Venue #3: Cherokee Run

On our way out to Covington for the engagement party, we stopped to see the Cherokee Run Golf Club in Conyers. While it doesn't have the gardens of Trolley Barn, it is set against the backdrop of a beautiful golf course. On the other hand, it's a country club, and it doesn't have the same relaxed feel as the Trolley Barn. So, at the moment, Cherokee Run is about on par (no pun intended) with Trolley Barn.

Cherokee Run is located at the International Horse Park. We have a beautiful view of the greens from the dining room.


The space on the patio is included, allowing people to mingle outdoors. (With fans overhead, of course -- we are planning a summer wedding.)

The interior of Cherokee Run is also beautiful. The dining room is spacious, with high ceilings. There's also plentiful natural lighting, which I prefer.

The room includes seating 150 guests as well as a dance floor. It may be a little tighter than Trolley Barn, which could make it more difficult for me to visit with our guest during the ceremony.

The hostess explained some possible layouts for the room.



The dining room was set up for a brunch buffet, which gave us some idea of how things would be set up for the reception. (We would probably move the buffet against a wall to give us a little more space.) A stone fireplace adds a warm, homey vibe.

View of the fireplace

The rental price for the facility is the lowest of any venue we're considering. Unfortunately, we aren't allowed to bring our own alcohol. Since paying for a bar ended up being nearly a third of the expenses at Emory, we're concerned that being unable to bring our own alcohol would erase a lot of the cost advantage for Cherokee Run.
The location is also a big draw for personal reasons. Rob and I want Nelson, his stepfather, to officiate our ceremony, and it seems natural to consider using his church, Grace Covenant Presbyterian. We want to cut down on our guests' driving time between locations by using a reception site in the same area. Grace Covenant is located in Conyers, about 40 minutes East of Atlanta. The venues we looked at in Atlanta would require too long of a drive between ceremony and the reception to use Grace Covenant. If we choose an Atlanta venue, we would also need to find a church that will permit Nelson to officiate. With that in mind, having the reception at Cherokee Run would allow us to use Grace Covenant without adding in an inconvenient drive for our guests.

Pros:

• Easily-accessed space. There are no stairs to enter, and the entire venue is on one level.
• Handicap bathroom stall! The bathroom was larger than Trolley Barn, and included with one or two extra stalls. (Also, there is a shower, just in case things get too crazy at the reception.)
• Pretty view of the greens.

Cons:

• We must use their caterers.
• BYOB is not allowed. I'm still waiting to hear back on how much a bar would run us. That will decide whether venue #3 stays or is cut from the list.