Hey there, bride and CONGRATULATIONS! Not only are you entering into an incredible season of life, but you’re doing it in the best city on earth! Athens, Georgia (and the surrounding cities) has the best of the best when it comes to wedding vendors and venues – not to mention unique stays and activities for your guests to do when they arrive.

There are, however, some common mistakes that I want you be sure you avoid when planning your Athens, Georgia wedding day for the 2023/2024 year!

#1 – Home Games are a Big No No

If you’re getting married in Athens, Georgia, there’s a good chance you’re already aware of the chaos than ensues on home game weekends, but if not, just know our city increases by 100,000+ people on certain fall Saturdays as people come to watch the University of Georgia Bulldawgs play! Be sure to check the football schedule before choosing your wedding date.

#2 – Don’t Forget About Guest Parking

There are many gorgeous wedding venues in Athens, Georgia and believe it or not, most require additional planning for parking as there usually isn’t a parking lot at the venue. The good news is that these venues are PROS at making this easy for your guests. They will have an ongoing relationship with close by buildings that will allow guests to use their parking lots, as well as shuttle recommendations so that your guests don’t have to walk!

#3 – Hiring from Atlanta Instead of Looking For Athens Vendors

Don’t get me wrong, I have some Atlanta wedding friends who are incredible and I would wholeheartedly trust them, however, Athens has A LOT of great options for wedding vendors who are familiar with the uniqueness of this city and who love capturing Athens local weddings!

#4 – Waiting to Book Your Rehearsal Dinner Spot

One more thing you may know about Athens, Georgia is that we have the best local cuisine! There are so many delicious options when choosing a great location for your rehearsal dinner. However, these locations are often booked well in advance for large parties, so be sure to start making your wishlist and contacting people early!

#5 – Poor Expectations for Fall Weddings

If you are a bride who would be upset about someone sneaking a peak at their phones to check the football score during your wedding day, you might not want to plan your wedding on a game weekend. I can honestly say in my decade of shooting weddings, I have never been to a fall Athens, Georgia wedding that didn’t include someone checking the score on the their phone at some point during the day. Consider choosing a non-game weekend or setting your expectations properly if you’re planning a fall wedding!

What other questions do you have?! I’d love to answer them in a future blog post! COMMENT below!