Last fall an out-of-town mom wrote seeking advice on where to host a rehearsal dinner in the Roanoke area. I asked readers for suggestions, and while I was at it I asked for wedding food suggestions, too.

I saved those ideas and collected a few more while talking to caterers and a wedding planner last week.

This list is a starting point. Post a comment with your ideas on where to host a great wedding meal, and what to serve. Caterers, restaurants and venue owners are welcome to use this space to tell about their services as well.

By the way, how did the out-of-town family fare with a rehearsal dinner last fall? The groom’s mom wrote to tell me they had an excellent experience on Brambleton Avenue:


“We ended up at Luigi's,” she wrote. “The staff and the food were wonderful. We were able to pick a number of items from the big menu. They printed a separate menu for us with only our choices and no prices. This allowed us to meet everyone's dietary needs and control the price a bit. We also went with a few different types of bottles of wine on the table and let folks choose beer or soft drinks if they wanted. The service was impeccable. We had two competent waiters who never once asked who gets what. That included getting all 28 ramekins of dressing correct. Even with over-tipping them because of how good they were, we still (spent) less than we had set aside.”

Now for some other suggestions:

From Sara Carter: About 13 years ago, my daughter's in-laws were in the same situation as your reader. They were out of towners and had a limited budget. We went to The Homeplace out on Route 311. Homestyle service and they had several rooms for banquets. It was very well received.

From Linda Maiden: When living in New Jersey, we hosted our son's Roanoke rehearsal dinner at Blue 5 in their large lovely private room. Not only was the food delicious, it was reasonable and working with management was easy and helpful. A great place to host a rehearsal dinner. (Ours was about 30 - 40 people as well.) We've since retired to Roanoke to be close to our son and his family.

From Kara Stewart: AmRhein Wine Cellars is a destination wedding venue, as well as a working winery and vineyard. We book weddings and rehearsal dinners almost every weekend of the spring, summer, and fall. Our chef has over 25 years in the Food and Beverage Industry and can accommodate just about any request, including family recipes, diabetes friendly, and gluten free.

From Melinda Landes: I have no idea how much it would be per person, but I do know that Plantation at Sunnybrook does weddings and such. Probably wouldn’t hold hundreds of people. Their daily lunch isn’t too expensive and is always tasty.

From Kay Beatty: My husband, Steve, and I were married in 2010 in Rappahannock County, Virginia, where we were living at the time. We both have a taste for Indian cuisine, so we decided to have a buffet of Indian food at our wedding. An Indian-American friend of ours had just started a catering service, so it worked out perfectly. Because a number of our guests were not familiar with Indian cuisine, Aruna, our caterer, was conservative with the spices--nothing too hot, and, along with curries and other dishes associated with Indian cuisine, we had more familiar selections such as roasted chicken and vegetables, with Indian spices. The buffet was a hit. And the interesting thing was that everyone, including those who have probably never tried Indian food, seemed to enjoy the more traditional dishes most. It felt great to introduce guests to a cuisine we enjoy very much.

Caterer Jenny Elmes says she loves barn weddings that use space both inside the barn and out, such as atRockbridge Vineyards. “The feel of an old barn is so magical,” she says. She also recommends brides and grooms use a piece of property that is either in their families or is meaningful in some way. “Maybe a camp where they both went as kids, a building or reception area on the campus where they went to university.” She also recommends outdoor venues such as Big Spring Farm or Brushy Hill Cottage - as long as you have a backup plan in case the weather is bad. Having running water and electricity is helpful but not vital, she says.

Caterer Rachel Doyle suggests some of these spots in the New River Valley: the Inn at Pepper’s Ferry,Rockwood Manor at Dublin, Sinkland Farms, White Barrel Winery, Beliveau Estate Winery, and the German Club on Virginia Tech’s campus.