Tips for Saying I Do to Your Wedding Venue PLUS 10 Atlanta

Tips for Saying I Do to Your Wedding Venue PLUS 10 Atlanta Wedding Venues
on (or around!) the Midtown Mile
Often called the “Heart of the Arts” by locals, Midtown Atlanta is home to a
wealth of cultural attractions (museums, the symphony, theaters) as well as
some of the city’s most iconic and historic buildings. With so much to offer,
it’s an exciting place to host a wedding.
But before we share with you some of our top picks for Atlanta venues, here
are a few tips to consider before booking your wedding location—no matter
where you’re getting married!
Don’t Break The Bank
If you fall in love with a certain wedding venue, ask the venue
representative to put together a proposal with all the pricing and
policies—including the tax and service charge—so you have an idea of the
basic cost.
Pics Or It Didn’t Happen
Use your cell phone (or a digital camera) to take photos or videos of the
wedding locations you visit, so that you have a record of what you liked or
didn’t like about them. And if you’re planning to visit more than a few
venues, it’s a good idea to snap a photo of each one’s sign when you
arrive—that way you won’t get confused about which place is which when you
review your photos later.
Consider The Big Picture
Pay attention to the venue as a whole: Check out everything, including the
restrooms, the foyer, the dressing rooms, the outdoor lighting and even the
kitchen. You want to be sure your vision can be realized at this location. If
possible, make arrangements with the site representative to visit the venue
when it’s set up for a wedding.
Get Everything In Writing!
Your date is not officially reserved until you sign a contract and, in many
cases, give a deposit—even if a site contact says you don’t need to worry
about it. Once you’ve found THE PLACE, make sure you ask what is required to
get your booking locked in and then follow through on satisfying those
requirements. And don’t assume that just because the site coordinator said
you can have 4 votive candles per table you’ll get them. Before you sign a
contract, read the fine print and make sure it includes everything you and
the site contact agreed on. As new things are added or changed in your
contract, have the updated version printed out and signed by you and the site
representative. Also, document all your conversations in emails and keep your
correspondence.
For a comprehensive list of questions to ask your wedding venue, check out
our Q to A on HereComesTheGuide.com.
And now, here are 10 venues that will help you tap into the area’s energetic
vibe (listed in no particular order).
The Atlanta Event Center at Opera
Location: 1150 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta GA
Style: Ornate, grand
Interesting Tidbit: The Opera House was added on to the historic Wimbish
House in 1920.
Event Space Highlights: This splendid Opera House boasts a concert stage,
dance floor, and a spacious three-tiered balcony overlooking it all. The
venue comes with a private bar, luxury opera boxes and lounge seating, plus
state-of-the-art sound and AV technology. A tentable outdoor patio features
large fountains and water walls, lush greenery, cabana seating, three bars
and a view of the Midtown Skyline.
Notable Services: Their event planners and catering team will help you create
a customized celebration.
Accommodations: None
W Atlanta Midtown
Location: 188 Fourteenth Street NE, Atlanta GA
Style: Sleek, contemporary and cozy
Fab Feature: Their outdoor pool has four private cabanas outfitted with a
sophisticated sound system and wireless Internet access.
Event Space Highlights: Altitude, the private room at the top of the hotel,
features floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city’s skyline.
Notable Services: You can have a Mac and Cheese or Tater Tot Bar at your
reception!
Accommodations: 466 guest rooms and suites
Georgian Terrace Hotel
Location: 659 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta GA
Style: Historic, classic, elegant
Interesting Tidbit: Famous guests over the last century include Enrico
Caruso, Elvis Presley and Walt Disney. In 1939, the hotel generated a lot of
buzz when it hosted the premiere gala for Gone with The Wind.
Event Space Highlights: Three ballrooms featuring crystal chandeliers,
exquisite architectural details, and natural light accommodate both large and
small events.
Notable Services: Customized reception food is provided by Catering by
Livingston, known for their fresh, innovative American cuisine.
Accommodations: 326 guest rooms and suites
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Location: 1345 Piedmont Avenue NE, Atlanta GA
Style: Mother Nature meets civilization
Fab Feature: The garden boasts a world-renowned collection of orchids,
maples, and an urban forest, not to mention an Edible Garden and Outdoor
Kitchen for intimate gatherings.
Event Space Highlights: There are eight outdoor wedding sites, from the
gorgeous Rose Garden and the Robinson Gazebo (with its view of the pond) to
the private brick-walled Trustees Garden. Indoor festivities take place in
Mershon Hall, an elegant setting that features classical architecture,
contemporary interior design, and its own patio.
Notable Services: Discounts are offered to nonprofit organizations and for
Friday and Sunday events.
Accommodations: None
Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta
Location: 75 Fourteenth Street NE, Atlanta GA
Style: Contemporary luxury
Fab Feature: The sweeping grand staircase and jaw-dropping Baccarat crystal
chandeliers in the hotel’s multilevel lobby.
Event Space Highlights: The beautiful outdoor Terrace and Ballroom are both
designed for ceremonies and receptions and offer stunning views of the city
skyline.
Wedding Package Perks: All wedding packages include complimentary upgraded
linens and chairs, a custom wedding cake, and a complimentary wedding-night
stay for the newlyweds (applies to Ballroom weddings only), plus a variety of
other amenities.
Accommodations: 244 guest rooms and 18 suites
The Woodruff Arts Center
Location: 1280 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta GA
Style: Modern, awe-inspiring
Fab Feature: You can arrange for your guests to get a private tour of the
museum’s awesome collections of American, European, African and decorative
arts as well as Folk, modern and photography exhibits.
Event Space Highlights: Both the signature Richard Meier-designed, fourstory, light-bathed Robinson Atrium and the Renzo Piano glass-enclosed Taylor
Lobby provide views of the central Piazza.
Notable Services: Event cuisine is provided by Woodruff Catering, whose
seasonal farm-to-fork menus focus on fresh, local ingredients.
Accommodations: None
The Biltmore
Location: 817 West Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta GA
Style: Opulent, glamorous
Interesting Tidbit: Once dubbed the “South’s Supreme Hotel,” the 1924 gem was
renovated in 1999 and transformed into a combination of office and retail
space along with a spectacular event venue.
Event Space Highlights: The Georgian and Imperial Ballrooms feature original
handcrafted plaster relief ceilings, restored crystal chandeliers, Palladian
windows and Tennessee marble floors.
Notable Services: You get a $1,000 discount on the room rental when you use
their preferred caterer and event décor company, Bold American Events.
Accommodations: None
Rhodes Hall
Location: 1516 Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta GA
Style: Romanesque Revival mansion
Interesting Tidbit: Built between 1902 and 1904, the castle-like, granite
mansion cost almost $50,000, an extravagant sum at the time. It was also
illuminated by over 300 light bulbs that produced a blaze of light rarely
seen in those days.
Event Space Highlights: The Reception Room is designed with elaborate
woodwork, and at one end there’s a sweeping mahogany staircase backed by a
series of tall, painted windows. Other spaces feature high ceilings, a wealth
of architectural details and silk wall coverings and drapes. The front lawn
works well for outdoor ceremonies.
Notable Services: If you use one of their approved caterers, you get a $1,000
discount on the catering fee.
Accommodations: None
Renaissance Atlanta Midtown Hotel
Location: 866 West Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta GA
Style: Boutique, trendy
Fab Feature: A floating, 442-gallon salt water aquarium in the lobby, where
they offer a complimentary wine hour on weekday evenings.
Event Space Highlights: Rooftop 866 is perfect for an intimate celebration,
offering resort-style cabanas in a garden-like setting with a panoramic view
of the glittering Atlanta skyline. Larger parties take place in the High
Ballroom or the Atlanta Midtown Ballroom.
Notable Services: Certified Wedding Planners will help you choreograph your
event. You can choose one of the hotel’s innovative menus, or have their
chefs tailor a menu to your tastes.
The Piedmont Room
Location: 500 Tenth Street NE, Atlanta GA
Style: Relaxed elegance
Interesting Tidbit: The Piedmont Room is part of a building that was
originally built in the late 1920s as horse stables for local racing
enthusiasts. It was transformed into a special event venue in the late 1990s.
Event Space Highlights: The Piedmont Room boasts a soaring 30-foot ceiling
and 12-foot-tall windows framing views of Piedmont Park and the Midtown
skyline. For outdoor parties, the Garden Tent is outfitted with white silk
lining, crystal chandeliers, gold Chiavari chairs, a checkered dance floor
and festive Chinese lanterns.
Notable Services: Fun menu options include stations serving shrimp and grits
martinis, hash browns or stir fry; a mini-burger bar; a seasonal display or a
gourmet buffet.
Accommodations: None
Love these venues and want to see more? We thought so! Check out our full
list of Atlanta wedding locations.
Atlanta
Philadelphia
Houston
Ft. Lauderdale
Author Bio: Katelyn League
Our satellite office in Austin, Texas, fell just a little bit in love the day
Katelyn entered our midst. She encompasses the ideal one-two punch of fierce
tenacity and southern charm that qualifies her as a Here Comes The Guide gal,
through and through. By day you can find her chatting with her clients about
Auburn Football (War Eagle!), or utilizing her eye for design to ‘pretty us
up’. And by night, watch out as this girl roughs things up on the co-ed
soccer field and then heads home to cook a gourmet gluten-free meal. Yes, she
really can do it all. Don’t simply take our word for it though—we dare you to
pick up the phone and give her a call. No doubt you’ll swoon, just like we
have.