Planning Your Perfect North GA Wedding – Where to Start
You’re engaged! Congrats!!
Where does your mind jump when you start thinking about planning your wedding? Do you dream about the perfect shot of you and your husband like the one above? Or dress shopping might be first on your mind. Or maybe you go into panic mode just thinking about the long list of details that need to be checked off – and many of those you don’t even know to add to the list yet! That’s where we come in to try and help you through this process. Because you already have a job, or school (or both) and you don’t need another job planning a wedding.
If you are like many of our brides, you are saying “I don’t even know where to start” (and “where I am going to find the time?”. You may have been involved in weddings of close friends or siblings before, but now it’s all on you. You are the one choosing the menu options, perfecting the guest list, making sure your dress is dropped off for alterations on time, and, of course, managing the budget. But you also want to keep date nights with your fiancé. I mean, that’s what this whole wedding is about – right?
As a venue, we are often the first stop in wedding planning. Which is great, because we get to help our couples connect with trusted vendors and set you up for success (without too much stress). But there are a few items you will need to know before you tour a venue to make sure you make the best decision for your wedding.
1. What is your overall budget?
Determining your budget will set the guidelines for the decisions you make throughout the wedding planning process. Check out our Budget Breakdown blog for some categories and budget suggestions for a North Georgia wedding. You can always adjust those categories to best fit you. If photography is a top priority, but a plated dinner is not – then adjust those categories as you need to.
Don’t forget all the “little” things that add up quickly – hair and makeup, invitations, favors, bridal party gifts – these can become a sizable piece of your budget quickly.
2. What is your guest count?
Not only is this one of the biggest drivers of your budget, but it’s a critical piece when looking at wedding venues in North Georgia. Venues will have a maximum guest capacity that you need to make sure matches up with your guest list. Venues will also have different ways of accommodating different size weddings. Our venue has a maximum capacity of 150 with most of our weddings falling in the 80 – 120 range. For a wedding at our max capacity of 150, we can fit everyone inside the barn at a seated dinner which ensures all guests are within the heat/AC as needed for maximum comfort.
Our large covered porch gives space for cocktail hour, dancing or a rain plan for your ceremony.
Knowing your guest count before you set up venue tours will keep you from falling in love with a venue that doesn’t match your wedding needs.
Check out more Guest List Tips here!
3. What is your preferred date?
If you have a specific date that your heart is set on, you want to start looking for venues as early as possible. Saturdays in peak seasons of Spring and Fall may fill up 18 – 24 months in advance. If you have flexibility within a month or season, you will have an easier time finding the perfect venue for you and meeting your date preferences. Don’t forget about Friday and Sunday dates. Most venues provide discounts for these dates, and it gives you more availability around your preferred time.
A few other items that will help you make sure get a great start to planning and finding the perfect venue are: knowing how many in your bridal party, if you have out of town guests that need nearby accommodations and if you have any vendors you know you want to work with. As you start to answer the first few questions, a lot of these items will start to become clear. If the venues you tour don’t have a Tour Information Sheet like ours or ask the questions on the tour, make sure you ask them about these items to understand how it matches up with your wedding needs.
Our Wedding Packages cover many of the details with a full budget listed. This helps with budget planning, choosing vendors, understanding your timeline and many more perks. They are designed to help you plan a beautiful wedding that reflects you as a couple AND allow you time for date nights and dinners with friends!
The most important thing to remember is that you are marrying the love of your life. Keep that as a goal and the other items will fall into place!
Owner, chief dreamer and assistant farmer at Pleasant Union Farm
