The Chimneys At Big Canoe

I got married here in October 2012, and it was wonderful. (Note: they DEFINITELY remodeled before my wedding, because the inside didn’t look anything like the pictures attached here — specifically thinking of the picture with the blue wallpaper.)
As the other reviewer said, it was so nice and simple to have the ceremony and reception at the same location. We had the ceremony outside and the reception inside (with a small setup outside as well). The ceremony location is on a stone patio (with 2 old chimneys, hence the name) overlooking a lake, and the view is beautiful. The inside is much prettier than it looks in pics. The wood in the pics gives it a 70s look, but in real life, it’s very beautiful and romantic (in a woodsy way).
Working with them was SO EASY. They were so flexible and had very few rules (such as no sparklers, because of all the wood). We could bring in everything on our own except for the caterer (Talk of the Town catering) — but the caterer was FABULOUS! People raved about the food. And they even gave us 2 to-​go dinners before we made our getaway, so we could enjoy the food one more time.
We were permitted to bring in décor from outside (which, believe it or not, some venues do not allow), and we were even allowed to bring our own alcohol, which I would guess saved a fair amount of money.
Everything was (simply) gorgeous, and if I had it to do all over again, I would still get married here. All the guests agreed, too. It was kind of like a mini destination wedding, since most people ended up renting cabins for the weekend — but it’s close by and not too expensive, so it was reasonable for people to go. I’d say it was perfect!

I recently got married at a lovely little place called Big Canoe, about an hour north of Atlanta. It’s a woodsy resort community with lakes, cabins, hiking trails, and a big golf course. We booked the venue a year in advance, since we got married over Memorial Day weekend and venues in May tend to fill up fast.
It was a beautiful setting for our wedding ceremony and reception — and I loved having the ceremony and reception at the same venue. (I’m just glad it didn’t rain, since the ceremony was outdoors!)
We got married on a stone patio overlooking the lake, and the reception took place inside The Chimneys reception hall right next to the patio. My only complaint about the venue was the heat. We had the AC going full blast, but it still got awfully hot.
There were many pros, though, in addition to the gorgeous setting! We were able to bring in our own alcohol, and whatever caterer we wanted. We had the entire venue to ourselves for the whole day, which gave us extra time for set-​up. Marilyn Zember, the Big Canoe wedding coordinator, was always responsive to our questions and requests, and was helpful throughout the planning process. And The Chimneys was more affordable than most places I looked at in/​around Atlanta, too!
All in all, it was a fabulous day in a beautiful setting, and I definitely recommend Big Canoe and The Chimneys as a great place to get married or host a fun event!
(P.S. There is also a chapel just up the street for those who prefer a chapel setting for their ceremony.)