The hotel and its event spaces
The hotel's own page says its original building was described in 1891 as having no equal in East Tennessee and was lost to a fire; Afar describes the current hotel as a re-creation of that travelers' hotel. Its event spaces include the Grand Soldiers Ballroom, a Grand Balcony, the Wilder Dining Room, the Roosevelt Library, the Taylor Salons and the Reeves Room, with 10,000 square feet in all. The hotel lists the ballroom for weddings of up to 200 guests, and no individual room sizes. On site there is also Wellington's Restaurant and Austin Springs Spa, which makes a getting-ready morning easier for the wedding party.
Sound and hosting in the ballroom
The hotel's wedding quote form lists music and audio-visual services among what it can arrange, so the first question is whether I can bring my own sound and DJ setup or work with the hotel's. The pages publish no vendor rule or music cutoff, so I ask in writing.
In a hotel ballroom I place speakers to cover the dance floor and keep the level lower toward the tables so people can talk. The salons, library and balcony give cocktail hour somewhere to happen, so as host I plan the order of the evening so guests always know what is next. With a mix of rooms, I walk the route with the banquet manager before the doors open.
Lighting, power and effects
A hotel ballroom usually has strong overhead lighting, so I ask what is on dimmers and whether my own warm white washes and uplights can take over for dancing.
Low fog needs its own dedicated 30 A circuit, and hotel sprinkler and smoke detection can be sensitive, so I raise that first. The hotel publishes no rule on sparklers or fog, so I ask for cold sparks and fog to be approved in writing.
Planning notes for couples
Request a quote through the hotel's wedding quote form, or contact one of its sales associates. The form covers a rehearsal dinner, reception, bridal shower, guest rooms and a post-wedding brunch. The hotel is near Interstates 26 and 81 and Tri-Cities Regional Airport, so out-of-town guests have easy access. Room counts differ by source, so confirm how many rooms the hotel can block.