Each year thousands of couples decide to make the Smoky Mountains their backdrop and destination for tying the knot. No one can blame them with so much beautiful scenery and the wealth of honeymoon accommodations available; the Smoky Mountains earn the title of most desired locations in the South--and even the United States--for getting married.
This means that there are many options for those wishing to take the plunge. Some may want an outdoor or cabin wedding. However, the allure of getting married at a tiny chapel is still a popular choice for couples. The following is a list of some of the chapels in the Smoky Mountains. They provide excellent options for those seeking a small, cheaper option. Make ite of the most memorable moments of your lives.
Little Log Wedding Chapel
Nestled in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg is the Little Log Wedding Chapel. This chapel is one of the larger ones available in the Smoky Mountains. They offer a package deal that can include up to 100 guests. These packages are offered by all the chapels that are priced according to the amount of guests invited. It's also based on the amount of pictures offered, wedding cake size. Don't forget the flower packages, just to name a few.
Couples getting hitched here have the option of a Simple Elopement Package. This is their cheapest and most basic. There's a Little Log Fantasy Package, which will run $4,000. It's still a cheaper option than a full-blown church wedding and reception with a decent guest list. Located in The Arts and Crafts Community, this is definitely still a very quiet area in a lovely wooded environment. They have a comprehensive website with a full list of packages and prices at www.logchapel.com.
Chapel at the Park
The great thing about the chapels here is that you can decide whether you want an indoor or outdoor reception. Chapel at the Park has this option, and they also offer special elopement packages. This is geared toward couples who just want a private ceremony without the atmosphere of a large group. Despite the fact that it’s not the tiny chapel people have in mind when they picture one, it has the traditional white color with seating of about 60 guests, so it still fits the mold of a picturesque chapel.
This chapel is located a few miles outside Gatlinburg off the East Parkway and sits on a 3.2 acre estate. The grounds are secluded providing an almost perfect setting for wedding portraits. They include the following: two waterfalls, a white gazebo, rose gardens, and their “enchanted forests”. For a look at their options, plus all the beautiful photographs of the area, their website is www.chapelatthepark.com.
Smokey Ridge Wedding Chapel
Owned by In The Smokies Weddings, this is a wedding service that is located near Sevierville but operates in a different location than the weddings held at Smokey Ridge. The chapel is located just a few miles from Dollywood, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a quiet location; it sits on private property with beautiful views of the Smoky Mountains. The chapel is made of a lovely cedar, and it offers a garden gazebo along with the full amenities of a standard chapel.
One special amenity they offer is a Love Bird Ceremony. This is where a white dove is released during the ceremony. It's a sign of peace, unity, and everlasting love. They are also a cabin rental service with a wide range of cabin options. They offer honeymoon cabins for two in any setting you prefer in the Smoky Mountains. Their Riverside location is a private river bank setting above a rushing river in Pigeon Forge. Go to smokyweddings.com for a full list of amenities and descriptions of their policies.
Chapel in the Glen
Do you want want a log-style chapel with an outdoor waterfall and stunning floral arrangements? Then Chapel in the Glen might serve your needs well. They are another chapel located on Glades Road in the middle of Arts and Crafts loop. It's just a few miles from Gatlinburg. Chapel in the Glen offers indoor and outdoor weddings. They also offer the attraction of an intimate setting inside. It comes with the trees, gazebo, or garden arbors at your choosing. An outside ceremony is also an ideal option.
The intimacy of an indoor wedding is evident with seating of only 50 guests. A standard wedding package here is priced a several hundred dollars at the low end for a half an hour. It's a larger ceremony priced at over a thousand dollars for a full hour. Chapel in the Glen is not unlike most others in that they not only provide a professional photographer, but a chapel consultant that helps get the couple through most of the headache of planning the wedding. Check out their full list of amenities and what to expect from a Smoky Mountain Wedding at www.chapelwedding.com.
Sugarland Wedding Chapel
If you are walking the Parkway and see a small group of people dressed for a special occasion, you have probably witnessed a wedding party, either before or after their ceremony at Sugarland Wedding Chapel near the entrance to the National Park. If there is such a thing as the quiet side of downtown, this chapel is here. Even though it’s not an obvious choice for an outdoor wedding, they do provide a gazebo for small outdoor ceremonies.
Inside are antique church pews and stained glass windows in addition to the quaint atmosphere of the chapel. Sugarland Wedding Chapel offers just a few packages. However they include a reception package that can held at the nearby Black Bear Inn. While it is not the most peaceful setting for a wedding in the Smoky Mountains, it provides plenty of convenience with plenty of activities that can done without even getting in the car; this is for people that like to have options for exploring the town after their momentous occasion.
Miss Caroline’s Country Wedding Chapel
Heading over to the North Carolina side of the Smoky Mountains is Miss Caroline’s in Maggie Valley. This chapel, built in 1992, has a bit of a history associated with it. When Maggie Valley tourists came to town, they came to this chapel as a place for worship on vacation. Naturally, as with any place for prayer, it became inundated with requests to perform marriages for couples. So in 1995 they built a gift shop and offered packages for lovers to have their ceremony right here.
Their original chapel is tiny, seating just 20 guests, but the new enchanted chapel can hold up to 45. The wedding services here also allow for ultra convenience to the wedding couple since they also offer six cozy cabins that are within walking distance to food and entertainment options in Maggie Valley. For a full list of rules and information about photography and ministers go to carolinescountrycabins.com.
The Wedding Chapel in the Glades
The name of this wedding chapel will tell you that there is yet another one located in the Glades section of the Arts and Crafts Community. It was built nearly 20 years ago and features rustic log interior, Gothic windows, candlelight, and stained glass windows. The owners of this chapel also operate the one described earlier, The Chapel in the Glen. The packages here are quite reasonable and you should expect a very professional operation that includes the coordination of the wedding, professional photography, and candlelight ceremony.
Wedding photos are all stored online for easy viewing, and custom packages can be created by ceremonies including a unity candle and unity sand, or romantic dinner for two. Outdoor photography is accented by their Secret Garden--a beautiful setting for an outdoor wedding or post-indoor wedding pictures. Like the Chapel in the Glen, this chapel is nestled in a woodland area with all the amenities of the National Park nearby. Take a gander at this lovely chapel and what they provide for their ceremonies at chapelsofgatlinburg.com.
The Chapel at the Preserve
As you can see, some wedding chapels are owned by cabin companies that operate a wedding service as an extension of renting cabins. Your Smoky Mountain Weddings is the wedding service operated by Hearthside Cabin Rentals, and they offer a stunning chapel for couples wanting to come to the Smokies via marriage. This is a very traditional style chapel that is described as looking like something out of a storybook. After looking at pictures, who could argue with that. The Chapel at the Preserve is one of the larger chapels in the Smokies with its peaked roof, bell tower, and up to 100 guest seating.
From the inside, one can just feel the Southern charm emanating from its wooden pews and high-arched ceiling. This is not to mention all the natural light from its setting in view of the Smoky Mountains. Couples getting married at The Chapel at the Preserve will also be impressed with its deft placement of entrances. This is to separate the bride and groom from running into each other prior to the ceremony. Downstairs is a generous area for the bride and bridal party to prepare for the big moment as well. More in-depth information can be found at yoursmokymountainwedding.com.
Angel’s View Wedding Chapel
Between Pigeon Forge and Sevierville is one of the most premier and picturesque wedding chapels around. Located in the Wears Valley Area, you know you will be in for a treat. This is with all the breathtaking views that can be found in this scenic area of the Smokies. The chapel is surrounded by majestic mountains in the Black Bear Ridge Resort offering just about everything for the perfect wedding experience. This includes wedding cakes, photography, cabins, salon, and makeup. You can even have limo service featuring a Cinderella Ball Carriage.
If all that doesn’t sound like an outstanding array of amenities, then you’ll want to hear about the chapel. You can view the Smoky Mountains and all its glory from the glass altar inside with seating of up to 60 guests. While the altar with mountain view is impressive enough, there is another feature of the chapel that may top them all. A hand crafted and designed stone tower was built. It's in addition to the chapel and features panoramic views of the mountains from the top. It is designed for the intimate wedding ceremony as the inside holds about a maximum of six people.
The stone tower is the perfect place for jaw-dropping and never-ending views. This is perfect for the couple who wants to elope or the married pair who wants to renew their vows. Take a look at all the incredible views and amenities at angelsviewweddingchapel.com.
A Light of Love Wedding Chapel
From one of the most extensive-laden amenities from Angel’s View to one of the more no frills and basic wedding chapels in Pigeon Forge is A Light of Love Wedding Chapel. Located in a not-so-secluded area of the Parkway at light #6 is this intimate log style cabin. This chapel has been providing couples with a storybook wedding ceremony for more 28 years. It has built up an impressive list of satisfied couples on their special date.
A Chapel like this is great for those that don’t want to be inundated with an endless array of options. It's not filled with countless extras. Their options are few and limited. They feature a Smoky Mountain Simplicity Package. It has a candlelight ceremony, music of choice, Just Married sign, and 25 guests. All of which is just $150. Even their most elaborate package is extremely reasonable. All of the Simplicity Package plus photo package, wedding cake, choice of a unity sand, and a honeymoon basket of goodies. It all adds up to a $333 wedding for the Great Smokies Package. For a look at their easy to navigate website, go to www.smokymountainweddingchapels.com. You can see if this fits your ideal wedding ceremony.
Conclusion
This has been a list of 10 wedding chapels in the Smokies. It is by no means a detailed list of chapels. However, these are a pretty good representation of the diverse selection of chapels. It also includes the amenities that can be found the Smoky Mountains. If you are looking for a non-traditional wedding in a beautiful setting, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better location. It's hard to find a place with better options than this area of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina.