Chickamauga Tourism Director Fanci Moore, right, hugs a bride at the Gordon-Lee Mansion.The Gordon-Lee Mansion in downtown Chickamauga is officially the best wedding venue in North Georgia, as voted by readers of the Times Free Press in the recent North Georgia Best of the Best Awards.
“The city and I were thrilled to have the award because it proves that all the hard work we are putting in the mansion is paying off,” said city of Chickamauga Director of Tourism and Events Fanci Moore, who books weddings at the Gordon-Lee Mansion. “Customer service is key to making connections with the brides and families. It is very important to building relationships and the beauty of the grounds, and now the city takes care of the property for each wedding. We are reinventing ourselves. We are introducing new possibilities with the mansion.”
Moore said she likes working with brides and connects with them through Pinterest boards and Facebook.
“They realize you care for them and take the time to care for them,” she said. “We bounce ideas off each other.”
Some big plusses about the mansion as a wedding venue are the natural beauty of the grounds, the many different types of settings and atmospheres offered, and the fact that it all comes with a flat fee. There is already a large tent, lit by a chandelier, on-site, Moore added, which could save brides thousands of dollars.
“There’s so many places to take photos,” she said. “There’s spots on the grounds that have not been discovered. The front porch is a ceremony site. There is a courtyard area. Brides love to do ceremonies under our big tree. The green of the flowers blooms there. If you love the vineyard look, we have muscadine vines. During the spring, wisteria grows over the pergola. The wisteria is just too beautiful.”
Moore added that the grounds also provide a nice setting for families and others involved in the wedding to spend the day as they prepare for the big event.
“There’s a lot of work and effort to put weddings together,” she said. “It’s different to enjoy for families setting up all day for it.
“We just finished two bridal shows and we had an amazing turnout. Brides are looking and booking. We have times open for 2016 to book now.”