Our Favorite Atlanta Wedding Venues: Little Gardens

With this post we are going to try something new and give prospective brides some details about locations we have shot at before, focusing on the venue itself and what it has to offer for your wedding ceremony.

We had the luxury to photograph at Little Gardens in Lawrenceville in 2010 and it was definitely one of our favorite locations to shoot a wedding at. Located about 30 minutes Northeast of Metro Atlanta in Lawrenceville, there is easy access to the highways for guests arriving from around the city.

The basic concept of the venue could be summarized as a Bed & Breakfast style wedding venue with a master guest house connected to a banquet hall and outdoor gardens.

Dressing Rooms

The main house features upstairs rooms where both the bride and groom can get ready for their big day. The bridal suite is the larger of the two and can easily accommodate even a large wedding party. The huge mirror at the end of this room is perfect for the bride and bridesmaids to dress in front of – while of course being a great photographic opportunity for the photographer!

The Groom’s suite, while not as lavish or as large, was still able to accommodate our wedding party of 5 but was a little tight if you still have a bit of changing to do. Luckily for most guys this isn’t quite as large of an ordeal as it is for the ladies, quick shave, throw on some cologne, slip into the tuxedo, and you’re good to go!

Ceremony Location

The gardens are just off the main house is where you will most likely have your ceremony. The backdrop is a beautiful green scene featuring a waterfall and vivid landscaping. The gardens provide an intimate setting that could easily be configured for even larger parties than the 100 or so were at the wedding we photographed. While the ceremony location is pretty much in direct sunlight, the abundance of trees and shade for pictures after the ceremony make up for it. Be prepared for a bit of Atlanta heat if your wedding is in the middle of the day in the middle of Summer. One benefit of being in Lawrenceville is that it is slightly further North than the city of Atlanta proper so you will feel a bit of a reprieve compared to say Midtown Atlanta.

Reception Hall

Little Gardens has a large reception hall with a dance floor connected to the main house. The shaded patio area just outside could be configured to host a light cocktail reception, but the dance floor and tables will be set up indoors in the air conditioning. Again Little Gardens is not the largest space in Atlanta but it is perfect for a small to medium sized wedding. We had the perfect amount of space for our party to be able to dance, do a bouquet/garter toss, and still sit down for a meal. Other features include a bar which is just inside the house and can easily hold a full cocktail reception.

Conclusion

Overall Little Gardens is a fun and photogenic location for your wedding. The venue caters to the small to medium-sized wedding working best for a wedding party of around 10 people with total attendees in the 100 range. Wedding photographers and brides will be drawn to the Southern charm of the house itself and the lush gardens for the ceremony and formal photos.

—

Zachary Long is a wedding photographer based in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia. Together with his wife Betty Feng they form Feng Long Photography. Zac and Betty are available for weddings in the Metro Atlanta, GA area and destination weddings throughout the United States and China.

All images (c) FengLong Photography

Please view our website and blog at www.fenglongphoto.com/