We knew from the beginning that we didn't want a traditional ballroom or country club. Both of us really loved the idea of having the reception outside under the stars, and we wanted something that felt cozy and slightly backyard-ish. We wanted it to feel slightly vintage, in the sense that we wanted it to be more like weddings in the "old days" when everyone celebrated at the bride's house (except no one was celebrating in our tiny apartment). I was really inspired, as strange as it might be, by the wedding scenes in Little Women and Little House on the Prairie. I also knew that I wanted it to feel slightly southern, but absolutely did not want a plantation. They were too grand for the type of feel we wanted, and I didn't like the idea of getting married at a place that was so deeply rooted in slavery and oppression.
Logistically, most of our guests are flying in and I wanted it to be fairly easy for them to get to the wedding from the airport. That meant I had to forgo any dreams of having a wedding in the North Georgia Mountains, which would easily be a couple hours drive.
In the end, it came down to two venues: one an old bed and breakfast and the other a polo farm. I thought the polo farm would be the easy choice, because I am obsessed with horses, but when I went to tour it I realized a.) that I would be walking around in my wedding dress on straw and gravel inches from horse poop and b.) that turning a working polo farm into a wedding and dinner-space is actually a large amount of work. In the end, we settled on the bed and breakfast.
The Veranda Inn is in this cute little town of Senoia, right next door to where I grew up (fun fact: it is also the filming location for The Walking Dead, so I get to see lots of zombies on my trips down there!). The Veranda was built in 1906 as the Holberg Hotel. It has fireplaces, tons of character, a huge wraparound porch, rocking chairs, and an old red barn in the back. It couldn't be more perfect for us and I am absolutely in love with it!
Here are a few photos, if you'd like to see.
