The Woodland Place voted Best of Weddings in “The Knot”
VINTON–To wedding guests, the ceremony and reception often seem flawless. Unless they have experienced it first hand, however, they have no idea what is going on behind-the-scenes. The cold feet, the anxiety, the hurried last-minute touch-ups and modifications. The sometimes-frantic search for a missing flower girl, or even a misplaced groom. For the wedding party, the big day is anything but stress free.
Dana Boyd, who runs The Woodland Place on Niagara Road, sees the behind-the-scenes stress every weekend, but often in stealth mode.
Dana Boyd, with her shih-tzu Abbey, runs The Woodland Place. Photo by Kristin Adams
“Often times, they don’t even know I’ve been through,” Boyd said about wedding days at the wedding and reception site. “I let them do their own thing, but I am always there for the ceremony. I’ve got to see them go down the aisle.”
Boyd’s enthusiasm may be the reason that brides voted for The Woodland Place as Best of Weddings 2010 in “The Knot” magazine. Or the reason could be the stunning landscaping, the stately gazebo with the sound of rushing water nearby, or the possibility of holding the ceremony and reception in the same location.
No matter the motive, brides voted for The Woodland Place as one of the best wedding reception sites in Virginia in the national wedding magazine’s Spring/Summer 2010 issue.
Even more impressive is the fact that Boyd runs The Woodland Place virtually alone. She also owns Belle’s Blooms, a full service florist shop located at Country Crossing on Washington Avenue. Owning two businesses, it is astounding that Boyd can even get out of bed in the morning, let alone win awards for providing such a great service.
“I always say everyone should live in my shoes for one day,” Boyd said about running two businesses. “My best friend says she couldn’t do it, and she owns her own business.”
Boyd, a 1989 William Byrd High School graduate, got an early start in the wedding business. She worked at Patina in high school, helping busy brides-to-be find the perfect dress for that special day. After high school, she owned and worked in flower shops before buying her current florist shop, Belle’s Blooms.
When Karen and Tommy Wood turned a site on Niagara Road from a pool into an event facility, naming it The Woodland Place, Boyd was eager to help out.
“They are my adoptive parents,” Boyd said about the Woods. “I enjoyed weddings and they knew it.”
Boyd did such a good job that in January 2009, the Woods allowed Boyd to take over the business. She leases the building from them, and runs the day-to-day operations herself. Along with friends, and with occasional help from the Woods themselves, Boyd does it all: mowing the eight acres, setting up chairs, decorating, and sometimes even directing a wedding.
The Woodland Place, on Niagara Road in Vinton, was chosen as one of the best reception sites in Virginia in "The Knot" magazine. Photo by Kristin Adams
The Woodland Place hosts everything from sports banquets to towing and recovery seminars. Weddings, however, are their specialty, with a beautiful garden and gazebo outside, and a 250-person reception area inside. While Boyd’s main job is to give potential clients tours, and set up for the big days, she can also delve into the details.
“We try to be as full service as possible here,” Boyd said. “We’re here as much as you want us to be. Let us do as much as we can so the brides and the grooms can enjoy it.”
Boyd has been asked to direct weddings, and several brides have used her floral arrangements. She is often asked for recommendations for photographers and caterers, and her small shih-tzu Abbey has been requested for flower girl duties on several occasions.
Boyd must be doing a good job, because The Woodland Place is already booking for 2011. Every Saturday in June has already been reserved, and the other months in the wedding season, April through October, are filling quickly.
With Boyd’s leadership, it only took one year for The Woodland Place to earn a top spot in brides’ opinions. “The Knot” calls brides in Virginia to vote for their favorite photographers, salons, caterers, wedding cake bakers, and reception sites, and The Woodland Place was listed next to country clubs and estates from all over the state.
Heather Seace, who held her ceremony and reception at The Woodland Place in May, was thrilled with her experience. Her ceremony was supposed to be outdoors, but had to be moved inside due to rain.
“And it still worked out perfectly,” Seace said. “And Dana was great to work with.”
Luckily for brides such as Seace, Boyd is not going anywhere anytime soon.
“It’s exciting,” Boyd said about weddings. “It’s people starting a new life together, and it’s just nice to be part of that.”
If anything, winning an award for her passion was the icing on the cake.
“It was a shock,” Boyd said about the award. “I’m very thankful to my brides that thought to put us in there.”
As a DJ I go to alot of places around Virigina and The Woodland Place is by far the funnest place anyone could ask for. Not only is it a beutiful place for a ceremony, the atmosphere is wonderful. You can tell Dana really puts alot of heart into each and every wedding. The Woodland Place is the first place I tell brides to go when they ask me for a recommendation.