Where to start:
A great first step in your planning journey is creating a wedding website and we have a few favorites to recommend: With Joy, Zola, and The Knot. Once you’ve booked your venue, go ahead and start building your site. This gives you plenty of time to personalize it and keep guests informed!
We suggest sending out save the dates about 8 to 12 months before your wedding. If your timeline is shorter, aim to send them as soon as you can. Just be sure your wedding website is live and ready by the time those save the dates go out! We like to recommend sending invitations out 6-8 weeks out from your date and ensuring your RSVP cutoff is one month out from your wedding!
What to include on your wedding website:
Main Menu Tabs: Love Story, Schedule, Travel Accommodations, Registry, RSVP
Add an FAQ Section:
Answer questions you know guests will ask, like:
“Can I bring a plus one?”
“Are kids invited?”
“What’s the dress code?”
“What time should I arrive?”
Schedule - keep it simple!
Arrival time (15-30 minutes prior to ceremony start time)
Ceremony start time
Cocktail hour
Dinner
First Shuttle or Faux Send Off
Grand Exit/End of night
Hotels and Transportation
Mankin Mansion is conveniently located near the Richmond Airport with many hotel options only 5-10 minutes away from the venue. These hotels provide complimentary shuttles to the venue at the start of the ceremony and at the end of the night.
Mankin Mansion has 100 parking spots on site. With guest counts above 100 we always like to recommend ride sharing or ubering!
If you’d like to stay downtown, Mankin Mansion is only a 15 minute drive or uber ride away! Some of our favorite options are The Omni, The Graduate, The Quirk, Holiday Inn, and The Marriott Downtown.
How to answer FAQ’s:
Can I Bring A Plus One? - Different verbiage you can use!
We’re so excited to celebrate with our closest friends and family! Due to limited space, we’re only able to accommodate the guests listed on your invitation. Thank you for understanding!
We’d love to include everyone, but we’re keeping our celebration intimate. If your invitation includes a plus one, they’ll be listed by name. Otherwise, we hope you’ll still join us solo for a fun night!
Absolutely! If your invitation says “and guest,” feel free to bring someone along. Just make sure to include their name when you RSVP so we can plan accordingly!
Are Kids Invited?
No Kids - Different verbiage you can use if kids are not invited!
While we love your little ones, our wedding will be an adults-only celebration. We hope you enjoy a night off to celebrate with us!
We love your kiddos—but this night is just for the grown-ups! Get ready for a fun, kid-free evening!
Kids
We absolutely understand that some of your guests may be traveling with little ones. If you'd like your guests to have the choice to bring their children without the children involved in the wedding, we recommend River City Sitters - a trusted babysitting service that can come directly to the venue. They’ll care for the kids in a separate space nearby, so everyone can relax and enjoy the evening worry-free!
What Is The Dress Code?
State the Dress Code Clearly
Black Tie – Formal evening wear: tuxedos and gowns.
Formal / Black Tie Optional – Suits or tuxedos, cocktail dresses or gowns.
Cocktail Attire – Semi-formal dresses, jumpsuits, or dressy suits.
Garden Party / Dressy Casual – Sundresses, nice separates, sport coats, or button-downs (ties optional).
Beach Formal – Lightweight fabrics, dressy sandals, linen suits, or maxi dresses.
Mention the Setting & Weather
“The ceremony will be outside, it may cool down in the evening, layers are encouraged!”
“The ceremony and cocktail hour will take place outside; the reception will be indoors with heating and air conditioning.”
“The venue is a historic property with lots of brick paths—comfortable shoes are highly recommended!”
What to Avoid (if needed)
“We kindly ask guests not to wear white, let’s let the bride shine.”
“Our palette is jewel-toned, but wear whatever makes you feel great!”
Visuals Help!
A Pinterest board link with outfit inspo.
Photos of your venue.
A quick “dress code mood board” or color palette graphic.
