The Circuit Arcade Bar (Photo by Adam DuBrueler)
It’s easy to get engrossed in wedding planning to the point where the rehearsal dinner becomes an afterthought. However, more and more couples are choosing to opt out of the traditional dinner reservations at a restaurant in favor of personalized experiences that the wedding party will enjoy prior to the big day. Here is just a sampling of local haunts that are prime for group entertainment.
GAMES // Are the bride and groom gamers? The Circuit Arcade Bar in Scott’s Addition combines 50 self-pour taps of craft beer, cider and wine with nearly 70 arcade games, pinball machines and Skee-Ball lanes. Maybe bowling is more their speed? Also in Scott’s Addition, River City Roll opened in April offering 20 lanes of bowling paired with a modern take on shared plates and brick-oven pizzas, plus craft cocktails. Uptown Alley in Midlothian has 38 regulation bowling lanes, live music, a sports theater, billiards, an arcade and more. Why not take the wedding party out for a round of mini golf? Putt-Putt Fun Center in Midlothian has three mini-golf courses, bumper boats, a go-kart track and an arcade.
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Basket & Bike (Photo by Robin Reifsnider)
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Photo courtesy Riverside Outfitters
OUTDOORS EXCURSIONS // Richmond is rife with experiences along the James River. Check out the guided river trips for all skill levels from Riverside Outfitters. And while you may not want to take Grandma whitewater rafting, maybe a Richmond Canal Cruise is a better fit, or a guided bald-eagle-watching tour from Discover the James. Biking is a favorite RVA pastime. Ride the Virginia Capital Trail for a leisurely afternoon with a Basket & Bike Picnic Ride with Palate Picnics. A custom picnic will be planned, and the group will stop at a scenic location along the trail to enjoy it. And Richmond Rides offers everything from neighborhood tours to a food tour.
Photo courtesy Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity
VOLUNTEERING // While many couples may not think about volunteering the day before their wedding, organizing a group volunteer activity can build camaraderie among the wedding party and give all participants a satisfactory feeling that they helped others. What cause is important to the bride or groom? Pick a charity or nonprofit that you’re passionate about and inquire about group volunteer opportunities. FeedMore, which provides hunger-relief programs, offers group opportunities such as sorting donations and packing meals for Meals on Wheels delivery. The Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity also offers group opportunities within its three active-build sites year-round where volunteers are responsible for constructing homes for those in need.
Photo courtesy Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
GARDENS // Not only gorgeous venues for weddings, gardens are a great place to host family and friends for a party. The Environmental Education Center & West Terrace, Garden Hall or Stone Barn are available to rent at Maymont. Plus, the golf cart tours, carriage rides, group tours and animal experiences will leave your guests in awe of the 100-acre historic estate. Enjoy an elegant meal in the Robins Tea House on the grounds of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, where there are 50 acres of blooming gardens to explore, including the Rose Garden, Asian Valley and Cherry Tree Walk, as well as the domed Conservatory.
New Kent Winery (Photo courtesy Richmond Region Tourism)
WINE // Local wineries provide a relaxed atmosphere to sip and snack. Check out James River Cellars’ wine tasting flights of 100 percent Virginia produced wines. Ashton Creek Vineyard’s Chester tasting room opened in late 2016 and offers wine, cider and small plates. On the edge of New Kent County in Lanexa, Saudé Creek Vineyards has 3,000 square feet of covered porches offering vast views of the grounds. And New Kent Winery and Upper Shirley Vineyards offer award-winning wines inside beautifully constructed venues. Skip appointing a designated driver and hire a limo service such as Richmond Limousine’s Custom Winery Tour or First Class Limo’s Discover Richmond Wine Tour.
Hardywood West Creek (Photo by Jay Paul)
CRAFT BEER AND CIDER // Richmond loves its craft beer, so why not schedule a tasting at your favorite neighborhood brewery? Legend Brewing Co., one of the oldest operating breweries in Virginia, has a 200-seat deck overlooking the James River. Blue Bee Cider is Virginia’s first urban cidery, and its stone-laden Scott’s Addition location was formerly used by Richmond’s Public Works Department as mule stables. Hardywood West Creek in Goochland County opened in early 2018 and includes a public taproom with shuffleboard and arcade games, a mezzanine-level private event space, a 2,000-square-foot patio with a fire pit and bocce ball courts.
