We are getting married at Sheffield Farm, the Squires' home in Middleburg, Virginia.  Middleburg is nestled between Washington, D.C. and the Blue Ridge Mountains, a short week’s walk from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn!  For those less adventurous, driving takes about 5 hours from New York, an hour from our nation’s capital, and 35 minutes from Dulles International Airport (IAD), where short, non-stop flights run hourly.

If you’re staying at the Salamander (more on that below), there is little need for a car once you’ve arrived in Middleburg; there will be transportation to and from the wedding, and Middleburg is right at the end of the resort’s driveway.  That said, if you are driving from points north or taking a car from Dulles, please let us know if you’d be willing to invite other guests to carpool with you.  Kvetching about Jersey Turnpike traffic is a great icebreaker.

Friday Night Reception 

For those of you coming into town on Friday, please join us for a drink and light fare at the Red Fox Inn & Tavern anytime between 8pm-10pm. Shuttles will run to and from the front door of the Salamander from 7:50pm to 10:00pm.

Saturday

We’ve got a list of things to do in Middleburg below.  If you want to talk through an itinerary, give us a call.

Update: Shuttles will depart from the the Salamander to the wedding ceremony starting at 4:30p.m. on Saturday afternoon.  The last shuttle will leave at 5p.m.  Shuttles will run back to the resort during and after the reception.

The wedding ceremony will take place outdoors (wear layers! cocktail attire layers!), and will start at 5:30pm. As much as we love your kids--and we do, honest--the wedding is for adults only.  Let us know if you’ll need a babysitter, and we’ll help put you in touch with one.  Drinks, dinner, and dancing (lots of dancing) will follow immediately after the ceremony.  

Sunday

The Squires invite you to join them for a brunch at the Salamander on Sunday morning. The brunch will take place in the Middleburg Foyer and Ballroom from 8:30am-11:30am.

Salamander has a full spa, restaurants and bars, tennis courts, pools and lawn games, and an equestrian center (unfortunately, no track or betting windows).  It is walking distance both to the welcome reception on Friday night at Red Fox Inn & Tavern and the brunch on Sunday morning, which will take place at the Salamander.  

We will provide transportation from the resort to the wedding and back afterwards. Salamander will be a great home base for the weekend’s festivities, and we encourage you all to stay there.

Founded in 1787, Middleburg is a history-rich, one-traffic-light town full of restaurants, shops, and coffeehouses.  Especially if the weather is nice, Washington Street (Route 50) is a great place to window shop or people watch with a coffee and a cow puddle.  To get a feel of the place, here’s a photo of us relaxing in Middleburg last fall*

*For real, though: this picture was taken in Middleburg

Eating 

(all located either on or within sight of Washington Street, Middleburg’s main drag)

The Upper Crust

Home of the aforementioned cow puddles, this family-run cash-only bakery and sandwich shop(pe) does the basics really well--and the setting is adorable.

Common Ground

Come for the good coffee and sandwiches, stay for the comfortable chairs.

Red Horse Tavern

Standard pub drinks and standard pub food with a patio outside.

Home Farm Store

Provisions from local farms and purveyors--honey, baked goods, and fresh sandwiches--for a nice nosh on the sidewalk and/or Salamander's lawn.

Teddy’s Pizza

Bensonhurst, Brooklyn native Teddy Viccidomini and his mom serve up the finest slice this side of the Verrazano.

The French Hound

Tasty French bar snacks and steak-frites in a converted house.

Market Salamander

A Squire family favorite, they’ve got everything you need for a picnic, including delicious prepared foods, gourmet sandwiches, and these innovative barbecue sauce/honey mustard vehicles they call “chicken fingers.”

Shopping

Lou Lou (and Lou Lou Too)

Hands down, Rachel’s favorite stores in town. They’ve got inexpensive jewelry, scarves, and handbags, and Lou Lou Too carries clothing as well. “Good luck leaving empty-handed,” she says. “You didn’t hear it from me,” says Eric, “but odds are there’s a game on the TV in the back room of Richard Allen Clothing down the street.”

Wylie Wagg

Paws down, Violet’s favorite store in town (Rachel’s sister Alison’s family dog). Bring home a treat for your furry friend at home — or just stop in to pet some of the neighborhood pups.

The Fun Shop

e.g.: http://www.thefunshop.com/shopexd.asp?id=18&bc=no

Creme de la Creme

French-themed tableware, furniture, and gifts, with a cute greeting card selection in the far back corner. Pro tip: Try not to knock stuff over.

Highcliffe Clothiers

Do you like animal-themed clothing and want to step up your game? Are these people your sartorial touchstones? If so, Highcliffe is your spot. “Those socks are foxy,” says Rachel. Warning: proprietors have limited sense of irony.

The Outpost

Well-curated vintage home furnishings from all over the world; the owners travel to seek out finds for their shop. A nice window to shop.

Olio Tasting Room

Spice up your weekend with some specialty food items from Olio: vinegars, salts, seasonings, and of course, olive oil. A thimbleful of their house blend makes a great hair gel.

Middleburg Tack Box (and Tack Exchange)

The best chaps shop south of Christopher Street!  If Hunt Country has you at “hello,” stop here to check out fine leather saddles, riding boots, and other horse-related gear.

Exploring

For those of you with a car, Loudoun County offers lots of ways to occupy your time beyond Middleburg’s town limits.  Given the season’s gorgeous foliage, Skyline Drive is a great way to see the region.  As an accompaniment, we recommend queuing up the Stephen Stills and Neil Young 1976 hit “Long May You Run” on your car stereo.

On the same link above, you’ll find downloadable maps of hiking trails in beautiful Shenandoah National Park.  Fun fact: In 2006, Virginia’s State Senate unanimously passed SB682, a bill to make “Oh Shenandoah” the official song of the Commonwealth.  Later that year, it died in committee in the House of Delegates.  We digress.  

For the the driving- and exercise-averse, Middleburg has its own American Viticultural Area (AVA) designation, with 24 wineries and 8 vineyards.  A roundup with links to tasting room hours and information can be found here.