Not long ago, I got the chance to visit Casey, the Sales Manager at Linden Row Inn.  It was my first visit to this historic inn, and I fell in love!  It’s beautiful, unique and the wedding suites are to die for!


IMG_71803Tell us a little about your venue!

The Linden Row Inn is a 70-room boutique historic hotel located in the heart of Downtown Richmond. The hotel is comprised of seven row houses built in the mid-1800’s and meticulously restored over the years. Most of the rooms are furnished with authentic antique pieces from the middle and late 1800’s, and the hotel is proud to be featured on the National Register of Historic Places. We have a beautiful outdoor garden space that is regularly rented out for rehearsal dinners, wedding ceremonies and receptions and other private events and adjacent to our Board Room via French doors perfect for smaller, intimate affairs.

How did you get started in this business?

I’ve always enjoyed planning get togethers with friends growing up and thought  it would be fun to work in the weddings/events industry with dreams of owning my own event planning company one day. I was very excited to learn that I could study Event Management in college, and I graduated from Virginia Tech with a business degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management and a concentration in Event Management. From there, I went on to work for Carnival Cruise Lines and then as an Event Coordinator at a vineyard in North Carolina. I am from the Richmond area and wanted to move home to be closer to family, so I jumped on the opportunity to work in a hotel environment while still handling events, meeting and weddings.

What differentiates you from other hotels & venues?

The main thing that differentiates Linden Row from other businesses in our field is the fact that we are a boutique, historic inn and offer that ‘True Richmond’ experience many desire in this area, but we also have an outdoor event space along with guest rooms. You can host your rehearsal dinner, ceremony, wedding reception, and morning after brunch on the property, and your guests can stay with us at discounted prices.

Our largest event space is an outdoor Garden Courtyard which definitely sets us apart from other hotel venues in the market. We have beautiful, historic suites that are perfect for getting ready/taking photos and spending your honeymoon night.  Now, with the addition of Urban Farmhouse in the Summer of 2016, we will have in-house catering options for all of your group needs!

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Why do you like working with weddings?

I love being a part of such an important day in someones life. I’m a big softy, so getting to know my couples and then seeing their day happen exactly how they envisioned means a lot to me. It’s my job to do everything in my power to ensure they have a perfect day, and it feels great to be a part of that.

What is the most difficult situation you have faced with a bride and how did you resolve it?

Right as one of our brides was about to walk down the aisle, her heel caught the hem of her dress. Without realizing it, she walked forward, tripped a bit and ripped a pretty prominent hold in her dress. Her music was about to begin, so with the permission of the bride, we grabbed some safety pins and quickly pinned her dress up so no one would notice. Directly following the ceremony, she bustled her dress, and no one could even tell. It was a highly emotional moment for something like that to happen right as you’re about to walk down the aisle, but thankfully we were able to patch it up and make it look good as new!

From a vendor’s perspective, what is the one best piece of advice you can offer to engaged couples?

Get a wedding planner! They have so many contacts in the area, have so many great ideas and just take the stress off of you to make your day perfect to allow you and your friends/family to enjoy the day without a worry.

What or who motivates you?

I’m definitely motivated by my parents. My Dad is the owner and operator of our 4th generation family business, and he is very dedicated to our community and the company. I aspire to own my own company one day and want to create a family environment like he has with great customer service and personal relationship.

What do you like to do when you are away from work?

I’ve always been pretty active and played many different sports growing up. I really enjoy exercising, so I play in a weekly competitive volleyball league through Richmond Volleyball Club, crossfit and hiking with my dog. Anything that is outdoors and active I’m all about it!

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What would we be surprised to learn about you?

That I come from a very small town and graduated with less than 30 people in my high school class. While in college I studied abroad in Europe, moved to Seattle for a summer, and then immediately began working on a cruise ship traveling around the Caribbean after graduation. I am definitely one who loves the city life and travel which in turn surprises others when they learn I am from such a small town.