I travel all over the country touring wedding venues and am filled with gratitude to be invited on venue tours by the friendliest wedding venue owners in the country. Seeing wedding venues online is lovely but seeing them in person is where you get the heart flutters! Every time I visit a wedding venue, I find incredible treasures I did not see online. For example, the fire & water fountain at Red Gate Farm, or the pillow fabric designed with images of The Gingerbread House, the Wall of Hats at The Mansion on Forsyth Park, or the custom green walls built by the owner of The Clyde! There is nothing like visiting a wedding venue in person and getting to know the venue owners & managers. The best wedding venues in the country, have friendly owners & management teams who LOVE what they do and it shows. Before you book a wedding venue in Savannah check out this list of verified friendly owners and management teams! I am travelling back to Savannah September 25-28 and would love to add more friendly, professional wedding venues to this list. I would love to stop by your wedding venue, send me an invite didi@weddingvenueowners.com. Find the Wedding Venue Owners & Managers Community Group on Facebook.
The Mackey House – From the moment we arrived at The Mackey House our Wedding Venue Owners Working Vacation attendees started “oohing” and “awing”. Laura & Fred, owners of The Mackey House greeted our group as we arrived. Trey Mackey and Shelley Mackey joined us on the tour as well. Running this wedding venue is a family effort, they all work together to ensure that the over 150 weddings they have each year a managed with the highest level of experience and care. Laura & Fred Mackey were high school sweethearts who married in 1969. Recently, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a vow renewal at The Mackey House. They raised their family here and had their daughter’s wedding here in 1997. That wedding inspired the Mackey’s to host weddings and the rest is history. They have been hosting weddings for longer than most in the wedding industry! The Mackey’s are absolutely brilliant business owners and were tremendously kind to share so much wedding knowledge with our group! They are wedding legends!
The Mackey House is stunning. Every inch of this property is beautifully designed and brilliantly laid out. My favorite features: Parking, I appreciate parking so much! Gorgeous southern charm home, with wrap around porch, surrounded by trees. I love the paved walkways. Me and my shoes LOVE the paved walkways, yes, I am that friend who wears impractical pretty shoes everywhere! The gorgeous staircases, from the front entry to the inside of the home, the dramatic staircases are the perfect spot for wedding photos. The back of the home has a gorgeous deck with a clear tent and a view of the ceremony site. The deck has a sound system, lighting packages, bar, views, it’s covered, has beautiful, upscale lounge furniture. Guests must love the experience they have on that beautiful deck overlooking the property.
Red Gate Farm – I think that Savannah GA may have the friendliest wedding venue owners we have ever met as a group! On the day of our tour, it was a bit hot, to be expected in Georgia at the end of the summer. Melanie greeted our group with a big smile, cold drinks and delicious southern hospitality! Melanie was so lovely to work with as I planned this event, she is a 5 star communicator. I imagine her engaged couples rave about her and never feel disconnected during the wedding planning process. We met the entire Red Gate Farm team including the very hands on and active owners. Engaged couples, if you are reading this, choose a venue with owners who will not compromise on providing an incredible wedding experience and you will have the best wedding! The entire Red Gate Farm team, has so much wedding venue intelligence and expertise and were so kind to share strategies for success with our venue owners. If this team is that kind toward wedding venue colleagues, imagine how wonderful they are to their engaged couples and wedding guests!
My Favorite Features: Red Gate Farm has so many stunning features, this is one of those venues that doesn’t have a top ten best features list, they have more like a top 30 best features. They have multiple outdoor ceremony sites overlooking water, with gorgeous views. Red Gate Farm is beautifully landscaped, this is a very valuable asset for all the guests and couples who want to enjoy outside experiences at their wedding. The venue offers gorgeous dressing suites, multiple receptions spaces and one thing I have never seen before… RV SITE accommodations! This is huge. Imagine your guests having the ability to bring their luxury RV’s and enjoy staying onsite, close to the wedding and close to all the downtown Savannah entertainment, dining and city attractions.
I absolutely loved our visit to the The Clyde! The Clyde offers an industrial style that makes it a versatile canvas, adaptable to creative concepts in lighting, floral arrangements, décor, transportation, entertainment and catering… Mallory Adams is one of the most business savvy wedding venue owners I have met. She recognized the opportunity in this downtown Savannah space and thanks to her brilliant plan, she has made a significant impact on the local wedding economy. Many wedding venue owners purchase spaces in downtown areas for the historic charm and location, then struggle with the challenges that these spaces are known to have. Mallory has implemented so many brilliant solutions for every challenge encountered. She has come up with smart solutions to increase her booking rate and I don’t want to give away all her secrets so, I will just say, she is on my list of top wedding venue owners across the country when it comes to wedding venue business intelligence.
“When you come to the Clyde, it’s my goal to make you feel as welcome as my own family would be.” – Mallory. She has achieved this goal and then some. Mallory is truly one of the friendliest & most welcoming wedding venue owners in Savannah!
My Favorite Features: Corner location with easy to find street parking. Tons of natural lighting flooding in the front windows, modern industrial aesthetic. The mirrors with lighting behind them is a wow factor design element. Innovative AV & Projection System, coffee bar during the week (exposure & leads), custom mobile green walls, beautiful bathrooms, the floors are gorgeous & practical, beautiful lighting, outdoor courtyard space solution (on demand) and storage – this may not impress engaged couples but us wedding venue pros know, storage is essential.
The Gingerbread House – Sometimes I have to take a deep breath, get mindful, exhale and remind myself to be cool when I meet a venue owner of one of the most famous wedding venues in the country. Anna Swanson is one of the friendliest and most knowledgeable wedding venue managers you could ever meet. She has been working with The Gingerbread House for years. She has transitioned from one owner to another and has managed hundreds of weddings over the year. Anna not only invited our group for a Wedding Venue Tour, she allowed us to host our afternoon education session at The Gingerbread House. Wedding venue owners traveled from all over the country to tour Savannah wedding venues and The Gingerbread House could not have been more hospitable. Before touring this historic beauty, we got to enjoy an incredible lunch from The Foxy Loxy Cafe, located right next to The Gingerbread House. Foxy Loxy Cafe is equal parts coffee shop, bakery and Tex-Mex cantina. It’s so charming! If you are visiting Savannah, this is a must add to your trip. You get to enjoy chef inspired upscale casual menu options and authentic Savannah vibes. The location is perfectly situated right next to The Gingerbread House and across the street from Thomas Square Park. Oh, as an admitted coffee addict, two thumbs up for their caffeinated beverage selection!
The Gingerbread House is located in the Historic District Savannah GA, surrounded by hanging moss covered oaks and across Thomas Square Park. This wedding venue is dripping with authentic Savannah southern charm. The Gingerbread House was built in 1899, it’s an excellent example of Steamboat Gothic architecture. It is known for the gingerbread arches that are featured predominantly on the exterior of the building. It is one of the most famous homes in the Historic District Savannah GA. While touring the inside, we were thrilled to see so much of the historic charm beautifully preserved. I have some images below, but nothing can compare to experiencing The Gingerbread House in person.
My Favorite Features: Number one has to be the location; you just can’t beat having lots of parking in the historic district of Savannah. I LOVE GOOD PARKING! Next to parking, my close second is beautiful wedding venue chairs, these are essential! Driving up to The Gingerbread House you see a historic park, charming Foxy Loxy Cafe, 200 year old historic oak trees and hanging moss – its Savannah! The exterior of The Gingerbread House is immediately recognizable and unlike any other wedding venue I have toured. Anna the manager, is so lovely, venue savvy and all around wonderful. The owners care deeply about providing excellent experiences. The upstairs balcony is EVERYTHING! Standing out there for just a few minutes is worth the trip alone. The ballroom has an upstairs overlook that just ads to the beauty and experience. The dramatic staircase for wow factor entry and images. The parlor has a mirror & vintage China wall that our venue owners loved. Three stories of southern mansion spaces to enjoy. Antique furnishings from the original period inside, a private courtyard with gazebo and small waterfall. I could go on and on…but you just have to see it in person!
The Savannah Station – is a beloved and well known historic wedding venue with industrial vibes. The owners & management team have over 20 years of experience hosting all types of exciting celebrations. Savannah Station was originally constructed in 1902 as a stable for horses that hauled freight wagons for The Southern Express Company. In 1918, it was sold to The American Railway Express, which, in its day, was synonymous with United Parcel Service. What is now the Ballroom was originally built and used as a garage and truck depot for their commercial trucks. Now called SAVANNAH STATION, the building has 12,000-square feet of event space perfect for local Savannahians, tourists, and conventioneers. When you tour a venue like this you want to feel and see the historic elements, trust me, the venue is dripping with historic charm.
According to their website, “We promise to treat you like one of the family!” I completely agree with this statement, they are dedicated to providing a warm welcome.
My Favorite Features: The gorgeous entry has an open loft space with one of the most incredible chandeliers I have ever seen. I just love a dramatic entry. The huge sliding barn doors, black & white images of the building in its original state, vintage phone booth, I love the dark red brick entry, vintage bar and high ceilings are all stand out features that engaged couples love! I always say, “the best asset of any wedding venue is the owners.” Theresa Reed the owner and Emily our venue tour host were so friendly, fun, informative and just lovely to our group. If they treat wedding venue owners this well, imagine how well they treat wedding couples & guests.
Victory North Savannah – Constructed in the early 1900s, it was completely redesigned in 2017 by local architects and engineers. During renovations the structure was reinforced and all the building systems (including electrical, plumbing, HVAC and fire sprinklers) were replaced. Nineteen restrooms were added for guest convenience and comfort. This is a huge value, having plenty of beautiful bathrooms is a top venue feature in my opinion.
During our visit to Victory North, we had the incredible pleasure of meeting with Anita Ard, Director of Sales. Anita has a polished, stylish, calming yet commanding presence. When issues arise in life or things go wrong, you look for Anita to save the day and restore order. During our tour of Victory North our entire group of wedding venue owners was absolutely captivated by Anita. She has a background in psychology which seems essential in properly handling the drama, stress and chaos weddings can stir up. Anita is truly amazing, every policy she has in place is so sensible and smart. She has built up Victory North with business intelligence, a love for weddings, outstanding leadership and communication skills. Listening to her was kind of mesmerizing.
My Favorite Features: First off, Anita – you just don’t find wedding experts like this every day. Next up is the incredible design of the interior of the venue. Again, this is a restored historic building that was not build to host events. I love the modern industrial vibes, perfect for an elegant affair, BOHO or chic wedding for stylish couples. The mezzanine adds a dramatic flair and opportunity to create interesting wedding elements wedding guests will love. The outdoor courtyard wedding ceremony site is beautiful offering lush greenery, elegant paving and modern design elements. One of the coolest elements this venue offers is the AMAZING sound, lighting and AV system. This is a wedding venue and concert venue so their stagey and sound system creates the perfect opportunity for couples to have a rocking reception that won’t look like everything else you see in your Instagram feed. The dressing suites and private lounge upstairs is so beautifully decorated, you may swoon. Anita and the Victory North team support SCAD up and coming artists with art displays in every room. They have tons of programs support Savannah College of Art & Design.
The Mansion on Forsyth Park- Originally known as the Lewis Kayton House, the Mansion on Forsyth Park, is a historic luxury hotel and wedding venue. The hotel covers the Drayton block of the Forsyth Park and is part of the Savannah Historic District. Leslie Harbin was so gracious to host our venue tour. An experience rich with historic charm and extravagant luxury. I found it hard to stay calm while my inner wedding nerd was freaking out! Leslie showed us through the marble garden courtyard. This lovely space is covered with a beautifully lined tent, the sides are open to enjoy all the visual beauty of the courtyard. The design and decor in the courtyard is vivid and bold with stark white and contrasting vibrant green. As she led us toward the ballroom, we passed the Museum of Hats. This is hands down one of my all-time favorite wedding venue features. Back in the day it was common for women in Savannah to wear hats on Sundays, which inspired the hotel’s collection of more than 100 hats. The hats are arranged by the decade in which they were in style. It’s absolutely stunning! Next, we toured the gorgeous Viennese Ballroom. The ballroom can accommodate up to 180 guests in extravagant style! is The Mansion on Forsyth is located right across from Forsyth Park, one of the loveliest parks in Savannah. They offer luxury hotel accommodations, which I highly recommend for your next Savannah vacation!
My Favorite Features: Location across from the beautiful Forsyth Park (with fountains), historic, elegant design. The bold and vibrant courtyard, the wall of hats aka The Hat Museum, the incredible works of art displayed, the grand piano, the chandeliers, the Viennese ballroom and of course the incredible friendly venue representative, Leslie!
Did you fall in love with Savannah wedding venues yet? This September 25-28 the Wedding Venue Owners Working Vacation will be back in Savannah. Wedding Venue Owners & Managers will tour wedding venue, meet venue colleagues, learn the best strategies for wedding venue success and enjoy a Savannah wedding industry adventure. After this next event, I will create another BEST OF SAVANNAH list and hope to have new venues included. If you would like to host a wedding venue tour, please email didi@weddingvenueowners.com. If you would like to attend the Savannah Wedding Venue Owners Working Vacation, contact didi@weddingvenueowners.com.
Before traveling to any city, I contact every wedding venue I can find in and around the city in hopes of building a connection and bringing wedding venue owners together. My goal is to increase venue owner access to education, information and strategies for success. When venue owners share this information and support one another, they can save a fortune, they are better protected from venue risks, and they have a community off support to rely on! It’s vital for venue owners to value community over competition. The venues I am showcasing here are leading by example, they are true supporters of their local wedding industry and their venue colleagues. Find the wedding venue owners & managers community group on Facebook today, over 5500 wedding venues are connecting, sharing and supporting one another!
