Poultry in Motion: Biltmore’s Feathered Friends

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Chickens, turkeys, and other fowl have been strutting and clucking their way across the estate since its earliest days. Biltmore’s two original poultry sheds proved too limited, so in 1896, plans began for what would become the Poultry Yards, located up the hill from what’s now the Farm and Bike Barn.

Richard Howland Hunt, son of Richard Morris Hunt, designed the Poultry Yards, which included the Brooder House, plus the Chicken Tender’s House: the residence for the poultryman and his family. A variety of breeds were raised at Biltmore, including Brahmas, Cochins, Cornish game hens, Leghorns, Minorcas, Plymouth Rocks, and Wyandottes. In addition to chickens, ducks and drakes, Bronze turkey toms and hens, wild turkey, quail, squab, and pheasant were found on the estate. Photo courtesy of National Forests of North Carolina Historic Photographs, D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, 28804.

From the start, Biltmore Farms produced award-winning poultry used for eggs as well as meat. In May of 1897, an advertisement in the Asheville Citizen announced the sale of dressed Biltmore broilers at 30 cents each, table eggs at 15 cents a dozen, and “dated and extra selected” eggs at 25 cents a dozen. By the end of that same year, enough eggs were being produced to supply the Kenilworth Inn with eight to 15 dozen a day as well as provide for the needs of Biltmore House.

When the Vanderbilts were in residence and entertaining guests, demand for eggs skyrocketed. According to a June 8, 1896 memo, Biltmore House required nearly 30 dozen eggs a week. Poultry and eggs were served almost daily according to the 1904 Menu Book for Biltmore House. Luncheons and dinners often began with chicken broth or consommé. For second luncheon, eggs were served stuffed, creamed, and fried, and included in cutlets, omelets, timbales and croquettes. Chickens were prepared broiled, roasted, fricasseed, fried, creamed, braised, and in casseroles, potpies and mousse. Other poultry dishes included roast and barbequed duck, braised quail and squab, and roast partridge and goose. Leftover poultry frequently went into salads.

If the 1904 Menu Book is any indication, the poultry most frequently served in Biltmore House was turkey. The Vanderbilts ate roast turkey with cranberry sauce, roast Biltmore turkey, broiled spring turkey, roast wild turkey, turkey soup and croquettes, creamed turkey, chipped turkey and cold turkey in salad. In fact, they ate turkey in one form or another 35 times during one span of 14 weeks, or on average every three days. A recipe for turkey and cornbread dressing was said to be one of Mr. Vanderbilt’s favorite foods. 

The Poultry Farm closed down not long after Mr. Vanderbilt’s death in 1914, but the buildings continued to be used for other purposes. The original Chicken Tender’s House functioned as a residence until it burned in 1931. The Brooder House still stands behind the Inn on Biltmore Estate and can be seen on the Legacy of the Land tour.

Chicken remain a vital part of our farm-to-table program. In the past twelve months, Biltmore’s mostly brown egg-laying flocks (which include heirloom and historic Vanderbilt breeds) have produced 16,080 eggs.

All of Biltmore’s egg layers are free range and are part of our intensive grazing rotation. The eggs are laid, collected, handled and packaged here and never leave the estate. All eggs are processed and incubated in the historic Brooder House. Look for our mobile chicken coops in the fields near the Farm, one of the creative measures our farmers put in place to promote sustainable agriculture on the estate.

Fashionable Florals

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Flowers are as much a part of a wedding celebration as the music or the cake. So when plans began for our Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film exhibition, our Floral Design team got right to work coming up with inspiring designs to set the tone for this delightful affair.

The exhibition includes costumes from 19 films, spanning hundreds of years and far-flung locations starting in 18th-century England and stretching into 1930s Germany. Using the costumes and the rooms where they’ll be located as a starting point, the designers began sketches.

The Entry Hall sets the tone for the exhibition with a dramatic four-tier floral cake under fabric swags lit from the inside with party lights. A floral chandelier in shades of pink dripping with crystal pendants hangs above it. Molly Reed created the design, which includes the 6.5 x 3’-cake form (seen below, in progress) decorated with 450 roses and 150 lilies, both silk and fresh, surrounded by fresh arrangements.

In the Banquet Hall, costumes from the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice called for a loose, English country garden look. A flower dangles from each of the three “love knots” in the ribbons hanging from the room’s two chandeliers, a nod to Regency and Victorian tradition. The three knots represent the three words “I love you,” says Cristy Leonard who designed the room’s florals. Cornelia Vanderbilt had these knots in her bouquet at her 1924 wedding to the Honorable John F.A. Cecil.

In the Music Room, designer Kyla Dana came up with the lush look for the florals accompanying the costumes from the 1988 film The Deceivers, set in early 19th-century British India. Dana used the film’s setting as inspiration for her lush design, featuring silk marigolds—a traditional Indian wedding flower—and purple bougainvillea.

A wedding dress worn by Helena Bonham-Carter in the 1994 film Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is on display in the Library. The theme here is silk roses, mostly in deep red with touches of hot pink. Eight heart-shaped medallions will be affixed to the balcony railings, referencing not only the film’s wedding but one of the more dramatic scenes. In total, there will be around 700 roses in the room.

But the Fashionable Romance exhibition extends beyond Biltmore House. The Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village has been transformed into a stylish gallery featuring stories and objects from Vanderbilt family weddings. While there are no photos of George and Edith Vanderbilt’s wedding, photos allowed designers to re-create both Cornelia Vanderbilt’s dress and bouquet. Designer Lucinda Ledford recreated the stephanotis bouquet held by Mary Lee Ryan at her wedding to Cornelia’s son William A.V. Cecil in 1957, seen below in progress.

Biltmore Floral Department manager Cathy Barnhardt estimates that there will be approximately 3,200 fresh and faux roses in the planned displays throughout the exhibition, with around 1,500 fresh flowers being replaced each week. As you walk through the exhibit, be sure to pay attention to the lovingly designed florals, which add charm and beauty to the exquisite costume displays.

A transatlantic collaboration: Recreating a Vanderbilt family heirloom

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Biltmore’s Curator of Interpretation Leslie Klingner was anticipating the arrival of a special delivery when we met recently to talk with her about a unique collaboration that would result in the re-creation of a Vanderbilt family heirloom. 

Due in the very next day from England was the result of that collaboration: a replica of the wedding gown and veil Cornelia Vanderbilt wore in her 1924 wedding to John Frances Amherst Cecil. The gown is part of our new exhibition opening on Feb. 12, “Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film.”

Because the new exhibition contains a section devoted to wedding stories about the Vanderbilt and Cecil families, Leslie and team decided to have the ensemble recreated for our guests to enjoy. The original gown and veil are not in Biltmore’s archival collection, yet many photographs exist of Cornelia in the dress including one of her standing on the Grand Staircase in Biltmore House.

Leslie and members of Biltmore’s Museum Services Team joined forces with John Bright and his team at London-based Cosprop, Ltd., a respected costumier to film, television and theater. Biltmore has enjoyed a friendship with Bright and his company since working together on bringing their costumes from “Downton Abbey” to Biltmore for an exhibition in 2015. And of course, Bright’s team is responsible for creating the gorgeous film costumes to be featured in “Fashionable Romance.”

Leslie Klingner studies a lace sample being considered for the reconstruction of Cornelia Vanderbilt's wedding dress.

Leslie, staff archivist Jill Hawkins, and curator Lori Garst set about scouring the archives for every photo of Cornelia in her wedding gown they could find. They gathered newspaper clippings about the wedding and descriptions of her dress. They made copies of the material, packed it all up and sent it overseas to Bright. (Back in 1924, news of Cornelia Vanderbilt’s wedding was akin to coverage of what a modern-day celebrity receives when getting married.)

With all of that information, Bright’s team would create a straight satin foundation with long sleeves and a shortened hemline; and an antique lace stole that forms the lace outer layer of the dress. They would also make Cornelia’s dramatic voluminous veil and its lengthy train.

“The silhouette of the dress was very elegant and its unique structure was more common in the 1920s. It’s modern, and closely cut with an undersheath made from very luxe materials. The draping and length were very much in keeping with the changing fashion of the Jazz Age,” Leslie said.

Before any sewing took place, the teams spent many hours planning by conference call. Fabric and lace samples traveled between Asheville and London. In all, the planning process took one year. Actual construction of the dress took a five-person team at Cosprop seven weeks.

Lessons in ingenuity


That an ocean was between the two teams was but a small technicality in recreating Cornelia’s dress. Issues more challenging presented themselves along the way:

  • Cornelia’s exact measurements were unknown. Leslie and team employed their research skills and came up with a composite for Bright. They knew she was tall, and her 1922 passport application confirmed that she was about 5 feet 10 inches tall. For the remaining crucial details, Biltmore Conservator Anne Battram measured one of the few pieces of Cornelia’s clothing in the archives: her French Renaissance page costume she wore during her 21st birthday masquerade party in 1921.
  • Textiles used in the original dress are no longer made. Despite the absence of the same satin weave fabric used for the sheath of the dress, Bright knew where he could find the closest thing that would match the lustrous sheen of Cornelia’s gown. “He did a fabulous job,” Leslie says.
  • The silk tulle required to create the veil’s volume is no longer available in the original width. Bright is an Oscar-winning costumer designer, so his expertise and experience informed his ability to take the widest silk tulle available and work with it to create the right proportions.
  • The silk tulle is ethereal and light making it subject to wilting in humid conditions. To ensure the veil remains as airy and voluminous as it was on Cornelia’s wedding day for the duration of the exhibition, Bright added a layer of nylon tulle underneath to help maintain the body of the fabric.

The dress indeed arrived the day after our talk with Leslie. We checked back in with her about the results.

“We are absolutely ecstatic with the outcome,” says Leslie. “This was a complex project, particularly since many of materials were antique originally and impossible to source, so we knew we would never be able to create a perfect facsimile. But, John Bright and Cosprop created an astounding likeness of the gown – down to the orange blossoms on Cornelia’s veil.”  

You can see the dress for yourself when “Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film” opens Feb. 12.

Featured image: John Bright and his team at Cosprop, Ltd. in London worked from archival photography and newspaper accounts of Cornelia Vanderbilt’s 1924 wedding to John F.A. Cecil to replicate her gown for Biltmore’s new exhibition.

Also featured: Biltmore’s Leslie Klingner compares lace and silk fabric samples sent to her in Asheville, N.C., from Bright in London. 

Building Bridges at Biltmore

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Bridges are a functional and necessary part of getting around Biltmore, and most of us simply drive or walk right over them without really noticing many details. But enormous thought and care went into the planning and construction of these bridges, which are more than a century old.

Hunt, Olmsted, Vanderbilt, and others in the woods

The bridges were designed as a collaborative effort between Biltmore’s architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Brick bridges were typically constructed by the Hunt firm, while the stone bridges were created under Olmsted’s direction.

The first bridges were wooden structures built in the early 1890s prior to the completion of Biltmore House. Although many of the bridges are in areas not now open to guests, there are several that are used and admired every day.

Standing the test of time

You’ll see an enduring example of Olmsted’s stone bridge design about halfway up the Approach Road to Biltmore House. It was created as a horse-ford bridge with a pull-off so that carriages could stop and allow the horses to drink without blocking the road. This bridge once had a semi-circular balcony with a stone bench built into it so that guests could enjoy the scenery and the pond while waiting for the ride to resume.

The iconic brick bridge over the Bass Pond is one of the most beautiful spots on the estate. Its sweeping curve and high archway reflected in the water below made a stunning backdrop a scene in the film Last of the Mohicans—one of many feature films shot at Biltmore–as two central characters rode across it in a horse-drawn carriage.

Details of Bass Pond Bridge

“We know that the Hunt firm designed the Bass Pond bridge, and that it includes brick made at Biltmore Brick and Tileworks,” said Bill Alexander, Landscape and Forest Historian. “Archival records show that it cost $9,570 to complete.”

Another lovely bridge that is often overlooked includes a tunnel allowing pedestrians to cross from the Shrub Garden to the Spring Garden. As you walk or drive between the iron gates in front of Biltmore House, follow the road to the right toward the Conservatory. You’ll cross this bridge just before entering the Walled Garden.

“Olmsted used the same technique in Central Park so that people walking didn’t have to worry about vehicles,” said Bill. “Although it was Olmsted’s idea and plan, Hunt designed and built it. Reading between the lines, we think that Hunt, Olmsted, and Vanderbilt probably planned those important details together.”

Featured photo: Bass Pond Bridge

Righ photo: (L-R, standing) Edward Burnett, Richard Morris Hunt, George Vanderbilt; (L-R, seated) Frederick Law Olmsted, Richard Howland Hunt

Left photo: brick details of Bass Pond Bridge

An outdoor sculpture comes clean

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An outdoor sculpture comes clean, with help from the expert conservators at Biltmore.

“From the iconic marble lions in front of Biltmore House to terra cotta figures, bronzes, and more, the estate features 37 pieces of outdoor sculpture and historic plaques,” said Kara Warren, Preventive Conservation Specialist.

Lion sculpture in front of Biltmore House
One of the two grand marble lion sculptures that guard the Front Door of Biltmore House

According to Kara, each piece of outdoor sculpture is carefully examined and photographed every six months to determine its “health” and what type of cleaning, stabilization, or repairs might be needed.

There are four sphinx sculptures atop stone pillars guarding the massive iron entry and exit gates through which guests pass to get their first glimpse of Biltmore House.

The sphinx appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology as a creature with a human head and torso–usually female–and the hindquarters of a lion. Egypt’s massive Great Sphinx of Giza sculpture is probably the best-known example in the world.

The following photos illustrate how important Biltmore’s process is and what a difference cleaning and preservation make:

An outdoor statue comes clean
This elegant sphinx guards the right side of the iron gates adjacent to Biltmore House

This sphinx is turned as if to watch the Approach Road while the sphinx on the opposite side of the gates looks toward Biltmore House. The sculpture was in need of a thorough cleansing to rid it of biological growth. Scaffolding was built around the sphinx so our conservators could clean it in place.

An outdoor sculpture comes clean
Conservators carefully cleaned half of the sphinx to show a remarkable difference

Biltmore’s preservation experts worked on half of the sculpture at a time to illustrate different stages of the cleaning process. Note how much detail is revealed when the dark biological growth was removed from the hindquarters of this sphinx.

One of four outdoor sphinx statues at Biltmore
The sphinx sculpture cleaned and restored to her full glory

After a thorough cleaning, the classic sphinx sculpture once again welcomes guests to Biltmore House in regal style. 

Learn more about our extensive process to document, clean, and preserve our outdoor sculpture collection.

A Spring Dream Wedding at Biltmore

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Heather Haukaas and Roman Harper
April 18, 2015
Photography by Parker J. Pfister (Above: South Terrace of Biltmore House)

The Couple

Rother: Heather Haukaas and Roman Harper are so close that their friends refer to them in a single name that combines both of their first names. The couple met in high school when Heather caused a splash as the new girl in town in Prattville, Alabama. Their love story spans 16 years as they went together to the University of Alabama, spent time apart, and reunited in New Orleans where Roman was a safety for the New Orleans Saints, and finally to Charlotte, where he now plays for the Carolina Panthers.

The couple knew they wanted a destination wedding and they wanted it to be fun for their guests with a touch of glamour. While at a bridal expo, Heather discovered Biltmore, visited, and fell in love with the beauty of the surroundings. With so many friends and family coming in for the wedding (especially from the East Coast), it was the ideal location, Heather says.

The Big Day 

Getting ready at the Market Gardener’s Cottage on Biltmore Estate

Heather and her bridesmaids stayed in The Cottage on Biltmore Estate, where they spent quality time together preparing for the big day. The private two-bedroom cottage offers a cozy sitting room, full kitchen, and beautiful views of the estate’s farmland. The bride wore Shin Bu of Los Angeles and the groom wore a suit by Fellow suits.

In the courtyard at Deerpark

Rain on your wedding day? It’s good luck! “We had every kind of weather,” says Heather, but the down pours held off during the touching ceremony, performed in front of 200 guests in the courtyard at Deerpark by “Pastor Rob” (Rob Wilton), the chaplain for the New Orleans Saints, a long-time friend of the couple. When it came time for the vows, Heather led the guests in a chant. “When I say I, you say do, I do, I do!”

The happy couple; a pose with their daughters Londyn and Sydney at Biltmore House

Party Time

The reception was held at Deerpark, with pink accents in the flowers and on the tables, each of which had a place marker in honor of special places in the couple’s life, such as the street where they now live and the street on which they got engaged.

Members of the bridal party did a football-style run out to the reception, with each member imitating the style of their favorite players (the bridesmaids were the clear run-out winners, Heather says). The couple followed them, with football jerseys over their formal wear. An evening of dancing and many tearful toasts followed.

We’re thrilled that Heather and Roman chose to start the next chapter of their life together at Biltmore and wish this beautiful couple the best of everything!

Contact us about having your own dream wedding at Biltmore. 

More Than a Housekeeper: Mrs. King

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You may not realize it from her position, but one of the significant figures in Biltmore’s past is Emily Rand King, who served as housekeeper and head of staff for the Vanderbilts from 1897–1914.

Learn about the life of Biltmore’s longtime housekeeper, Mrs. King, in this blog.

Housekeeper's room in Biltmore House.
Housekeeper’s room in Biltmore House.

Three things to know:

  • Although we don’t have photographs of her, there is a great deal of correspondence in the Biltmore archives concerning Mrs. King.
  • She was always referred to as “Mrs.” King, although we believe she was unmarried while working at Biltmore. The title was likely a courtesy used to reflect a level of authority, age, and respect—similar to “Mrs. Hughes,” the head housekeeper in Downton Abbey.
  • Housekeepers of the time were responsible for managing a large staff and keeping track of household expenses in addition to maintaining most aspects of daily life in the home.
Vignette of Mrs. King and Edith Vanderbilt in the Oak Sitting Room as displayed in the 2019 exhibtion,
Vignette of Mrs. King and Edith Vanderbilt in the Oak Sitting Room as displayed in the 2019 exhibition, “A Vanderbilt House Party.”

Early Life & Arrival to Biltmore

Emily King was born December 7, 1853, in the village of Horndon on the Hill, Essex County, England. By her early 20s, she worked as a domestic servant for a London physician.

Sometime prior to August 1897, she traveled to New York on her way to Biltmore, where she joined several English servants on the estate, including the valet, four butlers, a cook, a housemaid, and a coachman. Adding further international flair to the household was an Irish butler, French chef, Swedish laundress, and Italian stable boss.

Biltmore’s archives make it clear Mrs. King was responsible for cleaning the house, caring for the staff, hiring and firing staff members, and also coordinating many aspects of the family’s lives such as meeting with the Vanderbilts each morning to review the chef’s suggested menus and plan for guest activities, then meeting with the Chef and Head Butler to review the plans. She and the Head Butler supervised all staff except for the kitchen staff who worked for the Chef.

During the family’s frequent travels, Mrs. King stayed behind with the Head Butler to ensure the smooth operation of the house, including making arrangements for special guests staying at Biltmore in the family’s absence and preparing the house for their return. She also extended social invitations for Mrs. Vanderbilt, serving as a personal secretary of sorts.

As a high-ranking member of Biltmore’s domestic staff, Mrs. King was provided with horses for her use and was allowed to keep her own dogs in Biltmore House—the dog gate still exists in the Kitchen Hallway that Mrs. Vanderbilt installed to keep the housekeeper’s dogs out.

Detailed view of Mrs. King’s clothing recreation as displayed in “A Vanderbilt House Party” in 2019.

Life After Biltmore

Soon after George Vanderbilt’s death in 1914, Emily King resigned and embarked upon a new life. She met and married W.C. Jones, a widowed farmer from near Raleigh, NC, and moved to Pennsylvania to be near family. Sometime later that year, the couple purchased an orange grove near Apopka, FL. In December 1914, estate superintendent Chauncey Beadle wrote a note of thanks for the box of oranges Mrs. Jones sent to Biltmore for the holidays.

Biltmore curators learned that Emily King Jones purchased and managed a boarding house in Apopka, which she named the Biltmore Inn, and operated it until the early 1920s.

After retiring from a lifetime of serving others, Mrs. Jones returned to Pennsylvania, where she resided until her death in 1926.

Cornelia Vanderbilt’s Wedding: A Sweet Discovery

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Our Museum Services team made a sweet discovery related to Cornelia Vanderbilt’s wedding to the Honorable John F.A. Cecil on April 29, 1924. It’s a fascinating detail that was recently uncovered in an attic—a first for Biltmore—and the sweet discovery all started with a simple phone call.

Fred Cothran proudly holds the keepsake cake from the Vanderbilt-Cecil wedding.
Fred Cothran proudly holds the keepsake cake from the Vanderbilt-Cecil wedding.

A sweet discovery

In 2014, Biltmore acquired a piece of cake for the Biltmore collection, which our curators confirm is the only edible artifact now housed in the archives. Cake? For the archives? Indeed. And even more of an enticing tidbit: we believe that it’s about to be 100 years old!

Candler resident Frederick Cothran, then 96, found the cake in a trunk he inherited from his aunt, Bonnie Revis. Miss Revis was a cook at Biltmore House between 1924 and 1935. He contacted Biltmore’s museum services department to report that he had what he thought was a piece of cheese from Biltmore House. Not wasting any time, Laura Cope, Collections Manager, paid a visit to Cothran.

“Food is personal. People bond over it, and it’s easy to relate to it on several levels,” she says, and that’s why she had to see the cheese for herself.

Keepsake cake with monogram details.
Keepsake cake with monogram details. “CVC” for Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil and “JFAC” for John Francis Amherst Cecil.

When she met Cothran he presented her with a neat and tiny box engraved “Biltmore House” on the top. Two sets of monograms are engraved on either side: “CSV” for Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt; and “JFAC” for John Francis Amherst Cecil.

After getting back to Biltmore House, Laura researched the customs of the day and realized that this was more than likely cake rather than cheese. Then, upon hearing a recording of Paul Towe from Biltmore’s Oral History collection,  she and her colleagues confirmed that this was indeed cake – fruit cake – that the Cecils gave out as favors on their special day.

Mr. Towe recalled attending the wedding as a small boy. Towe’s father was employed at Biltmore in the 1920s and 1930s, and his sister, Sarah, was a flower girl in the wedding. Towe said that “everybody got a little white box with their name on it with a piece of fruit cake.”

Keepsake cake box with Rauscher's stamp
Charles Rauscher was a French confectioner and caterer, and his business, Maison Rauscher, was known as the ‘Delmonico’s of Washington’.

The box top’s underside has a stamp on it, “Rauscher’s – Washington, D.C.” In her research, Laura learned that Rauscher’s catered and supplied many fine confectionaries and baked goods to society families in Washington, including the wedding cake for President Wilson in 1915.

The tradition of wedding cake keepsakes can be traced back to Victorian times, typically sliced from the groom’s cake, which was often a fruit cake. Slices were wrapped and placed in tiny boxes to take home as a memento of the wedding. The belief was if an unmarried woman slept with a piece of the groom’s cake under her pillow, she would dream of her future husband.

Prince William and Katherine Middleton carried out the tradition by sending pieces of boxed cake to commemorate their wedding in 2011.                              

100 year old keepsake cake box from Cornelia's wedding at Biltmore
Cornelia Vanderbilt and John Cecil’s keepsake cake box has stood the test of time for a century.

This 100-year-old piece of cake may be considered an odd addition to a collection that contains famous works of art, books, ancient tapestries and antiques. Historically speaking, that’s not the case.

“This is a clear line connection between our day and their day, so it’s worth the effort to have it in our collection,” Laura said.

Main photo: Guests at the wedding of Cornelia Vanderbilt and John Cecil enjoyed breakfast in the Biltmore House Winter Garden, April 29, 1924.

Cornelia Vanderbilt’s Wedding: It’s All in the Details

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Many people say that the success of an elaborate event lies in the details. Cornelia Vanderbilt’s wedding to the Hon. John F. A. Cecil on April 29, 1924 was no exception—from photographers to invitations to accommodations, many hands insured that all was perfect for the big day.

According to Lori Garst, Biltmore Curator, society columns were aflutter as soon as rumors began about the engagement of John Cecil to Cornelia. Letters from the Washington Times and other inquirers arrived at Biltmore asking if the engagement rumor was indeed true. No information was officially released by Edith Vanderbilt until the decision was made as to what photographer would capture the moments of the wedding and take the official bridal portrait for the newspapers.

An Official Announcement

A formal announcement was made at a dinner hosted by Mrs. Vanderbilt at Biltmore on March 8, 1924. After much conversation, Mrs. Vanderbilt awarded two professional photographers from Washington, D.C. the job. Underwood and Underwood photographed the actual wedding, while Harris Ewing captured incidental photographs including the social whirl which occurred the week prior to the wedding.

Cornelia Vanerbilt's Wedding Invitations
Invitation to Cornelia Vanderbilt’s wedding (left); invitation to the wedding reception (right)

Wedding invitations were one of the first details to secure. While famous New York jewelers, such as Cartier, wrote offering to print the wedding invitations, Adolph & Dungan engravers of Louisville designed the wedding invitations, and Inland Press of Asheville printed them. There were two separate invitations to the occasion. Five hundred people received an invitation to the ceremony at All Souls Church at 12 noon and the reception immediately following at Biltmore House. Another 2,500 received a separate invitation to attend only the wedding reception at 12:30 p.m.

Arrangements & Accommodations

With guests arriving from across the globe, Mrs. Vanderbilt’s secretary, William Ashby, had the job of making travel arrangements to Biltmore and arranging accommodations for the wedding party, close family, and friends. Most guests stayed at the Grove Park Inn, Biltmore Country Club, and Kenilworth Inn. However, 43 guests including members of the wedding party stayed in Biltmore House. Ashby sent extensive instructions for cleaning and furnishing Biltmore House to Mrs. Donohue, the head housekeeper, as early as March 15.

Rooms were updated with new wallpaper and paint, iron beds and mattresses were ordered for the visiting guests’ staff, and all sheets were washed and ironed. The bride’s wedding party stayed in the Oak Sitting Room and Mr. Vanderbilt’s Room, while the maid of honor, Rachel “Bunchy” Strong, stayed with Cornelia in her room. The groomsmen stayed at the Biltmore Forest Country Club which opened just two years prior.

Edith Vanderbilt escorting her daughter Cornelia Vanderbilt for Cornelia's wedding
Edith Vanderbilt escorting her daughter Cornelia into All Souls’ Church for Cornelia’s wedding

Other house guests included the bride’s cousins Mr. and Mrs. John Nicholas Brown, the groom’s father Lord William Cecil, and several of Mr. Vanderbilt’s sisters. Meticulous notes were kept by Mr. Ashby documenting when guests arrived, departed, and what room they stayed in Biltmore House.

No Detail Overlooked

He also kept lists of last minute specifics to make sure nothing was forgotten. His records included seating charts for the church, train reservations for guests’ departures including their preferred train accommodations, wedding gifts and addresses, and cars to be provided for the guests’ convenience. As a final detail, Mr. Ashby secured the assistance of the Biltmore Fire Department to sprinkle the streets of Biltmore with water to keep the dust down.

The Asheville Citizen published extensive accounts of the wedding for two days. While many of the details of the wedding ceremony are found in these articles, the lists and correspondence found in Biltmore’s archives give us a true understanding of the specific arrangements made to insure that Biltmore’s only bride had a perfect day.

Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil and the Honorable John F.A. Cecil as they left All Souls Church
The Honorable and Mrs. John F.A. Cecil as they left All Souls Church

The First Bride of Biltmore

A poem titled “The First Bride of Biltmore,” written by Mrs. Vanderbilt’s sister, Pauline Merrill, painted a beautiful picture of Cornelia Vanderbilt’s wedding day on April 29, 1924.

The sun rose clear and beautiful from the hills that surrounded Biltmore.
All the world seemed happy on that day.
The daughter of the house was to be married.
The beautiful Cornelia who knew all the mountain people;
The Cornelia who loved the house and grounds;
The Cornelia who was loved by all.
The wedding bells pealed joyfully from the belfry of the little old church.
The tenants were crowding to the gate to behold their beloved mistress.
The guests crowded into the church.
The musicians played his best of the little organ.
Finally the bride entered the church escorted by eight bridesmaids and leaning on the arm of her widowed mother.
She looked more beautiful than ever before.
John Cecil, her bridegroom, had reason to smile proudly on his pretty Cornelia.
The marriage service was gone through with, and when Cornelia walked out, with a radiant smile on her face, the children streamed flowers at her feet.
Then they went back to the house.
The enormous rooms were fuller than ever before as the crowd surged forward to congratulate the first bride of Biltmore House.
Her English husband shook hands with a proud smile.
But, at last, it was over and the setting sun shone rosily over the young couple as they started on their honeymoon.

Partners in Good Taste

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George and Edith Vanderbilt served only the finest food to their family and guests. Biltmore continues to honor their heritage today by serving the highest quality foods in estate restaurants and partnering with exceptional vendors to bring those same standards to your table.

That’s why we’ve chosen to partner with Seven Seas International whose mission is to bring the finest fish and seafood products to your table. For more than 130 years, they’ve done just that, building their company on providing sustainable, responsibly-sourced, and delicious seafood.

A Tradition of Culinary Excellence

For more than a century, Biltmore and Seven Seas have shared a tradition of culinary excellence, beginning with George Vanderbilt’s ancestors in the Dutch town of De Bilt,

​where the van de Groep family, founders of Seven Seas, were seafood purveyors to the region.

According to Wien van de Groep, managing director of Seven Seas International, his grandmother began selling fresh fish from a pushcart in Spakenburg, which is about 20 miles from De Bilt. “The Vanderbilts in Holland probably consumed our fish products,” van de Groep said, “because De Bilt was definitely in my grandparent’s distribution area.”

Today these family-owned businesses have reconnected to bring you the finest gourmet seafood.

Be sure to try all of our delicious products sold at your local grocery store. Prepared and smoked with 100% all-natural ingredients, cold smoked varieties include Scottish, Norwegian, and Sockeye. Also try the plain, hot smoked salmon. (Hot smoked only available at Earthfare.)

Find Biltmore Gourmet Salmon at a your local Harris Teeter, Publix, Food City, and Earth Fare. If you have trouble finding the product, please email us at fyhinfo@biltmore.com.

Click here to discover more seafood and recipes.