1345 Eastern Flank Circle
Franklin, TN 37027
615-794-0903
Average Base Cost: $20,000
Our average base cost for a Carnton wedding is calculated by figuring a 125-person guest list on a Saturday in Peak Season using the Garden Area reception option, including an average food/beverage cost of $100/pp as well as required ‘extra’ costs, listed below. Entertainment, flowers, tents, furniture, additional decorations and rentals, transportation, and photography are NOT included. Price is rounded up to the nearest thousand. Gratuity and sales tax is included.
*Prices subject to change
How it breaks down:
Facility Rental Fee: The venue rental fee at Carnton breaks down as follows:
Peak Season: April – November
Garden Ceremony/Cocktail Hour on the Back Porch/Fleming Center Reception:
- Friday, Saturday & Sunday: $4,000
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: $2,000
- Capacity: 225
Garden Ceremony/Cocktail Hour on the Back Porch/Garden Area Reception:
- Friday, Saturday & Sunday: $3,000
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: $1,000
- Capacity: 500
Winter Season: December through March
Garden Ceremony/Cocktail Hour on the Back Porch/Fleming Center Reception:
- Friday, Saturday & Sunday: $2,200
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: $1,100
- Capacity: 225
Garden Ceremony/Cocktail Hour on the Back Porch/Garden Area Reception:
- Friday, Saturday & Sunday: $1,700
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: $750
- Capacity: 500
Note: Set up may begin at 9:00 a.m. in the garden, garden reception area and the Fleming Center patio, at 2:00 p.m. on the lawn, inside the Fleming Center and Fleming Center kitchen, and at 4:00 p.m. on the porches on the day of the event. Carnton closes to the public at 5 p.m., and your event may begin at 5:30 p.m. or after.
What’s Included: Just the venue.
Optional: The rehearsal dinner may be held at the Fleming Center or in the Garden Area if available for an additional $1,500.
Extras:
-House tours are an additional $500. The house will be opened for one hour, immediately after the ceremony, for a walk-through tour of Carnton. Several historical interpreters will be in the house to talk with guests and answer any questions that they may have.
-When the Fleming Center is used for the reception, there is a $200 fee to cover the cost of professionally cleaning the kitchen. This fee is mandatory if use of the Fleming Center is included in the rental. When the Garden Area is used for the Reception, there is a mandatory $150 fee to cover the cost of professionally cleaning the Garden area and use of the restrooms. Carnton provides use of a large dumpster for trash removal.
Food and Beverage: You must use one of their pre-approved caterers, which includes Bacon and Caviar and Copper Kettle among others. See the full list here. You may bring in your own alcohol, however it must be served by an ABC licensed and insured bartender.
Other Vendors: You must use their preferred rental company and lighting company, otherwise they are open to outside vendors.
More Stats:
Space Type: Inside/Outside (though technically most of the event will take place outside and/or under a tent)
Size: 225/500 depending on the package you choose, above
Bridal Suite: Yes
Parking: Yes (free)
How Will Grandma Get There? Carnton is in Franklin, which is about 40 minutes from the Nashville airport. She could stay at a nearby Franklin hotel such as Drury Hotels, or in Nashville proper at Hutton Hotel or The Hermitage downtown (which is only around 40 minutes away), and a much more fun option for guests, we think.
Party On! Events can go until 11 p.m.
The Report:
Carnton was built in 1826 by former Nashville mayor Randal McGavock. The red brick federal-style home, which served as a field hospital during and after the Battle of Franklin during the American Civil War, was also the setting for The Widow of the South, a novel by author Robert Hicks. Today Carnton greets visitors as a museum and event space, featuring sprawling lawns and a one hundred sixty-year-old Osage Orange tree in a restored antebellum garden.
Woman Getting Married Says: We’ll preface this venue review by saying that getting married at a location with a troubled past is obviously a tough decision that every couple has to make on their own. We are here to provide pricing information and other details for wedding venues couples have inquired about, and couples have to decide for themselves how that history will factor into their selection. Our notes below are strictly about the venue itself and how it functions as a venue if you choose to host an event here.
When we used to live in Nashville I LOVED going to Franklin. It’s an adorable town and perfect for a wedding. If you’re into the idea of having a mostly outdoor wedding with a tent, then this could be a great venue option for you. One thing to keep in mind is that additional costs (such as the tent) as well as bringing in all of your own tables and chairs will add up, so be sure to factor that into your cost. The good news, however, is that they do have a full kitchen you can use, which is unlike several other outdoor venues in the area where your caterer has to set one up (which can cost a lot extra).
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