Show Bride 2003 27 - r‘£ 4 i r March 3 By The Associated Prose Bridal Trie GATLINBURG Tfenn (AP) ft bills itself as die heart of the Smoky Mountains but this little Tennessee town long a haven for tourists is also the wedding capital of the South ' Approximately 20000 couples get iharried each year at one of Gatlinburg’s 32 wedding chapels according to Becky Jones public relations director for the city of Gadinbuig’s Department of Tourism If you take a day off for Christmas that’s nearly two weddings a day 364 daysayear 10 Page “We’re called the Vegas of the South” said Dawn Cox of Gatlinburg Wedding Planners Inc “We almost beat Vegas a couple of years ago” in die number of weddings Benny Wallis owner of the Smoky Mountain Memories Wedding Chapel and the Golden Valley Wedding Chapel thinks he knows why getting married in Gatlinburg is so popular “It’s a quaint city a place where you can walk all over and hold hands and we’re right next to die Smoky Mountains National Park” said Wallis “We’re within a day’s drive for 73 percent of the people in die US” And with the number of package wedding deals available in mis Smoky Mountain town located just 31 miles southeast of Knoxville Gatftnburg makes it easy to tie die knot “Ws arrange for die limousine service die flowers You say ’I do’ and we furnish everything else” said Willis Wallis is like most GatiinbuTg preachers in that he will outperform Protestant ceremonies Cox concurs with that saying that while other firiths are welcome a Jewish or Catholic bride or groom would need to come with their own clergy That doesn’t seem to be a problem for most couples Wdhs says he performs ”15-2weddings on Saturdays alone That’s probably helped by Tfctmessee law which requires no waiting period or blood tests for a marriage license Wallis got into the wedding chapel business after retirement as ms wy to make sure that couples could be married in a church-lik- e setting if that was what they wanted “It seems the last years I was a pas 0” tor a lot of churches didn’t want you to get married there unless you were a member’’ said WUHsIfc said he also found a lot of objections to second wed- - That's where dtoweddfogdupeb of Gatlinburg GO a niche he believes Most of me weddings performed at Smokv Mountain Memories are smaller more Intimate affairs Chapels range from rustic log cabin buildings beside a mountain stream to Victorian-styi- e chords in toe heart of Gatlinburg Many chapels also have garden and gazebo settings for outdoor weddings Appalachian Wedding Adventures even offers weddings on horseback At Smoky Mountain Memories Wedifing Chapel die most elegant package tun for $99 and inchides noodle-Ugh- t ceremony keepsake unity candle cascade bridal bouquet a blue lace garter groom's boutonniere a wedding slbum with 20 prints professional three-came- ra video production toasting glassheart-riiap- ed es a wedding cake “Just Married” ngn and two nights in a romantic honeymoon cabin with Jacuzzi 12-in- ch ' sWrrf-? ‘ For $150 you can have a basic cere--1 mony for toe two of you v1hoM prices and amenities ate foiriy comparable throughout Gaflinbutg For example at Chapel on the Greek wedding packages tun from $125 for a basic candlelight ceremony in die chapel with a choice of music to a deluxe “Apples of Gold" package which includes a candlelight ceremony cascade bridal bouquet garter and boutonniere 20 matted 5- - by photographs in a gold embossed dbmn video a heart-shapwedding cake and three nights lodging in a deluxe honeymoon chalet for $999 At the Wbdding Chapel in die Glades package wedding costs run from $319 to $295 for a ceremony that includes limousine service flowers for foe bride groom groomsmen and bridesmaids photograph albums for foe parents as well as the bride and groom video cake and three nights lodging in a honeymoon cabm with fireplace and Jacuzzi Since many couples cotne from some distance many find comfort in having all die planning done for diem both Cox and Wallis say ch ed The ABCs of Cache Valley lutdoc States atgr wtmr — To bicentennial of piclark trid Bridgerland's Local Newspaper subscribe call (435) 752--2 128 |