FAQs

What are your rates and what is included?

View package and pricing information on these pages: all inclusive wedding packages, venue + decor only, or micro weddings.

What is the deposit? When are the additional payments due? Do you offer a payment plan?

We require a $500 booking fee in order to mark a date booked on our calendar. We offer a monthly payment plan. The first installment is due 30 days from booking. The final installment will be required 30 days prior to the event. We also reserve the right to request a credit card on file for any damages to the facility or grounds.

What are your dates of operation?

Deep South Farm is open from mid April until the weekend before Thanksgiving. We will close for weddings for the season from Thanksgiving until the second weekend in April. This is because we are a mostly outdoor venue, and the barn is open air. We want to give the best possible chance to our couples for having beautiful weather on their special day.

Do I need to schedule a tour or can I just stop by?

We don’t keep regular office hours so tours are by appointment only. You can request a tour here.

What is the average budget of a couple getting married at Deep South Farm?

That is a great question! In general, we believe the average budget of a couple getting married at Deep South Farm is between $15,000-$25,000 for all wedding expenses (venue, flowers, decor, food, dress, DJ, photographer, etc.). We have had some couples with smaller guests lists host beautiful weddings in the $10,000 – $12,000 range, and we have had several events here spending more than the average.

What is your capacity?

Our open-air barn will accommodate approximately 150 comfortably for a covered reception depending on the seating floor plan. We also have an adjacent outdoor courtyard area that can be covered with a tent to accommodate larger reception and seating requirements if you desire a larger covered area, or in case of inclement weather. Tent rentals are additional.

We plan to have our ceremony offsite. Does that change the price?

Because we only host one event per day, our fee structure remains the same whether you hold just your reception, or both ceremony and reception onsite.

What form of payment does Deep South Farm accept?

Our preferred form of payment is check.

Are decorations included in my package?

Deep South Farm can be decorated with items you choose from our inventory. For our full wedding and reception package you have your choice of our entire very extensive inventory. You may wish to add some personalized touches to your event with items that have special meaning to you. Deep South Farm will not be responsible for items left after the event. Please do not bring items that are irreplaceable without prior discussion and consent, as Deep South Farm will not be responsible for any damages to such items. 

Our Micro Wedding package offers more limited decor selections as do our Venue + decor rentals. For our Venue + decor option you will select your items and we will have them sitting out for you when you arrive.

What about music for the ceremony and reception?

We include a DJ service in all of our packages. They are familiar with the property and our music system. All music must end at 10:00 pm on Friday & Saturday, 9:00 on Sunday and 8:00 on weeknights due to our rural surroundings, out of courtesy to the adjacent property owners.

Will we be able to access the location early to rehearse our ceremony? 

 If you choose a one day rental, there is a chance the venue will be reserved by another couple the night before. For that reason, one day rentals should plan for an offsite rehearsal or there would be the option to have it earlier in the week, on Tuesday or Wednesday. You are also welcome to to bring anyone who would feel more comfortable seeing the venue (such as your minister, or any little ones in the wedding party) for a visit at some time prior to your wedding date.

Can we have sparklers?

Yes, you can have sparklers. They must be outside the barn and only at send off. We do not allow floating lanterns to be released at the farm. We are in a wooded area and the risk of fire is too great. If you are unsure of your desired send-off, just ask and we will let you know. Thank you!

Are there overnight accommodations nearby?

Our three on site cabins can be rented overnight for the bridal party or family. The Comfort Inn & Best Western are 7 miles away. Our sister property Deep South Station is 5 miles away and can sleep up to 32 guests. Ellijay is also known for its cabin rentals. You can find more detailed information here.

What kind of parking do you have?

Parking is along the side of the drive between the ceremony and the barn out of the way of photo ops. We shuttle your guests from the parking area to the ceremony and reception. There is some dedicated parking for parents of the couple in the gravel lot by the barn. For our full wedding and reception package we have a tractor and wagon that can carry guests to the event spaces. We also have a trolley that may be added for an additional fee. Guests may also walk from one space to the next, as they are not too far apart. We have golf cart for guests requiring special assistance. For our Venue + Decor option, the golf cart with driver is the only transportation included with the rental fee and is for guests requiring assistance getting from place to place.

What time will I have access to the venue to decorate if I’m doing a Venue + Decor?

You will have access to the venue typically by 9:00 am. If the wedding the day before rented the cabins overnight you won’t have access to those until between 10-11:00 to give us time to clean them, but you can go ahead and access the barn and ceremony site.

What time does my event have to end?

Events end at 10:00 pm on Friday and Saturday and 9:00 on Sundays. When we first opened we allowed events until 11:00. NOBODY stayed. It starts getting to be about 9:30 or so and people start clearing out. It doesn’t matter how close they live, if they’ve rented a cabin for the weekend, a hotel room, whatever. They just don’t stay past 10:00. Couples would start panicking about nobody being there for send off pictures and asking if they could move up send off, so we have just made 10:00 our official closing time. We also have neighbors that really appreciate it if there isn’t loud music until really late. If you rent the on-site cabins you and your bridal party or other remaining friends are welcome to move the after party over to the fire pit area at one of the cabins. Gilmer County also has a new noise ordinance that you can’t be loud past 10pm.

Do you allow dogs onsite to play a part in our wedding day?

We are dog friendly, with some stipulations. Dogs are allowed (only with pre-approval) at the ceremony and for pictures. Animals, other than service animals, are NOT allowed at the reception area or near food. Dogs must be on a leash and someone besides the bride and groom must be responsible for them.

Do you offer long tables or round?

We have 10 each of hand crafted wood farm tables and round tables. They do not need to be covered with cloths, so that saves you money on renting linens. We also have a variety of tables and furniture pieces onsite that can be used for your gift table, sign in, cake table, head table, etc.

Who is the caterer included in the full package options?

Sam Callihan with The Pink Pig is our preferred caterer for our full packages. We love supporting local businesses, and on top of that, her food and service are really great. Sam and her staff are super nice and, let’s be honest, you really want to be working with people that are nice for your wedding. She can do just about anything for your menu. The favorites of couples and guests alike continue to be her Parmesan Crusted Chicken and her Sliced Beef Brisket. Not going to lie, her pulled pork BBQ and her fried chicken are to die for if you are going for a more casual feel. Your menu might look something like this: Appetizers - Sausage stuffed mushrooms, pimento cheese rolls, fruit. Dinner - Caesar salad, Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Siracha Pork Tenderloin, roasted potatoes, broccoli casserole, rolls.

Do we have to use caterers from a list if we aren’t doing a full package? Can we bring our own ‘made at home’ food?

We do currently allow outside catering. That may change in the future. We know a lot of venues don’t allow just anyone to cater and we didn’t really understand why. It seems like there isn’t a reason to not allow a couple to pick their own catering. The truth is, after allowing any and all caterers to come through our door, we have realized that it may not continue to be a workable business model if quality food and a great experience are important to our couples and their guests. Some caterers that we’ve met are amazing, but some were clearly not. Like when one caterer showed up with styrofoam square lunch trays for plates and when we said ‘please tell me those aren’t the plates’ the caterer responded with “they didn’t pay for upgraded plates.” Somehow the bride had missed the square tray note. Needless to say, it was bad. We’ve had issues with caterers showing up late, or coming unprepared with the wrong things. Although we had many great experiences with caterers who were new to us, when it was a bad experience it was really bad, for us, the couple, and their guests. So we can recommend some really good catering that we are familiar with, we can also tell you some that haven’t been great. We have certain requirements that must be met if you are using a caterer we aren’t familiar with. We are happy to give you those requirements….including no styrofoam.

You cannot cook your own food. You do have to use a licensed restaurant/catering service. This is as much for safety as it is to guarantee a certain level of service so your guests have a great experience.

Can we bring our own alcohol?

Deep South Farm does allow alcoholic beverages to be brought in by the couple or their appointed agent. All alcoholic beverages will be served in compliance with all laws and regulations established by appropriate governmental units (including no service to underage or intoxicated guests). Last call for dispensing of alcoholic beverages will be 45 minutes before the end of the event. The clients agree with compliance with restrictions of serving of alcohol and for the consequences of alcohol consumption, including but not limited to, adverse health reactions, property damage and 3rd-party liability claims. The clients agree to pay for the bar package(if not already included) that includes 2 bartenders, ice and cups and an off-duty Gilmer County police officer to be present at their event where alcohol is being served. All alcohol must be served through the bar.

Can we smoke on the property?

No smoking is allowed in or around the buildings at the farm. This rule will be strictly enforced. Due to the natural environment at Deep South Farm we ask that you only smoke in designated areas and dispose of any butts or other refuse in designated containers.