The 2 best wedding venues in Rice, ranked and compared

Salem Chapel and Event Venue is a beautifully restored historic chapel in Rice, Virginia near Farmville, originally built in 1884 as the Salem United Methodist Church and reopened by owner Caryn Kayton in 2018. The two-story venue accommodates up to 100 guests and features a traditional ceremony chapel with high ceilings, original 1800s pews and stained-glass lancet windows, plus an added ballroom for receptions/dance floor, a cocktail reception area, a groomsmen suite, and a basement-level bridal suite and catering prep kitchen. The rental includes the chapel, both suites, the catering kitchen, fifteen 48-inch round tables, three 30-inch short cocktail tables, three 30-inch tall cocktail tables, two 6-foot and four 5-foot rectangular tables, chairs and an Edwardian bar. The venue is climate-controlled year-round, handicap accessible, and located near Farmville with easy highway access; a Weekend Wedding Package offers exclusive Friday 8 AM through Sunday 10 AM access, and a single-day Monday-Wednesday option is $2,000.

The Barn at Gully Tavern is a family-owned country wedding and event venue in Rice, Virginia, in the Heart of Virginia region. Owners Robert and Dawn Schmidt originally built the climate-controlled stained-wood barn to host their two daughters' weddings, opening to the public in 2019. The barn features white fabric drapery, chandeliers, string lights and a movable stone fireplace, with a recent portico and new stone staircase overlooking a pond with a fountain. Capacity is up to 200+ guests (220 per WeddingWire). Reception pricing starts at $6,500 with bar service at $30/pp; rental includes the day before the celebration, 70 assorted wooden chairs, 200+ white resin folding chairs, 20+ round tables, 8 wooden farm tables, vintage benches and pews, a movable stone fireplace, and an accumulated decor inventory of lanterns, table greenery, whiskey barrels and milk cans. The two-stove, three-fridge kitchen serves caterers, and on-site staff plus dressing rooms (bridal suite and groom's shed) round out the package. The owners also offer wedding planning and photography services.