‘-How did he propose?

Cody had planned for us to go to dinner at Canyon Grille on Lookout Mountain. This is one of our all-time favorite date nights, so it did not take much convincing! We “invited” my best friend and her husband to “dinner” too, so I was really looking forward to it. We rarely all get away for a night out together! On the way to the restaurant, we always stop at the Hang Gliding park if time allows for it. The view is absolutely breathtaking! I was under the impression that Ali & Chris would be meeting us there, then we would all head to dinner. Ali texted me they were “running late”, so we walked around like we normally would any other time. As we were walking across the launch pad, Cody nudged me from behind. When I turned around, he was down on one knee. As it turns out, we were never even going to dinner! Instead, we headed back down the mountain to Downtown. Cody refused to tell me where we were going.. & kept telling me to wait until later to call/FaceTime all our family. I was so confused and continued to call everyone anyways Emoji When we finally arrived, Cody had planned a Surprise Engagement Party with all of our closest family and friends!

-Tell us about your venue and why you chose it:

The Homestead at Cloudland Station – located in Chickamauga, GA. We felt at home from our first visit to our venue. The large pond out front, the Peacock House and the 150 year old Homestead barn… it just felt right! We wanted a venue that was simple, elegant and comfortable for all our guests. The Homestead was all that and more! The Venue Director, Rachel, made the process seamless. She was extremely easy to work with and so accommodating to all our questions, requests and visits!

-What was your favorite and least favorite part about the wedding planning process?

We really enjoyed venue shopping! We chose five venues to check out that were all totally different and unique in their own way. Some of our family members were able to join us, so it was a fun way to include them in the planning process, as well. Our least favorite was nailing down all the small details in the final weeks before the wedding. The big decisions were easy for us! But, there are so many options when it comes to the details, and it’s all happening right as the stress is starting to set in!

-Any advice for other brides planning their big day?

Do not let time constraint you! We planned our big day in only 5 months! We caught so much grief from so many people around us but looking back it was the best decision we made. We were able to make quick decisions without time to second guess or over plan every detail. No one really noticed any of the small details we put into it, anyway! If you are considering a short engagement, go for it!</p >

-What was your favorite part about your wedding day?

We stayed very traditional and did not have a first look. Right after the ceremony, our planner suggested that we go to the bridal suite, just the two of us. It was so special to have a few minutes to ourselves in the midst of so much going on all around us. This was the only time we had together alone the entire day and we are so glad we took the time to relax together and enjoy the first few moments of becoming husband and wife!