The reception tent
Here comes the bride!
The bridge over the water to the gazebo
The food was good.
The Shimizu Tea House, a Ceremony Site at Celebrations
The Gardens, a Reception Site at Celebrations
Sunset Watch, Part of our Landing & Pool Pavilion Sites
The Pool Pavilion. a Reception Site at Celebrations
Encore, our restaurant! It is open to the public Thursday, Friday, & Saturday nights. We can also host your private events here
The Manor Tent, a Reception Site at Celebrations
The Landing, a Ceremony Site at Celebrations
The Manor House, Part of the Manor Tent Reception Site at Celebrations
Heron's View, a Ceremony Site at Celebrations
Eagles Perch, a Ceremony Site at Celebrations
Alison M.
Jul 27, 2021
Beautiful waterfront location but there is work needed here... Signage is super confusing when you first pull in - it's really narrow one-lane roads/paths throughout and it's like a maze, one where you can't turn around you just have to loop through... So the signs need to be more clear and much larger and say it's one-way or "do not go this way" because if someone messes up and goes the wrong way - you'd have to back up or drive off the asphalt and into grass and tree roots on steep declines, um no. One of my best friends got married last weekend at the Heron's View waterfront gazebo with her reception at the outdoor Garden site which has a beautiful gazebo and a wooded water path walk over the water which is very picturesque but when you park in the gravel lot you have to walk a loooong way and once you get to the "celebration" tented area it's all pine needles and roots with no specific path from the gravel lot to the tables, chairs, dance floor, or wooden bridge. With guests in heels and long dresses, they should have a clear path for people to walk easily on to get down to the water and wooden bridge. The "bridal suite" and bathroom area in this location is very rudimentary, small, and rustic shed. It's much nicer inside than expected once we got inside - but it's super small. Our party was 3 bridesmaids and 1 bride and with the four of us and our things, it was a tight fit. For people who have 10+ bridesmaids, you couldn't possibly fit the people in there at all. But it does have a nice one-person bathroom area, AC, and new finished inside so I was pleasantly surprised once we got into it day of. I was one of the three bridesmaids and we had an hour-long rehearsal the night before on site with their on-site coordinator who was very kind and organized. She was easy to work with and kept things running smoothly. The event started promptly at 6pm the following day and was scheduled to go until 11pm for a water/boat send off. The coordinator kept everything on track and we started right on time and stayed on track most of the night. She also easily made adjustments to the schedule as she saw a lot of guests leaving early so the bouquet toss, cake cutting and boat sendoff were all moved to about an hour earlier than planned but went very smoothly and allowed for my friend's photos of those events to still have people in them before everyone left but the bridesmaids... haha.The food provided for the event was basic but very good. We had warm rolls, grilled chicken, green beans, ceasar salad, mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese with tea, water, soda and lemonade. The guests were served buffet-style by the staff and the head of food service was friendly and engaging, after we all ate she walked around and offered to clear plates, made small-talk, and brought drink refills to the wedding party. She was awesome. The wooded and lakefront location in Midlothian, VA is beautiful. As another reviewer noted - it feels like it's secluded and private but it's in the middle of a largely populated area with major neighborhoods nearby with hundreds of homes. It's on a large lake in the Brandermill/Woodlake neighborhoods which means it's close to Richmond and there is plenty in the way of food, hotels, fun, and shopping nearby for guests and attendees who might be coming from far away to attend or bridal party last-minute needed emergency items. I've always loved this area and my cousins grew up here so it was a pleasure to come back and see the lake area again after 20+ years.Overall, my friend's event was beautiful and this is a gorgeous event space. A few things can be done for improvement but I imagine they would be very costly so, for what it is, they're doing a great job and producing beautiful weddings for people with friendly staff members. My friend is very happy with how her wedding turned out and, in the end, that is all that matters.
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Monica M.
Aug 7, 2021
What a lovely place to have a wedding; a hidden gem! The water, "Swift Creek Reservoir", was a beautiful backdrop for the ceremony. We went on July 3rd, and the weather was absolutely gorgeous, which came to my surprise with it being mid-summer in Virginia.The bar was in a great spot of the venue which made it easy and quick, plus the bartenders were very friendly. The outdoor area was a nice place for people to get fresh air and socialize as well. I will say, that the dance floor felt a little small, but then again it was suitable for the capacity that this venue is able to hold. There are two floors for tables to be set up. My husband and I were seated upstairs, which made it a bit difficult to see the bride and groom, especially when the toasts were being made. But none-the-less, the wedding was beautiful!
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Heather J.
Jul 14, 2019
Our wedding was Friday, April 5th 2019 at the Pool Pavilion of Celebrations at the Reservoir and it was truly the most magical day ever! Christina handled everything like a champ and there was truly nothing for anyone to worry about because she had it all handled. It rained on my wedding day & I was honestly dreading the thought of having the ceremony in indoors (the venue is beautiful don't get me wrong, but my vision was to be married outside at The Landing). Now, I couldn't have pictured a better wedding day because of the indoor set up they provided. A huge thank you to Christina, Toby, the chefs, bartenders , and all staff at celebrations from the Byrd / Johnson family!
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Lisa W.
Jul 13, 2019
I had an amazing experience here. Between the staff, grounds and food everything was perfect. The staff was very attentive to our needs throughout the whole process. Everything ran smoothly and on time. Every penny spent was well worth it!
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Sonja G.
May 30, 2011
One of my best friends recently had her wedding and reception at Celebrations. The wedding and reception sites were absolutely beautiful and very quaint. Although it is very conveniently located, it also feels very secluded. There are a few different settings to choose from as far as wedding/reception locations on the property. The bridal party got the use of the Manor House for wedding preparation, and the photographer was able to get very nice pictures of the bride as she prepared for the event. The venue provides a planner, but my few experiences with the one helping my friend were not quite positive; she seemed very disorganized and somewhat inept, so I wouldn't count on receiving loads of help necessarily. Overall, this seems like a very good choice of wedding locations in the Richmond area, and I would recommend that all local brides check out the options available at Celebrations.
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Nicole M.
Jul 14, 2019
We had an absolutely incredible wedding at Celebrations! The setting itself is gorgeous, nestled in the woods right on the reservoir, leading to some outstanding photos with beautiful lighting and background. Everyone on the staff was so sweet and helpful, answering emails with questions big and small throughout the planning process! They walked alongside us through the day, helping make sure everything went off without a hitch, which was a huge relief so that we could focus on the love we share and the beauty of the day! Our guests were so impressed by the venue and the food and everyone seemed to truly enjoy themselves. One benefit of this venue (pool pavilion option) is that there are spaces for kids to run and play, for adults to head to the pool deck for more quiet conversations, and for the dancers among us to party! I am truly grateful to everyone at the venue for helping us have our best day ever. You will not regret this venue!
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Lindsey B.
Jul 19, 2017
Celebrations at the reservoir is amazing! The food is delicious, they are so sweet and accomodating, and the water views are gorgeous! This is a destination wedding site right at home!
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Katie B.
Oct 12, 2017
The biggest thing my husband and I agreed on after the wedding was that we were happy to be married, and that we were SO glad we chose to have the wedding at Celebrations. The venue was beautiful, they were wonderful to work with the whole year leading up to the wedding, and most of all the staff, especially my coordinator Christina was WONDERFUL. I can't explain in words how sweet and helpful she was and helped to calm me down when I needed it. I can't imagine having our wedding anywhere else!!!!
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Emmy A.
Sep 19, 2015
I think choosing the right venue for your wedding is one of the most important parts of planning a wedding. The location sets the tone for the entire event, in my opinion. My husband and I wanted an outdoor venue, and I had always envisioned a reception under a big tent. The Manor House and Eagles Perch provided a beautiful outdoor ceremony backdrop, and a large tent for the reception.Our wedding was a multicultural affair, with a good amount of moving parts...outfit changes, cultural diversity, and the like. Christina handled everything we wanted to do with grace and the utmost professionalism. When we wanted a particular dining style, which proved to be logistically difficult, Christina and Chef Jeff made alternative arrangements which worked out perfectly. While we are not nitpicky people, we had a specific vision, and the entire crew at Celebrations carried out our vision to a T.Our guests continue to rave about the beautiful venue, the food, and about how much fun they had during our wedding. I am positive that much of the reason for our day being a success and so memorable was because of the professional and experienced folks at Celebrations. They really can provide top notch service, a beautiful venue, and good food.
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Michelle L.
Feb 17, 2019
We knew from the first time we visited Celebrations that The Gardens were the perfect venue for us -- and it didn't disappoint. The team at Celebrations is fantastic! Toby helped us put together the menu that matched our vision, Christina was a fantastic guide in the months leading up to the wedding who helped us with all our questions (and some we didn't know we had!) and KJ, our mistress of ceremonies, was absolutely TOP. NOTCH. We felt supported throughout the whole planning process, and the venue was our ideal backdrop for our early October wedding. Our guests are still telling us how much they loved it. We'd pick The Gardens at Celebrations all over again if we had the chance.
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