How do you know you have found your forever venue? You know, the one that is affordable, beautiful, inspiring AND checks off all the boxes? Venue owner Shauna Altes gives some of her insight into what it means to book your forever venue.

Excitement in your heart, relief, and joy. These are all really good indicators that you have come across something really special. Read below to find out more.

History

History is what anchors us into the present and inspires us into the future. When finding your forever Venue, it is important to ask these questions: When was the property built? What was it historically used for? Are any historical figures of note a part of its story? If you dig a little bit, you might find stories that you and your fiance identify with in meaningful ways.

At The Wildflower 301 here in Greensboro Georgia a big part of our historical identity is that we were built nearly 211 years ago. We have only had 7 owners in our 211 year history. To give you historical context, our property has survived the civil war and was already 59 years old when Van Gogh was born! We were built by some of the first settlers to the city of Greensboro. The property was first owned by stakeholders in the University of Georgia.

Many of our booked couples and their families fall in love with The Wildflower 301 due to its incredible gardens. The gardens were painstakingly created over the last 20 years by Jeff Hough and Jack Rallo. All of the history, love and beauty truly resonates with couples and they want it a part of their story

The Wildflower 301 wedding venue is a true southern mansion icon. It is as iconic as sweet tea, southern magnolias and dogwood trees and it feels good to connect with that.

Getting married in a historical garden mansion is a really proud moment for so many.

Heart

What extraordinary triumphs has the property or the caretakers endured? What over-the-top special touches were added? What lengths did various owners go to ensure an incredible experience for their brides and past clients? Who owns the business now and what is their story?

Connecting with the heart of the stories and the people behind them also creates space for booking your forever venue. Some owners are rather shy and don't realize the power that their story has on their future couples so they do not share. Feel free to ask about the owners and why they started their venue. I am sure they would love to share with you.

The Wildflower 301's story can be found within the walls of our historic space. All of the features of the property are extraordinary. The hand-built Whisky Room decor and all the modern renovations were all touched, designed, and created by myself (Shauna) and my carpenter brothers. We are family-owned and operated and all have diverse skill sets that mesh together to create magical things. But the property has a long list of loving caretakers that added layer upon layer to the property and left behind their special unique touch and contribution.

One-Of-A-Kind Amenities

The business owners, the wedding venues past history, and the location and story of a property will inevitably lead to the creation of one-of-a-kind amenities that can only be found in a forever venue. These are amenities that make that property special and unique and can't be found anywhere else.

Sometimes that amenity might be a service or a physical item. At The Wildflower 301 we have many unique amenities that set us apart and can't be found anywhere else. Our bourbon garden and first look platform isn't found anywhere else in the world and is one example of a really special physical amenity.

Access to valuable wedding signs, centerpieces, table numbers and more is an amazing amenity that saves you time, money and energy from having to lug all the decor on site, set it up and then tear it down when you are very tired at the end of the night - then what do you do with it all after the wedding? You worry about none of that here at The Wildflower 301.

Photos in our certified butterfly gardens are truly one of a kind. There are gardens and then there are The Wildflower 301 gardens! We are home to hundreds and hundreds of incredibly kept flowers and greenery.

The Look & Feel

Finally, the look of the venue is going to play a huge part in how your story is told on your wedding day.

The Wildflower 301 is known for its fresh and beautiful white-washed exterior with black shutters, it's lush gardens, its magnolia terrace and its farmhouse feel inside the celebration house. Battens on the walls make for a timeless farmhouse-style design that goes so well with any pallet you can dream of.