Mansell House & Gardens

We attended a charming summer’s morning wedding here over the weekend. There’s ample parking when you consider the space for the adjacent Wills Park.
The house is small, but it was enough to offer respite from the warm summer sun for small groups, and to allow set up of all the food. The cakes were in the large parlor with the fireplace and piano. The buffet was in the smaller room off to the side — made it a little tight and warm, but with a small party, the line moved pretty fast.
The gardens were a charming setting for the intimate ceremony.
There were 8 tables (10 chairs each) on the grounds and another 4 on the wrap around porch. The guests (with the exception of the immediate family who sat in two rows at the front) just sat at their tables to watch. The band set up in the gazebo closest to the parking lot.
I have to admit that much of what made it lovely was the weather, and having it at 10am helped that.

I have been shopping venues for a vow renewal ceremony/​reception for next year and decided to check out the Mansell House. This is a great venue for a smallish wedding/​event or for a larger wedding/​event if you want the entire event out be held outside. The house itself is small and there really isn’t anywhere to set up tables and chairs for a seated dinner. A strolling reception may work depending on how many guests you have.
The grounds are well maintained. The stone in the outdoor courtyard is relatively new and the gardens surrounding this area are well taken care of. There are many different options for a wedding ceremony. You can use the gazebo area, the lawn, or any other spot on the grounds. The volunteer we dealt with, Ellon, was very nice. She met us there on short notice to show us the place and was very nice and welcoming.
The rental rate is reasonable — $ 1,000 for a Saturday and you have access to the venue the entire day (from 10 am to midnight). You can use your own caterer and can provide your own alcohol but you have to get a permit from the city of Alpharetta for $ 50. They have tables and chairs for up to 60 guests but they do not provide linens. This is a great place to host an event if you are trying to save money since they do allow outside catering and beverages. You are responsible for setup and clean up so don’t come looking for a full service deal here.
Unfortunately this venue won’t work for us since our event is at the end of June and it will be too hot to expect people to stay outside. Had our event been in the spring or fall we would have considered using the Mansell House.