Ceremony details

The ceremony will be held at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church at 1307 Oakwood Street, Bedford, Virginia 24523.  We plan on starting the ceremony at 11 am with a reception to follow afterwards.The church's website is http://www.holynameofmary.net.  

Reception details

The reception will be held at Peaks of Otter Lodge, which is located at 85554 Blue Ridge Parkway, Bedford, Virginia 24523.  The reception will immediately follow the ceremony, and the lodge is about a 17 minute drive away from the church.  Located right along the Blue Ridge Parkway and inside a national park, Peaks of Otter Lodge is rustic with beautiful, natural scenery overlooking a lake.  A reception of brunch and lunch options will be held.  If you chose to spend some time in Bedford during our wedding, the Lodge also is a hotel.  

Things to Do

We love this area and if you are looking for adventure or a walk through history, there is plenty to do.

• State Park, Parks, and Gardens
• Click here for more information about Bedford
• Historical Attractions

places to stay

Besides Ed's family connection to Bedford, one of the reasons we selected Bedford was because it is at a half-way point between Leesburg, Virginia, (where we live and work) and Charlotte, North Carolina, (where our families live).  We hoped it would reduce the travel time for our guests, since most would be driving from the Northern Virginia area or Charlotte.  If you do decide to stay in the area before or after our wedding (which since it is a beautiful area, we suggest you make a weekend away out of this trip!), there are several options.    

Peaks of Otter also offers accommodations, including pet friendly rooms, so feel free to bring Fido along!  The lodge is located alongside a serene lake, which is perfect for strolling around (about a mile-loop) and fishing (if you have a NC or VA fishing license). You can reserve a room on its website (www.peaksofotter.com), and please use booking code 5AB26W. (Note: Normally, Peaks of Otter is closed during the winter months during the week, so if you try to book a room online for the day prior to the wedding - Thursday night - the system might not show availability. Please contact Peaks of Otter directly at 888-454-7711, as Peaks of Otter has agreed to open for Thursday for any out-of-town guests.)   

Other places to consider: 

• Bedford, a charming small town, is home to several bed and breakfasts.  Check out TripAdvisor for details about local bed and breakfasts. 
• Roanoke and Lynchburg are the largest towns closest to Bedford, so if you would like to stay at a larger chain hotel, you will most likely find one there. Roanoke and Lynchburg are about 45 minutes to an hour away. 
• Charlottesville, Virginia, is an adorable city with a burgeoning wine industry and is home to Presidents Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and James Monroe's Highland.  Charlottesville is about an hour and half away from the wedding, but it is definitely a place to check out if you have time!