There is absolutely nothing not to like about a wedding at Oatlands Plantation.Throughout the entire year before our daughter's wedding, the staff was gratious, superbly helpful and just plain friendly to work with. The Elizabethan Gardens had just begun to bloom with Fall flowers the week before the wedding; the mansion and grounds provided a beautiful backdrop to what turned out to be a fabulously enjoyable wedding and reception. The rain clouds dispersed just before the guests began to arrive (no doubt ENTIRELY due to Oatlands' staff monitoring The Weather Channel radar from the Mansion basement); the planes from Dulles stopped for a few minutes during the wedding ceremony in the lower terrace, and the early evening festivities began under the first full moon of Fall!
We could not have had a more enjoyable party for our daughter and her new husband (and all of our guests) had it not been for the dedicated Oatlands staff (THANK YOU, Katherine and Abbey!) who coordinated the caterers, the tent people, and made sure all the little details that a Father- and Mother-of-the Bride will forget during the festivities, happen.

If we were to have another wedding (if we had another daughter) in a beautiful 18th-Century setting, Oatlands Plantation would be our first choice of venues to consider.

Each room has unique decorations, with fresh garland and flowers. Complete tour with formal tea. Book early because formal tea fills up quickly.

It was a cold and dreary day when I made my way out to Oatlands. It is in the middle of Hunt Country and there are only large farms in the vicinity. However I happily found it without too much trouble and lucked out on arriving about 15 minutes before the next tour. Upon arriving at the house after a short walk from the old barn (now cafe, shop and visitors center), my soon to be guide, let me in the house out of the cold. The other members of my tour soon arrived from wandering the grounds. The guide was delightful and had so much information to share about this lovely 200+ year old home/plantation. The tour is guided for throughout the first floor and then your are given free rein to visit the second floor where there are signs posted with information. Following the visit to the house, I took a brief walk in the garden, but as it was November when I visited, there wasn't much to see. Another big draw to Oatlands is their Afternoon Tea which is normally at 1pm of certain days (schedule on their website), but you have to have a reservation so they can plan for enough food (no walk ins, as I learned).

This is not Mt Vernon but it does have an amazing look into the early world of virginia. The tours are a little patronizing but its OK they have tea here on occaisions but I dont think its meant to be fancy.