Here at bahlkes.com, we’re committed to eliminating or at least minimizing the thinking and preparation that typically goes into attending a wedding. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have additional questions or arrangements that we can help with.

Flying In

There are three Washington DC area airports, and if you’re coming into town for wedding festivities only we recommend that you fly in and out of Dulles (IAD), which is about 20 minutes from downtown Leesburg.  If you’re looking to add DC sightseeing to your trip then Reagan (DCA) may be your best bet, but it’s about an hour away and would likely involve renting a car.

Where to Stay

Here’s what we recommend:

• Comfort Suites – this is where we have the largest wedding block: $105/night for a big room with two beds, close to “downtown,” and they offer free shuttles to nearby places.  Great option; make sure to tell them you’re in the Wade/Bahlke block when booking.
• Lansdowne Resort – we have a small block here that we may be able to negotiate up if there’s interest: $260/night for a double room, very nice hotel with pools, golf course, etc.
• Bed & Breakfasts – there are a good number of cute B&Bs in the area.  Two nice ones that are close to the wedding venue are Hillsborough Bed and Breakfast and Fieldstone Farm.

Getting Around

We’ve done our best to arrange a weekend where renting a car is unnecessary.  There are shuttles to both Comfort Suites (free) and Lansdowne (not free) from Dulles Airport, and the Comfort Suites shuttle will take you to the welcome dinner as well if you would like.

We’ll have trolleys from the hotels and B&Bs listed above to take you to the wedding and home at the end of the night!

There is a good local cab company called United Cab (703.777.7999), and plenty of car rental options at Dulles Airport.

Maps!

Most of the above makes a lot more sense when you see it on a map (so click here!).

What to Wear

The wedding is outside at a vineyard, so casual attire is just fine: suits and ties optional for the guys, sundresses for the ladies – and we would recommend sandals, flats, or wedges instead of stilettos for walking on the grass!

What to Do (Besides the Wedding Festivities)

The most popular thing to do in Loudon County is to go on wine tasting tours, and there are approximately one million adorable little vineyards dotted around the area.  Any hotel or bed & breakfast you stay at should be able to arrange a tour (not something you want to drive yourself for) – or, you could just visit a vineyard or two on your own.  There are also plenty of outdoor activities, good Southern food, antiquing, and so on.  The official Loudon County website is a good place to start.

Two of our favorite vineyards in the area are Hillsborough Vineyard and Sunset Hills Vineyard.