Our North Georgia Grand Walnut Tree Isn’t Just for Photos: 7 Unique Ceremony Traditions You Can Do Under It
- insightmediamgmt
- Jul 3
- 6 min read
Some trees are pretty. Ours is powerful.
At Chapman Hill, couples fall in love with our 17 acres of rolling Northeast Georgia countryside, the rustic-modern barn, and the peaceful flow of our property. But there’s one spot on our land that seems to cast a spell on nearly everyone who visits.
That spot is the walnut tree.
Photo - @taylorhandtephotography | Coordinator - Becky Anderson
Floral - Faithworks Creative Design
Tucked a little off the beaten path, it stands tall and wise, with deep roots, graceful branches, and a quiet presence that draws people in. It’s not just a good place for golden hour portraits. It’s sacred in its own way—and it has become one of our favorite ceremony sites, not just for how it looks, but for what it represents.
If you’re planning your wedding at Chapman Hill and wondering how to make your ceremony feel even more meaningful, this post is for you.
Here are 7 unique ceremony traditions you can do under the walnut tree to give your vows deeper connection, unforgettable energy, and a lasting sense of place.
1. A Ring Warming Ritual
Before the ceremony officially begins, you can invite a small circle of guests—parents, siblings, or chosen family—to hold your rings and offer a silent blessing, hope, or prayer for your marriage.
It’s called a ring warming, and it turns a small moment into a powerful, shared expression of love. Under the walnut tree’s branches, it feels grounded and symbolic, like the start of something ancient and lasting.
Pro tip: Assign someone from your wedding party to help coordinate this moment just before you walk down the aisle.
Photo - @kay.nicole.photo | Floral - @soireessouthernevents | Coordinator - @georgiadollevents
2. A Unity Cocktail Instead of a Candle
Let’s be honest—candles and wind don’t always mix. But that doesn’t mean you have to skip the unity ritual.
One idea we love: create a custom cocktail (or mocktail!) that represents your personalities or relationship. During the ceremony, mix it together under the tree and take a sip as your first act of unity.
It’s fun, memorable, and symbolic. Plus, it gives you a chance to inject a little flavor and laughter into your vows.
Past Chapman Hill couples have blended bourbon lemonades, lavender tonics, or even just a shared pour of the first wine they drank together.
Photo - @cuenca.creative | Coordination - @georgiadollevents | Floral - @bloomandivyweddings HAMU - @formalfaces
3. A Surprise Song or Reading from a Loved One
There’s nothing quite like the element of surprise—especially when it comes from someone you love.
We’ve seen couples ask a grandparent to read a blessing, a sibling to sing a verse of a meaningful song, or a best friend to perform a favorite poem. Doing this under the walnut tree gives the moment space to breathe, space to echo. Because of how the tree anchors the ceremony site, the acoustics feel softer, more natural. It’s not a stage—it’s a gathering.
(Just make sure you let your planner or officiant in on the plan so timing stays smooth.)
Photo - @karahunter_photography | Planner @georgiadollevents | Floral - @bloomandivyweddings
4. A Vow Remix: Private Promises + Public Vows
Want your ceremony to be deeply personal and shareable?
Try this: read your most private, personal vows to each other in the bridal suite or during your first look. Then, during the ceremony under the walnut tree, exchange a second set of vows that speak to your public commitment. This remix lets you feel grounded and open without the pressure of saying everything in front of everyone. And something about that tree makes the whole thing feel anchored—like your words are being held by something older than all of us.
Photo: @johnandkymcreativeco
5. Family Tree Planting Ceremony
Okay, this one gets us every time.
If you or your families have strong ties to nature or land, you can bring a potted sapling or small tree to the ceremony and have both families add soil to it during the vows. Later, you take it home and plant it in your yard—a living symbol of your marriage. We’ve also seen couples pour soil collected from childhood homes, old family farms, or even places where they traveled together.
Doing this beneath a tree that has already stood for generations? Incredibly poetic.
Photo - @carinmcmillianphoto | Coordination - @lovelydayweddings | Floral - Jana Fredricks
HAMU - @liligrace.hair
6. Circle Ceremony Seating
Want your guests to feel fully part of the moment?
Ask about setting up circular or semi-circular seating around the walnut tree. This layout makes your ceremony feel more intimate, more connected, and more sacred. It also looks stunning from above in photos—and lets everyone actually see your faces as you say your vows. The tree’s natural canopy works beautifully with this arrangement, giving just enough shade and intimacy without blocking views.
7. A Quiet Post-Ceremony Blessing
After the recessional, most couples head straight into photos or the cocktail hour. But some of our most grounded, emotionally memorable weddings have included a brief moment of stillness under the tree after the crowd moves on. We call it the quiet blessing. It’s just you two. Maybe your officiant. Maybe your parents. A moment to breathe, take it in, and hold each other before the next chapter begins.
Sometimes it’s silent. Sometimes there’s a prayer. Sometimes it’s just hands held and tears shared.
But the tree makes space for that.
Photo - @macyoconnelphoto | Coordinator - @georgiadollevents
We’ve been asked this before: "Why is everyone obsessed with the tree?"
We think it’s because it’s not manufactured beauty. It’s nature, rooted and real. And in a world full of styled backdrops and staged florals, something about standing beneath something living just hits different.
The way the light moves through its branches. The way the wind carries through the field. The way people fall quiet beneath it. We’ve had guests say it feels like church. Like a sanctuary. Like standing inside a story that’s been waiting for you to arrive.
And once you see it, you’ll know. This isn’t just a backdrop. It’s the start of something.
If you choose the walnut tree for your ceremony, don’t let it just be a spot on your vendor checklist. Make it part of your story. Use it. Honor it. Let it hold you.
At Chapman Hill, we’re always here to help you dream up ways to make your day feel sacred, joyful, and true to you. We believe in letting the land lead. And this tree? It’s got a lot to offer.
Ask us about customizing your ceremony layout, rituals, or traditions under the tree. We’ll bring the chairs. You bring the love.
Because the tree isn’t just photogenic.
It’s legendary.
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Thank you so much for stopping by our blog, we hope you found this information helpful. We want to use our blog to increase awareness and support for locally owned wedding venues. Locally owned wedding venues tend to provide a higher level of expertise, service and dedication. They also have far less turnover than corporate owned or investor owned venues. As you plan your wedding we hope you will consider a locally owned wedding venue like ours. You can find locally owned wedding venues on this wedding venue map.
Below is a shout out to fellow locally owned wedding venues around the country!
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