A Biltmore Christmas
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Disclaimer: I am a Hallmark nerd!
I am so excited to write this post I can hardly sit still. I sat down to write this and then had to run an unexpected errand and it was as if I was a child on Christmas morning waiting patiently for my mother to get her coffee so my siblings and I could start ripping open perfectly wrapped packages. Finally, I’m back at my desk.
Not only am I a huge fan of the Biltmore Estate, the iconic American estate located in Asheville, North Carolina, but I am a huge fan of Hallmark Christmas movies. Over the years they have become more clever, more humorous, and overall, more enjoyable. Last year they filmed one of my beloved Christmas movies at the Biltmore and it airs this year on November 26 on Hallmark.
I first learned about the Biltmore House in interior design school and whether you were formerly taught or self-taught I just assume that every interior designer knows about the Biltmore, just as they know about Frank Lloyd Wright or David Hicks.
But if you are unfamiliar - The Biltmore was built in 1889-1895 by the Vanderbilt family. It is a 250-room French Renaissance chateau with a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The house contains over four acres of floor space, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.
The 8,000-acre property is now a one-of-a-kind destination and besides the mansion, includes an art exhibit, a winery, dining, shopping, 20+ miles of nature trails, and a hotel. You can truly experience the magic of the Biltmore for days at a time if you desire.
Visiting the Biltmore around the holiday season is a bucket list item of mine and this year not only is A Biltmore Christmas airing on Hallmark, but a mini-documentary called “Behind the Magic” aired and debuted November 2 on YouTube.
A Biltmore Christmas stars Bethany Joy Lenz (loved her in One Tree Hill and other Hallmark Christmas favorites such as An Unexpected Christmas with my Hallmark boyfriend, Tyler Hynes) and Kristoffer Polaha (he’s one of my favorite Hallmark leading men after… did I mention Tyler Hynes?).
Bethany as Lucy Hardgrove, a modern-day screenwriter, and Polaha as Jack Huston, the lead in a beloved holiday movie His Merry Wife!, first filmed at the Biltmore House in 1947 star in this magical, time-traveling, historical Christmas movie. In the film, the classic movie, His Merry Wife! is scheduled to be re-filmed at the iconic estate, but a mysterious hourglass intervenes, and Lucy is transported back in time to 1946 as the cast and crew prepare to re-make the classic movie. So, this is a Christmas movie, within a Christmas movie re-make of a Christmas movie … I think.
Some fun facts about the movie from the Biltmore website:
8 vintage cars were used during the film.
200 yards of artificial snow were used.
9 rooms inside the Biltmore were used for filming.
4 of the 9 rooms were decorated with a 1940s theme.
2 exterior locations directly attached to the Biltmore House were used for filming scenes, including The Loggia and the Library Terrace.
4 rooms in The Inn on Biltmore Estate (the onsite hotel) were used as film sets.
11 costumes were worn by Bethany Joy Lenz.
Super fun facts about Christmas at the Biltmore:
The banquet hall alone features 500 lights, 500 presents, and 500 ornaments.
67 decorated Christmas trees inside Biltmore House.
The largest tree inside the house is a 35-foot-tall Fraser fir that requires 50 staff members to carry in, raise and secure.
45 additional decorated Christmas trees are at other estate locations.
45,000 lights and 282 candles inside the home.
Another 850,000 lights across the rest of the estate.
There are 13,870 ornaments used on the trees inside the home.
More than 1,960 traditional poinsettias are found throughout the estate.
238 fresh wreaths and sprays along with 90 faux pieces are used across the estate.
To learn more about Biltmore House, click here.
To watch the mini-documentary, click Behind the Magic - Biltmore
To watch A Biltmore Christmas, tune into the Hallmark Channel on Sunday, November 26 at 7:00 p.m. CST.
It’s been over a year since I learned that they were filming this movie and I have waited not so patiently since then to watch it. I just hope it lives up to the magical experience that I’ve created in my head. I should probably do a review … stay tuned for a future post about my thoughts on the movie. Yikes, the pressure is on you, Hallmark!
If you are looking for a fun destination, you should look into the Biltmore Estate if you haven’t been. I know I’ll be calling up my girlfriends and booking a trip soon!
Happy Holidays!
xx, Danae