How to Find the Right North Georgia Outdoor Wedding Venue
North Georgia has some of the most beautiful views and gorgeous weather which are ideal for an outdoor wedding venue.
But how do you find the right one for YOUR wedding day?
The one that:
- You can’t stop dreaming about
- Makes you fall in love again
- Guarantees a day you and your guests will love
- Takes care of your wants AND your needs
Choose your ideal Setting
When you’re thinking about your dream outdoor wedding – what do you see?
Blooming gardens?
Forest setting?
Lush fields?
Mountain views?
The setting of your outdoor wedding venue is important, but make sure you pair it with other important location amenities.
Consider if you want privacy to celebrate with your guests or if you prefer the convenience of a park or venue in a busy downtown area. Do you want to be surrounded by the sounds of nature with only your friends and family around? Or do you want to be close to restaurants, bars or other places for photos and continuing the celebration?
What accommodations do you need for your North Georgia outdoor wedding venue?
Accommodations might include:
- overnight lodging onsite or nearby
- getting ready suites for the bride and groom
- covered location for the ceremony or reception in case of weather
- indoor reception space with heat and/or AC
At Pleasant Union Farm, you can make the most of your outdoor wedding venue with gorgeous gardens, a large covered porch, large doors that join the indoor reception space to the outside and loads of string lights! With views of blueberry rows, forests and gardens – you are guaranteed a gorgeous view from any angle!
The barn wedding venue opens up to the outside with 4 large sets of sliding doors that lead to a large covered porch, lawn and gardens. Your guests can play yard games, sit around a cozy fire, dance under string lights or just enjoy the views – all in one easy to access area so no one misses out on any of the festivities!
(Well, except for that one aunt that’s always talking – she will probably miss the announcement about cake cutting. There’s only so much we can do!) 🤷
Know the weather backup plan at your North Georgia outdoor wedding venue
North Georgia has beautiful settings for outdoor weddings, but the weather can change on any day. Knowing the weather plan for your venue when you choose it will help eliminate stress leading up to your wedding day.
You are choosing an outdoor wedding venue for the views. Don’t lose that for your ceremony due to the weather!
Look for a North Georgia outdoor wedding venue with a covered ceremony option that still provide beautiful views!
Not only will this allow you the dream wedding for your ceremony, but it makes a comfortable setting for your guests to celebrate and focus on you.
Choose a venue with an option like the large covered porch at Pleasant Union Farm. The porch is connected to the main reception and bridal suite. This keeps you and your wedding dress dry and beautiful as you make your entrance to the ceremony.
The connection to the reception space allows guests to easily move from ceremony to cocktail hour and reception without rushing through the rain.
Plus, there are views from the covered porch of the gardens and blueberry fields so you still have a beautiful backdrop for your vows.
In addition to the ceremony space, look for outdoor wedding venue options in North Georgia with an indoor reception space.
The reception is where you and your guests will spend the majority of your wedding. Make sure you have a comfortable space to sit, eat dinner, cut cake (without worrying about it melting or attracting insects), and celebrate together.
In Georgia, we highly recommend a space with heat and AC for the reception! Even in Spring and Fall with our best weather, you might have an extra warm day or really cool evening. Having the options of both heat and AC for the reception will keep you and your guests focused on the celebration.
Make sure you ask about the rain plan as you tour and consider venues.
. I know, it’s not fun to think about as you are dreaming of your outdoor wedding, but it’s much better to know the plan from the beginning.
At Pleasant Union Farm, we work with our couples on their rain ceremony set up (which direction they want the ceremony facing on the porch, when the final decision will be made, etc.) at least a month before the wedding. That way it’s not a stress point or decision to be made the week before.
Bonus: Our large covered porch means you don’t have to reserve a tent “just in case”.
Choose the Season for your Outdoor Wedding in North Georgia
One of the best things about North Georgia is we get to enjoy all 4 seasons! Consider what each season offers and what fits your vision.
Spring Weddings in North Georgia are beautiful.
The days warm up, but the evenings are still cool enough for a fire.
Farm, garden or forest settings are filled with blooming shrubs and trees that are perfect for photos. Some of the best Spring blooms like daffodils, tulips, peonies and more add color to gardens and are beautiful choices for a bridal bouquet.
By mid-March, it’s usually starting to warm up and everyone is ready to be outside again! A Spring outdoor wedding is a great chance to celebrate with the added excitement the season brings.
Spring does typically come with more rain – so make sure you have a beautiful rain plan for your North Georgia outdoor wedding venue. The good news in North Georgia, is we tend to have more pop-up showers in the Spring rather than all day rain. We usually can make an outdoor ceremony in the lawn work with a little flexibility.
Check out Spring weddings at this link.
Fall is THE most popular season for weddings at North Georgia outdoor wedding venues!
In North Georgia, Fall tends to have the best weather. Warm days (but not hot) and evenings that cool off to enjoy s’mores around a fire.
Garden venues still have beautiful blooms. Dahlias are a favorite Fall bloom that are beautiful in gardens AND bridal bouquets.
Leaves start to change in late September with the first weekend in November usually being the peak weekend. Consider an outdoor wedding venue in North Georgia with views of a forest, rolling hills or mountains to take advantage of the changing leaves.
View more Fall Wedding photos here!
Summer is a slower season for weddings in North Georgia
But it can be a perfect fit for small weddings or elopements.
Summer is green and filled with blooming flowers. Look for an outdoor wedding venue with gardens for color.
We highly recommend an outdoor wedding venue with AC when considering Summer. Small weddings and elopements work well for ceremony and reception options inside, if needed.
The large covered porch at Pleasant Union Farm has ceiling fans which make it a good location for a short and sweet ceremony, even in the Summer!
Winter weddings are perfect for cozy, holiday vibes.
Small weddings work well in the Winter when people want to celebrate with close friends and family members. Look for a location with a beautiful indoor setting. Add greenery, candles or string lights to create a cozy space.
So how does Pleasant Union Farm work through each season?
The garden and leaves change through the seasons to give you unique backdrops to choose from for your outdoor wedding setup.
The courtyard lawn behind the barn is one of the most popular setups for Spring and Fall. The bride makes her grand entrance through the barn doors into the ceremony. We’ve stood by many brides as they take that last calming breath before walking out to meet their groom. It’s one of our favorite moments!
The lawn ceremony space can be set up to face 3 different directions on the lawn behind the barn. This space feels like a secret garden. It’s the most beautiful part of the venue, but guests don’t see it until they walk through the barn.
In the winter or early spring, before the space has greened up, many of our couples choose to use the barn doors as the ceremony backdrop. These are beautifully framed in greenery with floral or candle decorations along the aisle.
You may bring a custom arbor or use our copper arbor to set up in other spots along the lawn. These areas provide views of the blueberry fields during the ceremony and allow guests to spread out for larger parties. In the Fall, they also allow you to frame the most colorful leaves showing at the time of your wedding.
Finally, consider your guests’ experience at the North Georgia outdoor wedding venue you choose.
Your first thought for an outdoor wedding might include using a friend or family member’s property. There are so many gorgeous farm or mountain properties around North Georgia, so chances are high that you know someone with a beautiful space.
There are lots of moving parts that go into making an outdoor space work for a wedding, though.
You will need to rent tables, chairs and a tent – at a minimum. Those items can quickly add up to an amount close (or equal) to the rental fee of an outdoor wedding venue in North Georgia. Another item that can become a big expense for a blank outdoor space is the rental of a restroom trailer.
Additionally, you will need water, electricity and parking space. Even with these items, you miss out on the comforts many North Georgia wedding venues offer like AC or heat, onsite getting ready spaces, doors to keep insects out, smooth walkways and more.
Choosing an outdoor wedding venue in North Georgia will keep you and your guests comfortable throughout the wedding. You want your guests focused on you and not small, uncomfortable items.
Find a space with shade and spaces for your guests to rest.
Look for pathways that make it easy to walk from ceremony to cocktail and reception areas.
Make sure parking is easy for guests to get to the ceremony space.
You can find all of this and still get the beautiful views you want with a North Georgia outdoor wedding venue.
At Pleasant Union Farm, the venue was designed for outdoor weddings and offers many amenities
- String lights line the covered porch and crisscross over the courtyard for sparkling evening views. (Everything’s better with string lights, right?)
- The lawn, gardens and blueberry fields are all easily accessible for you and your guests.
- A firepit with plenty of seating is perfect for cool fall evenings.
- The gardens are full of wildflowers, blooming shrubs and more that provide beautiful photo backdrops.
Find out more about weddings at Pleasant Union Farm!
More Wedding Planning Posts:
Planning Your Perfect Wedding – Where to Start
Owner, chief dreamer and assistant farmer at Pleasant Union Farm
