Wedding Tips & Etiquette

WELCOME TO YOUR SMOKY MOUNTAIN WEDDING!

Whether you are looking to have a large wedding, small wedding, or a completely private wedding, Pigeon Forge is the perfect place. We have made it easier than ever to plan your dream wedding in our city.

Organizing your wedding can be an intimidating undertaking, and knowing where to start is the hardest step to take. On this site, we've done the work for you and put it all right here at your fingertips. Destination weddings can present some unique challenges, so throughout the site you'll find useful wedding tips and etiquette to get through your big day. We can also help you with contact information for local vendors ready to help create the wedding you have always wanted. 

Tips and Etiquette

Below you will find a list of tips and etiquette to help you with planning your big day in Pigeon Forge. Tips on planning, ceremony etiquette and information on the responsibilities of members of the wedding party have been included. Although planning a wedding can be overwhelming, feel free to refer back to our tips and etiquette to help answer any questions you may have.

Planning Tips:

  • Start Planning Early!  Buy a calendar or wedding planning book and map out "Your To Do" list in chronological order 12 months, 6 months, 3 months, 2 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, 1 week, 1 day, etc.   Also, set aside specific times to focus solely on your wedding planning.
  • Set Budget! Make a wedding budget and stick to it. Brides and grooms realize a little too late they have overspent for their wedding. Make sure you come together early, agree on who is paying for what and how much has been allotted for the big event.  We offer economical small chapel weddings, in-cabin weddings, gazebo weddings and wooden bridge ceremonies that are very affordable.
  • Work Together! Your wedding day is about both of you.  Communication and flexibility are necessary to ensure that you have a wedding day that you both will enjoy. 
  • Share Responsibility! Enlist the help of your spouse-to-be, friends, and family to ensure that everything gets done on time.
  • Be Specific! When negotiating contracts with vendors, be very specific in your details and expectations.  Make sure that everything is spelled out and that you read the fine print.
  • Expect the Unexpected!  Last minute surprises and expenses are bound to come up.  If you lay time and budget aside for these miscellaneous items, your wedding planning will go more smoothly.
  • Take Breaks! Go out on a date with your fiance or spend some time with close friends.  Either way, don't talk about the wedding at all!  If you take some time out of your planning to enjoy non-wedding activities, you will have more fun during the planning process.

Ceremony and Reception Etiquette

  • Discuss budget with your parents and fiance.  Walk in with an open mind and discuss who is willing to pay for what.
  • Be fully dressed and completed prepared at least 15 minutes early for your ceremony.  The ministers can schedule 10 or more ceremonies in a day.  If they are delayed even 30 minutes, that puts them behind schedule for the rest of the day.  This is not fair to other couples who are scheduled after yours.
  • If you have children at the ceremony, please reinforce their manners beforehand.  Do not let a dissatisfied child disrupt a beautiful, solemn ceremony.  
  • Allow a few minutes extra for arrival of your minister if there is rainy or stormy weather outside.  Sometimes the weather or traffic delays can affect travel time, and this makes things more tense.  Relax whenever possible!
  • If your minister skips any part of the ceremony that you feel is important, stop him or her RIGHT THEN and ask about it.  This would prevent any dissatisfaction after the fact.
  • ASK your minister for a copy of the ceremony if that is important to you.  Review it beforehand and there will be no surprises.
  • Talk to your vendors in detail so there are no surprises.
  • If there will be numerous cars at the site where you are getting married, please try to leave one car parking spot close to the front door.  Your ministers may have several items to haul inside when they get there and this will make the ceremony much less stressful.  
  • Also, do not let any car block the minister's vehicle in.  They have to leave promptly for other ceremonies as soon as your is finished, and they don't want to interrupt your party trying to get out of the driveway.