Exploring Parkside Hall – Chattanooga’s Newest Venue

For their wedding, Elyssa + Scott chose Parkside Hall, one of Chattanooga’s newer venues located in the Southside District right across from the Montague Park Sculpture Fields. Parkside Hall opened in December 2021 after two years of planning, preparation, and delays due to the pandemic. As a sister site of the Turnbull Building, the staff at Parkside Hall have taken all of the tips and tricks they’ve learned from running one of Chattanooga’s most popular modern wedding venues and have brought all of that knowledge into running this beautiful new space. 

Once you tour Parkside Hall, it’s easy to see how it can effortlessly transform into the wedding venue you’ve always dreamed of. With high ceilings and white walls, it’s the perfect canvas for showcasing any couple’s unique style. Just imagine how vibrantly colored florals would pop against the blank white paneled walls or how glittering lights and candles would twinkle like an enchanting sea of stars in the wide open space. 

One of the best features of Parkside Hall is its versatility for both indoor and outdoor event options. Not only does the venue include a spacious lounge where guests can mingle, it includes a stunning modern dressing room with a private patio where the wedding party can prepare before the event. Then, for outdoor events, couples can choose between a covered open-air patio with a stylish tiled fireplace or the large courtyard – both of which are great for ceremonies and cocktail hours. Meanwhile, the event hall is perfect for indoor ceremonies and receptions for up to 250 guests. 

The minimalist style and modern architecture are what attract many couples to this refined space. The stylish design was definitely what drew Elyssa + Scott in and became one of the deciding factors in choosing Parkside Hall for their special day.

Lighting Parkside Hall with Candles

I cannot get over the way Elyssa + Scott used candles in their wedding décor. Candles are such a classic wedding décor choice but the way Elyssa + Scott and their wedding coordinator Jennifer Lynn from Before the Vows used them gave this traditional décor feature a modern look. They chose to match the overall minimalist style of the venue with their décor with a mainly black and white color palette with accents of bright red roses and candlelight everywhere. 

For their ceremony, the main aisle was dressed simply with leafy greens and dotted with glowing candles and white roses. At the top of the aisle, the venue’s modern tiled fireplace was dressed with white drapery that fell around small wooden tables sprinkled with even more candles. A variety of candles were placed in sleek glass vases of different heights along the mantle with white roses standing in between for a modern look while red roses broke up the white décor with small pops of vibrant color. 

Their reception had a similar look with black tablecloths covering all of the tables and white chairs around them. This created an elegant neutral backdrop for the candlelight to bounce off of and for the red roses and petals to really stand out. 

Candid Photography to Enjoy the Moment

When Elyssa, Scott, and I were discussing preparations for how they wanted their wedding day to go, one thing that Elyssa wished to make sure of was that they would be able to be present and enjoy the day. She noted that as much as she wanted beautiful photos to look back on, it was more important to them both that they were able to enjoy their wedding and have a good time with the friends and family that came to celebrate with them. 

When it comes to wedding photography, my approach is to let things unfold however they will. My goal is never to interrupt a moment but rather to be a fly on the wall, watching it all happen and clicking away to capture the raw essence and genuine emotion of the day. On the day of Elyssa + Scott’s wedding, I made sure that their photography never got in the way of the day’s true purpose. 

For their ceremony on the patio, as the two had chosen not to have a first look, the excitement and anticipation were palpable in the air as Scott made his way down the aisle to stand by the candlelit mantle. When the music changed and Elyssa stepped into the doorway holding her brother’s arm, I discreetly moved around so I could capture the timeless shots of both Elyssa’s and Scott’s expressions and they finally saw each other for the first time. 

By choosing to focus on candid photography, not only was their ceremony and all of the many emotions throughout it captured in their truest form, but the rest of their wedding was too. Even throughout their portrait sessions with their family and friends and their newlywed photos, the posed photos are not the ones that stand out. Instead, it’s the moment of laughter and meaningful glances in between that truly encapsulate the love and happiness of the day.

A Modern Reception at Parkside Hall

After their wedding ceremony, we took some time to take newlywed photos of Elyssa + Scott on the patio. The sunlight pouring through the rafters overhead cast a lovely, warm glow over the happy couple as they casually posed and simply basked in the joy of finally being married. After we captured a few shots, Elyssa switched out her bouquet with a parasol which was another modern and elegant touch on their big day. 

They were met with cheers and applause when they rejoined their guests in the event hall. Together, they had the sweetest first dance, followed by equally touching dances between Elyssa and her mom and Scott and his mom. 

After a delicious dinner catered by Taqueria Jalisco, the two slipped back outside for sunset portraits in Montague Park across the street. The park’s natural light and soft grassy landscape provided the perfect backdrop for capturing the love between these two, mirrored by the warm, gentle glow of the setting sun. 

The rest of their reception was spent laughing and dancing with the many friends and family who came to celebrate their joy. The festivities reached their peak after Elyssa’s classic bouquet toss. Unexpectedly, Scott also his boutonniere into a crowd of his groomsmen and a few friends in a hilarious twist on the tradition. Finally, the night ended with Elyssa + Scott leaving the venue among magical swirls of light in a glow stick send off.