toilet would not flush even urine down without multiple flushes and plunging. The showers scalded several of our guests during their showers in the main floor shower. Master bathroom was better in that area. The bunk beds had a dirty bed that was never cleaned it was turned down and there was hair in the bed showing it had been slept in and not cleaned. There were many bugs in the house in the bedrooms. The pool was full of wasps and could not be used. There was a birds nest on the master balcony that had fallen and we told them about it but it was never cleaned up and so the balcony could not be used as there was debris and dead baby birds. It needed a once over cleaning before we arrived and this could have all been avoided and our family completely enjoy our stay with you. Pest control would have helped our one guest with fears as she is very allergic to stings. I am requesting a discounted amount of our payment to be returned as compensation for these issues that could have been avoided with cleaning and care. The amount paid for the house should have insured a clean and safe stay with working plumbing and pool use. I sent all my payments to you through Bank of America and the refund can be sent the same way. Thank you for your understanding.
Response from Venue- With respect to your stay at our Mount Pleasant let me try to address each of the issues: the toilet in the master is an eco-friendly model so it does not have a strong flush like others because it doesn't empty the whole tank. You really have to hold the button down and wait for it to flush so that was probably part of what was occurring. On the downstairs shower I am so sorry someone put the water too hot but it is a two handle fixture with separate hot and cold handles so it is entirely in their control as to how much cold water they add. Perhaps they didn't feel the temperature before they entered the shower? With respect to the bugs and birds nest and dead birds on the balcony we are a farm and bugs and critters do often come with the territory. Pest control comes every month to do all of our houses and buildings and the homes are cleaned prior to every stay but even with that we do run a through on the houses an hour prior to check specifically to check for bugs. But they are a part of farm life and even with pest control and cleaning they are going to be there. If there were bugs in windowsills, etc those arrived within an hour or two of your stay and wasps in the pool are also a common occurrence. We just can't outrun the bugs entirely on the farm!

Unfortunately none of what you experienced is something for which we would provide a refund or compensation for. It sounds like the wedding weekend was otherwise enjoyable and I'm glad for that and I am sorry that the stay in the home wasn't quite as you expected.
My next email- In response to your email. I was raised on a farm so please don't accuse farm life and the great outdoors for excuses to why a house that you charge over $1000 a night is not prepared to be rented. I notice you did not address the issue of the dirty bed. The dead birds did not just happen the carcasses were not fresh. The bugs in the house were not recent. The toilet doesn't flush even when it is held down the whole time. My husband tried to fix with plunger etc. Literally took over 10 flushes to get 3pieces of toilet paper ( squares) and pee flushed down. The scalding in the shower happened after checking the temperature and was midway through rinsing hair and all they could do was jump out. The breaker blew when I unplugged a curling iron and I had to go in the basement to put it back on. Staff was told about the bugs and birds. The wedding event the staff forgot to put out cookies on the cookie table. Each one was a favorite brought to share with event. I had to tell staff to fix issue. They also did not serve the cake that was for desert requested by grooms mother. Sheet cake decorated for guests to eat. Just things that need to be addressed with staff training and cleaning and fixing your very pricey rental. Your response was disrespectful and an attempt to blame us and our stupidity of farm knowledge instead of owning your part in an unprepared rental. I will let the guests know as they were holding their reviews to see how you responded.

I was part of a wedding party celebrating a good friend’s wedding at Mt. Ida. The property, venue, and staff were all wonderful and it’s my understanding that the married couple were thrilled with the overall experience.

This two star review is solely in respect to my experience dealing with Mt. Ida over the remittance of funds from our security deposit related to a house on the property that our party stayed in.

Long story short, there was pre-existing damage to the home that manifested itself during our stay (a pedestal sink disconnected from the wall while in regular use and subsequently collapsed on itself, thus rendering it useless). Rather than assuming the cost of replacing the faulty sink or accepting my proposal to split the cost, management withheld funds from our security deposit equivalent to the full cost of replacement – $900.

Feedback: Just because you may have legal authority doesn’t mean that it’s good business to exercise it. Sinks are not supposed to fall out the wall at the slightest touch / guests that stay on your properties should not be liable for regular-way depreciation.

PROS
Lovely location with a perfect contingency plan for rain.
CONS
Unprofessional. My family was not respected. Every time we had a question, the first response was "we are more than willing to release you from your contract and refund your money". They don’t want to discuss anything or work with you to answer questions. At one point, I was told "whether it's in your budget or not" about the coordinator situation, which is rude and unprofessional. A prospective client was given a tour on our wedding day. Milicent showed him the bridal suite, grooms suite, etc while we were inside getting ready. Additionally, he was at my wedding! He had no association with my or my husbands family. Both my family and my vendors couldn't believe it. After the tour, Milicent changed into jean shorts and a tee instead of staying appropriately dressed as she was for the tour.
Hidden costs. It’s $150 for your flower girl to toss flowers, besides the $150 cleaning fee. When asked, they responded "We cannot unfortunately include every hypothetical scenario that a bride may request in the contract". One of the requirements in the contract is that we need to have a "day-of planner". The terminology used in the contract WE signed is “designate one person “. This terminology has since been changed to " hire a professional wedding coordinator” and from a preferred vendor list. Later, I was told that this person needs to be a professional and was sent a list of preferred vendors. First, our contract explicitly DID NOT say professional or hire and second, the list of coordinators that was sent to me were priced ranging from $800-$1200. In shock, I proceeded to panic knowing that we couldn't afford this and that everything might be ruined. I thought we were going to have to cancel our wedding. It wasn't in our contract but we were held to it and Milicent knew our budget. Luckily, our caterers had a coordinator on staff that doubled as the catering coordinator and the coordinator. Nightmare.