Welcome to our blog!

Welcome to the "Weddings at The Black Horse Inn" blog...our newest venture. We are an Inn outside of Washington, DC in historic Warrenton, Virginia. Our grand manor house dates back to the 1850's and overlooks 10 acres of gardens and rolling hills. I am the owner, and for 17 years I have been helping brides realize their "big day" dreams. I love that I now have an outlet to share some of their stories and beautiful pictures. The families and friends that come to our weddings, or just come out for a weekend at the Inn, insist that we must have some great stories to tell after so many years with so many weddings. This is true ~ and now we'll be sharing them with you!

How did I get here!? Well, that's a story in itself. In 1992 I found myself coming cross-country to Washington, DC, after having been out west with a career in energy & natural resources. I had my 7 horses, and needed a place that would keep me close to the District for my work, but could accommodate my equine family as well! Little did I know that meant soon I'd be in the middle of a massive restoration of a pre-Civil War Estate that would change my life forever. Nearly 10,000 square feet and 10 suites later, the house ended up a bit more than I, being a single girl at the time, may need. The lovely stables were perfect for "the boys" though! Family and friends insisted that I consider opening as a B&B, and if you ever find yourself enjoying the sunset on our front portico, you'll know why. The wedding business was soon to follow, and after years of beautiful tented events in the garden, I undertook the design/build of "The Gilded Fox", a Grand Ballroom in the Greek Revival style of architecture.

Now, blessed with a husband to share it all with, a fantastic staff, to include my event coordinator, Jennifer Thornton, who has been with me since 2001, albeit with a break to get married and start a family of her own, as well as my wonderful head innkeeper, Joyce Mumaw, who brings with her years of corporate hospitality experience, add in brides that have been a joy to work with, and we are enjoying accolades and awards to include "Inn with the Best Wedding Arrangements in the Nation."

So, welcome to the Black Horse Inn ~ we'll be posting weekly as we have new weddings to display and rich local lifestyle and festivals to update you on! I hope that you find our blog informative and if you're planning a wedding, then I hope you get some inspiration for a detail or two of your own!