Ceremony Rehearsal

Rehearsal Dinner

Welcome Party

Chota Falls Estate

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Our Wedding

Our Story

Photos

Alli Helms

Riley Jane Helms

Eleanor Martin

Reagan Gilman

Julia Kistler

Katherine McCann

Madison Alcon

Alton Martin

Hugh Martin

Gavin Helms

Stewart Dalton

Boone Simms

Connor Hughes

George Douglas

Norah

Wedding Party

Nearest Airports: Greenville, SC (GSP-Greenville Spartanburg) - 92 miAtlanta, GA (PDK-DeKalb-Peachtree) - 103.1 miAtlanta, GA (FTY-Fulton County) - 119.3 miHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) - 124 mi Shuttle from Airport to Clayton: Georgia Shuttlehttps://www.georgiashuttle.com/ Attractions: Distances are displayed to the nearest 0.1 mile and kilometer.Chattahoochee National Forest - 0.1 km / 0.1 miAndy's Trout Farm - 1.8 km / 1.1 mi12 Spies Vineyards and Farm - 3 km / 1.9 miOsage Farm - 3.3 km / 2 miNantahala National Forest - 3.9 km / 2.4 miBlack Rock Mountain State Park - 5.6 km / 3.5 miHambidge Center Historic District - 6.9 km / 4.3 miFoxfire Museum - 8.3 km / 5.2 miMountain Lakes Medical Center - 9.4 km / 5.8 miHighlands Aerial Park - 9.7 km / 6 miThe Vineyard at High Holly - 10.2 km / 6.3 miMain Street Gallery - 11.1 km / 6.9 miTessentee Bottomland Preserve - 11.6 km / 7.2 miScaly Mountain Outdoor Center - 12.2 km / 7.6 miRabun County Golf Club - 13.4 km / 8.3 mi

Located in Clayton, 31 miles from Helen Festhalle, Bridge Creek Inn has accommodations with a fitness center and free private parking. Among the facilities at this property are a 24-hour front desk and a concierge service, along with free WiFi throughout the property. At the hotel rooms are equipped with a private bathroom.

Bridge Creek Inn

The Quality Inn &amp; Suites Mt. Chalet is located 15 minutes from the Chattooga River. This hotel features a free continental breakfast, free coffee in the lobby, free newspaper and free local calls. All spacious guest rooms include refrigerators, microwaves, coffee makers, hair dryers, irons and ironing boards. In addition to standard features, some rooms have whirlpool bathtubs and fireplaces. Guests can enjoy the seasonal outdoor pool. Several restaurants, cocktail lounges and specialty shops are located nearby. The Chattahoochee National Forest and Sumter National Forest are within 25 minutes from the hotel.

Quality Inn & Suites Mt Chalet

Featuring a grab and go breakfast and a seasonal outdoor pool, this pet friendly hotel is located in the Black Rock Mountain State Park. Mountain City city center is 5 minutes’ drive away. A microwave and a small refrigerator are found in each room at the Days Inn Clayton. Rooms are also equipped with cable TV and tea and coffee- making facilities. Truck and RV parking is provided to the guests of the Clayton Days Inn. A 24-hour reception is offered for added convenience. Dining and entertainment of Franklin city center are 30 minutes’ drive from the property. Rabun County Civic Center is 1 mile away

Days Inn by Wyndham Clayton

The Clayton Americas Best Value Inn is located within Black Rock Mountain State Park. This hotel offers guests amenities such as a free Wi-Fi in all areas. Cable TV with the HBO movie channel is included in all of the simply decorated guestrooms of this Clayton hotel. A microwave and refrigerator are also included in each room as well as coffee-making facilities. Free truck and bus parking is available on site at the Americas Best Value Inn Clayton and the hotel is also pet friendly. Guests will enjoy the added convenience of a 24-hour reception. This hotel is 10 minutes’ drive from Lakemont city center and 9 miles from Lake Rabun. Tallulah Gorge State Park is 15 minutes away by car.

Americas Best Value Inn Clayton

Amenities Enjoy the recreation opportunities such as a seasonal outdoor pool or make use of other amenities including complimentary wireless internet access. Free self parking is available onsite. Dining At Dillard House, enjoy a satisfying meal at the restaurant. Full breakfasts are served on weekends from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM for a fee.

Dillard House

The White Birch Inn is an elegant yet charming inn in the heart of downtown Clayton. Set in a 100-year-old brick building, the upscale inn features six uniquely decorated guestrooms and suites, each with their own ensuite bath. Suites include stone fireplaces, king beds, seating areas, full-length mirrors, glass-enclosed showers and one with a copper soaking tub. Inn amenities include a small gym, screened porch, sundeck, private patio, breakfast room and The Laurel Bar on the first floor, which is a full bar and serves tapas for dinner. The inn offers spa packages, partnering with a full-service spa 1 mile away. Under 14 not allowed.

White Birch Inn

Travel

Things to Do

We will be hosting a Welcome Party on Friday May 29th for all our guests who are coming in to Chota Falls early from out of state! Guests who live nearby, please do not feel any pressure to make two trips to Chota Falls. The party will begin at 8pm on the patio beside the pond and reception hall. Heavy hor d'Oeuvres will be served, with a bonfire to follow at 9pm. If you plan to attend the Welcome Party, please RSVP your attendance so that we might have enough food for everyone. There will be an option on the RSVP form to respond to first the Welcome Party and then the wedding day. These are separate events and thus an RSVP to one does not count as and RSVP for both. We can't wait to celebrate with you!

The Pond and Patio, pictured above

Welcome Party Details

Men: Dress shirt and dress pants with a tie or similar, with the option of a suit or blazer. Shoes like oxfords and lace ups are good options, but nice boots or sneakers are welcome too.-Women: Midi or maxi dresses, jumpsuits, or nice blouses + skirts are all welcome. Bonus points will be awarded for how well your outfit twirls! As for shoes: heels, flats, or sandals are good, but shoes you can dance in are even better.

Dress Code

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What is Contra Dancing?

Contra dancing is a form of social American folk dancing similar to square dancing. The contra dance is also known as English country dance, New England folk dance, a barn dance, or Appalachian folk dance. In contra dancing, long lines of couples dance together, performing simple footwork patterns, walking steps, and twirls. Dancers perform to folk music played by a live band featuring mandolins, banjos, and accordions, while a caller calls out the pattern for everyone to follow.

Characteristics of Contra

Lines: Dancers perform the contra dance in long lines that typically run the dance floor or dance hall length. Two parallel lines of contra dancers face each other, with the person directly opposite being one's partner.-The caller: Contra dances feature a contra dance caller, a person who teaches the steps and footwork to everyone before the dance, then during the dancing, the caller calls out the steps so everyone is in unison. The caller makes contra very easy to jump into as a beginner as he or she makes memorizing the steps unnecessary.-Switching partners: The choreography in a contra dance will have dancers moving back and forth between two or three dancers. As you switch partners you will move up and down the long line. However, your original partner will stay with you as you switch between people and between spots in the line

What to Wear

Dress to move! Wear clothes that you are ok moving aerobically (aka getting a little warm) in. But more important than dress is footwear. Shoes that can slide across the floor make dancing much easier. On the other hand, stiff or very high-heeled shoes can make dancing more difficult.

Contra Dancing in South Carolina:

Videos of Contra Dances and of Contra Bands:

<a href="https://youtu.be/IxYDk-B3HRQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/IxYDk-B3HRQ</a><a href="https://youtu.be/XSXHFrC8BE8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/XSXHFrC8BE8</a><a href="https://youtu.be/F5NkBwUUdDk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/F5NkBwUUdDk</a>

note: most information above was derived from this website <a href="https://www.masterclass.com/articles/contra-dancing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.masterclass.com/articles/contra-dancing</a>

Mary Christine & James Thaddeus

Mary Christine & James Thaddeus

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