Waterfall Weddings in Georgia Mountains

Say “I Do” with the mist of Amicalola Falls on the winds, or on a shaded wooden bridge over a stream with birdsong as your choir.

Amicalola Falls is one of the biggest natural attractions in North Georgia. It holds the record for being one of the tallest cascading waterfalls east of the Mississippi River.

If you’re like me, then you are all about the outdoors. I won’t be wearing a wedding gown that I am afraid will get soiled on my big day. I may even wear Birkenstocks, symbolic of the love of nature my fiancé and I share.

Make an appointment to see the outdoor settings that Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge offers for both large and small ceremonies.

If it rains or snows, you know you can go indoors. You can opt for outside wedding vows and hold a private dinner reception back at the Lodge.

We are bringing the cake, our own flowers and bouquets, and our photographer and officiant. The lodge is catering our reception celebration outdoors on their spacious veranda, complete with tables, linens, and chairs.

I want to share a few *hot* tips as you consider a wedding at the waterfall or elsewhere outside. These helped me navigate the next steps and ideas:

 

• Select your date by first securing the cozy rental cabins for you and your guests. It completes the experience by keeping the theme rustic. Amicalola’s 14 cabins feature wood floors, living rooms and full kitchens with 1, 2, and 3-bedroom configurations.

• Mix it up: My fiancé and I are staying in a furnished safari tent – Amicalola offers 4. It’s glamping before the honeymoon, and it’s going to be ideal.
• Regardless of where you stay the night, you’ll love gathering at Cascades Restaurant at the Lodge for a breakfast buffet or sunset dinner. With floor-to-ceiling windows, you can take in the panoramic views of the valley below. The cuisine is traditional American and Southern classic.
• When you send invitations, make sure your guests know about all the amazing activities they can engage in – reservations recommended: zip lining, trout fishing, tomahawk throwing, GPS scavenger hunts, and 3D archery. Ask the concierge to help you plan if you are pre-purchasing spots for family and friends. Check it out here.

The name “Amicalola” derives from the Cherokee word meaning “tumbling waters.” While the 729-foot cascading Amicalola Falls is the park’s centerpiece feature, hikers will love the trails. Plan a group hike on the 8-mile Approach Trail that leads from the park to Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail.

Enjoy your intimate outdoor wedding ceremony, whether graced by the first blooms of spring, the bold, summer days with sunsets to last a lifetime, or the golden-rusty colors of fall.

Margaret H.