For anybody who hasn't visited Charlottesville before: The main area of interest for visitors is a pedestrian mall with shops and restaurants. The Dancing Portion of the wedding will be at a music venue on the mall, so everybody will get to see it then! Food and drink recommendations below are mostly in the orbit of this.
On Saturday morning, there are two Farmer's Markets that are right near all of the wedding events. One is in the Water Street Parking Lot, across the street from the Downtown Mall. The other is in IX Park, an "Art Park" that is really just a parking lot for a brewery that people have dropped some sculptures in. IX Park is where the Welcome Party is.
Nice pizza place, cool bar there and next door. They also have a pickup window at IX Art Park.
Industrial strength coffee that we will need for the task at hand.
Our favorite Mexican food in town!
Walk-up window with a few outdoor seats and really good vegetarian Banh Mi.
Burgers and sports, open late by Charlottesville standards.
Great breakfast / lunch spot in our neighborhood.
Fun Thai spot downtown!
Friendly place with ramen, Korean fried chicken bites and a rotating menu of rare delicacies.
Very normal sports bar, good for big groups that are looking to get an easy table. (maybe the NBA finals will be happening)
Easygoing place in a shopping plaza for big groups with a car to have simple lunch.
Beloved bagel place that we can't really recommend in good conscience due to the long lines. Maybe you'll do it anyway!
Shaded boardwalk through the trees, nice easy walk for skeptics.
A few ideas: Black Rock Peak — quick mostly flat hike out to a western viewpoint with scrambling rocks, view the perfect sunset. <1 mile to the view Humpback Rock — closest good hike to Charlottesville (~25 minute drive). Pretty strenuous 1.3 mile to the peak Dark Hollow Falls — cold ice-water series-of-three falls. ~1 hour hike time, ~70 minute drive time Big Meadows — big expanse in Shenandoah to watch the stars, run with the deer at night, play in the long grass. ~70 min drive time heading mostly North. Near Dark Hollow Falls, make a day of it! Hawksbill Peak — Beautiful peak, less strenuous than humpback rocks, a little shorter of a hike. Near Dark Hollow Falls and Big Meadows.