With more than $55 million dollars being spent annually right here in Roanoke, that according to The Wedding Report, you have LOT’s of vendors to choose from with regards to your own wedding.

Each vendor brings their own strengths, styles, pricing ranges and uniqueness to the marketplace and today Carole and I want to share with you 6 very unique wedding vendors that you should highly consider here in our region. (aside from us of course, haha) We consider them the most truly unique around this part of Virginia.

Lighting Ninja’s

Brad, owner of this super cool business uses lights to help create your wedding or reception feel.

He has all sorts of very unique lighting capabilities and hes able to put designs on the wall as well as custom gobo style lights with your names or wedding dates in them too.

The thing I really love about Brad and his business is that he truly cares about his work and goes over the top with being able to elevate the wedding venue that you’re getting married at.

From the basics to a complete full line of lighting, Bard brings out the very best and is able to make some pretty cool venues even better! Visit him on Facebook.

Caroline Hammond

I remember when Caroline first started working in the wedding industry back in the 1990’s, she learned her decor secrets from the legendary Mark Newcomb, a master florist in Virginia who was nationally recognized.

Over the years shes climbed her way to the top with her own brand, CLED or Caroline Larocca Event Design right here in the Roanoke Valley.

Today, shes one of the top wedding vendors to seek out in the marketplace regionally and shes very selective with whom she works with.

Providing over-the-top designs within weddings, shes been in countless magazines, articles and wedding news elements over the years too.

What makes her company unique is that your vision can truly come to life with her floral arrangements, lighting, decor and colors.

She also puts on her own event called “Brides Night” where she not only showcases her own work, but those that she loves to work with in the industry too. You can visit her website at http://www.carolinelarocca.com.

Mill Mountain Zoo Weddings

Believe it or not, some couples have their wedding atop Mill Mountain at the zoo. You can rent the zoo for your wedding and have your wedding guests venture all through the zoo at your reception. 

In addition to the zoo, during the peak season, there is an abundance of flowers, trees, and scenery that you can enjoy too. 

The great thing about the zoo is that you can have your wedding and reception outdoors in the zoo and you can enjoy the various animals and features that the zoo offers too, including the zoo-choo, the mini train the runs throughout the park. 

Most people don't know that Mill Mountain Zoo is an option for getting married, but now you know! 

Smallest Chapel in Virginia

The only private mountaintop wedding venue in the entire southeast, is truly the Disneyland of wedding venues in the United States and the 40-acre property sits on top of Bent Mountain right here in our area overlooking Roanoke. 

With several smaller wedding venues on the 40-acre campus, the smallest literally is known as the Sacred Heart Chapel. 

The formal unveiling was held in 2015 and reveals interior features such as: a replica of the priceless Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco that was painted in the early 1500’s by Michelangelo, European stained glass of the Sacred Heart, a 200 year old tree trunk that has been handcrafted into the Altar, hardwood floors with an inlaid cross, Palmer Snyder chairs made in the 1940’s and a window wall behind the rustic Altar where parishioners can witness the grand majesty of nature in all of her splendor.

The church is literally the smallest in Virginia and yet it's hosted by some of the largest weddings in the area. 

Silver Hearth Lodge is one of the most unique wedding venues on the East Coast of the United States and it a luxury country rustic wedding destination spot for couples. 

Secret Garden to Get Married At

Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, there is an amazing little garden you can get married at. The Hahn Horticulture Gardens is roughly six acres of beautifully landscaped displays with rare and unique flowers, plants and various landscaping. They offer a building where couples can prep in and have reception dinners indoors and they even allow a tent on the property for your reception should you want to have it outdoors.

One of the things I love about this as a wedding venue is that it looks amazing anytime of the year, it’s affordable and it’s also hidden away in the middle of the Virginia Tech Campus.

The Hahn Horticulture Garden is primarily an outdoor wedding venue with broad lawns and beautiful flowers, right on campus!

The garden can accommodate up to 150 people for your ceremony and reception. A rental of the Hahn Horticulture Garden includes access to the pavilion and allows you to rent a tent to place on the lawn for your guests.

For more intimate weddings (fewer than 50 people) the Peggy Lee Hahn Garden Pavilion is an ideal place to host your reception.

Weddings with more than 50 guests can be hosted outside under tents up to 40' x 60' on the tent lawn, while still having the use of the Pavilion for staging. Your caterer of choice can work out of the Pavilion kitchen, and there are several lovely lawn locations for tents. Please remember that this is a public garden - however, in the past, garden visitors have been very respectful of special events.

Pricing ranges from $1,200 to $1,750 depending on the time of year. Check out this great informational PDF for this Virginia Tech Wedding Venue.

This Little Unknown Roanoke Wedding Transportation Secret

Many times, couple are looking for transportation for their wedding guests to and from the wedding venue here in the Roanoke Valley.

It’s a smart way to transport those that will be drinking and for those that don’t know the way around our valley, after all our back-roads have lots of twists and turns to them!

While limo’s are great for the couples, there is a company right here in the Roanoke Valley that specializes in fleet transportation and they can handle a lot of people too.

Ride Source is a local company here in the Roanoke Valley that has many Mercedes vans that can accommodate all your guests. The new company offers 17 passenger vans and they can create a special priced based on the route or routes that you want to take you wedding guests.

For example, if your wedding was at Silver Hearth Lodge and you have wedding guests at both the Hotel Roanoke and downtown Hilton, they will create a route where they pick up all your guests and take you up the mountain and back after the wedding ceremony.

The vans themselves are very nice and impressive, with a full-length passenger entry door and a ceiling height of approximately 6’4”, you can comfortably stroll to your seat. While you ride, enjoy the scenic views as you gaze through the privacy tinted windows.

Chat with friends and occasionally glance up at the 43” Ultra High Definition TV monitor. Before you know it you will arrive at your destination in style.

You can visit their website and get more information and pricing on their services by clicking here.

If you are looking for a great way to keep everyone safe and transport them from A to B in style without breaking the bank, this is a great way to travel here in the Roanoke Valley.