Carmen's Summer Table at The Greenbrier: A Night We Will Never Forget
Tommy and I are spending a few weeks at The Greenbrier in West Virginia this July, and I have to tell you about the most incredible evening we just hosted. Y’all know Tommy and I LOVE The Greenbrier, and right now they're offering a 3-for-2 special: stay two nights and get the third night free! If you’re planning a 2026 vacation getaway, tap here to book your stay!
A Long Table, 100 Guests, and a Garden Like No Other
On July 3rd, in honor of America's 250th birthday, we welcomed over 100 guests from the hotel to Carmen's Summer Table at Howard's Creek, right on the golf course in the most spectacular working garden you have ever seen.
Y'all, this garden took my breath away. This is where The Greenbrier grows tomatoes, corn, squash, potatoes, and flowers for the hotel and its restaurants. And here is the number that made this gardener's heart skip a beat: over 20 varieties of tomato plants growing right there in those rows. I could have wandered those beds all evening.
We set one long summer table stretching through the garden, and friends joined us from all over. The food was absolutely delicious, straight from the soil we were sitting beside, and the whole evening felt like the very best kind of Southern supper. Good food, good friends, and dirt under our feet.
Photos courtesy of Kelli Carrico Photography
The perfect patriotic table decor and an outdoor summer tablescape to remember!
Old Friends and Growing Families
One of my favorite parts of the evening was having our dear friend Hillary from Tello and Rose here with her family. We celebrated July 4th together at The Greenbrier back in 2024, and seeing how much the children have grown since then just about melted my heart.
That is the thing about this place. The Greenbrier is where families come back, year after year, generation after generation. We have met so many families here who have been coming for over 50 years. Third and fourth generations now, where the grandparents who were once brought here as children are now watching their own grandchildren run across the same lawns. There is something so special about a place that holds that many memories.
And just when we thought the night could not get any sweeter, it ended with fireworks lighting up the mountain sky. Truly magical.
Set A patriotic tablescape for outdoor summer entertaining
The Greenbrier makes every occasion extra-special, and they exclusively use Gillespie’s Florals & Events for their party decor. If you are hosting an event or getting married at the Greenbrier, you must work with Melinda from Gillespie’s! Everything was incredible, and she always does an amazing job with table centerpieces.
Hurricane CandleLight protects your outdoor Centerpieces
How perfect is this patriotic tablescape created by Melinda of Gillespie’s? She used small American flags stuck inside moss-covered pedestal bowls, wildflowers tucked inside chinoiserie bud vases, and candles inside candles inside tall glass hurricanes so you never need to worry about the wind! They are PERFECT for your outdoor events!
Happy 250th Birthday, America!
A Little History From Our Cottage
Tommy and I are staying in one of the historic cottages, Baltimore Row, and I just learned the most fascinating thing. Napoleon Bonaparte's sister-in-law once stayed right here. And that is just the beginning of the history in these hills. More than 27 presidents have visited The Greenbrier over the years. You can feel the stories in every hallway.
If You Have Never Been This Is Your Sign
Friends, The Greenbrier has a wonderful 3-for-2 package available right now, and I cannot recommend it enough. Come see the gardens, walk the grounds, and let this place work its magic on you. Tap here to book your stay and be sure to tell them I sent you!
And I will let you in on a little secret. As much as we love our summers here, my absolute favorite time to visit The Greenbrier is Christmas. They start decorating in the middle of November, and it is nothing short of spectacular.
Start planning now. You will thank me later.
Here is to long tables, homegrown tomatoes, fireworks over the mountains, and 250 years of America the beautiful.
XOXO,
Carmen
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