Weddings in the Smoky Mountains can take place in designated areas of the national park. Purchase a special use permit from the park and follow their guidelines for getting started. The applications must be received by the park no less than 14 days before the event. You can find the application documents for weddings in the Smoky Mountains below.
Weddings In The Smoky Mountains
All park uses that fall under the catergory of special events are required to have a special permit. These uses include wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions and wedding photography. Permit requests for weddings in the Smoky Mountains take between two and four weeks and require a fee.
NPS InfoThe following information is needed to complete the special use permit: name of bride and groom, date and time of wedding ceremony, number of people attending, name of responsible party, preferred location within the park, name of the person performing the ceremony and contact information.
Tennessee Marriage License
If you are a Tennessee Resident, you will now pay $97.50 for a marriage license. You may attend a 4 (four) hour premarital preparation course and present us the certificate of completion to waive the $60.00 fee accessed for not taking this course. All Non-Tennessee Residents getting married in Sevier County will pay $37.50. If either you or your spouse has a Tennessee Drivers License you will be charged $7.50.
Marriage License
Wedding Vendor Approval
If you’re using a wedding planner, he or she needs to be authorized to conduct business in the park. Additionally, your caterer, photographer, wedding officiant, limo driver and any other paid service provider needs to obtain approval, too. The following Smoky Mountain wedding vendors are pre-approved to conduct business in the park: Smokey Mountain Wedding, Above The Mist, and New Beginnings Photography. Any other Pigeon Forge wedding vendors will need special approval from the NPS before the big day.
Know Before You Go
When you’re planning a wedding in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, it’s important to be aware of a few things. One important thing to keep in mind is that your wedding is taking place on public land — that means anyone can attend, even without an invite. You cannot exclude other park visitors from the site during your wedding, reception or photos. Know an estimate of how many guests will be attending your wedding before getting in touch with the National Park Service.
Weddings In The Smoky Mountains
The Appalachian Clubhouse
Located in the Elkmont area, this historic structure was used as a gathering spot by the Appalachian Club, established in 1910. Club members built rustic cabins nearby to serve as vacation homes before the park was created. In 1934 the original building was destroyed by a fire and replaced with the existing building, which has now been rehabilitated by the NPS.
Appalachian Clubhouse
Spence Cabin
Spence Cabin is also called the “River Lodge,” as you can hear the sounds of the Little River in every room. This whimsical pink cottage is a fun and unique venue for any sort of gathering. It was build in 1928 as a vacation home for Alice Townsend, the wife of the colonel who owned the Little River Lumber Company and Little River Railroad.
Spence CabinIncluding The Appalachian Clubhouse and Spence Cabin, there are 52 total location options for weddings in the Smoky Mountains. Below is a comprehensive list.
More NPS Wedding Information
