Before you fall in love with a venue, make sure it will fit all your guests! Every venue has maximum capacity and some may have a minimum for prime dates. You want to make sure you aren't planning on too many guests or too few. If a venue fits up to 400 and you are only planning on an intimate wedding of 50, you might feel swallowed up in the space. You also want to ask what the layout for the maximum capacity looks like. Will all your guests be in the same open space or spread out in separate rooms? Is the maximum capacity all in conditioned space or does it require outdoor space? Our maximum capacity is set at 160. This provides space for a seated dinner for everyone in our conditioned reception space. Most of our weddings are in the 75 - 130 guest range. One of our favorites was a wedding for 30 guests with a 7 piece band! The band stage was inside along with ceremony and reception since the wedding was in July and air conditioning was important! What about ceremony capacity - especially if it rains? For outdoor venues, do they require a tent? Does the rain plan require a room flip and is there an extra fee for that? The majority of our couples are looking for an outdoor ceremony and we have a beautiful lawn and garden space. If it rains, we also have a large covered deck that will fit a ceremony up to our maximum capacity so you have a built in rain plan that is low stress for you and your guests We would love to have you come for a tour!
- Becky
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If you live in or near Atlanta, GA you know the metro-Atlanta area is huge! The great thing is the list of venue locations gives you plenty of choices. Do you want in-town, fields and farmland, mountains or historic? If you are looking for space and views, you will probably travel outside of the city about an hour or so. We are located right at an hour northwest of Atlanta. The venue is easy to get to from highways but still feels worlds away from the city or suburbs. If you have out of town guests, there are hotels available within 20 minutes of the venue. They are right off a highway exit and easy to access the venue. Shuttles are a great option if you have a large number of out of town guests. And, did you know you can schedule an Uber up to 30 days in advance? This is a great option for in-town guests! We would love to have you come visit and see if the privacy and views are the perfect fit for your North Georgia wedding!
- Becky You know your date is available - yay! Now you need to know if it fits in your budget. There are many factors that affect the cost, and every venue does things a little differently. You want to ask for ALL associated costs. Are there food or beverage minimums? Is tax included or added on? What about service fees? Are there required add on fees - day of coordinator, staff, etc.? Is there a separate fee for the ceremony? We offer a few different package options to fit different budgets. Our All-Inclusive Packages are perfect for the couple who wants a beautiful and low stress wedding planning experience! We pull together proven vendors for catering, cake, flowers, DJ and Coordination and walk you through the planning process. When choosing an all-inclusive option, you want to make sure you are happy with the options included - food, cake, flowers. We offer tastings for our catering and cake options. Our Open House events are great ways to get a preview. You can find all the information and pricing on our packages here.
- Becky Searching for a wedding venue can be overwhelming. Thankfully you can find lists of questions to ask your venue on many blogs and wedding planning sites. We’ve chosen a few to answer for you before you come for a tour so you can start to envision your gorgeous wedding here! One of the first questions you want to ask is - do you have my date available? What season do you envision your wedding in? Are you looking for Fall, cooler weather and changing leaves? Our Fall season typically runs from September to mid-November. This gives you access to Fall wildflowers and leaves. Fall is our busiest season, so ask about your date as soon as you can to get it booked. Saturdays book up first, but we offer discounts for Friday and Sunday dates which are great options. Spring weddings are filled with gorgeous blooms! Spring season typically runs from mid-March to May. Bright florals or pastels are beautiful during the spring. The gardens add tons of color and decor during the Spring! Summer weddings are filled with golden light and longer days. June and early July are most popular for Summer weddings. Enjoy dancing on the deck with lightning bugs flickering in the garden. So, how do you find out if your date is available? Fill out our Tour Request form, send us an email or give us a call! We will let you know what we have available and get a tour scheduled as soon as possible so you can book your date! We offer tours evenings and weekends to help with your busy schedule.
We can’t wait to hear from you! - Becky Trying to plan an event for a large group of people and keep it flowing smoothly can be challenging! A Day of Coordinator can be your best friend during this time. They know what goes into the event, how long things usually take and can help guide you through what you do or don't want to include for your wedding. Different types of ceremonies can influence a wedding timeline, but we've give you an overview of a typical wedding flow that fits our venue (and others like it). Wedding Day Timeline 9am - 10am Begin hair and makeup. This all depends on how many are in your bridal party, where this is being done (salon, hotel, venue) and, most importantly, how long your vendors tell you they need. 2:30pm Arrive at venue - this can be split with bridal party arriving first and then groomsmen. It will depend on the plan with your photographer. 2:30pm Photographer begins taking pictures of details - dress, rings, bouquet, etc. 3pm - 4pm Bridal party photos taken before ceremony. First look if desired. 4:15pm Bride is tucked away. We want to make sure the bride is hidden before guests begin to arrive so they don't see her before she walks down the aisle! 4:30pm Guests begin arriving. 5pm Ceremony begins. 5:30pm Ceremony ends, Cocktail hour begins. 5:30 - 6:15pm Cocktail hour for guests - we recommend appetizers and drinks to keep your guests occupied while you finish family photos and newly wed photos.
6:30pm Guests invited into dinner. 6:40 - 7pm Announcements, first dance 7pm - 8pm Dinner 8pm Cake cutting, Toasts 8:30 - 10pm Dancing! 10pm Send off When I was engaged I had several moments of sheer joy admiring my shiny engagement ring, only to be interrupted by panic moments filled with questions of wedding planning - how much food do I need for the guest count, what should the guest count be, what if it rains, etc. Does this sound like you at all? We've got some common questions and answers laid out for you below. So, read through, take a deep breath, and admire your shiny ring again! What does an average wedding cost?An average wedding in Georgia ranges from $20,000 - $35,000. Your guest count is one of THE BIGGEST drivers of your budget (hint: the weddings for $20,000 did not have 200+ guests). For more info on what goes into the budget, check out our post - Breakdown of a Wedding Budget. Who must I invite?This can often be one of the most stressful parts of the initial planning. It's a joint effort between the couple and the families - you may not think about great Aunt Judy being there, but your mom keeps in regular contact with her and great Aunt Judy would be heartbroken to not be there and celebrate with you. Determine the type of event you want - intimate or large celebration. Explain to your families why you would like to go that way and then develop the list from there. Who lifts the veil?Traditionally whoever walks the bride down and gives her away will lift the veil. You can also leave the veil down throughout the ceremony and the groom can lift it before the first kiss. It's sweet either way! PS - you don't have to wear a veil! How long is a reception?Typically about 4 hours. This gives you time for a cocktail hour (while you take photos), dinner, toasts, cake cutting, and dancing. At Pleasant Union Farm - we provide 5 hours of event time from ceremony through send off which gives you plenty of time to spend with your guests. Should we provide meals for vendors on wedding day?For vendors that are there during the full event, yes, you should provide them with a meal. Be sure to check your contract with the vendors also as they often give specifics on the meal and when they take a break for that meal. You want them performing at their peak during your wedding day! Who should be invited to the Rehearsal Dinner?The rehearsal is to make sure everyone involved in the ceremony knows their role. For rehearsal and dinner, this typically includes bridal party, officiant, immediate family, flower girl and ring bearer. It's also common to include any family have traveled from out of town to provide more time together. Make sure you talk through the plan with whoever is paying for the dinner so everyone is on the same page. Do we have to have favors for the guests?If it's not in the budget, this is an area you can eliminate. Small (edible) favors are usually preferred - cookies to go, small candies. A photobooth is also a great idea instead of traditional "favors" because it gives guests something to do during cocktail hour, provide additional photos for the couple and most provide a print out for the guests to take home with them. When should we send out invitations?It's customary to send out invitations 6 - 8 weeks before the wedding. This gives guests time to plan and to RSVP. Who makes the speeches?Traditionally the father of the bride starts the toasts, followed by maid of honor and best man. It's always nice for the bride and groom to thank their guests for coming to celebrate with them. Photos by Hillary Leah Photography -Becky If you are looking for unique, flavorful cocktails for your reception - we've got you covered! Brittney Holloway with Milk & Honey Bartending has whipped up 4 delicious cocktails perfect for your Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter wedding. Spring - St. Elder CoolerCucumber Vodka | Elderflower Liqueur | Fresh Squeezed Lime | Organic Cane Simple | Club Soda | Fresh Mint (cool + refreshing) Summer - Magenta + FizzOrganic Gin | House Made Hibiscus + Orange Syrup*| Fresh Squeezed Lemon | Prosecco | Lemon Peel (fizzy + sweet) Fall - A Bird's Eye Old FashionedBourbon | House Made Ginger + Thai Chili Syrup*| Aromatic Bitters | Orange Bitters | Orange Peel (sweet yet spicy) Winter - My Paloma Is Smokin'Mezcal | Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit | Fresh Squeezed Lime | Organic Cane Simple | Club Soda | Rosemary (smoky + refreshing) *House made syrups are hand crafted in small batches with real ingredients by Milk & Honey Bartending.
Cheers! Brittney Holloway Owner/Bartender Milk & Honey Bartending: A Mobile Bartending Service Photo credit Andy Calvert Photography You've almost made it! You are down to the final month before you start the rest of your life together. You'll have a few items to wrap up and then hand everything off to a Day of Coordinator so you can enjoy your wedding day. 1. Finalize your guest count. If you haven't received all your RSVP's, make sure you call, email, text to follow up with each person on your list and get their final response. You will need to let your venue, caterer, cake designer, florist, etc. know this final count so they have everything prepared for your wedding. 2. Purchase guest book and other details. Make sure you have the guest book, plenty of pens, unity candles and holders, frames for any photographs to display, etc. Go through the plan table by table on what you will need and make a list. Photo credit Kaptured Photography 3. Finalize day of timeline. Sit down with your Day of Coordinator and get all the details worked out. That will allow you to focus on your fiance and soak in the day. Make sure they coordinate the timeline with your photographer so everyone is on the same page. Get copies sent out to all your vendors and your bridal party. 4. Final site walk through. Now that you have the final guest count, your venue or planner will finalize the layout for ceremony and reception. You should also talk through a rain contingency plan and when that decision needs to be made. Get everything prepared now so you don't stress about it the week leading up to your wedding. (and remember, even if it rains, you will be married and enjoying the time with friends and family!) Photo credit Camille Wilson Photography 5. Break in your wedding shoes. You'll be dancing the night away so make sure they are comfortable. Wear them around the house, show them off to friends, whatever you need to do to make sure you don't regret your choice. This goes for heels or flats! I neglected to break in the ballet flats I chose for my wedding day and quickly changed them out for flip flops at the reception (which, is also an OK back up plan). Photo credit Camille Wilson Photography 6. Develop seating chart for reception. If you are doing a seating plan, now is the time to set that up. You'll have the final guest list and layout to work from. Think through groups that will like to sit together, mix it up with the "life of the party" guests throughout the plan so everyone stays entertained. Check out our post here for more seating plan tips. 7. Get your marriage license! You'll go to the courthouse in the county you will be married in to get this important piece of information. Post the required selfie on Instagram. And then, try to relax! If you've followed our tips along the way, you'll have the details covered. Focus on getting those last items packed for the honeymoon!
- Becky Find out about tasks for 2 - 3 months here. Photo credit Kaptured Photography Good news - the "to-do" lists are getting shorter! (Unless you're like my husband and I who planned our whole wedding in 3 months - then you're probably just getting started - feel free to hit me up for advice if you're there with us!) 1. Discuss pre-wedding parties with Maid of Honor and Best Man. Fun stuff! Decide what you want to do to celebrate with your bridal party. An all out bachelor party? A weekend at the lake? It's totally up to you and your crew. If your Maid of Honor and Best Man really know you well, let them plan it! Again, one less thing for you to do. 2. Purchase wedding day accessories for bride. Finalize those details - the earrings, necklace, hair accessories. All the sparkly little details that complete your wedding day look. On wedding day, make sure you have all these things set aside for your photographer to capture. (Read more about details to discuss with your photographer here). Photo credit Mejia Jones Photography 3. Schedule your stylist trial sessions. Once you have your inspiration photos nailed down, set up time with your stylist to do a trial. This lets you see the results and tweak it so your stylist will have it perfect on your wedding day. This is the time to speak up if something isn't exactly the way you want. Your stylist wants to know so they can make you feel beautiful! 4. Mail Invitations. Check, check! Make sure to ask for RSVP's before the 30 day mark. You'll need that info for vendors and we all know someone will be late. You will probably have to follow up with some people who don't RSVP. Call, text, email. Make sure you know who is and isn't coming so you don't pay for extra guests. Photo credit Mackenzie Ortiz Photography 5. Decide on your bridal party processional order and ceremony details. Nail these down with your officiant and coordinator. There are several ways to structure your processional and ceremony. The only wrong way is the one that doesn't fit you as a couple. Your officiant can give guidance on ceremony details and what you may or may not want to include. Sit down with your coordinator to understand some common bridal party processionals and what fits your wedding. 6. Order guest favors. If you are providing favors for your guests, order those now. There are endless options for guest favors - food related items are the most often taken home! We've had couples that hand made candles or soap for guests. Our Farm to Table weddings have used our handmade goat milk soaps or lotions for favors. A late night cookie truck as a take away? Yes, please! You probably have a lot of non-wedding related items going on now, too. Getting settled into a new house or apartment, getting used to your fiance's pets full time, spending more and more time with each other's families. Planning a honeymoon! Take time to focus on those items, too. Enjoy the last bit of time before your last name changes. We know you're looking forward to the big day and starting your life together, but savor the moments as they come - you won't regret it.
- Becky Get your 4 month "to do" items here. Find your next steps for 1 month out here. Photo credit Capture Thirteen Photography You're getting closer to your big day! Which means just as you finished your checklist from last month, you better start on the next one. At 4 - 5 months out, you'll want to focus on getting details wrapped up in some areas. 1. Choose your something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. As a blueberry farm, we are a bit partial to anytime a bride uses our blueberries as their something blue! This is a great opportunity to include details and people that mean something to you in your wedding. Pinterest is full of ideas and we love seeing creative ones. 2. Book your wedding cake. After you've done your tastings, confirm with the cake designer of your choice. Finalize the design and give them a guest count estimate. (Bonus points if you include blueberries - something blue AND extra tasty!) Photo credit Mejia Jones Photography 3. Prepare for your first fitting. Buy your lingerie and any other essentials you need to make sure your fitting is accurate. What you wear under your dress can make a big difference in how the dress fits, so make sure you have those details down and your get the most out of your fitting. 4. Find inspiration photos for your hair and makeup. Pinterest is your friend again for these photos. Another great place to look are styled shoots which are often published on bridal websites or in magazines. Hair and makeup artists will show the latest trends in these shoots and give you some great new ideas. Photo credit Anchors Aweigh Photography 5. Choose your bridesmaids accessories. Earrings, necklaces, shoes - all the finishing touches. This can also be a great idea for bridal party gifts. Who doesn't love something new and sparkly? 6. Finalize attire for other bridal party members. Flower girl dresses, bow ties for ring bearer or groomsmen. Get it all finalized and ordered. There are so many details that go into planning your wedding. Keep an eye out for things you can ask others to help with. If you trust your sister's taste and her daughter is your flower girl, maybe give her a general idea of what you like and let her choose something. If your groom's style is one of the reasons you love him, ask him for ideas for his groomsmen. You'll need as much help as you can get as the wedding day gets closer! Photo credit Hillary Leah Photography 7. Purchase your wedding bands. It's common to purchase the wedding band along with the bride's engagement ring, but you probably need to pick out your groom's band. There are a ton of great options for guys bands, besides the traditional gold band. Titanium is a great option if he's hard on things. Wood or horn inset bands are understated. There are even non-metal options which are great for some professions or fit an athlete's style. That's it for month 4! Good news is, your check list should have a lot more checks on it than empty boxes now. Make sure you take plenty of breaks from wedding planning to spend time with your fiance (not discussing wedding plans). Spend time with friends and family too - again, not talking about wedding planning. Those breaks will keep you from rehashing decisions over and over, and keep you sane. As always, feel free to drop us any questions in the comments!
- Becky Read the previous post on 6 month planning. |
AuthorPleasant Union Farm is a family owned wedding venue in North Georgia, about an hour north of Atlanta. Archives
June 2023
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