Micro-wedding
Cake & Punch
- Ceremony in the parlor or among the roses
- Classic Southern cake and punch reception
- Dressing room for the couple
- Portraits on the porch and staircase
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
VanCleave Hall
The Scott-Hanna-Moore House · c. 1834 · Marion, Alabama
Built c. 1834. Around 1904, dismantled, loaded onto 25 mule-drawn wagons, and enlarged and rebuilt in Marion as a Gothic Victorian. Now open for intimate weddings and private events, with overnight stays from late 2027.
c. 1834Built near Scott Station
c. 1904Moved by 25 mule wagons and enlarged
1996National Register of Historic Places
12Weddings a year, by design
Upcoming at VanCleave Hall
Come see the house
Welcome
A historic home, opened with care
VanCleave Hall, known in the National Register as the Scott-Hanna-Moore House, is one of the most storied residences in Alabama's Black Belt, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Marion Courthouse Square Historic District. As the house is restored and its rose garden takes root, we are opening it for three things: weddings, private gatherings and, beginning late 2027, overnight stays.
12 a yearMarried in Marion
Weddings
Just 12 a year, from cake and punch micro-weddings to full weekends, with the whole house reserved for one couple at a time.
Wedding collections
Gatherings
Private Events
Private gatherings, plus the house's own annual garden party, fall festival and Christmas events.
Plan an event
Opening late 2027Overnight
Stay
Sleep in a National Register home. Overnight accommodations open in the fourth quarter of 2027.
Join the early listHistory
The house that traveled to Marion
Few houses in Alabama have a story like this one. Samuel Madison Scott raised it near Scott Station around 1834. Around 1904 it was dismantled and loaded onto 25 mule-drawn wagons, carried into Marion and enlarged and rebuilt as a Gothic Victorian. The original one-story house became the second floor, where its rough-hewn 1834 floorboards remain.
Known in the National Register as the Scott-Hanna-Moore House, the home has always carried the names of the families who kept it. VanCleave Hall continues that tradition for the family restoring it today.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Recorded as the Scott-Hanna-Moore House, inventory no. 68, a contributing property of the Marion Courthouse Square Historic District (reference no. 96000111, listed February 16, 1996). It stands among the district's historic buildings with the Greek Revival Perry County Courthouse and the Marion Female Seminary. Read the nomination
Restoration & Garden
A private home, lovingly restored
The house is a private residence in the middle of a careful restoration. Original details like the fretwork, turned columns and pressed-tin turret roof are being repaired rather than replaced.
Its owner is a renowned gardener, and the grounds are becoming a Southern-inspired garden resplendent with historic roses: heirloom varieties chosen to bloom against the yellow clapboard and white gingerbread, for ceremonies, portraits and long-table dinners among the blooms.
- Underway
House restorationOriginal woodwork, porches and the turret roof
- Underway
Historic rose gardenHeirloom roses, new beds and paths, and a ceremony lawn
- Late 2027
Overnight accommodationsOpening in the fourth quarter of 2027
Married in Marion
Weddings at the house
We host only 12 weddings a year, one at a time, so every couple has the whole house to themselves and the house keeps room for its own traditions: an annual garden party, a fall festival and Christmas at the house. Every collection includes exclusive use of the house, tables and chairs, a day-of house coordinator and a vendor walkthrough.
Signature
Parlor & Lawn
- Ceremony, cocktail hour and reception
- Parlors, porch, turret and lawn
- Your caterer, or our local list
- Rehearsal walkthrough the day before
Destination
Full House Weekend
- Welcome or rehearsal dinner evening
- Full wedding day at the house
- Farewell brunch the morning after
- First access to overnight stays from late 2027
Rates vary by season and day of the week. Inquire for availability and pricing.
Private Events
Gatherings in a historic home
Between wedding dates, the parlors, porch and garden are available for smaller occasions that deserve a setting with a story.
- Rehearsal dinnersThe night before, at the house
- Showers & luncheonsBridal and baby, in the parlors
- Garden partiesAmong the historic roses
- Milestone celebrationsAnniversaries and birthdays
- Family reunionsPorch suppers and long tables
- Small retreatsQuiet meetings and offsites
12
Twelve weddings a year, by design
We cap weddings at 12 a year on purpose. It keeps every wedding unhurried, protects a house that is nearly two centuries old, and leaves the calendar open for the gatherings that make it a home: the annual traditions we share with Marion.
Annual
Garden Party
An afternoon among the historic roses, celebrating the garden as it comes into bloom.
Annual
Fall Festival
The porch, the lawn and the turret dressed for autumn. This year: the Great Pumpkin Festival, October 31.
Seasonal
Christmas at the House
The parlors and staircase decked for the holidays, for Christmas events through December.
Dates are announced each year on our events page.
Photo sessions
Engagement & special occasion photos
With a turret, a wraparound porch trimmed in gingerbread and a garden of historic roses, VanCleave Hall makes a backdrop few places in Alabama can match. Couples and families can reserve the porch and grounds for a private photo session.
- Engagement photosBefore the big day, wherever you marry
- Bridal portraitsGowns on the porch and the steps
- AnniversariesMark the years in a historic setting
- Family & holiday cardsAutumn porches and Christmas decor
- Graduation & milestonesSenior portraits and birthdays
- MaternitySoft light on the wraparound porch
Bring your photographer VanCleave Hall provides the setting, and you bring the photographer of your choice. Need one? Ask us for a local recommendation.
Sessions are by appointment, on the porch and grounds of this private home.
Overnight Stays
Stay the night in history
Late 2027Opening Q4 2027
Overnight accommodations at VanCleave Hall are planned to open in the fourth quarter of 2027, so guests can wake up in a National Register historic district and walk Marion's historic streets.
- Wedding parties firstCouples booked at the house hear about opening dates before anyone else.
- Heritage travelers & gardening enthusiastsA base for exploring Marion's churches, colleges and historic districts, and for time among the house's historic roses.
- Join the early listLeave your name and we'll write when reservations open.
Let's begin
Inquire
Ask about a wedding, an event or the overnight early list. We answer every inquiry personally, usually within two days. Tours are by appointment only and take about 45 minutes.
Getting Here
Marion, Alabama
102 West Monroe Street, in the historic courthouse square district of the Perry County seat.
- Selma35 min
- Tuscaloosa1 hr
- Montgomery1 hr 30 min
- Birmingham1 hr 45 min
- Birmingham airportabout 2 hr
Drive times are approximate.
Questions
Frequently asked
Is the house on the National Register?
Yes. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property of the Marion Courthouse Square Historic District (reference no. 96000111), added to the Register on February 16, 1996. The nomination records it as the Scott-Hanna-Moore House, built about 1834. Around 1904 it was dismantled, loaded onto 25 mule-drawn wagons, and enlarged and rebuilt in Marion as a Gothic Victorian.
Why only 12 weddings a year?
So every couple has an unhurried day with the whole house, the historic home gets the care it needs, and the calendar stays open for the house's own traditions: an annual garden party, a fall festival and Christmas events.
What can we host at the house?
Intimate weddings, just 12 a year, plus private events such as rehearsal dinners, showers, garden parties, milestone celebrations, reunions and small retreats.
When can we stay overnight?
Overnight accommodations are planned to open in the fourth quarter of 2027. Join the early list through the inquiry form, and wedding parties booked at the house will hear about dates first.
Is this a private home?
Yes. The house is a private residence under restoration, and its owner, a renowned gardener, is planting a Southern-inspired garden of historic roses on the grounds. Tours are by appointment only, so please don't stop by unannounced.
How many guests can the house host?
Cake & Punch hosts up to 25 guests, Parlor & Lawn up to 60, and the Full House Weekend up to 100 with the lawn in use. Private events are planned to size.
Can we marry at the church across the street?
Yes. Marion Methodist Church, across the street, is available for weddings. Ceremonies there are arranged directly with the church, and your guests can walk over to the house for the reception.
Are other historic churches in Marion available for weddings?
Yes. Several of Marion's historic churches host weddings. Each is booked directly with the church, and we're glad to point you toward them.
Can we book engagement or family photos at VanCleave Hall?
Yes. The porch and grounds can be reserved by appointment for engagement photos, bridal portraits, anniversaries, family and holiday photos and other special occasions. Bring your own photographer, or ask us for a local recommendation.
Can we bring our own vendors?
Yes. Bring your own officiant, planner and photographer. Licensed, insured caterers are welcome, and we keep a short list of trusted local vendors.