In the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Clifton Inn has been a favorite Virginia wedding site for years—built by a son-in-law of Thomas Jefferson, it boasts all the Charlottesville requisites: colonial revival architecture, seriously sophisticated kitchen (they make their own ricotta and serve the salmon tartar with walnut milk), and 100 acres of quiet lanes, lakeside, and shade trees. But all that pales (well, almost) when you consider the deal they’re offering this winter: Hold your wedding here between January 1 and March 15 and you’ll get all 17 of the guest rooms for free. There’s a privacy fee for closing the restaurant to the public, but it’s a fair trade for treating a passel of family and friends to such luxury (sleigh beds, soaking tubs, cozy robes and Mascioni linens). Need further convincing? There’s an entire pastry team devoted to creating your dream cake. Now that’s sweet.
Wedding cakes are king at the Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, Virginia
