Our Venue by Linnea

One of the first dates Evan took me on was to the State Botanical Gardens in Athens. I had gone by myself to the gardens on a previous occasion, but only walked the paved paths that circled the main buildings. I’m hesitant to explore new woods and trails alone since I was not born with adequate navigational skills to enable myself to find my way back to civilization. Evan, on the other hand was born fully equipped with a GPS tracker and compass. In fact, one of our first jokes together consisted of me phoning Evan and him answering “Onstar, how may I be of assistance?”
It was a crisp fall day and I was thoroughly enjoying the new experience of seasonal changes in Georgia. As we walked further into the woods every brilliant colored leaf crunched beneath our feet. The gardens offered a unique natural beauty as we continued; it was no longer the manicured English garden setting, but a vast wilderness that made you feel as if you were worlds away from interstates and businesses.  Finally, we reached our goal: the Oconee River. Although it’s not a rushing river, it still provides the tranquility and beauty that draws many visitors. After enjoying the scenery, we headed back to the main gardens to have a picnic lunch. Wanting to be seasonally appropriate, I had fixed turkey, swiss, with a cranberry spread sandwiches. I’m still not pleased that I forgot the salt and pepper, but of course Evan said it was the best sandwich he’s ever tasted.
The Gardens continue to be a favorite place of ours; even the surrounding fields that you pass on your way to the Gardens hold so much beauty. There are horses we’ll stop to pet, a sheep farm, and currently a miniature horse farm. We return often whether it’s for a scenic run, a sunny picnic, or a wilderness walk. On one occasion during an afternoon run, it suddenly popped into my head that this location would be great for our wedding ceremony. Evan readily agreed and we decided to take a further look into it after we finished our run. We looked at the main building which is a large conservatory with a tropical feel. Then, the gentleman at the visitor’s center pointed out the Day Chapel location on the grounds. Walking up to the Day Chapel we instantly felt that it would be perfect for us. The Chapel offers a simple rustic beauty that allows it to fit in perfectly with the surrounding woods. The quaint, small size of it will provide the ideal setting for an intimate ceremony as we celebrate with our close friends and family.