By Franklin County Chamber of Commerce
A wedding in your future? Whether you’re searching for the perfect scenic backdrops for engagement photos or locations for rustic honeymoon experiences in a gorgeous, natural setting, head for Franklin County! Just 80 miles northeast of Atlanta and 60 miles southwest of Greenville, South Carolina, this Georgia county has a lot to offer for lovers of the outdoors.
Stunning surroundings are plentiful for shooting all your pre-wedding portraits or documenting your honeymoon memories, starting with Carnesville’s popular Cromer’s Mill Covered Bridge, a charming 110-foot bridge built in 1907 on Nails Creek and featuring the Town lattice design.
You also have two scenic Georgia state parks to use for setting up those perfect countryside shots. Victoria Bryant State Park, near Royston, offers 502 acres of historic landscape set in the rolling hills of Georgia’s Piedmont plateau. And located on the shore of Lake Hartwell near Lavonia is the 393-acre Tugaloo State Park with breathtaking sunrise and sunset lakeside views. You can even schedule your wedding ceremony at either of these parks!
If you prefer a historic backdrop for your digital memories, consider the grounds of the Vandiver Home in Lavonia. This stately two-story house with well-landscaped grounds was the home of the late Samuel Ernest Vandiver, Jr., a former governor of the State of Georgia.
Ready for some outdoor activities after the wedding? If you’ve always wanted to experience “glamping,” you’re in luck with Tugaloo State Park’s six yurts, or you can rent a cottage or regular campsite with full views of the nearby 56-acre scenic Lake Harwell. Some of the cottages even have private boat docks, and tent campers can choose between the developed campground or primitive sites. Lake activities include swimming, water skiing, sailing, boating (kayak and canoe rentals), and fishing. Additional outdoor options include hiking trails as well as facilities for tennis and volleyball. Something for everyone!
When it comes to outdoor activities, Victoria Bryant State Park is also a prime location for hiking, fishing, archery, geocaching, swimming, picnics, camping, watching for wildlife, or playing golf at nearby Highland Walk Golf Course. Highland Walk is one of the region’s championship golf courses and offers an 18-hole course built on steep rolling hills with broad fairways.
Two more unique activities await you in Lavonia: the Lavonia Speedway, an oval clay racetrack whose season runs March to September, and the Ty Cobb Museum honoring the Royston native, a major leaguer and the first player ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
From covered bridges to baseball, from bass fishing to camping in a yurt, and from historic locations to romantic settings, Franklin County, Georgia, has perfect opportunities for outdoor wedding photography and activities!
Franklin County comprises the communities of Canon, Carnesville, Franklin Springs, Lavonia and Royston, all of which are served by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce at 961 Hull Avenue, Carnesville, Georgia. For more information, please contact Tonya Powers, executive director, or Jessica Bragg, director of chamber services, at 706-384-4659.
From Lake Hartwell to Victoria Bryant State Park, from Franklin County’s exceptional school system and local college to outstanding healthcare at St. May’s Sacred Heart Hospital, it is very easy to see why people choose to live in Franklin County, Georgia. For further information, please contact the Director of Chamber Services, Tonya Powers, at (706)-384-4659.
