Poplar Springs Manor Reviews
Reviews
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Featured
![Michael]()
Michael Sent on 07/12/2024Thank you Poplar Springs Manor and Royal AV Group!
Poplar Springs Manor was the perfect venue for our wedding. The flexibility the venue allowed and beauty of the venue especially with all the surrounding trees made it an ideal choice. The catering staff was phenomenal, and our guests are still raving about the food, especially the Demi Glazed Beef and Salmon Pink Champagne meals. We appreciated being able to bring our own drinks and have the staff create our signature cocktails. The outdoor ceremony space was beautiful, and the venue provided a welcome table with water for our guests, which was much appreciated on the hottest of the year. The scenic trees, stone patio, and the lake added a stunning backdrop for our wedding and family photos. Laia, our Venue Supervisor, ensured everything went smoothly. Laia was so helpful during the final walkthrough, and the weeks leading up to the wedding especially with our last-minute questions. She was always quick to respond and clear with her answers. Carla, the Inn Supervisor, took excellent care of our guests. She took care of our guests at the afterparty and the morning after. Were really pleased with how the after party turned out, especially with the ability to have late night Domino’s Pizza ordered and to have a bonfire. The complimentary breakfast the day after the wedding was fantastic, and the relaxed atmosphere allowed our guests to mingle and enjoy themselves. Thank you, Poplar Springs Manor, for providing the perfect venue for our wedding.
The Royal AV Group did an outstanding job as our audio and visual technicians. They provided two photobooths, including a stand and a 360 photobooth, which our guests loved! We appreciated how willing Angad was to work within our budget to ensure we had everything we wanted. Angad was our main point of contact and was helpful in setting us up with everything we needed. The lighting was perfect, and the music sounded great throughout the evening. Our violinist mentioned how helpful the audio/visual technician was in ensuring she had everything she needed to perform during our ceremony. The Royal AV Group truly enhanced our wedding experience, and we are so grateful for their excellent service!
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![Sara]()
Sara Sent on 10/03/2025Poplar Springs is AMAZING!!
We toured this venue and fell in love with it! Scenic views, massive reception hall, and so much more. They have a spa! A SPA!! They don't have many wedding dates available and I can see why.
We love it so much that are getting married on a Thursday just to get into this beautiful facility.
We've seen many venues and this one won our hearts. -
![Levi]()
Levi Sent on 10/11/2024Prepare to be enchanted
Nestled amidst rolling hills and embraced by the tranquil whispers of nature, Poplar Springs Manor transcended our expectations and painted the canvas of our wedding day with unparalleled magic.
From the moment we set foot on its grounds, we were enveloped in an atmosphere of serene beauty and rustic elegance. The manor itself stood as a timeless marvel, its grandeur enhanced by sweeping verandas and lush gardens that seemed to bloom just for our special day.
But beyond its picturesque setting, it was the staff at Poplar Springs Manor who truly enchanted us. From multiple consultations with Carolyn and Cassandra to the final farewell with Laia and Rick, they orchestrated every detail with consummate skill and unwavering dedication. Ms. Laia Altamirano, like a sorcerer of logistics, wove together our dreams seamlessly into reality. She listened attentively to our visions, offering creative suggestions and expert guidance at every turn - truly making the planning and coordination efforts unspeakably easier.
The culinary artisans, masters of their craft, conjured a feast that was not merely a meal but a symphony of flavors and artistry. Each bite was a revelation, a testament to their commitment to excellence. The servers, with their grace and charm, moved like dancers through the festivities, ensuring every guest was attended to with warmth and hospitality.
And amidst it all, the ambiance was set aglow by the staff's infectious joy and genuine care. They anticipated our needs before we could voice them, ensuring every moment was filled with wonder and delight.
As the sun dipped below the horizon and the stars emerged to witness our celebration, we knew we had experienced something truly extraordinary. Poplar Springs Manor and its extraordinary staff had not just hosted our wedding; they had woven a tapestry of memories that will forever shimmer in the fabric of our hearts.
To the entire team at Poplar Springs Manor, we extend our deepest gratitude for making our dream wedding a reality. You are the magicians who turned our fantasies into a tangible experience, and for that, we will cherish you always.
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Jillian Sent on 05/01/2023
Dream Venue
Our experience with Poplar Springs was nothing less than amazing. We booked out the inn for the entire weekend for around 50 of our closest family and friends. The hotel had excellent service and was a great place for us to gather and celebrate all weekend. They even left us champagne in our room on our wedding night! Our wedding coordinator was Tori and she was AMAZING! She single handedly made our wedding dreams come true. Starting a month out she took care of all the coordination details with vendors and helped us set a timeline and floor plan. She was in constant communication with us leading up to the day of the wedding. On the day of the wedding she was there to do anything and everything she could to make us happy and make sure things went smoothly. All of our many DIY decor items were set up so perfectly for us, we didn't have to do a thing! She was so accommodating and just wanted to make sure we were happy. We has our dream wedding at the most dreamy venue and couldn't have asked for anything better. -
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![Heather]()
Heather Sent on 04/06/2023A fairytale venue!
My husband and I recently had our rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception at Poplar Springs on March 18. What you will notice right away is the serenity of the venue. The location is absolutely beautiful. With a picturesque tree-lined lane and a historical stone Manor house, you cannot go wrong solely based on the looks.
What makes this place extra special is their staff. We were blessed to have Lindsay as our month-of and day-of coordinator. She went beyond that and provided us support months before the wedding, never hesitating to contact us. She is very organized and she really spent dedicated time with us. I never worried about vendors arriving on time or forgetting something because she was on top of it all. We will be keeping in contact with her after the wedding because she really is such a great person.
Another person to recognize is our venue supervisor, Laia. On our wedding day, she was a huge reason why everything ran so smoothly. She was everywhere, helping guide me, and keeping the unavoidable accidents that happen at any sort of event out of mine or my husband’s notice. She really is the cherry on top of a dynamic duo!
Lastly, I cannot forget to talk about the food. Everyone, and I mean everyone, loved the food. You can tell that Chef Aime puts a lot of care (and talent!) into making each and every dish. You will be well fed and feel well taken care of. Fredis, our banquet captain, did an amazing job making sure the food came out in a timely manner. Plus, the staff makes it a priority to bring food and drink to the couple as they are getting ready, taking photos, and at the reception.
Overall, Poplar Springs is an exceptional place to celebrate your forever. We will forever cherish our memories made there. -
![Shanon]()
Shanon Sent on 01/26/2023The best Customer Service!
Beautiful place ! Nice staff. Professional, organized, friendly,helpful people ever!!! we will recommend them again and again. -
![Samantha]()
Samantha Sent on 10/27/2022A Wonderful Experience!
Our experience with Poplar Springs was phenomenal. The venue is breathtaking to say the least, and their team really worked with us to accommodate all requests. Our month-of coordinator, Tori, was nothing short of amazing. She was patient, professional, organized and attentive. On our wedding day, Tori made sure our guests were taken care of, and that our event ran smoothly from start to finish. She truly didn’t miss a beat! Thank you to the team at Poplar for such a seamless, wonderful experience! -
![Mavis]()
Mavis Sent on 07/08/2022Amazing!
We had our dream wedding a week ago on Friday, July 1st, and I must say it was everything we imagined and more. I chanced on Poplar Springs Manor while having food tasting for my wedding that was going to be held in another one of the Manor venues in 2020. I immediately fell in love with the venue and called my fiance right after the tasting to let him know I preferred Poplar to the other venue. He was surprised because I loved the previous Manor venue as well.
Fast forward the wedding was postponed to this year and me experience with Lindsey was absolutely incredible from the minute we met. She paid attention to everything I wanted and definitely exceeded my expectations on the day of. The entire team at Poplar made sure our wedding run smoothly.
The Lindsey is the nicest and best coordinator I could ever ask for and she worked hand in hand with my team to ensure my day was perfect, and indeed it was.
The food was AWESOME!!!! The fact that the chef knew exactly what to make for my African guests was amazing! Everything on the menu was so good, my guess were surprised.
In a nutshell, our experience at the Poplar was PHENOMENAL!!!!!!
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![Brittany]()
Brittany Sent on 03/28/2022Gorgeous Historical Manor Wedding
First off - Penny & Freddie are amazing!!! This was the venue location for my sister's wedding and it couldn't have been a more stunning location. Gorgeous ballroom with floor to ceiling windows, incredibly large Bridal Getting Ready rooms (the biggest space I've ever seen and I'm a Wedding Coordinator myself), beautiful Cocktail Bar saloon and smooth execution options for Plan A/Plan B event designated spots. We also utilized the Carriage House for their Rehearsal Dinner and it couldn't have been a more magical weekend overall. So special to be on property the day before Wedding Day, plus it made dropping off Event Items that much easier & more convenient too. Again, Penny was incredible to work with. So knowledgable, thoughtful and truly cared about the success of our event!! She even skipped her Day Off in order to ensure our Rehearsal Dinner went smoothly. It couldn't have been a more wonderful wedding for my sister and all of us involved. -
![Jessica]()
Jessica Sent on 01/10/2022Dream Wedding!
We had our absolute dream wedding on 1/1/22. It could not have been a more perfect day despite COVID trying to ruin it! We will be forever grateful to Penny who was our month of coordinator. She guided us through many stressors with kindness and professionalism. She was always prompt in answering my millions of questions and was always so calm and collected! Our family also rented out the 22 room Poplar Inn which was an amazing decision. The inn manager, Ken, was also incredible leading up to and throughout my family's stay. We have had countless guests tell us that it was the best wedding they've ever been to!!!! Thank you Poplar Springs, Penny, Ken, and your entire staff that turned our winter wedding dreams into a reality! -
Joseph Sent on 10/13/2021
Excellent!
Great people and venue. Absolutely a dream come true. Great service and the staff worked extremely well with other vendors -
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![Susan]()
Susan Sent on 09/20/2021Jessica and delrio nelson’s wedding july 24, 2021
After three postponements due to Covid, our daughter Jessica’s, DREAM wedding day has finally happened. With THE BEST wedding coordinator, Khatera Panjshiri at the helm, her wedding weekend went without a hitch!! Khatera organized and directed this event so carefully and with lots of love.
Our florist, KELLI MYERS (KELLI G. MYERS - on FACEBOOK), designed the flowers for the WELCOME PARTY PARTY, RECEPTION along with all the boutonnières, bridesmaids’ bouquets and the breathtaking bridal bouquet.
BILL CARROLL was the most FANTASTIC DJ ever!! He won BEST IN THE BURG! He is the perfect host/DJ, to compliment ANY event!
Our guests stayed at the INN AT POPLAR SPRINGS, and KEN STONE Stone and his staff made sure that every detail was perfect. The rooms were beautiful and comfortable, the breakfast was absolutely delicious every morning, and Penny and Meaghan helped me set up an impromptu lunch on the day of the wedding. JUST TOP RATING ON EVERYTHING!
If you want to have the perfect wedding… That not only will the bride and groom never forget but your guess will never forget as well… This is the place to go…
Thank you all again for everything… We will never forget you!
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![Erin]()
Erin Sent on 10/26/2020Words can't describe...but I'll start with EPIC
We actually looked at a different venue affiliated with Poplar Springs Manor, and when we contacted the organization for a tour, we ended up visiting Poplar Springs. It was the second place we visited and we knew right away it was the spot. Gorgeous property, great food, and excellent people. Working with the team there, specifically Turon and Khatera, has been awesome. We had our wedding in October 2020, so I know we asked them a ton of questions due to COVID, and they handled everything promptly, professionally, and occasionally with humor which we really appreciate! Our wedding day absolutely would not have been what it was without our coordinator Khatera. She is fricken gem and I'm thankful she was a part of our wedding planning experience. I would re-do that day again and again in the exact same fashion that it went down given the opportunity, and I can't say enough good things about the Poplar Springs team. Thank you all -
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![Kara]()
Kara Sent on 05/19/2024Overall fantastic venue experience (though costly)
We had our wedding here on 4/20/2024, and overall, we were very pleased with the venue! Below is a summary of our experience, as well as some tips from our lessons learned:
Pros
• The venue is absolutely gorgeous, and there are a lot of options for photos. We wanted a venue where everything was in one place, and that's exactly what this site offers. We had our ceremony on the outdoor patio, cocktail hour in the bar, and reception in the bar/entrance area/ballroom. We also bought an extra hour to have more time to get ready in the bridal and groomal suites. Having these suite options to store our items, freshen up, and have a quiet space to retreat to throughout the night was very nice.
• Our coordinator, Dymond, was amazing and so helpful throughout the whole process, and she was our MVP hands-down! She was extremely detail oriented, immediately knew all the answers to our questions, and even had great suggestions for certain things we hadn't considered. She drafted up a minute-by-minute itinerary of our wedding day based on our specifications, which was super helpful, and she also provided a blueprint of the venue layout with a mockup of our setup. She was clearly experienced with weddings at this specific venue and knew what would or wouldn't work in certain spaces. My dad mentioned that on the day of our wedding, whenever he went to ask her a question, she was already taking care of the thing he was going to ask her about. For example, we did DIY dried floral arrangements. Our wedding day was a bit windy, so some of the lightweight arrangements kept falling over. My dad went to go ask Dymond about a solution, and she was already in the bushes looking around for rocks to help weigh them down. The other staff at the venue were also very accommodating and helpful, and all our servers were great as well. The buffet captain (I think that's what they referred to him as) whose name I believe is Rick was also extremely helpful the day of and kept checking in with us to make sure we had everything we needed.
• The venue was very accommodating with everything we asked for. For example, we had a lot of DIY components (floral arrangements, activity stations, decorations, props for the ceremony, favors, wedding cake, etc.). We were able to drop everything off the day before, and they provided as many tables as we needed to set everything up. We also bought all of our own alcohol from Costco. The bartenders were able to use everything we brought as a full-service bar, and we got to have a specialty cocktail. We also brought our own desserts as we only had a small wedding cake, and the staff set everything up for us and refilled the dessert platters as needed. We were also able to leave a few cars in the parking lot overnight as some of our wedding party drove themselves there but took our shuttle home.
• The food was very good and flavorful, and we received a lot of compliments about it from our guests. We had a lot of dietary restrictions to consider, and they were able to accommodate everything. As my husband and I have our own restrictions (lactose intolerant and vegetarian, respectively), we don't go out to eat much because our options tend to be bland and feel like an afterthought, but that was certainly not the case here. The food was delicious, and they even boxed up our plates for us to take home (just for the bride and groom). In all, we were able to accommodate guests who were lactose intolerant, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.
Cons
• The biggest con of course is the steep price tag. In total, it cost about $33k to host our wedding of 115 people here. I couldn’t find any online resources that gave a transparent cost expectation, so I think it’s important to include it in this review. We only received the cost outline once we had done an initial tour of the venue. It would have been nice to have at least a ballpark idea ahead of time, because if we had not been able to afford it, it would have just been a waste of our time and the staff’s time. That price included access to the venue starting at 3:00pm for the wedding party (5:00pm for guests) and going to 11:00pm, setup for all needed tables/chairs/tablecloths/plates/dishware, food tasting, 3 appetizers, buffet style dinner with 2 entrée options, servers and bartenders, some basic non-alcoholic drinks/mixers, day of coordinator, and access to the sound system for the DJ. That did not include any alcohol or dessert; we had to bring those ourselves. That also did not include tipping, which I previously assumed was included, but luckily my dad thought to ask about it. They did have a good written guideline for tip suggestions, but I wish it was either included in the full price or we had been told about it well ahead of time rather than having to ask.
• We did have a small issue with a property manager. I won't name names as I'm not trying to get anyone in trouble, but the person in question was very rude to one of my bridesmaids (who is also my cousin) on two separate occasions. The first occasion was when we did a preliminary venue visit to show our family members after we had signed the contract. The staff member was not there to greet us at the appointment time, so we just walked around the venue by ourselves for a bit. When this person showed up, they were snippy with my bridesmaid, being accusatory and inquiring as to why we had not called when we arrived. We were never given this person's number (only their name) and we were told they would be there to meet us when we arrived. The person also left after confirming we were supposed to be there, so there was really no one to walk around with us and answer questions like the first time my husband and I saw the venue. The second incident was during our ceremony rehearsal. After we had finished our rehearsal tasks, our wedding party was hanging around in the ballroom/entrance area and chatting. Our whole party had a dinner reservation downtown at 6:00pm, so we were just hanging around for a few minutes until it was time to leave. Around 5:40pm, the individual in question came up to the same bridesmaid inquiring as to when we were leaving. My bridesmaid explained we had dinner reservations at 6:00pm and would be leaving shortly, and then she suggested the person talk to me (the bride) as she didn't have more information. The person was again rude and said to my bridesmaid, "Don't get testy with me!" and that we needed to leave immediately because they had an appointment at 6:00pm. My bridesmaid called them out stating that was the second time they were rude to her, and the person retorted, "Well you probably deserve it." My sister was also sitting at the table and saw this happen. It's very unfortunate to pay a lot of money for this venue and have someone be rude to a bridesmaid and family member. I understand it's difficult to deal with clients in this industry sometimes, and miscommunication happens from time to time, but there's no need to be unprofessional. Weddings are always stressful, and staff should be able to maintain calm, not antagonize, even if they feel someone was rude to them. My bridesmaid also spoke with a different manager about this on the wedding day, and he told her to email him with the details. She did and never heard back.
• We provided a variety of desserts for our DIY dessert bar, but about half of them were never put out. Again, we were very grateful the staff were accommodating with our dessert bar, but my family did make a lot of effort to purchase a variety of desserts for our guests.
• There is a beautiful lake that we would have loved to take pictures next to, but there is not a super easy way to get down there without walking through the grass. Would be nice if they had a stone walkway or path of sorts to make it easier.
• You cannot take any of the food home apart from what the bride and groom do not eat on their plates. This is definitely a liability thing regarding food safety, but it really sucks to pay for all of that and not be able to take home leftovers. Considering the amount the venue charges, I’m sure they could figure out a liability waiver or workaround somehow. Hopefully, they were able to donate the rest.
• The venue has great bridal and groomal suites for the wedding party to get ready, but you only get access to them starting at 3pm. We ended up purchasing an extra hour for $500 to be able to access the suites at 2pm, but it would've been nice to have been able to fully get ready there, especially since there was a nice big well-lit makeup counter that could seat 8. Despite paying 33k for the venue, we were not allowed to access the suites/venue before 3pm unless we paid extra. It felt a little extortionary.
Tips
• If you have any activities for your guests, I would suggest setting them up in the entrance room with the fireplace rather than in the ballroom, despite the ballroom having the most space. We had a DIY temporary tattoo bar, Polaroid station, and guest watercolor canvas to give our guests some things to do outside of dancing/drinking. We set up a few rectangular tables along the perimeter of the ballroom for these stations, which was fine, but in hindsight I wish we had set them up in the entrance room just outside the ballroom. This ended up being where some guests gathered to have a little bit of a quieter/more well-lit area to chat, so it probably would've made more sense to put the activities here as well rather than in the darker/louder ballroom. Due to the dark/flashing dance lighting in the ballroom, many guests did not even realize there were additional activities to be enjoyed.
• We considered booking the on-site suite rooms for our wedding party to stay and to host an afterparty, but we decided against it as the rooms were $300 a night, which is a bit steep, so we didn't feel comfortable asking our guests to purchase that themselves for 2 nights. We ended up reserving a block of rooms at the Hampton Inn, Warrenton for all our guests and hosted a small afterparty in their lobby. That worked out well as it was only about 15 min from the venue, but be forewarned that hotel management there were a bit difficult to work with.
• The venue is in a more rural area, so while ride-share options are somewhat available, they are sparse. Also, cell service can be spotty. I highly recommend reserving a shuttle for your guests to transport them to and from the hotel, so you don't have to worry about any drunk drivers. We booked two shuttles for about 4k total.
Overall, I'm very glad we had our wedding here, and I would recommend it as long as you have the means (and stomach) to pay for everything. Don't be afraid to ask for anything specific as they are very accommodating. -
![User7089003]()
User7089003 Sent on 11/12/2023Beautiful venue!
Poplar Springs Manor was the venue of my dreams! It is gorgeous inside and out. They also have an Inn on site you can rent out and the Carriage House can provide a brunch the following morning, which elevated our wedding weekend! Our day-of coordinator Lindsay and her assistant Laia were great. They helped keep everything on time and ensured all the details I wanted were accomplished - like providing lights and props for the dance floor at the end of the night & making sure my flower arrangements made it to the morning brunch. -
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Regan Sent on 11/09/2017My husband and I got married in October. Our wedding was more than perfect! Neasia was our wedding coordinator and she made sure all the details were finalized, I mean things that I didn’t even think to remember. She wasn’t our wedding coordinator to begin with, I was a tad stressed out but she never skipped an beat. The food was to die for everyone kept on talking about how delicious the steak was. You can tell the chef really has a creative craft. The service staff was very young and always looked unaware of what was going on but my husband noticed that every time Neasia told them to do something they were on it right away. With a beautiful venue and great food I would think the staff would be a little more attentive and mature. A few of my guest were very disappointed with breakfast at the Inn and the service over there as well. I couldn’t imagine that the same chef from our wedding would prepare that breakfast at the Inn. My room was beautiful but when I went into my mother in laws room it seemed like a motel room. Besides the upkept at the Inn, I would definitely recommend every bride to choose Poplar Springs as their venue to get married. Neasia’s quick follow up and professionalism is what every couple needs!!
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![Evan]()
Evan Sent on 12/09/2021Amazing Wedding at Poplar Springs!
We found Poplar Springs right after we got engaged in December 2019. We were going to wait until after the holidays to look but once we found Poplar, we knew it was the right place and scooped up their last autumn wedding spot in 2020. A week before our November 2020 wedding, Virginia events were shut down and Poplar helped us move our wedding to a new date in 2021, and we went through the planning process again with their expert guidance. We had fabulous food through Gala Cuisine, the spaces were amazing, and the staff was perfect. Our coordinator, Lindsay, made everything run SO smoothly for our rehearsal dinner, welcome reception, ceremony AND reception over two days. We couldn't be more grateful for her expertise, knowledge, fun and kind attitude, and she totally helped us focus entirely on our experience without sweating the small stuff. We also chose Poplar so we could rent out the 22 room inn onsite so our closest/friends and family could stay with us for both nights, and we could get ready onsite so easily. The inn is AMAZING and was a perfect place for everyone to spend time in between wedding events. It was a fantastic experience, and our pictures look like we were in a magical wood. So happy we went with Poplar! -
![Christine]()
Christine Sent on 06/12/2022Awesome venue beware of the director of events
Let me start with I am the Mother of the Groom. I am writing this review because no Bride & Groom should deal with this type of difficulty and frustration on their wedding day. As a Mom, I think future Brides & Grooms should be reasonably warned, especially with the co$t of a wedding.
We are grateful for Nicholas, Shelly, Ken, Andy & Eddie! From the get-go, they were the epitome of professionalism. The level of 'give a damn' in customer care was heartfelt.
The good began to unravel when Penny, the events director, became involved. Here are the highlights minus most of the emotions.
• "hands-off on the wedding day"
Penny informed the bride-to-be two weeks before the wedding that she would be "hands-off" on the wedding day. She would be responsible for finding someone to move the flowers and decorations from point a to point b. When the bride-to-be called the florist to see if they could offer assistance. She was given an earful about Penny's rudely unprofessional behavior, and this will be the last wedding they do at Poplar springs.
• Rehearsal
First, I am perplexed by a wedding venue that only holds rehearsal on the weekdays from 11 am to 3 pm. Rehearsals are 'key and essential' and are traditionally done on the Friday before the wedding. This detail should have been made very clear in the initial consultation.
Secondly, it isn't very comforting for a bride-to-be to find out about this two weeks before the wedding. The rehearsal was held without Penny on Friday Night before our Rehearsal dinner, with the Groom stepping forward to lead the event.
• Wedding Day
This event should have been an easy event for Penny. The bride-to-be (and I) had been working with a Wedding Coordinator (a talented Aunt) for several months prior to Penny. The Bride-to-be presented Penny with excel spreadsheets that were meticulously detailed, making her job extremely easy.
When Penny arrived a few hours before the wedding, we introduced Aunt C to Penny. We said that she would be happy to support her in any way. Aunt C understood the Bride's wishes, and the Bride trusted her with the finest of all details. Penny was blatantly disrespected and rudely possessive to her throughout the entire event.
It was vital to understand better what Penny meant by "hands-off" I had a team of family members ready to help. When I inquired, she replied, "Don't worry, I've got this." She did not. Between the ceremony and reception, I, the Mother of the Groom & Aunt C, were left to assist the team of family members with getting the large wooden arches into the building with no direction from Penny.
• The Reception
Executing the events on the timeline is the essence of Penny's job. Teasing out the fine details for each event to shine brightly around the Bride & Groom is the essence of her job. She completely missed staging and successfully executing the Champagne toast. If it weren't for Aunt C, she would have missed cueing up the cake-cutting event. The Groom had one heartfelt request that was properly discussed with Penny two weeks before the wedding. He requested a toast to the fallen soldiers, using Jameson whiskey. The morning of, I introduced myself to the bartender Andy. We discussed and understood the policy; the whiskey was only for the toast. About 45 minutes before the toast, I went over to give Andy the heads up to start pouring. Penny approached the bar telling the bartender to stop and that this went against their liquor policy. My blood still boils thinking about this moment. When is arguing with the Mother of the Groom, in the middle of the reception, with an already agreed upon event, ever a good idea? Later the Bride shared that Penny had approached her at the Sweetheart table and told her I was causing problems.
Penny failed the Bride & Groom on their wedding day. She was rudely argumentative, and her passive-aggressive behavior caused more heartache than joy within the wedding party. And shamefully, she presented the Bride with more problems than solutions on her wedding day.
The week after the wedding, I shared a lengthier email with Poplar Springs Manor in hopes they would right the situation before the Mr. & Mrs. returned from their Honeymoon. They did not. Penny's general manager did reach out to set up a meeting with Penny and the Mrs. & Mr. a few months later. Honestly, it felt confrontational to the Mrs. & Mr. and was not worth the pain, so the Mrs. & Mr. chose to move on. And, as I said in my email to Poplar Spring Manor, if they couldn’t right the situation, I would choose to move forward with my review for all the future Mrs. & Mr. -
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![Kerin]()
Kerin Sent on 10/18/2025Perfect planning is not here. Poor communication, high staff turnover rate.
The venue got us because it is beautiful without any decor. The house and stonework is beautiful, but we couldn't even capture that in photos due to poor planning from venue's coordinator.
Huge issue with bathrooms for our wedding. The women’s bathroom was out of order and the men’s bathroom stalls were too tiny to use and not being cleaned. One of the bridal suite bathrooms was out of order all day as well. A guest waited so long for the bathroom that they missed dinner and when she came back the buffet was gone. When they asked for another meal, they were denied.
We paid more for the buffet and were told they made enough entrees for each person to have both, but they took it away so fast, I don’t think they made enough food. One of the passed apps only went around once. We brought in 3 additional stationary apps and they were gone very fast. People said the food they had was good, but they were hungry. I also couldn’t eat most of my plate because my knife was so dull it was a butter knife and I couldn’t get through the beef or broccoli to cut it. We brought our own late night food as well, and that was also devoured because people didn’t get enough of the main meal. A lot of guests didn’t know cake was out because it was not announced.
All of the management that we signed with was gone less than a year later. Once they get your money, it is poor communication. For brides who are planners- this venue is not for you! Everything is done very last minute. Seating chart was ready less than 2 weeks ahead of time. Estimated budget they gave during our tour was so far off from actual. The rate starts at about $35,000 for 125 people for venue fees alone. All together, we spent about $70,000 for our wedding and that was without a florist or any real extras. If you hired a florist, you are probably looking at $80,000. Brides- hair and makeup with trial is $900 for anyone good (I tried a couple) and bridesmaids are $300 each. (Estimate from venue hair and makeup was $150 bride & $75 bridesmaid- they are so far off from reality.)
They put out the wrong chargers, even after we corrected her at the confirmation email. They said they packed everything from the bar and they didn’t. We are missing items that never got put out and were not returned.
They do cater to the brides and try to keep you happy on the day. Sauce got on the dress and they had stain remover available. They did ask multiple times if we needed anything.
We had horrible communication with the inn.
The day of coordinator we got through the venue messed up the times. I repeatedly said that first look photos were to start at 1:00. The coordinator told the photographer 2:15 for photos to start, so the photographer was very late. We did not have time to do all our couple photos before the ceremony and didn’t have time during cocktail hour either.
For this venue, management can only accommodate about 80 people. The guest to service ratio was off. I would recommend off site day of coordinator because the one from the venue messed up photos, which was the more important thing to me. -
Are you interested?
Are you interested?