Georgia Magazine - February 2021 - 26

Around GEORGIA

AMBER LANIER NAGLE

" We've always kept the pecan orchard manicured and
pristine, " he says. " Years ago, a couple asked us if they could get
married in the orchard and have a reception at our pond house,
and we said, 'Yes.' After that, we hosted other couples, too. "
They decided to turn their farm into a wedding venue
with structures built from reclaimed materials, and the result
is breathtaking. For 11 years, the love business has boomed at
Highgrove Farm. They are booked through 2023.
" Our farm and our little chapel are the backdrops for
so many beautiful weddings, " Lund says. " Memories are
made here, and that makes us happy. "
Amber Lanier Nagle is a freelance writer who lives
in Adairsville.
P E N NY A

RNE

Above: The Ringgold Wedding Chapel
has hosted as many as 13 weddings
in a single day. Right: Jean Pritt and
Stu Armour married there in 2019, with
Amber Lanier Nagle as officiant.

Reclaimed, reused and repurposed
in Valdosta
The Chapel at Highgrove Farm,
highgrovefarm-ga.com; capacity: 280
Highgrove Farm is the quintessential Southern setting for
a wedding. Towering pecan trees and full, crimson rose bushes
cradle a quaint, open-air chapel washed in brilliant whites.
Each building enjoyed a life of its own before coming to
Highgrove, and the chapel is no exception, Ed Lund says. He
and his wife, Evelyn, own the venue.
" I was a demolition and dismantling contractor for 30
years, " he says. " Seventy-five percent of everything that comes
down still has some useful life left in it. "
The Lunds see the hidden potential in structures and
materials the average person may miss. For example, the highvaulted section of the chapel's roof came from an open-air
pavilion at Lowndes County High School in Valdosta.
" We moved it here, then lifted it high in the air with a crane
and built the side wings to give it a rustic but elegant, barn
look, " he says.
The 114-year-old round-top windows came from a railroad
terminal in Waycross and allow sunlight to stream in. Five
beautiful lights from an old church in Valdosta illuminate the
chapel.
The Lunds came into the wedding venue business by
accident.

Georgia Magazine

February 2021

HIGHGROVE FARM

from pines logged on the campus, and so it was
restored using logs from Berry's property. They added copper
finishes that really add to the rustic charm of the chapel. "
Although other chapels on the campus are available only to
alumni, Barnwell is open for public use.
" It's perfect for couples who want a smaller, simpler event
with a lovely natural vibe, " Fuller says.
" And when you open the two front doors and turn around,
you're rewarded with a really dramatic view of the campus, "
McLucas adds. " It's simply gorgeous. "
The spectacular chapel at Highgrove Farm in Valdosta was built from
reclaimed materials from other structures. For example, the highvaulted section of the chapel roof came from an open-air pavilion
at Lowndes County High School in Valdosta.

Three more wedding chapels
Juliette Chapel, Dahlonega. juliettechapel.com.
Seating up to 70 guests, the Juliette Chapel is perfect for intimate,
elegant wedding ceremonies. The vaulted ceiling showcases whitewashed boarding, chandeliers and iron accents. The do-it-yourself
facility can be rented affordably, and the scenery is picture-perfect.
Tiny Mobile Wedding Chapel, Savannah. bit.ly/tinymobilechapel.
Owners Carrie Elkins and George Grady offer an enchanting chapel
on wheels. They've set up under ancient oaks draped in Spanish
moss, amid the grandeur of the coastal marshlands and near the
festive frenzy of River Street. " We serve about a 60-mile radius of
Savannah, but we're willing to take our chapel on the road farther, "
Elkins says. The chapel can seat 10 people comfortably.
Tybee Island Wedding Chapel, Tybee Island.
tybeeweddingchapel.com.
With seating for about 170 guests, this charming seaside chapel is
a preserved movie set transformed into a unique and elegant wedding venue. The chapel features an expansive ceiling with graceful
exposed timbers, antique chandeliers, wood plank flooring and tall,
Gothic-style windows. The venue also offers a spectacular ballroom.

http://www.highgrovefarm-ga.com http://www.juliettechapel.com http://www.bit.ly/tinymobilechapel http://www.tybeeweddingchapel.com

Georgia Magazine - February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - February 2021