So here’s the scoop….Instead of hosting a traditional, one-day wedding party, we’ve opted to host a long weekend so that we can spend some real quality time with the you – the folks that mean the most to us.
Sugarboo Farms is a farm-style, mountain retreat situated on 20 acres in the north Georgia mountains that adjoins the Chattahoochee National Forest. The outdoor property features on-site cottages, a pool, a jacuzzi, a large patio area with multiple grills, various fire pits, an outdoor movie projector, an organic garden that will hopefully have some blueberries for picking, and friendly farm animals, including Felipe the donkey. This wooded retreat is ready for the fun-filled chaos that will be rolling through with our rowdy crew.
We’ll be providing quite a few meals in addition to dinner on our wedding day. We’ve opted, however, not to provide lunch during the long weekend because we figure most folks will be on-the-go and exploring the area during lunchtimes. But don’t worry, we have you covered with lots of food recommendations in the area, all of which are yummm. We will also be hosting some of our immediate family on-site at Sugarboo Farms. We obviously wish we could host everyone at the farm but there just isn’t that much room. But again don’t worry, for those of you that we can’t host on-site, we have you covered with some great lodging ideas and recommendations. Just keep in mind that Blairsville, Georgia is a small, mountain town, meaning lodging can be limited and you’ll want to get reservations made sooner rather than later.
If you want more information about Sugarboo Farms, please check out their website at sugarboofarms.com.
We’ve provided a tentative weekend schedule below (and on your invitation). You’re invited to join in on as much or as little as you’d like. We just kindly ask that you RSVP for the various activities and events by the dates noted on each RSVP so that we can keep track of everything (and order enough grub!). We also hope that you can make time to explore this gorgeous region of Georgia and enjoy some of the fun, off-site activities that are offered nearby (check out some of our recommendations on the “Things To Do” page of the website).
Weekend Schedule
Thursday, June 11, 2020: Hugs & hellos all around. We’ll be hosting a casual dinner this evening that will consist of a taco bar, chips and salsa, and rice and beans. We’ll have water but feel free to BYOB. Feel free to arrive to Sugarboo Farms anytime after 3pm, which is when we’ll be allowed to check-in.
Meal(s) provided this day: Dinner.
Friday, June 12, 2020: Today's the day... We’re gettin' hitched y'all! A hearty breakfast will be served up in the morning as we get ready for the big day. The ceremony is tentatively scheduled to begin at 4:30pm, but we may end up pushing the start time back a bit later. We’ll see. But don’t worry, we’ll make sure to keep everyone posted on the start time closer to the big day.
Meal(s) provided this day: Breakfast and dinner.
Saturday, June 13, 2020: We’re planning on sleeping in this day since the prior day’s festivities may go late into the night. Once we get up, the plan will be to fuel up with some good breakfast eats and then suit of for some river tubing fun. Get ready for icy cold water and lots of laughs. After that, James Yoakum will graciously be preparing a delicious, low-country shrimp boil dinner for us all back at Sugarboo Farms.
Meal(s) provided this day: Breakfast and dinner.
Sunday, June 14, 2020: All good things must unfortunately come to an end. We’ll hug and say our farewells with check-out time at 11 am.
Meal(s) provided this day: None.
Upon your arrival to Sugarboo Farms you’ll be greeted by a large farmhouse with bright red doors and country charm. The farmhouse has a commercial-grade kitchen, a laundry room with a washer and dryer, lockers and shower facilities, and a comfy television room.
Directly behind the farmhouse there is a large patio area for entertaining with plenty of seating and socializing space for everyone to hang out, as well as a bar area, firepit and multiple gas grills. Also located behind the Farmhouse is a swimming pool, a jacuzzi, multiple hammocks, and a movie screen projector for fun movie nights on the green.
A few things to note:
• Even though there is a kitchen with a full refrigerator and freezer, we would suggest you not plan on packing many foods that need to be refrigerated or frozen. And to the extent you do have cold foods and drinks, we ask that you please plan on using a cooler to store them. You see, there will be between 50-60 people staying onsite, so it’s not really feasible to store everyone’s things in the farmhouse refrigerator and freezer for everyone’s things. Additionally, we’ll need to use the fridge for wedding-day foods, snacks and beverages. Keep in mind that most meals are being provided, and it’s likely you’ll be out and about for lunch, so you really shouldn’t need a ton of perishable goods. The same goes for snacks and other pantry items- we ask that you keep these items inside and/or outside your cottage (no food outside your cottage though… the critters will get into it) or in your car. Thank you for understanding!
• You are more than welcome to use the laundry facilities, but please make sure to have your own detergent as this is not provided by Sugarboo Farms.
• Showers are located in and around the farmhouse. Remember that staying onsite means “glamping” (glamorous camping as they say). The farmhouse offers spacious lockers that you can use to keep your towels and toiletries in so that you don’t have to tote them back and forth between the farmhouse and your cottage. But hey, the rule with camping and glamping is that limited bathing is totally acceptable, right?!
The grounds at Sugarboo Farms consist of three (3) separate “glamp” sites.
Each “glamp” site has:
• Five (5) sleeping cottages with power, lighting, a ceiling fan, and screened windows that allow for great ventilation and prevent bug invasions;
• Restroom facilities (each “glamp” site has two (2) bathrooms);
• A fire pit; and
• An outdoor grill
The grounds at Sugarboo Farms also include an organic farm and farm animals. We’ve been told by the staff of Sugarboo Farms that the organic farm should still have blueberries growing when we’re there, which means the kids can have fun picking fresh blueberries. The farm animals include goats, chicken, pigs and a donkey- most of which are friendly and will let you pet and feed them. We just ask that you please supervise the kids if they do plan on petting them.
A few things to note:
• Yes it’s summer and yes the cottages don’t have A/C, but the reality is that the weather in Blairsville, Georgia during the month of June is actually really mild and comfortable with the highs in the low 70’s and the lows in the high 50’s/low 60’s (July is hot, which is why we bumped the weekend to June!). Humidity is also low in June, in part thanks to the elevation and surrounding mountains. As mentioned, the cottages each also have a fan and windows. One of the staff members told us that she and her family make a trip to Sugarboo Farms every year in June and October and they all sleep really comfortably during both visits.
• If you did the math, you probably realized that there are a total of fifteen (15) cottages between the three (3) “glamp” sites. Twelve (12) of the cottages have a queen bed for sleeping. The remaining three (3) cottages can sleep up to five (5) people each thanks to double bunk beds and an additional pull-out trundle bed. For those family members that we’ve been able to invite to stay onsite, please note that we will do our best to accommodate everyone comfortably.
• Sugarboo Farms provides pillows, bed linens, and blankets for all of the cottages.
• For those staying onsite, to the extent space in the cottages isn’t enough for your whole family, Sugarboo Farms has told us that our kiddos can set up camp around the cottages. This means that the kids can get a full “camping” experience and you can get some privacy. The tents would be set up right outside of the cottages, and remember, we’re sitting on a secluded and safe property of 20-acres.
We've put together a suggested packing list that guests staying both onsite and offsite should be able to use when prepping for the weekend. Of course, feel free to pack anything else you my want or need. Also, if you have any questions about what is and isn't available at the farm, please just reach out to us.
Suggested Packing List
Clothes:
• Light, breathable clothes (you want to be cool and comfortable!)
• Sweater / pull-over (it does get cool in the evenings)
• Socks
• Sneakers
• Swimsuit
• Wedding outfit (attire will be semi-formal, but feel free to dress as casual and as comfortably as you’d like… also, the reception will take place on grass, so wear comfy shoes)
• Water shoes
• Flip flops
• Hat
• Jewelry / accessories
Food / Kitchen Supplies
• Cooler
• Ice
• Adult beverages
• Snacks
• Healthy food to feed the farm animals (carrots, apples, broccoli, and bananas are some great options)
Toiletries
• Towels (for showering and for the pool – some are provided, but there are a lot of us)
• Shampoo / conditioner
• Soap
• Deodorant
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Razor
• Hair products (brush, dryer, bobby pins, hairspray, dry shampoo, etc.)
• Toilet paper (we’ll be providing some, but if everyone can bring a couple of rolls to be safe that would be great)
Outdoor Supplies
• Flashlight(s)
• Bug spray
• Sunscreen
• Daypack
• Rain gear/ boots (hopefully not needed, but let’s keep an eye on the weather as the date gets closer)
• Rain gear/ boots (hopefully not needed, but let’s keep an eye on the weather as the date gets closer)
• Umbrella(s)
• Firewood, lighter & newspaper
Entertainment
• Outdoor games (i.e. cornhole, redneck golf, KanJam, etc.)
• Pool toys
• Football, soccer ball, etc.
• Frisbee
• Board games / cards
• Chalk (for drawing on the cement)
• DVDs (to play on outdoor movie screen)
Miscellaneous
• Phone and charger
• Extra pillows & blankets (each cottage pillows, bed linens and a blanket)
• Air mattress and/or tent (as needed)
• Sleeping bags (regardless of space or whether they’re needed, the kids will love using sleeping bags while watching movies on the outdoor movie theatre)
Below are answers to some questions you might have specific to our wedding day. If you still have any questions after reading, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
1. What’s the wedding attire?
Semi-formal, but we say this loosely. Our priority is for everyone to be comfortable and have fun. So, whether that means rocking a tux or a fun Hawaiian shirt and some shorts- you just do you and come as you please.
2. What kind of shoes should I wear?
Wear whatever shoes you feel comfortable in and can groove in on the dance floor. Gina will be looking to dance with everyone…. That includes you uncle Rodney =). Just one thing to note – the reception will take place on grass (except for the dance floor), so ladies may want to opt for wedges, flat shoes or shoes with thicker heels.
3. Where will the wedding ceremony take place? What about the reception?
Both the ceremony and reception will take place at Sugarboo Farms.
4. Will the wedding take place outdoors? What if it rains?
Yes, both the ceremony and reception will take place outdoors. And while we hope it doesn’t rain, the reality is it may and we’re preparing the best we can. The ceremony will take place under a covered pavilion located right next to farmhouse, and the reception will take place under a tent on the grounds in an open area near one of the “glamp” sites. So, even if it rains, we should still all be OK and able to enjoy the day.
5. I can’t wait to hit the dance floor at the wedding and bust out my groovy moves- any chance I can make song requests?
Absolutely! Feel free to text or email Gina any music requests you have! Her contact info is #352-209-5402 and giacusar@gmail.com.
6. Is there anything I can do to help?
We welcome any and all help. Our wedding and the entire weekend are fully DIY, meaning we have no wedding planner and are doing just about everything ourselves. If you’re willing to help, please definitely let us know. We would absolutely love any help you have to offer the day of the wedding in order to get everything set up.
We’ve done our best to answer all of your burning questions. However, to the extent you still have questions after reading through the FAQs, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We want this weekend to be a great experience for everyone!
Sugarboo Farms – General
1. What will the weather be like?
The weather in June in Blairsville is mild with highs in the low 70’s and lows in the high 50’s/low 60’s. Also, the humidity is low in June, so it should really be great weather.
2. Do I have to stay the entire weekend?
Definitely not! While we would obviously love to have each of you there the entire weekend, we completely understand if you can’t or don’t want to commit to the whole weekend and just come for the actual wedding day on Friday, June 12.
3. Will we be able to make fires and cook s’mores?
For sure! There are several fire pits on the property. We may just need to buy wood. We’ll definitely have a fire going and s’mores for the wedding.
4. Is there anything to do onsite at Sugarboo Farms?
There’s tons to do! Behind the farmhouse you’ll find a pool, jacuzzi and outdoor movie theatre for fun movie nights. There’s plenty of space for games and socializing, as well as lots of lawn chairs and hammocks for ultimate relaxation mode. On the grounds you’ll find an organic garden that should still have ripe blueberries for picking. And right next to the garden you’ll find friendly farm animals that you can watch from afar or pet and feed (healthy snacks only please!). The property consists of 20 acres, so there’s also tons of space to hike, explore, and run around during games of tag and hide-and-go-seek.
5. Are we able to enjoy adult beverages onsite?
Yes, yes and yes! Just a few caveats: * Please pick up after yourselves & * Absolutely no glass by the pool area please – this is a big no-no that the staff of Sugarboo Farms have emphasized to us repeatedly.
6. Is there a refrigerator and/or freezer onsite?
Yes, BUT to the extent you do bring cold foods and drinks, we ask that you please plan on using a cooler to store them if possible. There will be between 50-60 people staying onsite, so it’s not really feasible to store everyone’s things in the farmhouse refrigerator and freezer. On the bright side, most meals are being provided, and it’s likely you’ll be out and about for lunch, so you really shouldn’t need a ton of goods that need to be kept cold.
7. Is there a common area onsite?
Yes, the bottom floor of the farmhouse serves as a common area, and so does the patio right behind the farmhouse. There’s plenty of room to hang out and socialize with everyone.
8. Is Sugarboo Farms kid-friendly?
Absolutely! The fact that it’s kid-friendly is a huge reason why we actually settled on Sugarboo Farms. The kiddos will get to enjoy the outdoors and hopefully have a blast. The only thing we ask is that you do keep a general eye on your kids. We want to make sure everyone stays healthy and safe.
9. What’s the bathroom and shower situation like?
Staying onsite at Sugarboo Farms means you’ll be “glamping” (i.e. glamorous camping!). So, what that means is that the cottages themselves don’t have showers. The showers are actually located in and around the farmhouse. The farmhouse offers spacious lockers that you can use to keep your towels, toiletries and other belongings in so that you don’t have to tote them back and forth between the farmhouse and your cottage. But hey, the rule with camping and glamping is that limited bathing is totally acceptable, right?! And just think… people pay a lot of money to glamp, and you’ll only be doing this for three (3) nights max.
10. Are there laundry facilities onsite?
Yes- there is a washer and dryer in the farmhouse, you just have to provide the detergent.
Travel / Getting There
11. What’s the best way to get to Sugarboo Farms if I’m flying?
If you’re flying in, you have a few options as far as airports go (especially if flying Allegiant is an option). Below are a few airports and their respective distances from Sugarboo Farms. Once you fly in, you’ll need to get a rental car. From our experience, you should be able to get a rental car for a fairly inexpensive price if you keep an eye on rates (no more than $100-$125 for the entire long weekend).
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – 108 miles / 2 hours 4 minutes
• Asheville Regional Airport – 124 miles / 2 hours 16 minutes
• Chattanooga Airport – 98.5 miles / 1 hour 55 minutes
• McGhee Tyson Airport – 105 miles / 2 hours 18 minutes
12. Do I need 4-wheel drive to get to Sugarboo Farms or to get around the surrounding areas?
While 4-wheel drive is always great to have, you definitely don’t need it to get to Sugarboo Farms or to enjoy the surrounding areas. A small sedan will do just fine.
13. Can I pull my car right up to my cottage onsite?
Unfortunately, no. Cars can only go as far as the farmhouse. BUT don’t worry, we are actually renting two (2) golf carts from Sugarboo Farms that we’ll be able to use to easily unpack everyone’s luggage and get around the property.
Lodging
14. What’s the low-down on the cottages onsite at Sugarboo Farms?
There are fifteen (15) cottages on site - twelve (12) of the cottages have a queen beds and the remaining three (3) cottages can sleep up to five (5) people each. All of the cottages have power/outlets, lighting, a ceiling fan, and screened windows that allow for great ventilation and prevent bug invasions. Pillows, bed linens and blankets are also provided. For those staying onsite, to the extent space in the cottages isn’t enough for your whole family, Sugarboo Farms has told us that our kiddos can set up camp around the cottages. This means that the kids can get an awesome “camping” experience, and you can get some privacy. The tents would be set up right outside of the cottages, and remember, we’re sitting on a secluded and safe property of 20-acres.
15. If I’m not staying onsite, what are my lodging options?
There are plenty of lodging options, although we would highly recommend going with a cabin over a hotel (totally personal choice of course!). We’ve shared some lodging ideas and options on our website- just look for the “Lodging” tab. We would highly recommend that you try and book lodging sooner rather than later given that Blairsville is a fairly small mountain town with limited availability of places to stay that book up quick the closer we get to summer.
16. What if I’ve been offered to stay onsite but prefer to stay offsite?
That is totally OK with us. To the extent we could, we wanted to provide a no-cost lodging option for our immediate family. However, we understand glamping isn’t for everyone, and that’s OK. We just ask that you let us know either way via the RSVP we send you.
Packing
17. What should I pack?
Good question! We’ve created a suggested packing list that can be found on the “Details” page of the website under the link “What To Pack.”
18. Do I really need a flashlight?
This is a definite YES. If staying onsite, you’ll need a flashlight to get between the farmhouse and your cottage at night. Remember, this is like camping, so when it gets dark you need some light to get around. Also, Joe is dead set on getting a serious game of flashlight tag going.
19. What about food and drinks?
We’ll be providing dinner and breakfast most days. You’ll be on your own for lunch. You will also want to pack any snacks you might want. As far as beverages go, we’ll be supplying alcohol at the wedding, but the rest of the weekend is BYOB.
Technology & Connectivity
26. What’s the cell service like?
We can’t speak for all wireless providers, but we do know there is some cell service for AT&T users in and around the farmhouse. We found that there is no cell service around the grounds though, which means you likely won’t be able to get service in your cottage. That’s OK though! The point of this weekend is to unplug. There will be plenty of time to post pictures and updates on social media on our journeys back home ;).
27. Is there wifi?
Yes, there is wifi, but it can only be accessed in and around the farmhouse. Additionally, our guess is that the wifi isn’t made to handle 50+ people connected to it.
28. I’m wondering if I really should download the app…. I’m sort of a dinosaur when it comes to technology.
We would strongly suggest you download the Appy app to your phone. One of the great features of the app is that it can be accessed offline, which means that even with limited connectivity, you’ll be able to get onto the app and quickly access all of the details around the weekend and the wedding itself. And there’s this… JOE DOWNLOADED THE APP. Yes, you heard that right, the oldest of the dinosaurs has managed to download and access the app. It is THAT easy!
Activities
29. You mentioned “flashlight tag.” What’s that and how do I join in?
Flashlight tag is a fun, all-ages game played at night that mixes hide and seek with tag and requires that each player have a flashlight. The person who is "it" waits at the "jail" counting to a high number while everyone else hides. Then, armed with a flashlight, this person searches for the others who may be switching hiding spots and doing what they can to evade the “it” person. Whoever is tagged first by the person that is “it” becomes the next “it” person. We’ve played this with the kiddos in Indiana and they’ve all loved it.
30. I heard that there’s going to be rivertubing- what’s that about and how do I get in on the fun?
Yes, we’ll be rivertubing on the Nottely River just up the road from Sugarboo Farms. The river is mild and never gets too deep. It’s honestly a great activity for all ages and all fitness levels (because no fitness is required). The water will be chilly, but don’t worry, your body will adjust (and a few drinks will help you adjust faster!). We would recommend you wearing water shoes if you have them.
31. How do I let you know what activities and meals I’ll be partaking in?
Easy- we’ll be sending separate RSVP’s for each available meal and activity. If you can please respond to the RSVP’s we’d really appreciate it. If you have any questions about any of the RSVPs, definitely just let us know!
Miscellaneous
32. Is there a coffeemaker onsite?
Yes, there’s a restaurant-style coffeemaker. We plan on brewing fresh coffee in the mornings, but feel free to bring your own grounds and brew more if you want coffee later in the day.
33. Please don’t tell me your bringing your crazy dogs with you…
Of course we are! Hopefully no one has an issue with dogs, especially big ones, but we do at least want to give you a heads up. They are both friendly and great with kids and will likely want to love on you at some point during the weekend =).
34. Anything else I should know?
We think this covers just about everything. We just ask that everyone be respectful of the property and of each other. Fortunately, there really isn’t much that can be broken, but to the extent it can be, we just ask that you be mindful and mindful of your little ones since we’re liable for anything that breaks or gets ruined. We also would just kindly ask that you pick up after yourselves so that the property is kept tidy. We also hope that everyone makes an effort to get to know each other. You each mean the world to us, and we would love for you all to get to know one another and enjoy each other’s company the way we do.