FAQ
General Questions
The rental fee is based on the day of the week and time of year. For more information, please see details here.
Rental fee includes 275 wedding quality chairs and 20 eight-foot rectangle tables that may be used for gift table, head table, buffet tables, etc. Depending on the number of guests, a few of the rectangle tables may be mixed in with the reception seating. We offer 30 sixty-inch round tables, and most of your guests will be seated at round tables.
Rental includes 11 hours of venue access on Friday or Saturday and 10 hours on Sunday.
Please see the dates available here.
A reservation fee of $2,000.00 is required with a signed contract to secure the date requested.
Fifty percent (50%) of the balance is due nine months prior to the event.
The remaining balance is due 3 months prior to the event.
Acceptable payment methods include cash, cashier’s check or personal check.
Yes, Certificate of Event Liability Insurance ($1M) purchased through Nuptial Risk Partners, LLC is required to protect you from any issues or damages that may occur at the event. The one-time premium is approximately $250.00. The CLI is due with the final rental balance 3 months prior to the event. More details to follow in the Venue Rental Agreement.
Prior to booking a date, we hope you can come in person to visit the venue. Request a tour here, however an in-person tour is not required prior to reserving a date.
When you are ready to reserve a date, please email us at info@southerlyvenue.com stating you are ready to reserve your preferred date MM/DD/YYYY if it is still available. We recommend you include your two (2) backup date selections (2nd choice is MM/DD/YYYY, and 3rd choice is MM/DD/YYYY) in case your preferred date is unavailable. Dates are reserved on a first reserved basis: whoever returns the executed contract and pays the reservation fee first, secures the venue for the requested date. As a reminder, we are unable to hold dates.
We kindly request that all tours and visits are scheduled by appointment only. Request a tour here.
That is a great question! In general, we believe the average budget of a couple getting married at The Southerly is between $21,000-$24,000 for all wedding expenses (venue, food, dress, DJ, photographer, etc.). With a smaller guest list, it is possible to host beautiful weddings in the $18,000 – $21,000 range. There will always be lovely events with budgets higher than the average.
At The Southerly we only host one wedding each day to ensure that each couple’s event is special and receives our full attention.
The Southerly is conveniently located just 5 miles off Hwy 64 in Oakland (Fayette County) Tennessee and is less than 20 minutes to the metro Memphis areas of Arlington, Bartlett, Cordova, Collierville, Germantown and Lakeland, Tennessee. You will find reasonable overnight accommodations in all these areas.
Our complimentary parking includes private vendor access, designated handicap, and guests parking spaces to accommodate 150 vehicles. It is extremely challenging to find late night uber service unless it has been prearranged. It is recommended that you consider a shuttle or carpooling for late night departures.
We offer 20 eight-foot rectangle tables that can be used for gift tables, head table, buffet tables, etc. Depending on the number of guests, a few of the rectangle tables can be mixed in with the reception seating. We have 30 sixty-inch round tables, and most of your guests will be seated at round tables.
The Southerly provides a beautiful venue with wedding quality tables and chairs but does not provide linens or other catering items. Linens for our elegant farmhouse tables are not required. If you would like to provide your own linens, more details regarding linen sizes are included in the Online Planner.
Because we only host one event per day, our fee structure remains the same whether you host your ceremony, reception, or both at The Southerly.
We accept cash, cashier’s check or personal check.
We do not maintain a waiting list. Cancellations are very rare and unpredictable. As soon as a date becomes available, we post it here.
No. The duties of a “wedding day coordinator” can widely vary. The Southerly has a Team Lead role that will greet you when you arrive for your event and remain on site throughout the duration of your big day. The Team Lead functions as an onsite venue manager and point of contact for the Client and associated vendors. This person oversees the facility and will generally be out of sight.
Catering Questions
We have selected some of our favorite vendors for catering services at The Southerly. Please access your client portal for details.
It’s most efficient and more cost effective for couples to work directly with the caterer. Simply book your big day with The Southerly and reach out to the preferred caterers of your choosing to schedule a tasting and get the ball rolling!
No. Many venues have minimums because they make a 10 – 15% commission from the caterer based on how much you spend on food and beverages. We choose NOT to make a commission because we want our food and beverage options to be as elegant or affordable as your budget allows, and therefore we don’t have a food and beverage or guest count minimum. Some caterers may have a reasonable minimum for specific dates.
Planning Questions
Our open house events are designed for couples who have toured The Southerly and reserved a wedding date. If we have already had the chance to meet, we welcome you to one of our open house events. Open house dates and the RSVP form will be provided when your event is booked. You may also bring up to four guests with you!
If you elect the one-day rental, our venue will likely be reserved by another couple the night before. For that reason, one day rentals should plan for an offsite rehearsal. You are welcome to bring anyone who would feel more comfortable understanding the venue (your DJ or minister, or any little ones in the wedding party) to one of our monthly open houses.
Fireworks are not permitted on the property. This includes sparklers. No “getaway props” are allowed indoors.
Please refrain from other “getaway props” such as bubbles, natural or faux flower petals. confetti, birdseed, glitter, rice or other hard to clean up items. Floating lanterns and balloons are not permitted for “send offs”. Please ask us before you purchase props to make sure we can accommodate the item you choose.
No vehicles can be left overnight. Please advise your guests of this policy. The gates will be locked at 11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday; 10:00 PM on Sunday. It is extremely challenging to find late night uber service unless it has been prearranged. It is recommended that you consider a shuttle or carpooling for late night departures.
Music on Friday and Saturday’s must conclude by 10:00 PM to ensure that you, your personal items, rental items, and all vendors are off-property by 11:00 PM. Music on Sundays must conclude by 9:00 PM to be off-property by 10:00 PM.
All deliveries and returns must occur during the standard Venue rental period. Please advise your vendors of this policy.
There are several areas in the green space that are beautiful for an open-air wedding. We do not provide chairs for events on the green space. Chairs provided by The Southerly are restricted for use in the pavilion and main building.
In the interest of safety, open flame candles of any type are not allowed on the property. Flameless/battery-operated candles are permitted.
Eight plus a child is doable, however, we would not recommend it for your guests’ comfort.
Three weeks; we will detail planning and timelines during the Online Planner process.
Your marriage license can be purchased through any County Clerk’s Office in the State of Tennessee. There is no waiting period, no blood test requirement and the license is valid for 30 days for ceremonies performed anywhere in the state of Tennessee. Fees vary by county In Tennessee; you can earn a significant discount by completing a premarital preparation course within a year prior to date of application. Both parties must appear in person with valid photo IDs (driver’s licenses) and proof of your social security numbers. For more information: Fayette County Marriage License or call the County Clerk at 901.465.5213 for office location and updates to the state requirements and fees.
Setup and Day of Event Questions
Outside food and beverage are permitted in the wedding party suites prior to the ceremony. Food and beverages must be removed prior to the start of the ceremony. Glass bottles are not allowed.
The Southerly team will handle standard clean up. The client is responsible for trash removal following the wedding reception and removing all personal and rental items prior to the end of the rental agreement time. Caterers will clear tables and all Vendors will be expected clean up after themselves. Generally, please leave the property the way you found it when you initially accessed the Venue on the day of your event.
Sure! Just ask us and we would be happy to make recommendations.
Please do not place holes in our walls. The beams at The Southerly are very tall and not accessible by a ladder. For this reason, we do not allow for anything to be hung from the beams. We hope that you will find them beautiful without any extra work!
