Ultimate Guide to A Luxury Destination Wedding in the south
The Southeast USA is a treasure trove of breathtaking wedding destinations, especially in the Tennessee Mountains. Planning a luxury destination wedding in this region requires attention to detail, insider knowledge, and a commitment to creating an unforgettable experience for you and your guests. Here’s how to make your Southeast destination wedding truly extraordinary.
at tennessee Riverplace, by Keren Trevino
1. Choose a Venue That Reflects Your Vision
Our recommendations that we love planning at:
Howe Farms Venues, especially The Pavilion
At Blackberry Ridge, photo by @hannahphoto.co
2. Prioritize Guest Experience
a few fun ones we’ve seen over the years:
sunset dinner cruise on the southern belle
welcome baskets with local goodies, created by sophie’s
a fun night out at whiskey cowgirl
downtown chattanooga, tn, photo by be light photography
3. Embrace Local Flair in Your Décor and Menu
Infuse your wedding with regional charm while maintaining a luxurious aesthetic:
Incorporate local blooms, such as magnolias, gardenias, or Spanish moss accents, into your floral arrangements
Design a menu that highlights Southern cuisine with a gourmet twist, like shrimp and grits, fried green tomato canapés, or craft bourbon cocktails
Work with local artisans to include bespoke elements, like custom calligraphy featuring regional landmarks
flatlay for one of our mclemore resort couples, photo by austin gros
4. Build a Dream Team of Vendors Familiar with the Region
Planning a destination wedding requires a team that understands the local landscape. Choose vendors with experience in the Southeast who can navigate unique challenges, from unpredictable weather to logistics for remote venues. Your planner will also ensure seamless coordination among vendors and troubleshoot any last-minute surprises. We recommend starting with a planning team you trust to help you with that process!
5. Account for Weather and Seasonal Nuances
The Southeast is known for its warm climate, but it’s essential to plan for seasonal nuances:
Spring and fall offer pleasant temperatures but may coincide with peak wedding season—book your venue and vendors early
Summer weddings can be magical but plan for heat and humidity with shaded ceremony spaces and cooling stations. Also, bugs!
having a solid and well thought out rain/bad weather plan is always recommended, no matter the time of year
at howe farms, photo by okcrowe
6. Provide Luxurious Travel and Accommodation Options
Ease the stress of travel for your guests by recommending upscale accommodations and transportation:
• Arrange group room blocks at luxury hotels or resorts
• Offer shuttles or private car services to transport guests to the venue - we recommend the southern trolly in nooga shuttles’ fleet!
• Provide concierge-style recommendations for local attractions, dining, and activities
7. Host Multi-Day Celebrations
Elevate your destination wedding by extending the festivities over multiple days. Include events such as:
A welcome party with live music and cocktails to kick off the celebration
A farewell brunch featuring Southern staples like biscuits and gravy or sweet potato pancakes
Optional excursions for guests, such as plantation tours, wine tastings, or beach outings
at commonhouse, photo by mackenzie Alexa
A luxury destination wedding in the Southeast USA offers the perfect blend of elegance, charm, and hospitality. By selecting the right team of professionals, incorporating local flair, and prioritizing your guests’ experience, you can create a celebration that feels effortless yet unforgettable. Ready to start planning your dream destination wedding in the Southeast? Let’s bring your vision to life!
7 Expert Tips for Planning a Seamless Luxury Wedding
Planning a wedding requires attention to detail and expertise, and it certainly can be a daunting task to get started. According to Martha Stewart Weddings, couples spend anywhere from 150-300 hours planning their magical day! Thankfully, the Maggie Walker Weddings Team has combined 18 years of experience to guide you and help take the planing burden off your shoulders. Here are seven tips from our expert planners to ensure your big day goes off without a hitch.
Tip 1: Start with a Vision
Discuss the importance of having a clear vision and theme with your partner and then with your planner.
The first thing we ask our couples is to identify their top priorities, both as a couple and individually. Regardless of budget, everyone faces compromises during planning. By centering decisions around what matters most, you can ensure the planning process and wedding weekend feel purposeful and meaningful. Collaborating closely with your planner will bring this vision to life!
Tip 2: Budget Wisely
The biggest determining factor for your wedding budget is your guest count.
Proposals from your catering and bar team, florist, decor and staffing, dessert baker, and beauty team – all of these vendors and more build quotes around a final head count. These conversations about who can be invited are always tricky, but understanding that the final number of guests will have a huge impact on how your budget is prioritized is crucial.
This is why our team starts with tip #1, rather than jumping straight into a conversation about the budget. If we can help you understand what is most important to feeling celebrated, then we can offer appropriate budget advice!
Tip 3: Choose the Right Venue
Choosing the space you’ll be getting married and celebrating in often molds the remaining major planning decisions. Your venue is such a grounding part of design choices and determing the logistics breakdown for your day. Knowing your priorities, your guest count, and therefore, your ideal budget range largely plays into what available venues are a good fit for you.
Other things to consider:
the time of year and the different weather hurdles it can bring. Think: rain and storms, heat and bugs, chill and icy roads, and wind!
Being open to available dates your perfect venue has to offer, instead of sticking to a specific date or time of year - sometimes, a different time of year may suprise you!
~ OR ~ sticking to a specific, meaningful date and solely choosing venues that are available for that day.
Discuss options with your planner to gain their advice and insight to the pros and cons of each venue option.
Check out this Junebug Weddings article to get even more insight.
Tip 4: Hire Top-Tier Vendors
The last thing any couple needs to deal with is a vendor with a bad attitude and poor communication. Often, this is a very frustrating part of wedding planning that doesn’t need to be! The importance of hiring top-notch vendors known for their reliablity in the luxury wedding industry, experience in working weddings similar to your vision, and overall customer service is unparalleled to easing wedding planning stress.
This is why we call our vendor list a respected vendor list. We only recommend vendors that love the wedding industry and know how to navigate it professionally and joyfully.
Tip 5: Personalize the Details
The art of tuning out the noise is especially necessary when planning your wedding. Remember, this day is a chance to reflect what you love about your partner and to enjoy the start of marriage with your loved ones!
Again, keep focused on the top priorities you and your partner identified early on in the planning process. Ask your planner to help keep you grounded in those choices. Enjoy adding details that show off your relationship to make this more fun! Some things we’ve seen over the years that we love:
Involving your pets on the day, whether actually having them attend or simply naming a signature cocktail after your furry friend.
Replacing table numbers with childhood pictures of you and your partner at that age.
Incorporating places you and your partner have traveled into the decor, like a Tuscan villa-themed dinner or a Tulum beach-themed after-party.
Celebrating both of your beliefs and/or ethnicities in the ceremony to unite these important parts of your identity into your marriage.
Tip 6: Plan for Contingencies
One of the main tasks of our planning team is to plan a detailed backup plan or rain plan. Often, the backup plan isn’t actually shaped around weather but other hurdles that may lead to a last-minute change. This could be other severe weather, sure, but it can also be a bride with high social anxiety, an ex-military groom with PTSD, or a mother-in-law requiring ADA accommodations.
Additionally, your planning team and hired vendors should be prepared for the uncontrollables. Sometimes, unfortunately, there are circumstances that arise that are unforeseen or unprepared for. This is when having an experienced planning team really is worth the investment.
For example, the shuttle gets a flat tire leaving the hotel, but the shuttle company and planning team have a policy in place for how to efficiently get guests to the venue in a timely and safe manner. This is something obviously no one could see coming, but the planning team is aware of how the hired shuttle company operates and is able to step in and handle the stress on behalf of the couple and their arriving guests with the utmost care.
Tip 7: Focus on Guest Experience
Notice that this tip is much farther down on this list! I know, I know - keeping your guests at the center of your decisions is a reality, but I always counter with your guests’ reality: they are showing up to celebrate you and your love, plus attending a very fun party!
Beyong basic care and attention for your guests (i.e. having passed Hors d'oeuvres and signature cocktails during cocktail hour to alleviate lines), there are really only a few things to consider in this category:
have effecient and thorough communication - timely save the dates and invites with correct info, regularly updating your wedding website with FAQs, etc. this is a scenario where more info out there = less of a texting and phone call burden on you.
provide plenty of dietary options for food and drink - most catering and bar teams are accustomed to offering a full spread for any dietary needs. talk with them about creative options to offer your guests!
be clear on your seating chart - we have a few recommendations of how to go about this so that your guests (and the staff) aren’t confused during this transition.
for even more tips, check out Brides Magazine for their thoughts!
Take these tips into consideration when planning your luxury southern wedding and enure that it is flawless and unforgettable! Our planning team is happy to help alleviate these stresses and bring your wedding day dreams to life! Fill out the contact form to get an inquiry started.
Real Wedding Series: Sunny Spring Wedding at the Iconic Howe Farms White Chapel
Who doesn’t dream of a fairytale white chapel wedding?
A Highlands Chapel WEdding at Howe Farms is always the perfect location for a luxury white and green wwedding. T+A’s wedding took place at this breathtaking chapel, known for its waterfront views, all white chapel style, and gorgeous detail. The sunny spring weather provided the perfect backdrop for glowing golden hour portraits , the beautiful white florals with loose greenery, and those stunning mountaintop views.
T+A don’t live in the area, so this destination wedding had different challenges than a local wedding.
This wedding’s aesthetic
Our design team worked closely with T+A to create an elegant aesthetic that reflected their style. The ceremony space was adorned with lush floral arrangements in shades of white and natural greenery, including local magnolia branches.
From the beginning, T+A wanted their wedding to feel both luxurious and welcoming. We incorporated personal touches that reflected her heritage, plus small details for their doggos into the weekends festivities, too! Peep the puppy socks the groom is puttin on in the gallery below.
Destination Wedding Challenges and Solutions
Many people are surprised by this, but eastern tennessee is a huge destination wedding location. a majority of our weddings are couples choosing to get married here, versus where they live or in their hometown.
Our team is accustomed to seamlessly coordinating the different logistics and challenges that comes with this type of wedding planning to ensure that every detail is meticulously handled, despite the distance.
Essentially, we are your long distance partner for your wedding planning journey!
At Maggie Walker Weddings, we believe every wedding should be as unique and unforgettable as the love story it celebrates. Recently, we had the privilege of planning a luxurious yet intimate wedding for T+A at the beautiful Highlands Chapel at Howe Farms in Greater Chattanooga, East Tennessee. This enchanting event perfectly encapsulated the couple’s vibrant personalities and sophisticated tastes, setting a new standard for luxury weddings in the Southeast USA.
Vendors:
Full Service Planning and styling | Maggie Walker Weddings
Photogrpahy Team | Danielle Flake and Morolo Films
Venue | Howe Farms - Highlands Chapel
Florals | Bud Floral Events
Catering | Rosa’s Catering
HMUA | Riley C Aesthetics and Hair by Haley
Setting Your Wedding Budget
From your wedding dress to the exact weather and temperature it will be on your big day, you’ve imagined this day your entire life. Now it’s time to plan the big event, and it all begins with the budget. The absolute hardest part of wedding planning is setting your wedding budget. After all, you may have had a vision since your childhood of how this day will go, but now you have to be realistic to ensure you can afford your dream.
The average cost of weddings in the U.S. is $44,000-50,000 for 145 guests, according to the 2024 Zola First Look Report, and estimates ranging from $30,000-50,000 in major cities, as a U.S. national average, according to this CNN study conducted in 2023. Now, pick up your jaw, and realize that your perfect day doesn’t have to be this pricey. There are many ways to set your wedding budget that allow you to live out your wedding fantasy without breaking the bank.
Here’s our expert advice from over 9 years of wedding planning in the southeast, plus following along some foundational advice from Brides Magazine.
Who’s Paying?
Don’t assume that family or friends will help pay for your wedding. You need to have a clear understanding of who will contribute and how much they plan to contribute. Then, look at your savings and expected savings to determine how much you want personally to contribute.
You may consider getting a credit card to assist with the expense. If you do go this route, try to get a credit card that has no interest for a certain period of time. Another good rule of thumb is to not put more on the credit card than you will be able to pay back in three months. This will help keep you from accruing a mountain of debt.
Who’s Attending?
It’s fun to think about all the people you want to invite to celebrate your big day, but you’ll also need to consider the per-person cost for everyone who is invited. It’s simple. The more people you invite, the more your wedding will cost. A bigger crowd means a bigger venue and bigger cake, more food and drinks, more invitations, more flowers . . . it can add up quickly, even with volume pricing on some items.
What’s Important to You?
You and your partner need to decide what wedding details are important to you both, so you can prioritize your spending. For some, food is hands down the biggest priority. If this is the case, get a great caterer and allocate more of your funds to your food budget. If food isn’t a huge priority, you could do something a little lighter or less hearty so that you can allocate your dollars to areas that are more important to you, i.e., dress, flowers, entertainment, venue, etc.
CUT OUT THE FLUFF
Once you’ve identified your priorities, you can begin making decisions to cut costs. Do you have to get married during the peak wedding season, or could you do it in an off season when the venue is less expensive? Do you really need the five-tier wedding cake, or will a small cake accompanied by a sheet cake or other desserts suffice? Do you have to print invitations, or could you simply email them? Do you have to have alcohol at the wedding? If so, will beer and wine suffice instead of a full bar?
As you can see, there are many variables when it comes to setting your wedding budget, and it’s totally possible to have a dream wedding without breaking the bank
You see there are ways to cut costs without cutting things that are important to you, and any experienced wedding planner should be able to help offer other creative ideas on ways to save for your big day!
5 Great Locations for Spring Engagement Photos
Spring is a beautiful time to capitalize on nature’s beauty and announce your soon-to-be “I-Do’s.” Check out these great locations in the Chattanooga region for spring engagement photos!
The temperatures are rising, flowers are blooming, and the grass is getting greener. You know what that means…engagement photo time!
Photo: Matt Reiter
Spring is a beautiful time to capitalize on nature’s beauty and announce your soon-to-be “I-Do’s.” Check out these great locations in the Chattanooga region for spring engagement photos. Bonus…all these locations allow pets, so this is a great option if you want to include your pup in your photos!
Photo: Ok Crowe
A Glorious View
Want a dramatic and gorgeous mountain view as your backdrop? Sunset Rock and Point Park on Lookout Mountain have gorgeous views, especially at sunset, and are accessible for the super adventurous or the not-so-daring trailblazers.
Coolidge/Renaissance Park
Whether you want to stroll down the Pedestrian Bridge or show your more fun-loving side by hopping on the carousel, Coolidge and Renaissance Park provide so many great options for photos. Water features, metal structures, and greenways can provide many different interesting backgrounds.
Photo: Keren Trevino
Urban Options
Want a cool downtown vibe? Hang out in front of the newly renovated gold building (Westin Hotel) or go streetside in West Village or Station Street.
If you’re truly wanting to embrace spring and announce the “birth” of your relationship, what better way than with butterfly wings in the background? An artist from Nashville recently painted a butterfly wing mural outside the Market South building, and people are lining up to get their picture taken with this beautiful and engaging (see what we did there?) work of art.
The Outdoor Enthusiast
If you and your partner are children of nature, you may want to go for a more rugged outdoor shoot. Hit the trails at Greenway Farms for the “woodsy feel,” or hike up to the Blue Hole for scenic water and mountain background options.
Photo: Boxcar Photography
A Walk Down Memory Lane
It’s always special to incorporate something about family history or share your story as a couple in your engagement photos. The steps of the church where your grandparents were married, the location where your parents were engaged, or the spot where you and your partner had your first date could all be special places to incorporate in your engagement photos.
Remember, while location is important, the priority of your engagement photos is to focus on the love between the bride and groom. Your photographer and wedding planning professional can help you solidify the perfect location to capture the beauty and intimacy of your relationship.
Photo: Taylor English
And don’t forget to bring your dogs!
Why Hire a Wedding Planner?
“Whether you are the bride that thinks every detail is already planned because you have been planning your big day since you were a child (Monica Geller, we’re looking at you), or you’re the bride that simply wants to show up to the wedding, you need a planner.”
Photo: Julie Cate
You’re engaged and so excited about planning your big day. However, through the excitement, you start to get overwhelmed by all the details. What’s my budget? What’s the best venue? What are my colors? What kind of flowers and décor do I want? Should I hire a band or a DJ? Do I need to do a table layout for guests? Do I need ushers? What if it rains? What if my venue gets double-booked? AAHHHHH! So many details!
Breathe, it’s okay. That’s why you hire a wedding planner. An experienced wedding planner can help you think through all these details and all the possible “what-ifs,” so you are well prepared to have the wedding of your dreams.
Photo: Sarah Marie
Wedding Planner vs. Wedding Coordinator
First, let’s answer a question we hear often: What’s the difference between a wedding planning and a wedding coordinator? An easy way to describe the difference between a wedding planner and wedding coordinator is that a wedding planner will be your best friend through the whole planning process, and a wedding coordinator will be your best friend on your wedding day only.
A wedding planner is someone who will help you identify and execute all aspects of your wedding vision. They are the ones you call before you begin your planning. From creating a budget, to searching for the perfect location, to reviewing vendor contracts and planning all the other event details, your planner will ensure your day is perfect.
Photo: Keren Trevino
Why Do I Need a Planner?
Whether you are the bride that thinks every detail is already planned because you have been planning your big day since you were a child (Monica Geller, we’re looking at you), or you’re the bride that simply wants to show up to the wedding, you need a planner. Besides thinking through every possible detail and scenario, a planner will ensure you are able to enjoy the process – and most importantly – your wedding day. Your wedding planner will, also, help be the liaison between you, your family, your guests, and all of your vendors. Your wedding planner will know what you, as a couple, want most out of your wedding, and can help make tough decisions during the planning process, whereas, a coordinator has little insight into the engagement and what matters to you, and cannot assist you as well on the wedding day. This is one of the biggest days of your life, so you shouldn’t be stressed out about event details!
Photo: Keren Trevino
Is Hiring a Wedding Planner Expensive?
The cost of hiring a wedding planner can vary. Some planners charge a flat fee, an hourly rate or a percentage of the overall wedding budget. If a planner doesn’t charge a flat fee, prepare to set aside 10 to 20 percent of your overall budget for full-service planning services. While this may sound expensive, it’s buying your piece of mind.
Hiring a planner can often actually save you money in many areas, as experienced planners have relationships with other vendors and can often score discounts that you wouldn’t receive on your own. Planners also can advise you on the best places to spend your money for the most impact on your big day. Want proof? Check out my feature in Budget Savvy Bride!
Photo: Taylor English
Most Importantly, Enjoy the Process!
Your wedding planner will serve in a variety of roles during the process (legal counsel, therapist, bestie, whatever you need) all while helping you plan all the details of your day. No matter if you are a hands-on or hands-off bride, hiring a wedding planner can truly help you make the best decisions for your wedding to ensure the day lives up to what you’ve always dreamed about.
Ready to Hire a Wedding Planner?
Contact me! I offer a variety of planning packages to make planning your Chattanooga wedding affordable and fun. I’ve got you, and I’ll handle the details, so you can enjoy your special day!
Photo: Rafferty Photo
How to Handle Weather Changes on Your Wedding Day!
OUR JOB, AS PLANNER AND COUPLE, IS TO BE PREPARED WHEN MOTHER NATURE STRIKES. HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO HELP YOU LEARN HOW TO HANDLE WEATHER CHANGES ON YOUR WEDDING DAY.
A sudden cold snap. A strong wind advisory. A swarm of mosquitos. The downpour. All of these are things that you pray don’t happen on or during your wedding day. However, things happen. They just do. As much as we want to think we can control every single detail, Mother Nature will do her thing. Our job, as planner and couple, is to be prepared when Mother Nature strikes. Here are a few tips to help you learn how to handle weather changes on your wedding day.
Photo: Lindsay Campbell
Always Have a Plan B
First and foremost, if you are having an outdoor wedding, have a Plan B that includes an alternate location indoors, or at least somewhere with cover.
You will also want to coordinate with your photographer and arrange back-up locations if any of your pics are planned to be captured outdoors. Think of your wedding venue, reception venue, someone’s home or another special place where photos can be captured, if needed. Also, if you and your photographer are flexible with timing, you could possibly make outdoor pics work. If it’s supposed to rain at 5 p.m., and that’s when you are supposed to take photos, maybe you could push up your photo session to 3 p.m. if the weather looks better.
Photo: Alexis Dimmer
The Extras
Whether you are having an indoor or outdoor wedding, you need to think about your guests’ experience. Even indoor weddings typically have some outdoor component – pictures, the walk from the car to the venue, the reception, the send-off, or other special activities.
If it’s raining, have umbrellas available. If it’s cold, have heaters. If the roads are icy, have reliable transportation available for guests. If mosquitos are out in force, have cute little baskets of bug spray available. If it’s a heat wave, don’t be stingy with the water.
Having these “extras” available can actually enhance the wedding and make your guests feel extra special as you showing them that you truly appreciate them and are going the extra mile for their comfort.
Photo: Abigail Lewis
Communicate the Plan
If you do have to make alternate plans for your wedding, you have to communicate these new plans effectively with all your guests. This can easily be done on your wedding website. You will want to include the weather forecast, how to dress, and what to bring for their maximum comfort.
Also, remember when we talked about having a “Plan B?” This goes for your vendors as well. Communicate with your vendors to ensure they understand your expectations for the day and how plans may be changed.
With forethought, flexibility, and effective communication, you can still have the wedding of your dreams, even if the weather is not ideal. Your wedding planner can be a great resource to helping you figure out what an alternate plan looks like for your big day.
Get in the Mood! Set the Scene for a Moody, Romantic Wedding
PURPLE, BLACK, GOLD, OLIVE, AND BURGUNDY! Perfect for romantic, moody, and dramatic weddings.
Purple, black, gold, olive, and burgundy…all colors that make you think of weddings, right? Well, probably not, but they should! These rich, dramatic colors can make a major statement and create the perfect moody, romantic fall or winter wedding.
Don’t let the word “moody” throw you off. It’s not just about goth or Halloween. Moody is simply an adjective describing the dark, mysterious and romantic aspects of fall. So, get in the mood to throw a phenomenal wedding that will leave people in awe.
Photo: Alexis Dimmer
The Attire
For the more daring brides, you can wear a gorgeous alternative dress that matches your theme. A black lace gown, bridal separate with a white lace top and black skirt, or even a gown made of gold sequins can make a beautiful statement. However, if you are little more conservative but still want the moody feel, a white wedding dress with dark accessories and florals can achieve the same intense effect. Once you’ve chosen your gown and look, dress your partner in a black suit and your bridesmaids in dark-colored dresses.
Photo: Boxcar Photography
The Makeup
A bold lip is a great way to channel your inner diva and “wow” your guests. A deep red or purple lip color will spice up your look. If you aren’t feeling the bold lip, try a dramatic eye with bold eyeliner and a dark eye shadow.
The Bouquet
A bold bouquet filled with dark flowers, deep red roses, succulents, and feathers can be a powerfully vivid accent. Leaves, berries and greenery are also great filler that helps create the moody, romantic wedding vibe.
Photo: Ok Crowe
The Décor
Continue with the dark flowers and rich color palette through your décor. Incorporate some of the flowers, greenery, berries and/or feathers used in your bouquet into your table centerpieces. Try navy blue or black candles. If you really want a theatrical effect, throw in some dark burgundy drapes. However, remember the key to bringing in the dark tones is balance. Offset dark linens with metallic charger plates. Lighten up the room with lots of flickering candles and romantic light displays.
Most importantly, remember your wedding day is about you and all the things you love. If rich, deep tones are your thing, don’t be afraid to shake things up by creating a stunning moody, romantic wedding vibe. You and your wedding planner can create an environment that you and your guests will love!
Photo: Rafferty Photo
Need Help Creating a Romantic, Moody Look for Your Wedding?
Contact Maggie Walker Weddings+ Events! We help brides in the Chattanooga area set the scene for the wedding day of their dreams.