By Lisa Collins-Haynes | Photos by Rob Jinks Photography

What happens when you combine a picturesque setting and a bride and groom? If you’re lucky, you get a wedding at Bull Run Golf Club. I took a drive out to Haymarket to visit with Katie Noble, the Wedding and Sales Coordinator for the golf club. When I arrived, lush rolling hills and a perfectly manicured landscape surrounded me. The spacious outdoors alone would make a great backdrop for any wedding, but having it at the foothill of the Blue Ridge Mountains would take any wedding to the next level. I sat down with Noble to talk about why brides should consider Bull Run Golf Club for their wedding, and this is what she had to say:

B&W: What’s the appeal for brides to book here, as opposed to a traditional setting like a church?

Bull Run Golf Club is a lovely setting because of our location. Church weddings are wonderful and they’re classic, but having a wedding on-site offers a convenience for your guests as well as a sigh of relief. There’s always a risk of traffic when traveling from one site to another. Our property sits along Bull Run Pond, and the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains range make for a beautiful setting at any time of the year. Our ceremony site is tucked back between our First and Eighteenth greens and offers privacy for your guests as well as your ceremony.

B&W: Do couples have to be members of the golf club in order to book a wedding at this venue?

Fortunately, I do not require that you be a member of our club to use our venue for your big day. We are a public golf club which means that we’re open all year and able to host an event or host golfers 365 days of the year.

B&W: Is this a one-stop shop for brides? Venue, catering, photographer, wedding planner and decorations?

We are an all-inclusive venue, to a certain point. We offer a ceremony site as well as a cocktail hour site and a reception venue. We provide bar services as well as catering provided by Purple Onion Catering based out of Vienna, VA. I have a preferred vendor list which encompasses everything you could need for your big day, such as florists, photographers, entertainment, rentals, make-up/hair services, officiants and hotel accommodations/travel. We do not require that you use any of our preferred vendors with the exception of Purple Onion Catering.

B&W: What are some trends you are seeing in the industry for 2017?

For 2017 we’re sticking with the rustic feel, which has been around for a few years now. Barns, as well as long barn tables and outside venues, are still very popular. String lights are super important and an easy touch to add to a venue to give that venue tremendous value.

B&W: How far in advance do you advise brides to book their wedding with Bull Run?

I always say the sooner the better when it comes to booking. My personal preference when working with brides is eight to twelve months. Planning a wedding in four to six months can be done—it’s usually a little more cost effective, but more stressful. Book when you find the venue of your dreams that has your date available because you never know how long that date will be available. Our busiest booking time is between January-April. I’ve found that we do get a surge of “holiday brides” and then it slows for a bit but picks back up right around Valentine’s Day.

B&W: What kinds of wedding packages do you offer couples?

Our packages are completely personalized. We don’t offer standard packages, as everyone’s needs are completely different. We work with each bride to create a custom proposal, based on their wants as well as budgetary needs.

B&W: How many weddings do you have a year?

We host between 30-40 weddings per year.

B&W: How many people are you able to accommodate?

We are able to accommodate 200 people in our reception space. We also have a large patio area right outside our reception space which can be tented (for an additional fee) and that can hold upwards of 300 people.

B&W: Do you ever receive unique or special requests and how do you accommodate those?

We do have unique and special accommodations. We are able to accommodate to any dietary needs as well as restrictions. We offer a bridal suite complimentary with a booking at Bull Run Golf Club. We also offer the venue to the wedding party as early as possible the day of to make the bride’s life easier. We offer day-of coordinator services as well as specialized meetings to make sure to cover all bases of the wedding planning process.

Well, I believe Noble covered a lot of details for brides who may be considering a non-traditional wedding venue. Bull Run Golf Club has the capacity to accommodate large extravagant weddings as well as quaint and intimate ceremonies. It’s definitely worth putting at the top of your list of consideration.

In closing, Noble says, “Please feel free to reach out at any time with any questions you may have! I always welcome calls or emails to clarify any details. We look forward to working with you to make your day one to remember for the rest of your life.”

You can reach Katie Noble at Bull Run Golf Club 703.753.7777 x 312, or by email at knoblebrgc@gmail.com.

Bull Run Golf Club is at 3520 James Madison Hwy., Haymarket, VA 20169, 703.753.7777; golfbullrun.com/

These images of Matt and Michelle's wedding were captured at Bull Run Golf Club by Rob Jinks photography, https://robertjinksphotography.com.