Sorry for the short hiatus, y’all. You might remember that I’m a middle school teacher, and with state tests coming up in seven weeks, things are starting to get hectic around here.
Since Christmas came and went, Blue Mom and I have been searching high and low for a reception venue near our church. The church we chose is kind of out in the middle of nowhere, so reception options are kind of limited.

New Hope Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee // Personal Photos
The very first place we looked at is called Homestead Manor, and I LOVED this property. It is an antebellum home just down the street from my parents and about 10 minutes from our church, and they recently added a big events barn to the property with a fireplace, beautiful chandeliers, and a pond in the back.
Photos by Kristyn Hogan Photography via HomesteadManor.com
The venue also has a beautiful bridal suite inside of a re-purposed schoolhouse and groom’s quarters on the second floor of the house. Everything about it seemed so perfect, but Blue Moon and I decided to look around some more before we decided. We needed something closer to our budget, which is $15,000, and something that is not too big for the number of guests. The Manor’s equestrian barn seats a ton of guests, and I was so worried that it would swallow our small reception.
The second venue that we looked at, and went as far as penciling our date in with, was a restaurant just off Main Street in our hometown called ...