Flattering Reviews From Country Jewell Brides & Grooms

We can tell you all about how amazing we think our scenic Knoxville wedding venue is, but we realize that you may consider any bragging that we do to be a little biased. After all, we are extremely attached to this beautiful place. Sometimes it's a lot easier for brides and grooms to truly know what type of venue that Country Jewell is by hearing how other couples that were married here feel about us.

Customer reviews are a wonderful way to find out what a business is really like. If the reviews are consistently unpleasant, then you will want to look elsewhere. Fortunately for us, the couples that have chosen to get married in our rustic wedding venue near Knoxville have loved Country Jewell as much as we do. Here is what a few of them had to say about their experience with us.   


"Country Jewell was the perfect place for our wedding. Miss Claudia was so helpful. I would recommend this venue to anyone. Also Country Jewell is pet friendly. Thanks so much Claudia!"
-Lora, Wedding Wire review

"Let me start out by saying. Claudia and her team are the bomb. We didn't know really what we wanted. So we threw out silly suggestions. She was super excited about our silliness. We walked to the imperial march, our wedding party held light sabers, we had breakfast for dinner and karaoke... the most informal, formal event ever."
-Emily B, Facebook review

"Ms. Claudia is very accommodating to your wishes and allows you to plan your wedding as you want it. It is a beautiful place that is great for pictures. We were very pleased with everything and it was a perfect day!!!!!!"
-Marcia, Wedding Wire review

"Country Jewell is a beautiful place to have a wedding any time of the year!! There's space in doors in a beautiful country chapel or out under the gazebo in a picturesque country setting. The reception room is spacious and mere steps away. Awesome for anyone that doesn't want to waste time driving to a second venue for the reception!!"
-Celia P, Facebook review


"Me and my husband had a vow renewal wedding for our 20th anniversary. We had never had a wedding so we wanted to go all out. I chose Country Jewel because of the country setting and the fact that it took a lot of stress off of me. I paid one affordable price and they took care of the majority of things for me. All the things I normally would have had to set up myself were already done. I still had a choice in food, cake, and music. I did bring some things in my colors to add to decorations. Everything turned out absolutely wonderful. We had a great time and a lot of my guest's told me it was the funnest wedding they had ever attended."
-Donna, Wedding Wire review

"This is a great venue for a wedding or party!! It's not far off of the beaten path, but loaded with atmosphere that makes you feel that you're far from the city!! The Country Jewel lives up to it's name!"
-John R, Facebook review


"Claudia Jewell is a very down to earth person!Very easy to communicate with! The Country Jewell is Beautiful! If you are looking to have a small, outdoor, country wedding this is your place! We loved it!"
-Kelly H, Wedding Wire review

We love helping to make a bride and groom's wedding day as wonderful as possible, full of happy memories to cherish for a lifetime. If you were married at Country Jewell, we would love to hear about your experience. You can leave reviews for us on Facebook and Wedding Wire. 

If our charming country wedding venue near Knoxville sounds like the perfect place for your special day, give us a call at 865-494-0552. We would love to give you a personal tour and hear all about the wedding that you are envisioning. Country Jewell is the place that can make those romantic dreams come to life. 

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

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7 Sentimental Ideas for Your Unity Ceremony

Unity ceremonies are a very special part of a wedding. This ceremony is symbolic of two lives coming together as one. Many couples keep their unity item to bless their home. It is a nice memento to display as a reminder of your wedding day. The best wedding venue in Knoxville is here to share some different unity ceremony ideas for your wedding.

1. Candle

A unity candle is one of the more traditional ceremony options. The bride and the groom each have a candle and in unison light one bigger candle. This is a very classy way to represent two lives joining.

2. Sand 

Another popular unity ceremony item is sand. This is great for an outdoor ceremony, where a candle may blow out. The couple each pours sand from their individual jars into a bigger jar or box. Usually the bride and groom have different colors and the mixing of these make for a beautiful combination.

3. Knot

This unity ceremony gives a literal spin on the term “tie the knot”. Both the bride and groom hold an end of the rope and tie or braid it together. This can give a nautical twist to any ceremony.

4. Plant

Many couples getting married outdoors will plant a tree together. Each can bring soil from the place they grew up to contribute. This is a very touching version of a unity ceremony that represents the two individuals, and where they came from, joining together to start their own journey.

5. Branding

Putting a rustic twist on the unity ceremony is very fitting for some couples. Taking a branding iron, heating it up together, and burning the image on to a piece of wood is great way to join two lives. Many times the iron is a symbol that is significant to the couple or an initial of their last name.

6. Wine

This is a great unity ceremony option for couples who bond over their love for wine. There are two small glasses; one with white wine and the other with red. The couple each takes theirs and pours it together in a bigger glass. At this point the couple will each take a turn drinking from the mixture, and toasting each other as they do so.

7. Handfasting

Binding of the hand is a more traditional way to perform a unity ceremony. The couple will join hands and the person performing the ceremony will then tie a cord around their hands. This is symbolic of the two joining together in their marriage to move forward in their lives together.

A unity ceremony is a great way to personalize a wedding ceremony. Couples will keep the item they used to unify, and display it in their homes as a reminder of their joyous wedding day. Country Jewel is here to help you decide which unity ceremony is best for you and yours. We want to help make your big day everything you dreamed of!

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

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8 Great Ways to Show Dad He's Special at Your Wedding

We talked about a few special ways to honor your mother last month around Mother's Day, and now it's time to talk about Daddy. The man walking you down the aisle at our Knoxville rustic wedding venue is one of the main V.I.P.s for the day, as he most likely has been for you whole life. Country Jewell has come up with a few ways for you to let this man know just how special he is during your wedding.  

First look... with Dad

Your future husband isn't the only man that will get emotional when he sees you all dressed up, ready to walk down the aisle. Have the photographer capture that special moment when your father first sees you on your wedding day. 

Something blue

Dad is the perfect person to get your something blue from. One of the best idea's that we have seen is cutting a heart from an old blue shirt of his, then having it sewn into the lining of your wedding dress. 

Something borrowed

Going with the same theme, take your something borrowed from your dad. Borrow a handkerchief to carry with your bouquet to catch any happy tears from the day. The groom could also borrow his dad's favorite watch to make sure he gets to the ceremony on time. 

Wear an item from his wedding

If either the father of the bride or the father of the groom still have the cufflinks from their own wedding day, this would be perfect for the groom to wear at the wedding. Make sure that you save the cufflinks worn by your groom for your future children to use at their wedding!

Surprise Dad

Pick out a gift that is sentimental to you and your father, and surprise him by having it waiting at his seat after he walks you down the aisle and hands you over to your new husband. The groom could also have something special waiting at his father's spot too. It's not just the moms that appreciate those gestures. 

Jazz up that first dance

When it's time for the father-daughter dance at the reception, surprise all of your guests by planning ahead and choreographing something unique with your father. If he's got a good sense of humor, this is a great place to show that off. 

Mark his reception seat

These are great ideas for all of the parents. Many couples have special signs made up to mark the chairs of the bride and groom. Have these done for your moms and dads too. Dad will be proud to take his place in a seat marked "Father of the Bride." Another wonderful way to mark a parents' place setting is by using a photo of the two of you from your childhood. 

For dads that can't be there

If your father has passed away before you are getting married, you can still find many ways to honor his memory. We have seen people place a photograph of the deceased parent at the seat where they would have been sitting. You can also get more personal, and hang his favorite ball cap that he never took off at his spot, or something similar that is a symbol of your memories of him. 

Dads are just about as excited as you on your wedding day. Any time a parent gets to see their child happy is an amazing moment for them. Father's Day is set aside on the calendar each year to honor Dad. Your wedding at Country Jewell is another excellent opportunity to remind him how special he has been, and always will be, in your life. 

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

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10 Excellent Ways to Exit Your Wedding

Everything that happens during your wedding at Country Jewell is important, but your exit is the perfect opportunity to leave your guests with one last "wow" factor. We have come up with a few unique ways that you can make an incredible impression with your exit from our Knoxville wedding venue. 

Rice was the traditional item to toss at the bride and groom as they exited the church. It was meant to be a symbol of showering the couple with abundance and fertility. There is a rumor that rice should not be thrown at weddings because if birds eat it, the rice will swell up in their stomach and kill them. Good news - this is NOT true. If you want to stick with tradition, you are perfectly safe doing so.

Still, there are so many other creative alternatives today that you can replace the rice with, you may want to try something new. Some of these ideas are perfect for your walk down the aisle after the ceremony, others are ideal for your reception exit, and a few work equally well for both. Make sure that you check with your venue to make sure they are okay with whatever option you choose.   

Confetti

Big bits of colorful confetti look lovely raining down around the bride and groom. There are biodegradable options available so that the piles of confetti left after you leave are eco-friendly. Some couples have chosen to use candy sprinkles in place of paper confetti. Be very careful that you do not use any type of sprinkle that will stain your clothing. 

Flower Petals

Flower petals, like nature's confetti, raining down on the couple always makes for elegant photographs, and certain types of flowers like roses or sprigs of lavender, smell amazing in the air. 

Ribbon Wands

This is the perfect way to have lots of colors flying around in the air, but no mess on the ground for anyone to clean up. Long, colorful streamers of ribbon are fastened to the end of a stick. Some couples add small bells so there is a delicate ringing while the wands are being waved.

Bubbles

Thousands of beautiful bubbles delicately floating will almost make the couple look as if they are walking underwater, very dreamy. 

Themed Items

If you love surprising people with wacky ideas, take a good look at your wedding theme or a favorite pastime you share for inspiration. If one of you is in the Air Force, have guests bombard you with paper airplanes. A summer ceremony near water might have guests toss small beach balls in the air as the couple passes. Are you sports fans? Ask everyone to wave colorful pom poms in your favorite team's colors. 

Candlelight

These next four ideas work best after the sun has set. Guests can line the aisle that you will be walking down, each holding a candle to light your way. This will result in some very soft and romantic photos.

Sparklers

This is a similar idea to the candles, but much flashier. Guests each light extra-long sparklers for the bride and groom to travel through. This needs to be timed perfectly so that you get all of the pictures that you need before the sparklers burn out. 

Glow Sticks

Bright lights with absolutely no fire involved. Let your guests dance the night away at the reception with vibrant glow sticks, then make a runway for you with those glow sticks flashing in the air.  

Sky Lanterns

If you have seen the Disney movie "Rapunzel," then you are sure to remember the scene when the sky is filled with flying paper sky lanterns. Many couples use these for weddings today. They make an unbelievably ethereal setting, but they need some instruction and teamwork to make them work correctly. If your venue allows these, make sure that your guests have detailed instructions on how light them and let them go.

Transportation

Taking the focus off of what your guests will be tossing around you and bringing it over to how you will physically leave the wedding, let's talk about a few fun ideas for your exit transportation.

• By Water: If you happen to be getting married near a body of water, wave good-bye to your friends from a row boat, canoe, or sailboat. 
• By Air: Everyone at your wedding would definitely be impressed if you took off from your reception in a hot air balloon!
• By Land: This is the most common scenario, especially from our Knoxville rustic wedding venue. Instead of leaving in your everyday car, rent a fancy classic car or a limousine. Ride off on a bicycle built for two, or reenact a fairy tale and use a horse-drawn carriage. 

Putting a little extra thought into the details can really make your wedding exit a memorable one. The natural setting at Country Jewell is a beautiful backdrop for most of the ideas above. Tell us what you have in mind, and we'll do what we can do make your ideas a reality. 

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

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Refreshing Drink Ideas for a Summer Wedding

In last week's blog, we discussed the various packages that are available for your rustic Knoxville wedding, as well as the food options that go along with some of them. Today, we are moving on to the beverage portion of your reception and sharing a few great ideas for refreshing summer drinks that you can serve to your Country Jewell guests. 

Most of the beverages below can be made without the alcohol added. A couple of them, like the Sangria and Mojito, may need a bit of tweaking to maintain the original flavor, but it is possible. If you decide to serve both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at your wedding, make sure that they are clearly marked for your guests, especially the younger ones.  

Sangria

There are many variations on this fruity cocktail. Generally, it will consist of your favorite wine, red or white, plus some club soda, flavored brandy, and fruit juices. Cut up slices of fruit to add to the mix.   

Margaritas

This tequila classic is always a favorite at any gathering. It can be served over ice, but it's especially appealing at a summer wedding when served frozen. You can rent frozen drink machines that will take care of that for you. It's also easy to add your favorite summer flavors to the mix, like strawberry, melon, or peach.

Water, Tea, & Lemonade

These are summer wedding staples, and safe for every age to drink. You can jazz them up a bit by placing them in serving containers and infusing them with fresh fruits. Also, if you would like to turn them into cocktails, it's easy to add alcohol after they are poured. 

Mojitos

This fresh rum cocktail is perfect for a hot day. Mint muddled into white rum, sugar or simple syrup, sparkling water, and lime makes a delicious drink. You can even turn it into a wedding day "something blue" by adding blueberries, but any other fruit muddled with the mint will also flavor it wonderfully. 

Watermelon Punch

Take advantage of the entire fruit and use the rind as a punch bowl. Start by scooping out the insides and blending them with vodka, fresh lime juice, and club soda. Add mint and lime slices for additional flavor and garnish.

Keep it cold

On a particularly hot day, it can be difficult to keep the drinks cold. Instead of adding ice that will water them down, here are a few clever ideas to keep them both cool and tasty. 

• Frozen fruit - A great alternative to ice cubes that can be eaten when the drink is gone. 
• Drink cubes - Rather than freezing water to make ice, some beverages, like the watermelon punch above, can be frozen. These "drink cubes" won't change the beverage's flavor as they melt.
• Popsicles - These fruity, frozen treats look and taste great when placed inside a glass of wine or champagne. 

The drinks served at our Knoxville wedding venue for your wedding are a great way to add a little extra something special for your guests. Use your favorite flavors, and if you are feeling creative, name a signature cocktail after the bride and groom. The drink color can match your wedding colors or even fit into your theme in a special way. When you get married at Country Jewell, there are many wonderful and unique ways to personalize your day and make it one that your guests will love. 

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on LinkedIn

Follow us on Google+