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Bride-to-be Mackenzie Skinner stood at the counter in Plum Southern, a weddingfocused gift shop on Main Street in LaGrange, balancing a stack of smartly-wrapped presents and beaming from ear to ear.
with weddings believe most people “would be amazed“ at how much Troup County’s economy benefits from the “business of brides.”
“I should get married more often!” she said happily. “It feels like Christmas morning every day.”
That includes, for starters, event venues, retail shops, florists, caterers, photographers, musicians, jewelers, hotels, printing companies and equipment rentals.
Indeed, for local businesses with connections to the bridal industry, weddings are every bit as important as Christmas to their bottom lines. Troup County issued 481 marriage licenses in 2020 and 456 the year before. Chamber members who work 6
May 2021
“A lot of people make their living or a significant portion of their living off weddings,” said Tulla White of Tulla White Cuisine and Catering.
“Weddings have been an absolutely huge boon for our downtown,” said Bill Hunnicutt, director of the Downtown LaGrange Development Authority. Perhaps the biggest impact – and another
factor that surprises many – is the impressive number of out-of-town brides who choose Troup County locations for their weddings. Highly successful venues, like Victoria Belle in Hogansville and Del’avant in LaGrange, stay booked year round with mostly out-of-town weddings. “Local people have no idea how important it is to bring weddings from out-of-town. They come in, use local caterers, local florists, photographers, hotels and restaurants. It’s very big for the local community,” said Mechelle Wheless of Sweet Peas Floral Designs of Distinction. From a business perspective, another benefit of out-of-town weddings, said
