Upper Shirley Vineyards Reviews

This venue is a dream! The views are beautiful, the food is delicious, and the staff is so knowledgeable and helpful! Even through this nightmare brought on by this pandemic they have been responsive, flexible, and positive. We can’t say enough good things about Upper Shirley Vineyards and their wedding team!

My husband and I got married at Upper Shirley Vineyards on 11/3/2018 and to say it was a dream is an understatement. From the first time we went to this vineyard (only a few weeks after they opened) we knew we wanted to get married here one day. In fact, we booked so far in advance that we were there second contract ever signed. From the very beginning USV was nothing short of magnificent to work with. This place really does it all - food, drink, rentals, ceremony site, multiple rain plans offered, and unlimited options to customize the day to make it yours. The bridal suite was beautiful and the perfect space for me and my 8 bridesmaids (+moms) to spend the morning and the grooms den was a fun space with games, tv, and couches for my husband's groomsmen. Catherine (their director of events) is a dream! She cares so, so much about her couples and about working with you to make your vision come to life. I can honestly say not a single stressor came out of this place and they only relieved any stress we ever felt. We cannot recommend Upper Shirley any higher. Get married here, have dinner here, drink wine here, lay on the lawn here. We're already dreaming of how we could possibly have a 10-year anniversary party here one day!

My daughter was married at Upper Shirley Vineyards on 9/5/21. It was the first venue she and her now husband visited and they fell in love with the venue. Due to the pandemic, they had to reschedule their wedding 3 times. The venue was incredibly accommodating. The venue is incredibly beautiful and serene with views of the river. The onsite event coordinator, Catherine Cristman is outstanding as is her team and the entire staff of Upper Shirley. The food was delicious with the menu offerings including both traditional southern fare as well as fusion inspired. The day of the wedding, the staff provided a delicious breakfast and lunch in the bridal and groom suites and were incredibly attentive to the wedding party's needs. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves and so many commented that this was the most lovely wedding they had ever attended. I highly recommend Upper Shirley Vineyards for your wedding.

I honestly don't even know where to start, but let's just say look no further!!! Upper Shirley's exceeded any and all of my expectations, which were very high! We are from Baltimore so wanted to ensure we set the bar high given 95% of our guests were from out of town, and we have received sooo many compliments on how beautiful the venue was, how amazing and delicious the food and wine were, etc. This venue is worth every penny and the food is literally to die for!!!!!!!! Catherine was so professional, knowledgeable and excellent to work with from the beginning and made the entire experience; walk through(s), tastings, payments, last minute arrangements, etc. so seamless. She is a true event professional and the USV staff and service for our wedding was above stellar!!! USV made my wedding absolutely perfect (from arriving, to the amazing bridal suite and grooms den service, to the cocktail hour, dinner, etc.) and I would recommend to anyone and everyone- the experience is truly like none other- 10 STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot say enough nice things about Upper Shirley Vineyards and the staff. We had such a beautiful wedding and it was all because of them. The staff were amazing and so quick to get guests drinks, food, whatever it was. The grounds themselves were completely immaculate. And I love the rain backup plan. It didn't feel like i was sacrificing anything. Catherine and her team are TOP NOTCH! I would recommend this venue to absolutely anyone who wants AMAZING Food, Impeccable service and a Fabulous event!!!

Upper Shirley Vineyard exceeded expectations! From planning, to the day of ceremony, Catherine and the entire team went above and beyond to make the day special for our family. They were simply amazing and made the process easy. We highly recommend the beautiful venue, fantastic food & wine, and the entire support staff!

Upper Shirley was the most unbelievably stunning wedding venue and everyone there is so accommodating. Tayloe the owner is super personable, Catherine the wedding coordinator is so organized, timely, and nice to work with. She made all of our wishes come true! The chef pulled off some of the best food our guests had ever had including a completely custom dessert bar! There are endless possibilities on how to make your wedding your own at the vineyard and there isn’t a single bad view there!

This is a wonderful place to get married. From the first day of planning to the wedding day, Catherine and her team make sure everything is taken care of. I most highly recommend!

We held our wedding on 10/6/2018 at Upper Shirley (USP). From the moment we met the owners, we were convinced that the event would be a wonderful, memorable celebration of our new life.

The USP venue and staff are incredible. They are extremely responsive and very professional. Given that we had last minute changes, alterations and revisions, they were accommodating and supportive.

The Events Director is amazing. Her attention to detail as well as helpful suggestions brought all the details together in a comprehensive, seamless fashion. My highest commendations for her work and her professionalism.

The event was a remarkable success. Our guests continue to compliment us on the setting, the facility and the food.

No detail is too small not to be cared for by this dedicated team.

Upper Shirley Vinyards could not have been more accommodating! The venue is grand, the food was incredible, and the staff never left my guests wanting. We recommend to everyone for any event!!

We had our wedding at Upper Shirley Vineyards on 8/25 and everything about it was perfect. When looking for venues we wanted an outdoor wedding and the scenery here is unbeatable, and we lucked out with having great weather on our day, but another thing that sold us on the venue was the backup plan to use their huge front porch for the ceremony in the event we weren't able to have it by the river. Catherine was amazing to work with, she was very easy to get a hold of to setup tours and tastings and she checked-in with us multiple times leading up to the wedding to see how our planning was going. We also really liked how Upper Shirley Vineyards is a one-stop shop for the venue and catering, their food is phenomenal and made it so much easier to just have one vendor to work with for those. The staff that worked the wedding also did a fantastic job, the reception ran very smooth and flawless. All of our guests had a blast and we definitely recommend this wedding venue!

Perfect! This is the word we and our guests are using to describe our daughter's wedding at Upper Shirley Vineyard. From the beautiful views of the James River and awesome food to the wide verandas and lovely reception room. The staff was incredible anticipating our every need. Upper Shirley is the perfect place for any celebration but they excel at weddings! Thank you Upper Shirley for making our daughter's wedding a day everyone who attended will always remember as "perfect".

Our daughter's wedding at Upper Shirley Vineyards was everything she dreamed of.....the venue was beautiful, the food was delicious(from the appetizers to salad to the main courses and late night snacks of French fries and mini pizzas, everyone commented on the food and how wonderful it was, the wine was awesome (several guests bought some bottles to take home). We had 180 guests for dinner and dancing and a good time was had by all......the entire day was extraordinary!!

Cannot say enough about the team at Upper Shirley--Catherine, Ariana, Tayloe, Carlisle, the whole crew! We had an absolutely perfect day on 10/21. We had full attention from the team throughout the planning journey to the wedding day. They were making sure my husband and I had everything we needed--and the owner even made sure we had full plates ready for us so we could enjoy the delicious food. The attention to detail and assistance from the entire team made it a seamless day. From getting ready in the bridal suite to taking photos in the vineyards to the beautiful set up and sunset to the delicious food---it was the best night of our lives! We are so grateful to USV for helping make our wedding dreams come true.

Our guests could not stop talking about the venue, the flow, the views and the food. I'm so glad Upper Shirley was the place to kick off our marriage. We cannot wait to return year after year and relive our magical night.

Upper Shirley is simply the best wedding venue in Richmond! After visiting and researching A TON of venues in the area, we were so blown away by the beautiful grounds, professional staff, top-notch amenities, and delicious food and wine that Upper Shirley offered. There was just no comparison and our final venue choice was an easy one. Even though Upper Shirley is a newer venue, their team was knowledgeable and more than capable of handling our large wedding. Throughout the planning process, their on-staff event coordinator was super helpful, had great insight and suggestions, and was very responsive to all of our questions. Catherine, you're a rock-star and are so thankful that you were there for us! Our wedding day was absolutely flawless - if there were any issues, we (and our guests) were blissfully unaware. Me and the girls spent most of the day in the bridal suite getting ready, and let me tell you, that place is so beautiful and calming, and we had a dedicated staff member checking on us throughout the day, bringing us food and drinks and making sure we were taken care of. The event spaces and the lawn with the river backdrop are so impressive, and make for beautiful wedding photos (and video!). Our guests could not stop commenting on how friendly and helpful the staff was, and they definitely made us feel special. The food and wine were so delicious - we can't wait to go back and enjoy a meal at the restaurant to re-live our reception. Upper Shirley helped make the wedding of our dreams come true, and we cannot recommend this place enough!!

We had an amazing experience working with USV for our wedding this July!! It was wonderful and the food was awesome!!

We recently used Upper Shirley for our wedding and reception. It was spectacular. The grounds are amazing, the service outstanding, and the food wonderful as well. If you go out and see it and talk with Miranda you will fall in love with it. Truly an amazing wonderful spot unlike any other in Richmond that I am aware of. Five stars all around!!

After my husband proposed before Thanksgiving 2016, we had a long car ride to my family in NJ to decide where we wanted to tie the knot. We tossed around ideas of touring various churches & venues in NJ, PA, GA, SC, & VA. Blame it on being architects, what it all came down to was selecting a place that embodied a modern aesthetic with southern charm. When we decided to stay in VA, Upper Shirley Vineyards stole our hearts as soon as we drove down their cotton lined dusty roads. We went for a tour and absolutely loved the venue - but what sold it for us was the wine tasting. Not only is the wine some of the best we've tasted in VA, but Tayloe was extremely hospitable during it as he described his part in designing the vineyard and his passion for making Upper Shirley Vineyards one of the best on the east coast. The vineyard is situated on the James River with long yet wide decks perfect for sipping your favorite glass of wine & relaxing. The building is reminiscent of a modern SC farmhouse (with deck ceilings that are painted blue), mixed with a dash of colonial Virginia making it the perfect winery venue. Our guests still give us compliments from our April 21st, 2018 wedding and said USV was one of the most beautiful venues they've ever been to. The excellent wine, delicious food options, breathtaking views, and ease of working with the staff truly made having USV as our venue the highlight of our wedding!

This is a large venue, with options for rain plans without a tent, and large comfortable gathering spaces. The food is truly delicious, and the wine is excellent. River views are spectacular, and the lighting at end of day was magical. The owners did their homework - beautiful layout of the venue, staff is well-trained and professional, the bridal suite was spacious, the staff kept food and drinks supplied, and the groomsmen had a great space - only needed another mirror. The attractiveness of both indoor and outdoor space made decorations almost unnecessary, but the simplicity of the space made the flowers pop. Our only sadness for this wedding was that the evening had to end early (county ordinance) - we would have loved to start things earlier, simply to have a bit more time to enjoy the incredible ambience and the great band we had booked. We couldn't have had a better experience - worth every penny. Our guests are still talking about it!

I can not thank USV staff enough for helping make our dream day happen! I picked USV as you get the whole venue on your day. Thankfully, we needed it as a tropical storm prevented me from being the lawn for my ceremony. Instead we used the front porch, and they have a generator - and yes I almost cried in happiness because we did have to use it for a small time pre ceremony.

Kevin was attentive and made sure we felt taken care of during the reception. The one comment I will make is that we saw an abnormal amount of turn over in events position- Kevin was the third event contact I had from signing contract to wedding (about 14 months).

Bonus if you don’t hit your food and beverage minimum- taking home wine is one of your options.

For the most part, I think it’s a good value. A few things that made us feel a bit dismayed- they wouldn’t bring one bottle of wine down to the guys in the hour pre ceremony and wanted to charge $250 for an additional 15 mins of early access to venue.