Payne-Corley House — Attraction in Duluth

Planning a wedding especially during a pandemic is not at all simple, but the wonderful ladies of Payne-Corley House made the entire experience seamless, beautiful, and memorable. From giving us advice on wedding hacks to coordinating things smoothly, they are experts leaving us in good hands.

Due to considerations with COVID-19 and costs, my now-husband and I decided on the micro-wedding package as it was a perfect blend between a small, intimate gathering and a fun, glamorous celebration. It also had all the necessary bells and whistles, which was fine with us as we wanted the entire thing to be simple and enjoyable. We had the pleasure of meeting Krista, one of the owners of PCH. She was also cordial, funny, and was our first point of contact when we were choosing venues.

Touring the facilities, we understood why people raved so much about this place - everything is absolutely beautiful! From the house to the fields along the huge magnolia tree, there are so many places that make for amazing backdrops. Already we knew this place won our hearts.

Hope became our coordinator and she was lovely, informative, and helpful. She was our go-to for any concerns, questions, and ideas; and she’s entertained them with enthusiasm. On the days leading to our wedding, she was on top of things regarding vendors, designs, and timelines. It’s certainly a sigh of relief for any bride to have things taken care of while you relax on your big day.

Looking back on our wedding day, I can say with confidence that PCH made the experience everything I’ve dreamed of. The florals, thanks to Abby’s at the Cottage, looked fresh and beautiful; the pavilion, which served as our altar, looked amazing; and overall, the feel of the entire thing just felt light, airy, and happy - all things I longed to see and feel. We had our ceremony outdoors by the pavilion and our reception inside. Our guests raved so much about the atmosphere and of course, the food. Chef Michael, also one of the other owners of PCH, truly made some flavorful, amazing dishes. We had chicken and waffles as well as twice baked potatoes for cocktail hour. And for our entree, we had pecan-crusted chicken and grilled corn and grit cakes - wow, I was blown away at how delicious everything was! For dessert, we had a nice vanilla cake from PCH and even had a bananas foster station on the side. Happy bellies make for happy guests!

I try really hard to look for cons, but there isn’t anything major I can think of. They say your wedding day goes by fast, so sometimes I wish the night went on for longer as we were having so much fun. I still dream of the big day and how magical and perfect everything was - all...

When deciding on a venue for our wedding & reception, we had 3 requirements: capable of hosting wedding & reception; an outdoor area for the ceremony; & working within our budget. At Payne-Corley House, located in downtown Duluth, GA, the sales process was expertly handled by Hope Follmer. She met with us at a convenient time, showed us the facility, discussed fees, provided a preferred vendors list, & provided an estimate in 2 days. When we weren’t sure of items or were comparing Payne-Corley House with other venues, Hope was available to answer our questions. After visiting 4 venues, we chose Payne-Corley House based on the beautiful facility & grounds & price. Although we made the selection at the end of winter, we hoped the spring blooms & greenery would come to life as we saw in sales photos. Little did we realize at the time just how beautiful the facility would be indoors for the reception & at the gazebo for the ceremony. Krista Ganley, a co-owner, served as our wedding coordinator. She spent the necessary time discussing our desires to ensure she understood both the specific details and the atmosphere we wanted to achieve. When we weren’t sure of a selection, Krista guided us through options & steered us in the right direction. Even before the big day, we felt secure in our choices & felt confident that everything would go smoothly. On the wedding day, Krista & the Payne-Corley House staff were very attentive to our needs & comfort & maintained the schedule of events. Although nervous, it was very comforting to hear from family & wedding guests how beautiful things looked & how seamlessly the day went. We received many compliments on the beauty of the facility, the wonderful food, & how well the whole day perfectly matched our personalities. Now, thinking back since the wedding & looking at our wedding photos, I think the biggest compliment I can give is I wouldn’t have changed a thing & Payne-Corley House delivered a day almost as beautiful...

Words can't even explain how happy we are that we chose Payne-Corley as our wedding venue, but we'll certainly try.

From the moment we walked into the Payne-Corley house, we felt welcomed. Hope and Krista were incredibly accommodating, helped me make decisions, and were open to any and everything we suggested. We have a 2-year-old daughter and at every meeting, they pulled out crayons and paper for her so that she would be happy as we discussed wedding plans.

And our wedding? It was incredible. They literally took care of everything, from organizing where our vendors needed to be during the day to decorating for us. All we had to do was give them our stuff and tell them where to put it and Hope made it happen. It was so stress-free and I feel like I truly got to enjoy my day as it was happening. They brought food to the bridal and groom suites as we were getting ready, they packed us to-go boxes at the end of the night, and they even fixed our plates while we were taking pictures. The food was incredible, too — all of our guests were SO pleased.

The inside and the outside of Payne-Corley is gorgeous. I wanted soft and romantic and I definitely got it. We didn't do hardly any decorating during the reception or ceremony. Everything Payne-Corley had, from the linens and table numbers to the gorgeous centerpieces was perfect for what we wanted. It felt so homey and lovely, with lamps and candles everywhere, that I literally wanted to stay forever enjoying my guests.

I can not say enough good things about Payne-Corley and our experience with them. They are so meticulous and dedicated to giving you such a wonderful day that you feel like you're being pampered. They also have an incredible list of vendors they work with and we chose several, which made everything even smoother. I wish I could relive our wedding day over and over again, in large part because of Payne-Corley. I can't wait to go back with our children and show them where Mommy and Daddy...