Lightwood Forest
Circa 1760
A Virginia Woodland Preserve
Wedding Reviews
"Dear Cliff and Joy- We cannot express enough thanks for the immeasurable joy you brought us on our wedding day. Not only did this magical location make our day one to remember--your warmth, graciousness, and care for us will be remembered for decades to come. You treated us as family, and for that we are so grateful.
Cliff--Please find a special bottle of whisky as a token of our gratitude. From your help in the pouring rain to your stunning guitar playing, you made our evening beyond special.
We will forever remember our rainy night in the Lightwood Forest."
Laura and Andy, October 2023
"How can we begin to thank you for sharing your stunning venue with us, in addition to your kind personal service?
We all enjoyed a wedding weekend filled with joy, love, jubilation, and togetherness. The venue was so lovely and, SO surprisingly, the rain (that slowed down right before the ceremony) did not ruin anything. Standing in the woods with all of our loved ones under a canopy of ancient trees watching Andy and Laura say their vows was just so atmospheric and memorable. Cliff's instrumental accompaniment was just gorgeous! The party was a blast with lots of Scottish dancing and yummy food. We cherished the time with family and friends. Still floating on air!
We would highly recommend LIGHTWOOD HOUSE for a venue 😄!
We are so very grateful for everything!"
Meridith, Mother of the Bride, October 2023
"Dear Cliff and Joy: Thank you so much for allowing us to use your beautiful home for our wedding location. It was perfect. Your home and grounds are gorgeous and all of our guests fell in love with this place. With the fall colors, it was like stepping into a fairy tale. Thank you for being so accommodating to us and our guests, and for providing plenty of light, and for the bonfire after dark. I cannot state enough how grateful we are for your kindness and for your sharing of this amazing location. We loved not only the beauty of the house but also the calm, peaceful tranquility of the space as well. Also, thank you for providing the history of the house and grounds to our guests. Again, everyone was just so amazed. I cannot thank you enough for helping to make our wedding day one to remember."
Heather and Naveed, October 2022
"Thank you so much for opening up Lightwood Forest for our special day. We could not have picked a better spot for our celebration. Your generosity and hospitality is so special and rare. We hope to stay again sometime soon. God bless you and your family."
Esther and Luke, August 2021
"It was a pleasure to return to Lightwood to celebrate our first anniversary. My husband and I were married here on October 12, 2019. Thank you for the lovely stay and all of the special little touches around the house. Cliff and Joy had kept the top of our wedding cake frozen this whole year, and I can't think of any other venue owners who would be so thoughtful. Best wishes for the rest of 2020--we will see you again!"
Danielle and Jason, November 2020
"Dearest Cliff and Joy, Thank you so much for being flexible with us after the current state of the world rained on our original wedding plans. We cannot possibly be more thankful for all that you have done for us. The carnations were a beautiful touch to an already perfect welcome. Lightwood gave us a relaxing and tranquil place for my groom and I to spend time together before and after the wedding. We also had the unique opportunity to have our half-dozen family members over for the afternoon to enjoy drinks and a meal together instead of a large reception. A world of blessings to you."
Alexis and Max, November 2020
"A lovely setting for our son and daughter-in-law's wedding. During a time when we couldn't celebrate with friends and extended family, your special setting made for a special celebration."
Heidi and Kurt, November 2020
"Dear Cliff and Joy, We want to thank you for letting us spend our special day at your lovely home! You welcomed us with open arms and were always willing to help with anything, The house is absolutely beautiful! We loved every bit of its historic beauty. Having our wedding here was a dream come true. It may have rained the whole time, but it was still an amazing day that I will never forget. Thank you so much for everything."
Haleigh and Ian, October 2020
"Dear Cliff and Joy, Words cannot express how thankful we are of your hospitality and generosity towards our stay. The house and grounds were amazing. The little touches like the fresh flowers in every room and even in the window in the stairway were so special. The house was decorated beautifully and the grounds were immaculate and made our wedding amazing. There is no way to tell you how grateful we are that you made our wedding day something we will never forget. Thank you so much for everything that you have done. We will for sure be back to celebrate our anniversary. Thank you, thank you a million times."
Amber and Bryan, September 2020
"Thank you for everything. Your home is truly magical. We couldn't have picked a better place to have our wedding. Some of the guests even said it was the best wedding they had ever been to. Though we are sad to have to leave, we know we will hold onto the memories we made here, for years to come. We hope to see you again in the future! Also, please give the fairies our love and gratitude when you see them next. Their gifts and warm wishes were the icing on the cake to such a wonderful day. We wish you both the best!
Cristy and Benjamin, November 2019
"Joy and Cliff were amazing to work with. Their venue was perfect for my wedding. I didn't even need any decorations, the beautiful venue was enough. My family and friends are still talking about the house and grounds. My niece was my flower girl and she thought the swing set was the best part of the reception. The garden in back was perfect for the before pictures. Once again, thank you Joy and Cliff, for helping make the day perfect."
Elizabeth and Justin, September 2016
"The Lightwood House was such an amazing experience for me and my wife. First of all, Cliff was beyond helpful and catered to our EVERY need. He went above and beyond to make sure our special day was absolutely perfect for us....He is the type of man you absolutely want on your team when preparing for such a glorious day. We had our reception, which had an estimated 40 people, and it couldn't have been any more beautiful. The scenery was inspiring and peaceful, and my dogs absolutely loved the amount of land they had to roam. All of our guests were in awe of the beauty of this home.... I fell in love with this place."
Rachael and Cameron, September 2017
I had to move our wedding up from April 2018 to November 2017 because my father became ill. Searching for a venue was exhausting to say the least, and it was by sheer accident I came across Lightwood Plantation House. It was the best accident I could have hoped for. The location was so beautiful, very little was added to the ceremony or reception; we let nature speak for itself. The house that my family and loved ones were able to stay in was breathtaking, especially for my Dad, who was happy the large tub was on the first floor; he said it was just for him. The part that made this place super special was that we did not have to rush to set up or prepare; we were able to have the grounds and house from Friday to Sunday, which was a big, big help. Cliff and Joy were absolutely amazing; they went above and beyond, and Cliff even created an amazing fire pit for us to gather around. He lined the walkway with torches, so guests could walk back and forth to their cars [after dark.] This couple truly goes the extra mile to make sure that this [Lightwood] will stay in your heart forever. My newly minted husband has said he would love to come here for our anniversary, because we loved it so much, and because of the warmth that Cliff and Joy showed us, as well as the breathtaking ambiance of the home and woods that made this a wonderful affair. If you're looking for the perfect place to get married, this is it. It's a gem hidden in the woods."
Marie and Jeff, November 2017
"There was talk among our guests that our wedding was the BEST WEDDING EVER! Lightwood House will forever be a magical, special place for us."
Lisa and Dan, September 2018
"Thank you for your amazing hospitality and allowing us to have our wedding at the Lightwood House. It was so perfect and I loved every moment of it. There was so much work involved with my wedding and I appreciate everything you guys have done for me. Also thank you for your amazing guitar playing! You made my wedding day so special and for that we are thankful."
Jessica and Ryan, April 2018
"I can't even begin to express how wonderful our stay here was. We and our guests loved every inch of the property and the beautiful setting for the wedding and reception. I hope more people discover this hidden gem and share it with their friends and family!"
Elizabeth and Neil, May 2019
"Thank you, Cliff, for allowing us to host our wedding here!! We got so many compliments on the gorgeous venue. You were absolutely fantastic! We loved working with you. The house is adorable and we really enjoyed our time here. Thank you again!"
Colleen and Mike, October 2019
"Everything was wonderful this weekend! We were so extremely happy with Lightwood House for the wedding. I can’t imagine it being anywhere else! Stacy’s continuous smile throughout the day and evening said it all." (Mother of the Bride)
Stacy and Bill, October 2019
"Thank you so much Cliff and family for opening your home to our family and friends on one of the most important days of our lives. On October 19th, I married the love of my life, and the property and house were perfect for both the wedding and reception. I could not have chosen a more magical and fairytale-like location! The vibes I got from the home and land were warm and inviting and I think it helped add some whimsical ambiance to an already magical evening. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here and will have to come back again!"
Stacy and Bill, October 2019
"Danielle and Jason were married here on October 12, 2019. Our weekend and wedding could not have been more perfect! All our guests were able to feel the magic of the house and grounds. We are so honored that Cliff and Joy invited us into their home, making it the place we get to start our new lives together as husband and wife....We look forward to returning to Lightwood House for many years to come!" (Jason)
"Thank you, Cliff, for helping us to have such a beautiful wedding! Lightwood House was the perfect venue for us, and we're thankful we were able to stay a few extra days to fully enjoy it! We appreciate all of the little touches you put into making our stay, and our wedding, that much more special. 'Thank you' to your son, Thomas, as well for his help! Thank you for playing during our ceremony--that was so lovely and made it more intimate! And thank you for helping with the kegs! Until we meet again..." (Danielle)
Danielle and Jason, October 2019
Esther and Luke's
Wedding in the Woods
August 2021
Laura and Andy's Scottish Forest Wedding
October 2023