Looking for a little adventure this May? Well, Dominon RiverRock is the perfect outdoor festival for you to enjoy the spring weather and indulge your inner daredevil.

Dominion RiverRock will kick off the festivities Friday, May 18, and will continue to rock Belle Isle until Sunday, May 20. The fun starts out with the Miller Lite Filthy 5k Mud Run, with tough terrain including a rock hop, a little dip in the James River and a mud pit finish. Other events include an Adventure Race, bike free styling, paddle boarding, mountain bike racing, boulder climbing and slack lining. A wide variety of bands will play throughout the weekend with the headliners including Galactic, The Travelin’ McCoury’s and JJ Grey and MOFRO.

The Interactive Village gives the opportunity for everyone to join in on the fun. You can try out kayaking, paddle boarding, white water rafting, slack lining and rock climbing. This is fun for the whole family with interactive activities.

Admission to the event along with the concerts is free. Please note that there is a fee to participate in the Interactive Village.   Step outside your comfort zone and enjoy the James at Dominion RiverRock.

For More Information: http://www.dominionriverrock.com/

See You Soon,
~Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort and bed and breakfast just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

Photo Credit: http://www.dominionriverrock.com/

Let’s face it- flowers can make or break the decor on one’s wedding day, which is why we just LOVE having professionals such as Flowers by Mona Ray on hand to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.

We’ve worked with Mona and her team for many years and were just thrilled that she could take time out of her busy wedding season schedule to chat with us a bit-

How did you get your start in the wedding industry?

I have worked with flowers since I was a child. I have worked in and out of the floral industry for many years. I have a degree in Flower Shop and Greenhouse management and taught Floral Design for many years in public schools along with my Horticulture/Agriculture Classes. When I decided to Home school my son 14 years ago I decided to start a home based wedding flower business and we have grown from there.  We now serve over 200 bridal couples a year and the whole family is involved in the day to day operation.

What question do you find brides asking you the most about wedding flowers?

Cost. Cost is the biggest thing that worries each bride. We work very hard to insure that all brides get the most for their floral budget. Many have misconceptions about what flowers are available when.. So many love the spring flowers and many of them are available year round but the most popular ones are not..

What’s the best thing about working in the wedding industry?

It’s always a happy time. We love seeing the look on our brides faces or hearing from them after the wedding about how much they loved their flowers. Or that we took their vision for flowers and did exactly what they wanted.. It is very humbling to be chosen to participate in the happy occasion of a couple embarking on their new life together..

Any tips you’d like to share with our 2012 brides?

Look at lots of pictures of flowers to get ideas.. Many brides make a file of them.. but it’s better to make a word document and write what you like and dislike about each design.. That way you will remember what you were thinking.. when you share with others..  Email or bring in your ideas so that we will be able to see their vision through their eyes..  Just because it’s in a magazine or online doesn’t mean its available in Richmond, Virginia year round.. Many flowers are seasonal .. we will try to get your flowers in but do have back up choices.. And most importantly.. Have fun with your flowers..

We couldn’t agree more- we just love when our brides have FUN with their wedding flowers.

If you’d like to get in touch with Mona, feel free to visit her web site today!

Thanks Mona for stopping by!

See You Soon,
~Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort and bed and breakfast just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

It’s official- wedding season is upon us! We’ve just enjoyed our first wedding of the season and look forward to many wedding weekends ahead of us!

We just wanted to take a moment to step away from our planning to let you know that we’re offering special pricing for three upcoming 2012 dates: May 5, June 2 and June 16. These are dates that just became available and are sure to go fast!  Not to worry- full wedding planning services are included for all our Mansion Brides!

For more information, please contact us today at 804-737-7773 or weddings@historicmankinmansion.com.

See You Soon,
~Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort and bed and breakfast just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

Photo credit: Seth Roberts Photography

Well what a wonderful and busy past week it has been! As soon as we announced our top three finalists for our Best of 2011 contests, our blog suddenly became THE place to comment. Hundreds upon hundreds of votes later and we’re thrilled to announce our winners:

Congratulations Jaimie and Christopher!

We would be remiss if we didn’t thank all of the amazing couples  (and wedding photographers!) that took the time to participate- sharing both their stories and photos with us. We are lucky to have you as a part of our Historic Mankin Mansion family!

See You Soon,
Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort and bed and breakfast just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

Photo credit: Nancy Topham

Today, we’re back with our Best of 2011 series, where we get to revisit some of our favorite weddings from last season. Today, we’re thrilled to share this lovely submission courtesy of KC Johnson Photography! We just loved revisiting Natalie and Tom’s Big Day!

Now remember-this year’s blog series is going to be a bit different as each wedding will be featured on the Historic Mankin Mansion Blog and the top three posts with the most blog and Facebook comments will be selected as finalists.  Each wedding will receive one more feature and the one with the most Facebook and blog comments by the deadline will be the winner!  This year, we’re taking it up a notch as we will be hosting a contest along with it for a complimentary overnight room stay at the Mansion, as well as a gift certificate to one of Paula and Martin’s favorite restaurants in town.

So do you just adore Natalie and Tom’s wedding and want their wedding to win? Simply comment on this blog post and let us know why you love this wedding so much. If you’d like to score an extra point for the couple if you visit our Facebook page and comment under the Facebook post in which we share this fabulous feature.

Thanks again to KC Johnson Photography for sharing this lovely Historic Mankin Mansion Wedding Day with us!

See You Soon,
Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort and bed and breakfast just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

Today, we’re back with our Best of 2011 series, where we get to revisit some of our favorite weddings from last season. Today, we’re thrilled to share the wedding of Erica and Mark!

As Erica told us-

We never could have imagined our wedding day being as wonderful as it was.  Every aspect of it was perfect.  The opportunity to have all of our family and friends together to celebrate our special day at such a magical and charming setting was truly one of a kind.  In addition, the service provided by the Historic Mankin Mansion Staff was impeccable.  As we look back at our pictures and videos we are filled with joy and happiness.  It was a day that we never wanted to end!

Now remember-this year’s blog series is going to be a bit different as each wedding will be featured on the Historic Mankin Mansion Blog and the top three posts with the most blog and Facebook comments will be selected as finalists.  Each wedding will receive one more feature and the one with the most Facebook and blog comments by the deadline will be the winner!  This year, we’re taking it up a notch as we will be hosting a contest along with it for a complimentary overnight room stay at the Mansion, as well as a gift certificate to one of Paula and Martin’s favorite restaurants in town.

So do you just adore Erica and Mark’s wedding and want to help them win? Simply comment on this blog post and let us know why you love this wedding so much. If you’d like to score an extra point for the couple if you visit our Facebook page and comment under the Facebook post in which we share this fabulous feature.

Thanks Erica and Mark for revisiting your Historic Mankin Mansion Wedding Day with us!

See You Soon,
Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort and bed and breakfast just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

Today, we’re back with our Best of 2011 series, where we get to revisit some of our favorite weddings from last season. We enjoyed revisiting Blair and Nick’s day on Wednesday and today, we’re back with Jaimie and Christopher!

As Jaimie told us-

If the saying, “Rain on your wedding day means good luck,” is true, then my husband and I are very lucky. Our wedding day started off like any bride’s worst nightmare.  As my soon to be husband at the time and I woke up, the first thing we heard was little droplets hitting the roof of our honeymoon suite. I immediately went into panic mode. If it weren’t for Mary-Catherine and the other staff at the Mankin Mansion I probably would have had a mental breakdown! They assured us that everything would work out and we would have the wedding day we always dreamed of.

As hard as it was to believe them at the time, they were completely right.  We had a delicious breakfast with our bridal party, a relaxing massage, and then separated into different cottages to get ready for our wedding. Spending that time getting ready with my mother, sister, soon to be mother in law, and best friends is a memory I will always cherish. My gorgeous bouquet, along with my bridesmaids, was brought to my room and I knew it was getting close to 6 pm, the start of our ceremony. I took one last look out the window, expecting to see the dreaded rain, but instead I caught a glimpse of the sun attempting to break through the clouds.  At that moment, I knew my grandmothers and other passed loved ones were with us on our wedding day.

As family, friends and guests started to arrive, the sun pushed out even more. As my father escorted me down the aisle, I stared into the love of my life’s eyes, and knew I was the luckiest bride in the world. Everything worked out perfectly. Our dachshunds Walter and Winifred, ring bearer and flower girl, made it all the way down the aisle without biting or lifting their leg on anyone or anything. Everyone loved the idea of a wine box ceremony, where we put a letter to each other expressing our hopes and dreams in a wine box that would be sealed until our 5^th anniversary. The photo booth captured all of our guests and made a lasting memory for everyone. Our guests dined on Italian food and delicious cupcakes topped with eatable pearls and chocolate dachshunds, while Chris and I danced our first dance as a married couple. A slideshow of memories captured from when we met at age 16 until now played in the background. Our friends and family then joined us on the dance floor as we celebrated the night away.

The night ended with sparklers and a song that sums up everything we both felt on our wedding day, “Today Was A Fairytale”.

Now remember-this year’s blog series is going to be a bit different as each wedding will be featured on the Historic Mankin Mansion Blog and the top three posts with the most blog and Facebook comments will be selected as finalists.  Each wedding will receive one more feature and the one with the most Facebook and blog comments by the deadline will be the winner!  This year, we’re taking it up a notch as we will be hosting a contest along with it for a complimentary overnight room stay at the Mansion, as well as a gift certificate to one of Paula and Martin’s favorite restaurants in town.

So do you just adore Jaimie and Christopher’s wedding and want them to win? Simply comment on this blog post and let us know why you love this wedding so much. If you’d like to score an extra point for the couple, visit our Facebook page and comment under the Facebook post in which we share this fabulous feature.

Thanks Jaimie and Christopher for revisiting your Historic Mankin Mansion Wedding Day with us!

See You Soon,
Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort and bed and breakfast just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

Today, we’re back with our Best of 2011 series, where we get to revisit some of our favorite weddings from last season. Today, we’re thrilled to share the wedding of Erica and David!

First- a bit from Erica about their special day-

I was definitely one of those girls who grew up planning her wedding. From the beginning, I knew that I didn’t want an outdoor ceremony (I’m far too controlling of a person to allow the weather to dictate my Big Day) and I knew that I didn’t want a tent reception. I wanted something totally original–a warehouse on the river or a reception in a big, open space. And then I went on a tour of Mankin Mansion. I put down my deposit the next day and knew that Martin, Paula and all of the planners at Mankin would make our wedding the most incredible day of our lives. And they did—at an outdoor ceremony and tent reception. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Every time I went to see Mary Catherine for a planning meeting, I got butterflies in my stomach because I was so excited. And when the day finally arrived and my bridesmaids and I drove up to the Mansion, it took my breath away. My vision was coming to life before my very eyes—from the English garden theme, the welcome gazebo complete with a Polaroid station, to the amazing flowers and vintage color palette. I wanted to create a unique experience for our guests. Dave and I are both really into music so, we made CDs of every important song we played that night as favors, the tables were all named after those songs and the escort cards were attached to keys hanging on a shabby chic style door with a sign that read “Our Soundtrack—find your lyrics.”  All of the months of planning had indeed paid off. When the ceremony rolled around, I was ready. I was ready to hear the soundtrack to our wedding (and our life together) begin. I was ready to walk down the aisle to The Graduate’s “Pull Me In” and to see Dave at the altar. And after the ceremony, I was ready to throw a big party for all of my favorite people. However, Mother Nature had something to say about that.

Right before the reception was to begin, what I can only imagine was a monsoon swept through the grounds of Mankin and held my new husband and I captive under the brick pergola. Complete with sideways rain, thunder and lightening, this storm was serious. What was that I said about not wanting the weather to dictate my Big Day?! I had planners on all sides of me with umbrellas trying to shield me from the rain and I could not believe that after almost 30 years of being a control freak, I just did not care. This was our day and not even a little tornado was going to ruin it! We finally made our way into the tent and began our first dance together as husband and wife, to the tune of booming thunder.

The rest of the night was a beautiful, amazing blur. It truly was everything I could have asked for. I had people tell me things like “I felt like I was in a movie the whole night,” “I’m not as excited about my wedding now because I don’t think it can live up to yours,” and “That was the best night of my life.” I’m glad that Dave and I had fun but most of all I’m thankful that, regardless of one of the most violent storms of the summer, we created such a memorable night for our family and friends. We couldn’t have done it without everyone who works at Mankin Mansion and for that I am forever grateful.

Now remember-this year’s blog series is going to be a bit different as each wedding will be featured on the Historic Mankin Mansion Blog and the top three posts with the most blog and Facebook comments will be selected as finalists.  Each wedding will receive one more feature and the one with the most Facebook and blog comments by the deadline will be the winner!  This year, we’re taking it up a notch as we will be hosting a contest along with it for a complimentary overnight room stay at the Mansion, as well as a gift certificate to one of Paula and Martin’s favorite restaurants in town.

So do you just adore Erica and David’s wedding and want them to win? Simply comment on this blog post and let us know why you love this wedding so much. If you’d like to score an extra point for the couple, visit our Facebook page and comment under the Facebook post in which we share this fabulous feature.

Thanks Erica and David for revisiting your Historic Mankin Mansion Wedding Day with us!

See You Soon,
Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort and bed and breakfast just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

Today, we’re back with our Best of 2011 series, where we get to revisit some of our favorite weddings from last season. Today, we’re thrilled to share the wedding of Marisa and David, who married at the Mansion this past summer!

We chatted with Marissa about her inspiration for her wedding day, which was drawn from the Mansion itself as well as her family. Her favorite details from the day include her dress, which was from The Vineyard Collection of Priscilla of Boston, the Barbeque fare from White House Catering, her pink peonies bouquet and Historic Mankin Mansion.  It was evident from the onset that Marisa and Dave offer their guests personalized touches throughout the day. Everyone was touched when Marisa entered the ceremony area, being escorted by her mother. Later in the festivities, the guests enjoyed pie tarts of banana cream, coconut cream and chocolate mousse in lieu of a wedding cake.

As for her favorite moment, Marisa shares,

“Our wedding day was more than Dave and I could have ever imagined. Historic Mankin Mansion and our wedding planner, Meghan Ely, made the process of planning and the big day effortless. Our guests still talk about how beautiful this venue is.”

Are you just loving the details in the inspiration board above? Well for more swoon worthy highlights, visit this link, which is a lovely compilation courtesy of Emily Dean Photography!

Now remember-this year’s blog series is going to be a bit different as each wedding will be featured on the Historic Mankin Mansion Blog and the top three posts with the most blog and Facebook comments will be selected as finalists.  Each wedding will receive one more feature and the one with the most Facebook and blog comments by the deadline will be the winner!  This year, we’re taking it up a notch as we will be hosting a contest along with it for a complimentary overnight room stay at the Mansion, as well as a gift certificate to one of Paula and Martin’s favorite restaurants in town.

So do you just adore Marisa and Dave’s wedding and want them to win? Simply comment on this blog post and let us know why you love this wedding so much. If you’d like to score an extra point for the couple if you visit our Facebook page and comment under the Facebook post in which we share this fabulous feature.

Thanks Marisa and Dave for revisiting your Historic Mankin Mansion Wedding Day with us!

See You Soon,
Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort and bed and breakfast just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

Today, we’re back with our Best of 2011 series, where we get to revisit some of our favorite weddings from last season. Today, we’re thrilled to share the wedding of Elizabeth and Patrick!

As Elizabeth told us-

When I started the wedding planning process, I had a very general idea of what I wanted.  I had dreamt of something outside, something elegant, fun and different.  I knew I wanted something that was not “cookie cutter.  On a whim and a suggestion from a friend we decided to check out Historic Mankin Mansion.  The first day we showed up for our initial meeting, I knew I had found the dream place for my wedding.

Upon meeting Martin and Paula, we instantly felt comfortable and we knew this would be a perfect match.  We loved everything about the planning of our wedding to our wedding day.  What I appreciated the most was that Mary-Catherine took care of everything for us and I never felt stressed or anxious about anything.  We were able to enjoy every minute of our wedding day.  From the music that got everyone up and dancing to the ease of walking between our ceremony to our cocktail hour to our reception, we could not have asked for a better day.

Our friends and family are still talking about the great time that they had at our wedding and how impressed and surprised they were with everything.   Historic Mankin Mansion was truly the something different, the something elegant and the something fun we were looking for.

We could agree more with Elizabeth- we knew she was the perfect fit when we met her and started diving into her wedding planning!

Now remember-this year’s blog series is going to be a bit different as each wedding will be featured on the Historic Mankin Mansion Blog and the top three posts with the most blog and Facebook comments will be selected as finalists.  Each wedding will receive one more feature and the one with the most Facebook and blog comments by the deadline will be the winner!  This year, we’re taking it up a notch as we will be hosting a contest along with it for a complimentary overnight room stay at the Mansion, as well as a gift certificate to one of Paula and Martin’s favorite restaurants in town.

So do you just adore Elizabeth and Patrick’s wedding and want them to win? Simply comment on this blog post and let us know why you love this wedding so much. If you’d like to score an extra point for the couple, visit our Facebook page and comment under the Facebook post in which we share this fabulous feature.

Thanks Elizabeth and Patrick for revisiting your Historic Mankin Mansion Wedding Day with us!

See You Soon,
Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort and bed and breakfast just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.