Museum of the Shenandoah Valley Reviews

The staff at MSV was friendly and extremely helpful leading up to our big day and on our actual wedding day. Catherine was very patient and answered ALL of my questions...and I had a lot.

On the day of our ceremony, everything was smooth. My bridal party and I had our own separate space to get ready prior to the ceremony as did my Groom and his groomsmen so we were able to remain separated prior to walking down the aisle. The ceremony was held in the Grand Allee and was stunning. But, the Grand Allee wasn't the only beautiful spot at the museum. We made sure that we had plenty of time after the ceremony so my Groom and I could have pictures taken throughout the gardens.

My Groom and I can't wait to celebrate future anniversaries with a trip back to Winchester. Of course, when we visit, we will walk through the gardens at the Museum of Shenandoah Valley!

We had our small, intimate wedding here in September 2019 and it just could not have been any better. It was everything I wanted it to be. We had our ceremony and cocktail hour outside in the gardens and our reception in the little hall of the main building. We wanted to give our guests something a bit different while still keeping things traditional and this hit the spot. The gardens are incredibly romantic and there is so much history to appreciate. The event coordinator was a total professional and made sure everything ran according to plan from the vendor setup, getting us all in place, and all the way through to the end of the night. The hall in the main building requires almost no decoration whatsoever. We only added simple candle centerpieces provided by the florist and that was it - so you can save a bit of money there. The hall is so lovely on its own with rich, rustic wood peaking up into the ceiling and hanging starbursts from the beams. We had plenty of room for our 40 guests, catered buffet, and string quartet.

Recommendation: Try to book the vendors that the coordinator recommends or at least those that have worked the museum before, this makes a difference. I didn't have to worry about anything because everyone already knew what to do and where to go. The museum is sprawling with the gardens so experienced vendors are key to making things seamless. You will need to rent a tent if you have more than 60 guests, though, so be aware of that.

Can't say it enough - this venue is such a special place for a wedding!

By far the most beautiful garden venue in VA! We visited at least 30 different sites looking for the perfect one and we found it in the MSV! There were so many different sections in the garden that made it the perfect place to have the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception all in the same venue! The photo opportunities were breathtaking! Another huge reason we chose the MSV was because of Catherine, the event coordinator for the venue. She was a huge help throughout the planning process and indispensable on our wedding day, helping to decorate and making sure everything ran smoothly! She even helped guide our ceremony rehearsal the day before!

I was not a little girl who dreamed of her wedding---but the one thing I've always known is that I wanted my ceremony in these gardens.

Luckily (even though it was calling for it all week), it didn't rain so we were able to have the wedding outside and everything was beautiful. The event coordinator, Catherine, was SO much help and answered every annoying question I had.

Everything was wonderful and I'm so very happy we had our wedding there.

What a truly wonderful venue the “MSV” is! I feel like it is a secret that few D.C.ers find. If you haven’t visited the space yet, just you wait... when I first toured it in January under feet of snow, even then, I kept saying, “I wish I was going to be a guest at this wedding!” It is absolutely stunning. You will have the greatest pictures ever and all of your guests will be in awe of the setting, which can be whatever you want: natural, romantic, whimsical, ethereal, formal, etc. After reading about the venue, lots of our guests wanted to go early -- in fact, many guests went BACK on Sunday because they loved it so much.

The price I paid included use of the entire grounds (!) from 4pm onward on Saturday and a rehearsal at 4pm on the Friday before hand. That price did not include a tent or chairs but does of course include use of the big hall (where we did our dancing at the end of the night)as a backup plan in case it rains. And the price included a beautiful space (a house actually) for the bride and bridesmaids to get ready in. It also includes a house for the groomsmen to get ready in as well. All air conditioned; and where we got ready had a stunning staircase with a huge mirror, which again, means we got some out of this world pictures. Importantly, for guests, there was a bathroom and lovely rooms down near the gardens too for before the ceremony and during the cocktail hour.

Everyone there is extremely friendly but Catherine Bogaty, the event coordinator, is above and beyond. And let me tell you, the event coordinator at your venue is a KEY point person you’re going to be in contact with a lot, so it’s critical to trust the venue and their personnel. Catherine was there to assist us throughout the entire process, plus she walked us through the rehearsal, and she and her assistant were there that day with us to help run things. (All as part of the price – so go ahead and forget about getting a ‘day of planner.’) She is extraordinarily kind, patient, helpful, and a quick responder!

I simply cannot say enough good things about the Museum and Catherine. You can see pictures on my friend Chad Michael Peter’s blog who did the flowers and print materials: http://chadmichaelpeters.squarespace.com/style-blog/2010/10/4/musuem-of-the-shenendoah-valley-weddings-melissa-and-jeremy.html
You can also see pictures on our photographer’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.442775823130.235932.96749213130 (We used Artful Weddings – also absolutely fabulous!)
Hope that helps. Happy hunting for venues.

The venue was beautiful. The cost includes use of the entire venue - gardens and grounds. Our pictures are amazing due to the scenery. The event coordinator is really good at her job and was there through th entire process. We wouldn't have had our wedding anywhere else!

I highly recommend this venue to any bride who is looking for a beautiful garden scene to hold a ceremony or a reception. Catherine was wonderful to work with and helped coordinate everything the day of the wedding. I had absolutely no problem with anyone from the staff at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. In fact, they actually helped where other vendors were not prepared on our wedding day.

This was a BEAUTIFUL site for botht he wedding and the reception!! I had both of the above iin the great outdoors, and it prevented me from having to buy a great deal of flowers!! There was enough space to have two hundred people, and THAT made my wedding even more special to have all of my church family there. What a great location, and they have so many options for the location of the events.

My husband and I hosted our rehearsal dinner at the Glen Burnie House terrace on the grounds of the MSV. Catherine Bogaty was extremely helpful along the way and accommodated our every need. On the day of, our dinner went perfectly - a gorgeous setup on the beautiful grounds of the historic house and gardens. I wish that memorable night could have lasted twice as long! Our guests especially enjoyed wandering the grounds during pre-dinner drinks. I'd highly recommend this location for your event!

Fabulous group of people. When our plans for a garden ceremony were crushed by the rain, Catherine and everyone on the team sprang into action to make the inside venue work for us. They turned the ceremony area into a lounge for our guests within minutes while cocktails were enjoyed in the foyer. It was beautiful and many never knew that it was not the original plan. Beautiful grounds, tremendous exhibits and a grand location. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed having my wedding ceremony and reception at the MSV. The location is lovely and we were able to fully enjoy the gardens and the museum. The tent pad was perfect (our caterer provided the tent) and the faciility has everything you need, rain or shine. Catherine Bogaty was easy to work with and really stepped up during the rehearsal and set up when we needed her.

What a beautiful venue! The guests enjoyed walking through the gardens at the museum during cocktail hour while the photographer took pictures of the wedding party.

I had my wedding ceremony here in the Glen Burnie Gardens in Sept 2008. It is an absolutely beautiful place (as long as the weather holds out!). Catherine, the event planner, is very professional and personable. She coordinated everything throughout the ceremony and was a huge help. It is expensive, but comparable to other nice venues in the area. Our guests loved touring the gardens after the ceremony, and we loved having our photos taken there!

The museum is a great outdoor location. The gardens are perfect for any size wedding. However they are a little pricey for the amount of time at the location. The organizer tends to be a little flaky when responding to emails. All in all it is a great outdoor location.