Historic Mankin Mansion Wedding Resort, Bed and Breakfast

From the reviews I have read they are all seem to be from the bride's point of view, but here are my thoughts as the Mother of the Bride....Our daughter found the Historic Mankin Mansion when she was doing her search of venues, and arranged for a visit while my husband and I were out of the country. She fell in love with the venue and the staff at her first meeting. She arranged an appointment for my husband and I when we returned. Upon driving onto the grounds my husband was sold, Martin didn't have to say much and we were reaching for our checkbook to make our deposit. We decided on the weekend long event. Within a few weeks the coordinator contacted our daughter and the planning began. Shortly after their initial meeting, the coordinator left to become a mom and Mary-Catherine came on board. She's an angel in human form. Mary-Catherine arranged a meeting with us, went through a long checklist, sent us a time line and 'to-do' list. Her actions kept us organized. She dealt with our vendors, made arrangements for deliveries and returns of items we needed for our weekend. Mary-Catherine was always quick to respond to emails or calls when I had questions or needed to know how to deal with a particularly sticky problem. Knowing the business like she does, she was quick to give me a few solutions from which to choose.As the date of our event rapidly approached, the plan to have us deliver EVERYTHING to HMM had me a bit hyperventilating, but I love the method to the madness. We were only missing two items, one was being framed and the other was just an "I forgot to bring...." Now we had two days to get anything forgotten together and bring with us on Friday. When we checked in, we truly had nothing to do but sit back, relax and let the event take place. The HMM staff made sure everything was were it was supposed to be, when it was supposed to be there and were quick to help if we needed any little thing. The minute I tried to do something, a staff member was right there to take care of what ever little thing it was.The wedding and reception went off without a hitch! I still trying to think of something that went wrong, but I can't come up with a thing. Most of our guest were impressed with the beauty of the grounds and the seamlessness of the entire event.Sunday brought about an easy leave for all of us. The staff organized everything that was theirs, our vendors and ours into different locations and all we had to do was load up our cars.I cannot thank Martin, Paula, Mary-Catherine, and the staff enough for such a wonderful event. I made the statement, "If I had another daughter, we'd be right back at HMM." I have a very intelligent daughter to have choosen the right venue for her day.

I don't even know where to start. How do you even begin to thank an entire venue for making your wedding day even happier, easier and more beautiful than you ever thought possible?The owner Paula thought of every detail so I didn't have to. She went above and beyond, even adding some gorgeous personal touches to the site to compliment the wedding look. Her heart is as beautiful as her smile!The owner/DJ Martin knew just the right song for every moment and got the guests dancing all night. The new lighting he brought in was gorgeous. Put simply, he rocks.And the coordinator Mary-Catherine was my angel. Every time I needed something, she was already standing next to me, as if by magic. She calmed me down with one look, and I knew I didn't have to worry about anything with her in charge. She even wore orange and green to match my colors! She made the day more than perfect. Thank you to all the Historic Mankin Mansion staff who made everything run seamlessly! I won't ever forget it!

It was really important to us that we found a venue that would fit our style and personality. Equally important was finding a place that would make our guests feel comfortable and impressed all at the same time. With half of our guest list coming from New York and New Jersey, we wanted to make sure that our wedding had a taste of southern charm. We found all of this and more at the Historic Mankin Mansion.From the moment we arrived for our first tour of Mankin Mansion, we were impressed beyond words. The grounds are amazing, the accommodations are charming and romantic, and the prices reasonable for the amount of services included. Also, upon meeting the owners, Martin and Paula Ramirez, we were sure that our wedding would be in very capable hands. This was the first venue we had visited, and we went to several more to be certain we were making an informed decision. In the end, there was no comparison. Mankin had everything we wanted and more. We chose the wedding weekend package and began planning our day.The planning went flawlessly, Mary-Catherine Berry and Paula Ramirez worked with us and our vendors every step of the way. No detail was overlooked, and they were always one step ahead of us in the planning. It was such a great feeling to know our wedding day was being planned so meticulously. They were always available to answer any question or concern. Paula also has such a calm and knowledgeable air about her that it's hard to remain stressed about anything because you know you're in good hands. Like any bride and groom, we were a bit frazzled the days leading up to our wedding. But the moment we pulled up to the mansion all of that anxiety left and never returned. Our entire bridal party was staying at the mansion and had already checked in. It was so amazing to see our friends and family members walking around the grounds and welcoming us there! The staff was waiting to check everyone in, answer any questions, and help with getting our out of town guests settled in. Everyone was amazed at how beautiful the place was, how immaculate the grounds were, and how professional and courteous Martin and Paula were in dealing with everyone's arrivals. Everything went off perfectly. Our rehearsal, the dinner afterward, the long night of family visiting and having fun were all just perfect. The staff was so attentive and every detail was tended to quickly and smoothly. The opening night of our wedding weekend set the stage for what was to be the perfect wedding day. The wedding day began with a wonderful breakfast - all orchestrated so the bride and her bridesmaids could eat and then the groom and his groomsmen - as we didn't want to see each other until the ceremony. The day was relaxing with friends and family popping in and out - the guys playing games and the girls being pampered. It was so perfect to just be in one place, and everyone able to relax and enjoy the day without worries of running around and having places to be. Once it was time to begin our wedding, the staff, the grounds, the participants were all ready and knew exactly where to be and what was expected. The ceremony went off perfectly, and the reception was amazing. The staff couldn't have been more professional and attentive. Every little detail was in place exactly as we had planned it, and any issue dealt with immediately. She says:"At one point, someone spilled a drink down my arm (thankfully white wine) and within a literal blink of an eye, one of the mansion staff was there with a towel. I didn't really even have time to register what happened before all evidence of the spill was erased. I just went back to dancing, but I would later think about how amazing it was that I was so carefully attended to - without even knowing it!"He says: "I planned a surprise song to sing to her with our band. I worked with both Mankin and the band to make sure that when it was time for me to sing, she was there to hear it. Martin personally went over and got her by the arm when I got on stage. He made certain that my bride was there to hear the first words of what will forever be "our song". Details like this don't escape the staff at Mankin."Later in the evening, we were standing up by the mansion, looking down at the grounds and the tent and saw people dancing on the dance floor and others chatting at the tables and still others laughing on the lawn and our aunt said to us - "You need to take a moment and look and soak it all in. Your wedding is the most amazing party we have ever been to. It's like something out of a movie". We smiled because she was absolutely right. We could go on and one about every detail - but for the sake of this review every bride and groom should know that if you book your wedding at Mankin - all of your plans will be executed just the way you want them. You will be able to enjoy your day because dedicated staff will do anything to make sure things go just the way you dreamt them.

If you aim to be a happy, relaxed, stress-free bride... then get married at Historic Mankin Mansion!! They will do everything in their power to make sure your wedding day is PERFECT... and they always make you feel like it is YOUR day and that YOU are their #1 priority. Even when planning and having meetings prior to the wedding, they make you feel special and important (even though they are planning lots of special days for other people at the same time!) The grounds are beautiful, the rooms are charming, and the location is convenient. I honestly don't know WHAT I would have done if I had gotten married anywhere else. I know I wouldn't have thought to have 100 umbrellas on hand if it started to pour on my guests (but they had them handy...) or who would have walked my elderly grandfather down the aisle when no other family members were around (paula did it, without missing a beat!)... it's those little things that truly make Historic Mankin Mansion a one-of-a-kind venue that is worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY! Thank you so much :)

My parents booked the Historic Mankin Mansion for my wedding without me or my husband to be even seeing it. It just so happened that that day I had sent them an email to go in check the place out. They fell in love with the venue right away and were certain that I would too. They were 100% right. One could not have asked for a better venue, experience and most of all staff when it comes to The Historic Mankin Mansion. Paula and Martin and Marylee instantly welcomed us into the mansion and shared our wedding joy and excitement with us. They were 100% on the ball with every detail of the wedding planning and were there to answer every question that we did not even know we had. It was such a blessing to have Martin as our DJ because he really made the entire reception run so smooth and stress free. The HMM knows the wedding industry so well and they know how to make your most important day run exactly as it should....with out a hitch.I feel that the HMM is such a hidden treasure. The attention to detail and to every person there must be noted too. Everyone feels special walking the grounds.I still miss my wedding day. I felt like I had made life long friends with the entire staff and every vendor and only hope that future couples can experience the love and joy this venue exudes.There is no red tape here and no inappropriate noise restrictions.I would 100% urge a future bride and groom to host their event here. All the best to the Historic Mankin Staff...you guys really are wonderful!!!

I always dreamed of my wedding day and how I wanted it to be perfect. I have to say that it was the perfect day and that was thanks to Martin and Paula at the mansion. We had several meeting before the wedding and went over every single detail about my big day. Martin and Paula were very professional and remembered every single thing we talked about. On the big day I was able to relax and enjoy every minute with my friends and family on the grounds. The ceremony was perfect in every way! The reception was even better! The intro's that we recorded with Martin were perfect. The ones for our mothers and fathers brought tears to everyones eyes and the ones for our friends made everyone laugh. We made so many memories that night! The honeymoon suite was amazing. They made it so romantic inside of there when we returned to the room. My friends and family still talk about the mansion to this day. They talk about how it was the most beautiful place they have ever been for a wedding and how everything was smooth and perfect. I can not thank Martin and Paula enough for making our wedding day the perfect day that they will NEVER forget!! Thank you both! I strongly suggest this wedding resort for anyone who wants a perfect and stress free wedding weekend! :)

I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful it was to work with the staff at Mankin. My now husband and I live out of state, and they made the planning much easier than I could have ever expected. It was such a relief to know that things were being taken care of for us during our absence. Marylee was especially a delight to work with! The grounds are beautiful, and there are many spots for bridal portraits and various wedding photos. Having the ceremony and the reception at the same place was important to us. It was so easy to go from wedding to drinks and dinner and dancing... Mankin helped us block off some hotels in the area, and organized transport to and from, so we didn't have to worry about friends and family driving after a few cocktails. The location is in very close proximity to the Richmond airport, which was another plus for us. We had many people flying in to attend our wedding, and we wanted to make it as convenient for them as possible. Paula and Martin have really created a beautiful setting. We loved everything about our wedding there.

It is so much fun seeing all the beautiful pictures on your site BUT I still think our son and daughter in laws are the best! We had such a wonderful weekend 2 years ago and I still can't beleive it was that long ago.From Friday when we arrived to Sunday(raining like crazy) we had a fantastic time and it went like clockwork. My Daughter in law is a very organized person and with your help we could not have had a better time!The rehearsal dinner was delicious (Whitehouse) - Saturday was perfect weather and I can't say enough how much everyone enjoyed themselves. All of the relatives called us for weeks afterwards to say what a good time they had and I could go on and on - I look at the video on their Anniversary and cry again. Chuck and I will be staying at your B&B -so keep up the good work and much love to All!!!!!

Our family has used the Historic Mankin Mansion for several events. We held the 50th Anniversary celebration of our family business there in the outside tent area. Paula and Martin were excellent hosts. They had everything we needed available, including a projector for "memories" of our family of employees over the past 50 years, music, podiums for the guest book and memento portraits. There was valet parking, brief tours of the facility (since many of the guests remembered the Mansion when it was a brickyard) and everything was perfect. Even though it was a very windy day in March, they were constantly in attendance making sure the tables stayed in place and the guests were ok.We have also had a bridal shower in the parlor (with about 40 people in attendance) for my daughter's best friend,which was so elegant. Again, every detail attended to perfectly by the staff. Gifts arrayed on the grand piano, white tablecloths decorated with floral centerpieces, a shower every bride dreams about!This past January, we held a baby shower for my youngest daughter. Of course it was the weekend of the big snow! When we arrived to set up, Martin and Paula had ALL the walkways cleared, valet parking for those who were uncomfortable in the snow and the shower went on as if the snow wasn't even there. Again, the room was perfect, all the guests were in awe of the facilities and the service we received. As a bonus, the gardens were glorious in the snow! At the end of the shower, they even let us store the large carpet my daughter received as a gift until we could get back in better weather to pick it up. I have attended several business functions and weddings at Historic Mankin Mansion. They were always top notch. Everything was arranged perfectly, easily accessible, and the service of all the staff was impeccable. These people know their business!We are planning another baby shower in October. Once again I have every confidence that it will be just as perfect as the other events we have booked there. Paula and Martin have become like family to us. We even invite them to our events. Whenever we are there, every need is anticipated, even before we realize we are in need! They are always checking to see if things are perfect or immediately available at the push of a button. If there is something we have forgotten, they are ready to help. I cannot imagine any better venue, any better service or more cherished memories.I cannot give any higher recommendation for any wedding/event site in the Richmond area. It may cost slightly more, but it is definitely worth it.Thank you so much to Martin and Paula for all their hard work, for bringing this gorgeous mansion back to life and for making all our special events days that we and our guests will always remember!

When we toured Historic Mankin Mansion we instantly fell in love with the venue and the staff! The mansion is a hidden charm and it is unlike any wedding venue I have ever been to. The staff keeps the grounds immaculate and they update the flowers with every season! The staff treated us like a family and let us come tour and walk the grounds as often as we wanted(which was a lot!!) My husband and I had a vision for our wedding day, but they far exceeded what we ever could have imagined! They gave us our fairytale wedding! The day of the wedding we were stress free and able to relax and enjoy getting ready with our family and friends. All of the set up was taken care of and every detail was made better than I was able to explain. The ceremony was flawless thanks to the VERY detailed wedding planner, DJ, and event staff! The reception was a big party and Martin the DJ played all the right music we had discussed in our planning meetings and made it a fun night for everyone. Our wedding was the best day of our lives and we have the staff and Historic Mankin Mansion to thank and I will forever be grateful of them!!

I was very doubtful that I'd find a place in Richmond to fit all of my wedding dreams. Surprisingly, The Historic Mankin Mansion met them all!! My husband and I wanted an "all-in-one" type of place and we got just that. The mansion allowed us to have our rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, and reception without driving around different parts of Richmond. What's even better is that they had enough space for us to house all of our out of town wedding attendants for the entire weekend; creating a real bed and breakfast feel for us and our friends. They took such special care of every detail and made the entire weekend relaxing, beautiful and unforgettable! We didn't live in VA the time of our wedding, so it was important for us to meet with the mansion staff during times we were in town. Even if they weren't "open" when we were available, they made special arrangements for us to visit the site and meet with Marylee, the wedding coordinator. I cannot give the mansion staff enough praise! Paula and Martin obviously know what they're doing and Marylee has to be one of the sweetest ladies on this earth. They made the weekend come together with what appeared to be very little effort. My family also loved this location so much that my twin sister has her eyes set on it as a future wedding site :) It'll be great to recreate such wonderful memories at the same place where I got married on my sister's wedding day :)

I can't think of another place in Richmond that offers the service and care for their clients that HMM provides. The weekend was WONDERFUL! The owners and staff made every transition seamless and offered services beyond the typical wedding venue. I highly recommend HMM!

It is so much fun seeing all the beautiful pictures on your site BUT I still think our son and daughter in laws are the best! We had such a wonderful weekend 2 years ago and I still can't beleive it was that long ago. From Friday when we arrived to Sunday (raining like crazy) we had a fantastic time and it went like clockwork. My Daughter in law is a very organized person and with your help we could not have had a better time! The rehearsal dinner was delicious (Whitehouse)-Saturday was perfect weather and I can't say enough how much everyone enjoyed themselves. All of the relatives called us for weeks afterwards to say what a good time they had and I could go on and on-I look at the video on their Anniversary and cry again. Chuck and I will be staying at your B&B -so keep up the good work and much love to All!!!!!

WONDERFUL PLACE! IT WAS A PERFECT DAY!

This place is amazing! They are so wonderful! The owners (Martin and Paula) and staff took care of every little detail. Our families were able to sit back and relax the entire weekend. My family can be difficult at times but they had such a great time.Our rehearsal and rehearsal dinner was wonderful. We were able to enjoy a slideshow in the main common area with 50 of our closest friends and families. The owners and coordinator took such great care of us and the dinner was fantastic. We partied until 10pm in the common areas.The day of the wedding went so smooth. We were able to enjoy the day without having to run around to get things done. The staff took care of placing everything where I wanted it. They made sure that all the vendors were taken care of and there on time. I was able to get ready in the suite and enjoy the day with my bridesmaids and Mom. My husband loved the "man cave" with all the great fun. He loves poker so he fit right into the poker room just fine.During the ceremony and reception the staff and owners were so hands on. They coordinated the entire event making everything seemless. They made sure everything was on time. The guests, family, and bridal party were taken care of. We danced, ate, and enjoyed our guests. It could not have been any better. Our day was the best day of our lives! We could not thank the owners enough!

Absolutely incredible site for a wedding weekend!!! My wedding was a fairytale and everyone at the mansion is fantastic to work with. It is wonderful that everything is right there for the entire event including the DJ and we were able to accomodate our wedding party on site in their accomodations. The location is absolutely beautiful!! I would highly recommend this site to everyone!!! :)

This venue is amazing, and I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone! I have been involved in several events here, and I do not believe I've ever encountered professionals in this field to portray such high standards. Between windy weather at one event and nearly 2 feet of snow at another, Paula and Martin could not have been more accommodating. I am hosting an event at Mankin Mansion in the fall, and there is no other place I would rather have it. The atmosphere is remarkable and the hospitality is superior. If you are creating memories to remember for a lifetime, this is the place you want to be.

Best place to have a weekend wedding in Richmond. The proprietors and wedding coordinators are very helpful, and the whole staff are interested in making your day special.

This site is very beautiful and the gardens are well-kept. It is very picturesque and perfect for a wedding, and that’s what originally hooked us. The DJ, Martin Ramirez (the owner of the Mansion) is also really good. He kept our party going right until the end and we had many compliments on his ability. The cost to rent the place is rather high, and it is NOT all-inclusive. Read the fine print—you’ll be responsible for renting all of their guestrooms for the night(s), you’ll pay extra to have access to the tent, and even more to have the DJ (he's worth the extra $$). We were also required to foot the bill for tent heaters that were never used. The Mansion's fee also includes vendor coordination, event staff, set-up and tear-down, which was a big reason we chose Mankin. We had a short engagement, so we relied heavily on our coordinator and her event staff to make sure the day ran smoothly. This was a HUGE mistake because our coordinator was not even present on our wedding day (this was never explained to us--family members overheard that it was her "day off") nor was there adequate staff to assist the bridal party and families. No one knew what to do or where to go and to add to the frustration--it was raining! Their "rain back-up plan" did not exist and most of the pre-wedding hours were spent worrying/not knowing what was happening. I didn't even know the layout of the tent or where to go once I entered for the ceremony. As if I wasn't nervous enough!On the surface, our day went ok, but behind-the-scenes it was a total mess. We spent most of the day and night stressed out because the details were not taken care of, as promised. The owner’s wife, Paula, was difficult to deal with at times. She acted as our coordinator, even though she didn’t know our wedding plans (and it showed). She was reactive not proactive, and was rude to our photographer in front of me during the reception. The details they promised would be taken care of were largely forgotten or ignored. We were left to figure everything out on our own and/or remind them to do things.Examples:1. The toasts were called for and the event staff neglected to retrieve our flutes and fill them with the champagne we provided. We had to toast with empy water glasses and later faked a toast for photos. 2. Our introductions were messed up because no event staff was there to corral the bridal party and family after photographs, which was promised. Everyone (including us) entered the tent prematurely and had to be brought back out to have the "real" entrance. Paula then blamed my photographer for letting it happen, when in reality it was her job (I personally think she didn't want to be out in the rain).3. Our ceremony greeter was not briefed by Paula about where to seat people and my divorced parents ended up at the same table, even though it was specified in our wedding plan that they be seated at two different reserved tables. Paula lied and told our greeter that we hadn't "told her anything" about seating.I could go on and on. The night was filled with seemingly small things like this that added up to a lot of disappointment. As a result of our experience, we would definitely NOT recommend using Historic Mankin Mansion for a wedding. It’s an extremely beautiful site, but it’s difficult to forgive all the mistakes that were made, especially after paying so much. We have very mixed memories about our choice of venue for our wedding. It saddened me so much that it took 9 months to actually write this review. Bottom line: If we had to do it over again, we would have spent our money elsewhere.