fbpx
NEW MINI SESSIONS ARE HERE! CHECK THEM OUT
Pet-friendly wedding at Views at Sunset Ridge in Chattanooga. Photo by OkCrowe Photography. 

June 28, 2023

8 Amazing Pet-Friendly Wedding Venues in Chattanooga

If you’ve been here following along for a while, you already know that I’m a wedding photographer based in Chattanooga, and I love to travel – especially to photograph your big day. But something you may not know about me is how much I absolutely love animals. As a dog and cat mom myself, I absolutely love weddings where the couple’s furry friends make a special appearance. It always makes the day that much more fun and memorable. So, if you’re planning to have your pet be a part of your wedding, here are 8 amazing pet-friendly weddings venues in Chattanooga!

Getting Married with Your Pet by Your Side

Including your pet on your wedding day can be a truly memorable and heartwarming experience. After all, your pet is an important member of your family. It only makes sense that you would want them there with you on one of the biggest days of your life! Whether you plan to have them walk down the aisle with you or simply make a guest appearance over the course of the day, getting married with your pet by your side is a beautiful way to make the day just that much more exciting. 

Pets have a way of bringing people together and putting smiles on faces. As a wedding photographer, I love when couples incorporate their furry friends into their big day. Some of my favorite pictures are of couples just loving on their dog in full wedding attire. The adorable antics and playful energy pets bring are such a great way to get amazing candid smiles and help even the most nervous person relax before walking down the aisle to exchange vows. 

The biggest problem that couples encounter when they want their pet to be a part of their wedding is the restrictions venues have regarding pets. Many venues don’t want pets in their buildings. Thankfully, the Chattanooga area has such a wide selection of beautiful wedding venues. If one venue doesn’t allow pets, there is sure to be another that will. Here are a few of my favorite pet-friendly wedding venues!

1. The Homestead at Cloudland Station

At just 20 minutes away from Chattanooga, the Homestead at Cloudland Station is a rustic getaway from the big city life. Cloudland Station is a homesite community full of small cottages and cabins that are a tribute to simpler times. The Homestead is a wedding venue within the community featuring an Italianate farmhouse, a lakeside courtyard, and a refurbished barn to house your reception. The rolling fields and forested landscape mean there is tons of space for your furry companion to run around in. Just imagine how adorable your wedding pictures will be with your floppy-eared friend frolicking through the grass with you during your portrait sessions and then as you walk down the aisle.

2. Oakleaf Cottage

Oakleaf Cottage is a forest venue tucked away up the side of Lookout Mountain. This fully sustainable wedding venue is completely surrounded by trees with ceremony location options on the mountain or forest sites. Couples who want their pets to join in on the celebration simply have to let the owners know in advance. Then, your pup or cat can get ready with you in the cottage itself, join you for magical portraits around the property, and even sit by your feet as you have your very first kiss as a married couple.

3. Hidden Springs Venue

For couples looking for a more rustic style, Hidden Springs Venue is a forest-style venue with both indoor and outdoor options for your ceremony and reception and several cozy cabins for you and your out-of-town guests to stay the night in. On top of all that, they are more than happy for you to let your pets tag along for your wedding! They only ask that all pets be leashed and supervised at all times and be crated when left unsupervised in the cabins. Otherwise, your four-legged friends can be with you from the moment you get ready to the moment your guests send you off after your reception.

4. The Turnbull

While many pet-friendly venues come prepared with outdoor areas perfect for restless little legs to run around in, the Turnbull Building is an indoor venue located in the heart of downtown Chattanooga. This historic venue is perfect for couples looking for a contemporary, industrial-style venue that they can dress up or down to suit their tastes. As for having your pets join you on your wedding, they can be there from start to finish. Here the groom’s nephews walked down the aisle during the ceremony as ring bearer and leash-bearer. The pup was an adorable, friendly presence throughout the rest of the ceremony, their newlywed portraits, and cocktail hour.

5. The Views at Sunset Ridge

With 200 acres of property, the Views at Sunset Ridge is a stunning venue on the Red Clay Ridge just bursting with breathtaking mountain views that encompass five different states. With both bride and groom quarters to get ready in, your choice of a mountain view or forest view ceremony, and a grand reception in their signature event space, ROW Hall, you can create a wedding as simple or as elaborate as you’ve always imagined. And the expansive property means there’s plenty of room for your pets to join you – which is perfect for when your dog is a part of your wedding party!

6. Moser Manor Farms

If a grand wedding just isn’t your thing, Moser Manor Farms could be the perfect place for you. Each year the owners open up their farm for 20 small weddings per year of up to 50 guests. Just imagine saying your I do’s in their charming greenhouse before partying the rest of the night away in their signature barn reception hall. As the property is located on a functioning farm and homestead, it’s only fitting that pets are welcome too!

7. Hiwassee River Weddings

Hiwassee River Weddings is the absolute perfect venue for couples wanting a true fairytale wedding. This 19-acre property sits on a completely forested peninsula jutting into the Hiwassee River. Couples can choose from a riverside ceremony with the clear waters running right behind them or a forest ceremony surrounded by trees with glittering fairy lights strung between the branches. If you plan to have your pet joining you for your big day, rest assured that they will have plenty of room to run around in to help get their (and your!) pre-wedding jitters out.

8. Rock City Gardens

Rock City Gardens is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful outdoor destinations in Chattanooga. Large weddings on the open-air Pavilion are coordinated through Rock City’s venue partner, The Grandview. However, for elopements and microweddings with just a handful of guests, couples are welcome to get married at Lover’s Leap or Observation Point as long as they are not in the way of guest traffic. Both options have breathtaking panoramic views of the Tennessee Valley below. The best part is every part of Rock City is proud to be a pet-friendly attraction! They’ve even had goats and parrots come visit! So, if you’re planning a small wedding, you and your guests only have to pay your entrance fees into the gardens, and your pets just need their leashes.

Bonus: Your Backyard or a National Park

Of course, for a truly pet-friendly wedding experience, don’t forget that your own backyard is always an option! Even for the smallest yard, there’s always a way to spruce the area up to transform it into your dream wedding. But if your yard truly can’t fit your vision, national parks are your next best bet! Many national parks have areas that can accommodate weddings, big or small. Plus, pets are always welcome at the parks!

Will your furry friend be making an appearance on your wedding day? Let me know! I’ll bring treats.

Hey there! I’m Rachael Crowe of OkCrowe Photography! I’m a traveling, Chattanooga-based wedding photographer and an animal lover! I love shooting weddings and getting to capture your love story, but it’s always even more fun when your furry buddies tag along for the ride. I’ve even had dogs stop by at the Common House, which is technically not a pet-friendly venue, but they’ll sometimes allow dogs in the garden for portraits if you ask. So, if you’re planning a wedding with your pet involved, I’d love to be there to capture all of the special moments between you and your partner and your pet! Just fill out my contact form and let’s get started!

Pet-Friendly Wedding Venues in Chattanooga:

  1. The Homestead at Cloudland Station
  2. Oakleaf Cottage
  3. Hidden Springs Venue
  4. The Turnbull
  5. The Views at Sunset Ridge
  6. Moser Manor Farms
  7. Hiwassee River Weddings
  8. Rock City Gardens
  9. Bonus: Your Backyard or a National Park

Pin this blog for later! 

LEAVE A COMMENT

Comments Off on 8 Amazing Pet-Friendly Wedding Venues in Chattanooga

Reply...