The Jefferson Hotel

Hosting Richmond's Premier Weddings Since 1895

Holds ceremonies and receptions

4.9

Verified reviews from real couples

The Jefferson Hotel was my daughter’s first choice to host her wedding this past July. The venue was fantastic and hit the perfect level of elegance we were looking for. Cassie was great to work with, and the staff could not have been more helpful. The ceremony was in the Empire Room, cocktail hour in the Rotunda, and dinner/dancing in the Grand Ballroom, so our 190 guests were able to easily move to each space and we didn’t have to worry about weather. Another benefit was having a block of rooms at the Jefferson and at hotel a 5 minute walk away. The food and service during the evening were very high quality. The only negative was how they handled the cake – they don’t provide cakes so one must order from an outside vendor (Sweet Fix did a fantastic job). The Jefferson didn’t have the “kitchen cakes” we ordered nicely sliced and ready to serve, causing a delay in serving and slices that weren’t nicely cut. With foresight that would be easily corrected. I do recommend The Jefferson!

Amy P.

5.0

We have not had our wedding yet and unfortunately had to postpone from 2020 to 2021 due to COVID-19. However, we have the Jefferson booked as our reception venue and I'm already so happy we chose them because of how understanding they've been during the postponement process. We decided to move our date fairly early on because of concerns with our families traveling, and they were very responsive and flexible with us. Wedding planning during a pandemic is stressful to say the least, but it really helps to be working with kind people. Can't wait to celebrate in 2021!

Rebecca R.

5.0

AWARD WINNER (2X)

Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot

The Jefferson Hotel is a historic wedding venue located in Richmond, VA. It has been hosting elegant weddings since 1895. The Grand Ballroom is a magnificent space featuring sparkling chandeliers and high ceilings. It can hold up to 400 guests. Tall windows line the walls, and a dance floor and stage are the focal points of the space, setting the backdrop for an unforgettable celebration. The Grand Staircase is a defining feature of the venue where you can pause with your beloved to view your gathered guests below. The Empire Ballroom is a smaller space elegantly furnished with a capacity of 200 guests. It features an ornate ceiling and a wall of French doors. The Flemish Room can be reserved alongside the Empire Ballroom and is ideally suited to an intimate ceremony, smaller reception, or dinner. The Jefferson Hotel offers a full range of wedding planning services. An experienced catering manager and your personal wedding planner are there to assist with everything from custom menus to day-of coordination. The executive chef is there to help create a delicious menu that your guests won't soon forget. Regarding table settings, you can choose from the extensive color selection of floor-length linens. Gold Chivari chairs with white cushions, glass-encased votive candles, sparkling stemmed glassware, and white china help create an elevated dining experience. Further, a wide range of services are available to ensure your day runs smoothly, including an entire staff of attendants, complimentary use of the piano, specialty lighting, and plentiful parking. Be sure to check out the gallery for an exclusive 360° Virtual Tour, and experience the breathtaking beauty of The Jefferson Hotel today.

131+ years in business

Speaks English

4 team members

Amenities + details

Amenities

Ceremony Area

Dressing Room

Handicap Accessible

Indoor Event Space

On-Site Accommodations

Reception Area

Wireless Internet

Ceremony Types

Civil Union

Commitment Ceremony

Interfaith Ceremony

Non-Religious Ceremony

Religious Ceremony

Second Wedding

Vow Renewal Ceremony

Settings

Ballroom

Historic Venue

Hotel

Venue Service Offerings

Bar & Drinks

Food & Catering

Planning

Service Staff

Transportation

Awards and Affiliations

2-Time 'Best of Weddings'

2012.2011.

Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding

4.9

out of 5.0

14 reviews

Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Search reviews

Amy P

8/01/2022

The Jefferson Hotel was my daughter’s first choice to host her wedding this past July. The venue was fantastic and hit the perfect level of elegance we were looking for. Cassie w...

as great to work with, and the staff could not have been more helpful. The ceremony was in the Empire Room, cocktail hour in the Rotunda, and dinner/dancing in the Grand Ballroom, so our 190 guests were able to easily move to each space and we didn’t have to worry about weather. Another benefit was having a block of rooms at the Jefferson and at hotel a 5 minute walk away. The food and service during the evening were very high quality. The only negative was how they handled the cake – they don’t provide cakes so one must order from an outside vendor (Sweet Fix did a fantastic job). The Jefferson didn’t have the “kitchen cakes” we ordered nicely sliced and ready to serve, causing a delay in serving and slices that weren’t nicely cut. With foresight that would be easily corrected. I do recommend The Jefferson!

Rebecca R

7/17/2020

We have not had our wedding yet and unfortunately had to postpone from 2020 to 2021 due to COVID-19. However, we have the Jefferson booked as our reception venue and I'm already so...

happy we chose them because of how understanding they've been during the postponement process. We decided to move our date fairly early on because of concerns with our families traveling, and they were very responsive and flexible with us. Wedding planning during a pandemic is stressful to say the least, but it really helps to be working with kind people. Can't wait to celebrate in 2021!

Any questions?

Katrina S

3/27/2020

I had my wedding reception at The Jefferson and the biggest black mark of the experience was our wedding coordinator, Ashton H. My experience with her was that she had many snide r...

emarks and was bad at admitting when she made mistakes. There were also some oversights on our big day including, but not limited to, me having to follow-up to make sure all my vendors were contacted, food not being set-aside for my bridal party as promised, and the side room for bridesmaids not including table and/or chairs for sitting and eating. We also were unnecessarily rushed during parts of our reception. Being that The Jefferson Hotel has a stellar reputation, I expected to receive the same level of service and treatment as other clients. I addressed concerns on these and some other matters directly to the Event Planning Manager during my wedding planning process and after my wedding to the Events (Food & Beverage) Director. I was very disappointed by the lackluster and unapologetic response I received from the hotel when I addressed said matters in detail to the aforementioned parties. Based on other reviews and also receiving some offline insight, it appears all brides are not treated equally.

M. K

2/24/2020

The Jefferson Hotel is an iconic Richmond wedding venue. It's truly spectacular. Staff are top notch, from our outstanding catering manager *shoutout to Katie*, to staff who manage...

d our guest room blocking, to the catering team, and so on, everyone was both kind and professional. Thank you all so much!

Chelsea A

1/15/2018

The Jefferson is a stunning venue, no question. The level of service is top notch, and the hotel is sure to impress all of your guests. I would absolutely have my wedding at The Je...

fferson time and time again. The day of the wedding they made sure everything was perfect. The room was flipped in plenty of time, and the presentation of the ringing of the bell is fantastic. My only caution with The Jefferson is to make sure that you have another individual (wedding planner, savvy aunt, etc.) who can help make sure all of your details are done, can coordinate with all vendors the day of the wedding, can double-check your BEOs, and who can make sure that everything moves according to schedule. The hotel hosts a ton of events, many of them weddings, and their event staff is incredibly busy. I'm not sure that I would rely on them (alone) to take care of all of this. It was, at times, difficult to get responses, but they always responded within a week or so of an email. Usually a follow-up email was all that was required. I also wish they had worked with us on our room rate a little more (on the hotel side), considering the number of guests that booked at the hotel and the amount that we spent having our wedding there. Regardless, every single person was impressed with the hotel and thought it was an incredible value. You will never regret having your wedding here!

Jacquie M

11/20/2016

Perfect venue for our wedding! The service was outstanding - from the banquet staff to Jimmy in Catering!

Lauren F

4/28/2014

The Jefferson was the perfect reception site for our southern vintage theme. We worked with Ashton as our catering manager and she was SO helpful with ideas and coordinating our ev...

ent. The chefs were amazing! and helped us create a custom menu for cocktail hour and dinner and the food quality was amazing! I would highly recommend the Jefferson!

Christine K

8/14/2013

I planned my wedding from California and had my reservations about booking a venue in Richmond. To my surprise, Ms. Ashton was SUCH a help! I was so happy with the service and ven...

ue and could not have asked for a better place to have my reception.

Erin B

8/08/2012

The Jefferson was absolutely stunning from the rotunda for the cocktail hour, to the Empire Room for dinner and dancing. It was exactly what I had in mind and they made sure every...

thing ran smoothly.

Stephanie A

12/19/2011

The entire staff made it a lovely day for the start of the day to the end.

lee n

10/21/2011

Bridal shower at the Jefferson was great. Staff very accomodating

Elizabeth G

11/08/2010

We had a fantastic time working with the Jefferson for our wedding. We wanted an elegant Southern wedding and achieved just that. The food was excellent, and my husband and I are b...

oth big foodies. The space was gorgeous! Trish (our event coordinator) was amazing - she was so easy to work with, accomodating, and was very knowledgable about weddings. We had a 7:00 Cocktail Hour in the Rotunda followed by dinner and dancing in the Empire Room (the hotel's original dining room) from 8:00-1:00. I really couldn't have been happier with the space or the service we received! Our friends and family raved over the space and the food and loved staying at the hotel for the weekend.

Jennifer S

8/12/2010

The Jefferson Hotel is historic, charming, elegant and simply wonderful for a wedding reception. After an entrance down the grand staircase we had an lovely cocktail reception in ...

the rotunda and then the most amazing dinner and dancing in the Empire Room. The staff there is so great. They are very easy to work with and will make sure to accommodate your every need. Everything ran so smoothly that day. We loved them so much that we had our brunch there the next day. I highly recommend The Jefferson Hotel for your wedding reception.

Kelly M

8/11/2010

The Jefferson Hotel is a five star, five diamond hotel in downtown Richmond, and it definitely lived up to this reputation. The hotel provided the perfect atmosphere to make my wed...

ding vision come to life. Trish Brinkley, catering manager/wedding coordinator could not have been more fabulous. She went above and beyond her duties over the course of a year's worth of planning and during the wedding weekend, giving us the royal treatment. The food was absolutely delicious. Rick Lunsford, in-house florist at Blooms at the Jefferson, did gorgeous work on everything from my afternoon tea and rehearsal dinner centerpieces to bridal bouquets and ceremony/reception arrangements. Every single staff-member at the hotel was beyond friendly and showed our out-of-town guests what southern hospitality is all about, and my husband and I were/are SO appreciative!

Service area & Contact info

101 West Franklin Street, Richmond, VA

Open map

(804) 788-8000

Want to book a visit?

Start the convo

*=Required

Use this secure form to reach out and share your wedding vision.

The Jefferson Hotel's photos

Why use The Knot to message vendors?

Messaging our verified vendors on The Knot is free, safe and secure.
Conveniently track vendor messages and planning details all in one place.
Our mobile apps make it easy to stay in touch with vendors while you're on‑the‑go.
For personalized pricing and package details, sending the vendor a message is the fastest way to get info.

The Jefferson Hotel

About this venue

Service area & Contact info

Wedding vendors in Richmond

Why use The Knot to message vendors?