Mt Defiance Cidery & Distillery Reviews

Our wedding at Mt. Defiance was an absolute DREAM!!!! Even with a rainy day and indoor ceremony, every detail was perfect, magical, and more than we could have ever dreamed of. Honestly, our indoor ceremony felt so intimate and just want we wanted all along. We are forever grateful to be a part of the Mt. Defiance family!!!!

We held our wedding at Mount Defiance's cidery and we could not have been happier about our choice of venue. The low-key, rustic but modern vibe was exactly what we wanted for our wedding and it is a nice contrast with the myriad old plantation homes in the area. The location just outside the charming town of Middleburg is also perfect.

It was the perfect size for our wedding (roughly 100 guests) and the flow from the ceremony to the cocktails to the reception went perfectly, even when the weather didn't cooperate. The main room has plenty of space for folks to go all out on the dance floor while the two covered porches gave plenty of space for those who needed to escape the commotion.

I also want to highlight what a delight it was to work with the staff at Mount Defiance. Kelsey and her team worked with us beforehand to make sure everything went smoothly, including accommodating some last minute requests from guests who were new mothers. And on the day of, one of the managers lent me his laptop charger when I couldn't find my own.

We've since fallen in love with Mount Defiance and their cider. We've gone back multiple times with family to try new offerings. We cannot recommend them enough to host your wedding or any other event.

The perfect venue for upscale barn vibes with a string light chandelier, outdoor ceremony space, and a porch with rocking chairs for resting your feet after dancing. There’s also a bridal suite and groom’s room upstairs great for taking a moment alone. The coordinators Nicole and Kelsey are also lovely people and had no issue dealing with multiple postponements. I highly recommend this beautiful venue!

We loved everything about this venue. We booked it sight-unseen as we were wedding planning abroad and everything turned out better than we could have imagined. The team was so helpful getting our planning details and making our vision a reality. We used the getting-ready area upstairs which was perfect to transition to the first look. Besides the delicious cider, the location was gorgeous for our outdoor spring ceremony. The guests loved the outdoor porch area after dinner, and the vaulted ceilings of the indoor space with the lights were so dreamy. We had 65 guests around 9 tables, and the reception was able to feel intimate but spacious at the same time. We thoroughly enjoyed everything about Mt Defiance and can't wait to go back!

Mt. Defiance was our wedding venue in January 2021, and it could not have been more beautiful! The venue granted our every request, and were super great at communicating throughout the planning process. Our wedding needed to be moved inside due to the snow, and it was still one of the most gorgeous ceremonies. If you're worried about weather, Mt. Defiance has great space for rainy & sunny days! Their suggested vendors were amazing and had great knowledge & experience at the venue. The entire team made our event seamless and beautiful. If you're thinking about this as your wedding spot, don't hesitate!

We had the best experience with our fall wedding at this gorgeous venue! We had an outdoor ceremony and an indoor reception which was perfect for what we were looking for. Our guests were able to enjoy the beautiful fall weather during our outdoor cocktail hour on Mt Defiance’s back portico. Nicole and her special events coordinator Kelsey were beyond nice and absolutely great to work with. They were flexible, accommodating, and answered all emails in a timely manner. If you’re looking for a rustic/barn style venue, look no further because this is definitely a hidden gem! The venue’s price was extremely reasonable for what’s included compared to similar venues. They do not require that you use their preferred list of vendors, but we used 3 from their list and they were all fantastic. Having the reception tables and chairs included in the price really helped with not having to pay another vendor to bring in extra rentals. They even allowed us to borrow their arbor for our ceremony. We also purchased a keg of their cider to serve to our guests that many enjoyed. The space is beautiful enough for minimal decor but also has room to be glammed up if that’s what you’re looking for. We received so many compliments about how beautiful the venue was. Mt Defiance was a 10/10 and really helped make our wedding day perfect! We loved it and cannot recommend them enough!!

My husband and I felt so lucky to find this venue! This was actually the first venue we found, and after visiting and comparing prices, decor styles, and location (about 30 mins from Dulles for family flying into town!) with other similar venue listings on The Knot, we simply didn’t even visit another venue because nothing else could compare. We used Mt. Defiance for both our downsized wedding ceremony in 2020 (they were SO flexible and accommodating as we were scrambling to make adjustments due to the pandemic), and we just had our big vow renewal & reception with friends and family on Sep 26, 2021. The venue itself is GORGEOUS, and I couldn’t have been happier with working with the owner, Nicole, and the rest of the Mt. Defiance staff. They were incredibly friendly, helpful, and truly made us feel like royalty on our special day(s!). Also, we completely leaned into the fall apple theme with “harvest apple” candles, hard and non-alcoholic apple cider, and cider donuts, which I would 10/10 recommend. And, we used the fire pit outside during our reception, which our guests loved as a way to enjoy the perfect September weather and chat away from the dance floor. They also couldn’t stop commenting how beautiful the venue itself was. It is also worth mentioning that Mt. Defiance just recently put in a brick path down to the ceremony site, which is a huge improvement! For our vow renewal, I was able to walk down the aisle by myself, which I certainly would not have been able to do the year prior in my full gown, veil, and no path - I definitely NEEDED to hold on to my Dad for our original wedding ceremony. Without a doubt, I would absolutely recommend Mt. Defiance for your wedding.

Getting married at Mt. Defiance Cider Barn was an absolute dream. From the beautiful high ceilings, to the gorgeous wooden beams, the adorable lighting, the cozy patio and fireplace, and the convenient and private bridal and groom suites, everything was absolutely perfect. Honestly, we still get shivers every time we drive up the little hill and get the full view of the building.

Apart for the building what really makes Mt. Defiance special is the staff. Right from the get-go we were welcomed by staff who clearly take pride in what Mt. Defiance has cultivated. Nicole was absolutely lovely and patient, giving our family members multiple tours as we beamed with delight showing them the grounds. She had a wealth of knowledge, great suggestions, and was the perfect sounding board for possible vendors.

Kelsey was our point of contact and day-of-representative, we felt so secure in her leadership. She was very responsive, organized, and pro-active. Our walk-through with her alleviated any concerns we had. On the day of our wedding she was working incredibly hard to make sure everything went smoothly and all our expectations were beyond met. She was cool, calm, and collected. We still remember her upbeat and positive vibes as we arrived for the reception. We are still so grateful for everything she did.

Lastly, the coolest thing about Mt. Defiance is the custom ciders that they can create for your wedding. We're big brewery lovers so this was very exciting for us. We ordered a keg of their flagship Strawberry Cider which was delicious and we used it for our champagne toast. We also ordered a custom keg of apple pie cider that my husband was obsessed with. We could not be happier with our cider choices.

If you're contemplating Mt. Defiance Cider Barn as your venue, definitely check it out in-person. Order a cider flight and sit on rocking chairs with your loved one. It's well worth the visit and you may shivers like us :)