Tallahassee as the Wedding Destination

Southern Charm Attracts Brides, But Beware of Football, Legislative Seasons

By Kenya Washington
Tallahasse Magazine July -August 2008

When you hear “destination wedding,” you most likely think of beaches, mountains, Las Vegas, Europe or the Caribbean. But Tallahassee, with its quiet charm, is a perhaps surprising destination of choice for many couples.

For one recent Tallahassee wedding, the bride’s parents, family and childhood friends traveled from as far away as Italy. For another couple, no member of their core planning group (bride, groom, bride’s parents, groom’s parents) even lived in Florida. Then there are couples who live and work in Tallahassee but whose families do not call Tallahassee home. As many as 50 percent of these couples’ guests will travel here from afar for the nuptials and related festivities.

Why are couples choosing Tallahassee as their wedding destination? Why are their friends and family excited to travel to and spend the weekend here? The answer is simple. Each of these couples met and fell in love while living or working here – many while they were still in school. Each couple feels a sense of joy, peace and hope for the future here and wants to celebrate their marriage and plan their future right here, where those feelings began.

Another advantage of a Tallahassee-area wedding is the abundance of Southern charm inherent in so many locations. From historic homes (SouthWood House, Tallahassee Garden Club, Brokaw-McDougal House, Shiloh Farms) and plantations (Pebble Hill, Coalson) to beautiful gardens (Maclay Gardens, Dorothy B. Oven Park, Goodwood Museum and Gardens), museums (Mary Brogan Museum, Tallahassee Museum, Antique Car Museum), hotels, country clubs and attractive university facilities, Tallahassee has a lot to offer.

As wonderful as Tallahassee is, there are some planning details that call for extreme care, caution and thought. In Tallahassee, timing is everything. There are a plethora of lovely venues in the area, but they are not in unlimited supply or capacity. Three separate factors – football season, the annual legislative session and the size of your guest list – can create logistical problems that make selecting a date and location as early as possible a must.

The issues raised by home football games are obvious: increased demand for hotel beds, increased room rates, and increased game day/wedding day traffic. The legislative session does not affect weekend hotel rates to the same degree, but events and receptions during the session do compete for the same restaurant, hotel and other banquet space. Lastly, and most importantly, the size or your guest list, whether you want an indoor or outdoor reception, and the formality of your meal (sit-down or cocktail) will be significant factors in determining which of Tallahassee’s venues has the capacity to host your reception.

So what should you do first when planning a Tallahassee wedding? Take a deep breath, smile and know that you’ve chosen one of the region’s most charming locations. Then let your imagination run wild and enjoy the journey to planning the day that will begin the rest of your life.