Enthusiast Magazine

It’s about making memories for couples getting married at Chateau Elan Winery & Resort for Catering Managers Lauren Nicholson and Allison Criswell. “Our passion is to bring our couples’ visions to life and to create the perfect, unforgettable day that will last a lifetime,” Nicholson said. Chateau Elan’s sprawling and picturesque grounds are the perfect location for couples looking to “tie the knot.” That’s why hundreds of couples have been married there over the years. For the married-couple-to-be, the planning process begins when they complete an inquiry on the resort’s website - chateauelan.com. Nicholson and Criswell reach out to introduce themselves and schedule an initial in-person “This space is a great gathering location for friends and family to enjoy themselves during their time here for the wedding” Lauren Nicholson appointment. Upon the couples’ arrival to the resort, they share their vision and expectations for their wedding day. “We then take the time to get to know the couple and their family and then provide them with more information about the resort, venues, packaging, and pricing,” Criswell said. “During this initial visit, our primary goal is to make sure that the couple leaves with all of their questions answered and that they can ultimately see themselves here at Chateau Elan on their special day.” Once the couple decides on a wedding package, Nicholson and Criswell start the planning process by connecting them to Chateau Elan’s exclusive wedding planning company, Georgia TLC Events which provides a variety of services ranging from full wedding planning to month-of coordination. Through this step, Nicholson and Criswell work very closely with Georgia TLC Events’ team to ensure couples have all of the support they need in making each decision. As any bride can attest, a wedding is all about the details. The next step is to start the detailing process, which includes working with the planner and the couple’s selected vendors to create a floor plan and timeline leading up to the wedding. Throughout this process, the team at Chateau Elan strives to create a positive and relaxing environment so that couples and their families never feel overwhelmed in making each decision. “One of the great things about Chateau Elan Winery and Resort is that we provide an all-inclusive experience so that our guests can immerse themselves in all that we have to offer on property, like our World Renowned Winery, European Spa, and three spacious golf courses,” Nicholson said. “We also have several outdoor recreational spaces, along with our outdoor entertainment deck. This space is a great gathering location for friends and family to enjoy themselves during their time here for the wedding.” Chateau Elan offers a variety of elegant and breathtaking locations to host the wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. Outdoor locations range from in the vineyard surrounded by rose bushes to spacious lawns with beautiful greenery. Couples have the choice of several indoor and outdoor locations to host their cocktail hour following their ceremony. These locations range from outdoor terraces to an intimate hideaway located within the winery. Following the cocktail hour, the resort has multiple indoor locations, such as modern ballrooms and a rustic pavilion with vaulted ceilings and bistro lights. Each wedding is unique because of the many combinations of locations we offer for the couple to choose from. “As we get closer to the big day, we start focusing on all of the fine details,” Criswell said. “One of the most unique parts of our planning process is when the couple selects the menu and tastes those options during our custom tasting consultation. The couple is able to bring two guests and their wedding planner to help make the final decision. During the tasting, they are able to try samples of our butler passed hors d’oeuvres, three-course entrée selections, and our award winning Chateau Elan Reserve wines. During this two to three-hour process, we are able to finalize all details from vendors and design to diagrams and guest count.” As the wedding day approaches Nicholson and Criswell are able to prepare for the wedding weekend through constant communication and collaboration with the resort’s banquet and culinary teams. A part of that process is gathering all information to create a Banquet Event Order. A BEO is a record of all details in a document that we are able to distribute to all departments. “It’s very exciting and fulfilling for us to complete our planning process and the wedding weekend ahead,” Nicholson said. One of the many reasons why couples choose Chateau Elan is for its world-class hospitality. The ambiance that is created from the moment they step on the property starts with the crackling fireplace, the French-style café, and the passed champagne  toast upon check-in. Many couples choose to welcome their guests with a reception the night before the wedding. A couple of the resort’s most popular spaces to hold these events are the outdoor entertainment deck that overlooks the pool and the Cask Room which is an intimate space surrounded by wine barrels. A tradition of the weekend is the wedding rehearsal. This is when the bridal party comes together to walk through the ceremony process so they are comfortable the day of. Following the walk-through, family and friends come together for the rehearsal dinner to celebrate the couple. This is one of Nicholson and Criswell’s favorite parts of the weekend because the couple is able to relax and engage with all of their guests before the big day. And then comes the moment everyone has been preparing for. As the morning of the wedding day starts, Chateau Elan’s team is overseeing the setup of each location and working with the wedding planner to ensure that everything is going as planned. Whether you are in our Grand Paris Ballroom or the Rose Vineyard amongst the vines, Chateau Elan can guarantee that your day will be magical. Couples have the opportunity to take wedding photos in several enchanting locations on the property, including our grand staircase in the Glass Top Atrium and the Winery Balcony overlooking the Vineyards. “One of our favorite parts is seeing the various spaces onsite transform to what the couple envisioned” Allison Criswell.

Read Other Posts