Private Georgia property perfect for 'waterfall weddings'

CEDARTOWN, Ga. - It’s got all the elements of a fairy tale, from vine-covered ruins surrounding a secret garden to a wooden bridge stretching before a stunning waterfall.

So it’s no surprise that couples from across the country travel to Hightower Falls, hoping to add a little magic to their special day.

Hightower Falls is a private, family-owned wedding and event venue nestled on 100 acres in Polk County, about 15 minutes from downtown Cedartown.  

Elizabeth Walls knows the property well; her parents bought it 26 years ago.

"A lot of love has gone into this place," says Walls. "It definitely didn't look like this; there were no working buildings and everything.  But it was a true gem."

Mining the story of that gem means going back to the mid-1800s, when Walls says Elias Dorsey Hightower bought the property and had a stone grist mill built along the 80-foot waterfall.

"Mr. Hightower built it as a three-story working business, with a slate roof and a big waterwheel on the right-hand side," Walls says. "They used it to grind up corn and wheat, primarily."

The mill survived the Civil War but fell out of use a few decades later. Today, however, the ruins serve as a majestic matrimonial backdrop, hosting couples looking for a little nature to go along with their nuptials.  Walls says 95% of the venue’s business is weddings, and that after a devastating year of cancellations due to the pandemic, it’s beginning to bloom again.

"It is picking back up.  People are feeling more comfortable, as far as getting out.  Also, our property allows people to be outside to social distance."

And for the family with the waterfall and ruins right in their own backyard, Hightower Falls is a fairy tale impossible to keep to themselves.

"It was too beautiful not to share in some capacity," says Walls.  "We're contributing to somebody's special day.  So, we get to share in their beautiful experience and hopefully we get to have a little bit of impact for them."

For information on booking Hightower Falls for a wedding or private event, click here.

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