STORY BY SYDNEY NAUMAN
Just beyond a long, tree-lined drive in rural Charles County lies Pleasant Hill House, a brand new wedding venue that offers a “historic backdrop for modern events.” Its 18th century architecture is home to many stories, but in its latest chapter Pleasant Hill has been revitalized to tell the love stories of those who tie the knot on its grounds.
“We fell in love with old houses as we were falling in love,” Travis Wright said about meeting his wife, Tig. The couple first met in Cincinnati, Ohio, where, after serving as an Army pilot for 10 years, Travis landed a job as an airline pilot and Tig worked as a nurse. At the time, Tig owned a historic shotgun-style home that she was renovating. Travis recalls some of the couple’s earliest dates were spent fixing up the house together. Now the duo are using their own love story to provide other couples a space to tell theirs.
In 2005, the Wrights moved to Southern Maryland for a job opportunity in Washington, D.C. Their intention was to eventually leave Maryland, but when Travis and Tig noticed Pleasant Hill House, it quickly became their reason to stay.
“Tig is a realtor now and she said, ‘guess what came back on the market’ and it was Pleasant Hill,” Travis said. “We had no intention of moving or anything like that but we fell in love with the house and we put an offer on it that day.”
Pleasant Hill House was originally built in 1761. What started as a simple Tidewater-style farmhouse was transformed into a two and a half story home over the course of two centuries. The house was modernized in the 1990’s and became part of the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. The Wright family bought Pleasant Hill in July 2022 and, after just one year, transformed the grounds into a formal event space. The nature forward venue and interior design of the home transports visitors to the French countryside. Professionally landscaped gardens provide a beautiful backdrop for wedding ceremonies or photographs of the bride and groom on their special day.
Resting on five acres of land, Pleasant Hill offers a customizable wedding experience. For brides looking for a more traditional walk down the aisle, the plantlined promenade is a stunning location at the front of the property to meet your groom at the altar. A walk down this front lawn features Pleasant Hill House as a picturesque backdrop for the nuptials as each new couple begins the foundation of their lives together.
The space also includes a wedding arbor which initiated the couple turning their property into a venue. According to Travis, one day after moving in he was looking out over the front lawn when he noticed the arched arbor.
“It just kind of sparked in my mind, I could see a bride standing there, getting married,” he said.
Brides seeking a more dramatic entrance can build anticipation with a long stroll through the English tea garden. This aisle opens into the lush hydrangea terrace, its vibrant colors offering a beautiful background for couples to say ‘I do.’
The extensive property and modern amenities also serve to entertain wedding guests with activities throughout the day. As the bride and groom sneak away to take their wedding portraits, guests can enjoy yard games like giant Jenga, which are provided by the venue, in the front lawn.
Couples who want a more intimate cocktail hour can direct guests inside Pleasant Hill House where the parlor and formal dining room can be transformed into a charming space. Travis imagines that as guests walk through the historic home, pictures of the bride and groom throughout the many stages of their lives can be posted, the history of the house complimenting the history of the couple.
Travis and Tig are reliving their own love story at Pleasant Hill. Since renovating a 110 year old home together in Ohio, the couple has come full circle with the 263 year old Pleasant Hill House. The couple currently resides in the home with their 18-year-old daughter Brooke and their 16-year-old son Harrison. When it comes to preparing the property for events Travis said, “It’s definitely a family affair.”
On event days, Travis explained that the whole family works with the client’s event coordinators to ensure the guest’s vision is fully realized. Tig tackles the design side of the venue and home interior while Travis handles the logistics of each event and makes sure the house and the grounds are in order for what the customers want.
“It’s stressful enough to do all the planning and family and friends, but what they should not have to worry about is anything relating to the venue,” Travis said.
The skills Travis learned during his time in the military still play a role in his life today, including his preparation of Pleasant Hill for an event.
“It takes probably an hour, maybe two hours, before I do a tour to get the house ready...so it is a lot like preparing for an inspection in the military,” he said.
One example of these skills in action is on the pool patio. No matter the occasion, Travis meticulously aligns the deck chairs and ensures that they are spaced appropriately in each of the sections of pavement.
According to Travis, Brooke isn’t as involved in helping with events as she works and attends college, whereas Harrison is able to participate more.
“He loves people and he’s an entertainer… We have a golf cart for our VIPs who might need a little extra help so he loves taking them around and getting them to the house from the parking lot.”
The couple plans to continue refurbishing other parts of the historic home, including the upstairs. Currently, Pleasant Hill House offers a bridal parlor on the main floor for the bride and her bridal party to get ready. The groom and his groomsmen utilize the renovated cellar area just below to prepare for the ceremony. Travis and Tig are working to convert an old church pulpit into a bar area for the cellar space, a subtle but functional nod to matrimony. It is becoming increasingly more popular for couples to book venues for multiple days during their wedding week, including staying overnight to keep their wedding party together. At Pleasant Hill, Travis and Tig ensure exclusivity by only booking one event per weekend. This way, couples have access to the entire property and can create a unique wedding experience.
The property is available for bookings from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday through Sunday. Travis explained that overnight stays aren’t possible yet at Pleasant Hill as his family resides in the home. However, he stated that over the next few years they would like to begin refurbishing the upstairs to offer couples the amenity of staying overnight.Despite being a new venue, people have already booked Pleasant Hill House for formal events, corporate parties and a celebration of life. However, the space has yet to see any weddings. The Wrights are eager to book their first ceremony and create a history of love stories at Pleasant Hill House. CBW
Comentários