We came here for a friend's wedding. The venue was nice and there were a lot of great photo op spots for wedding pictures. If you are planning a small to medium size wedding, this may be a good place to consider. read more

I came here for a friend's wedding recently. It had a nice view in the outdoor area for people to chill and hangout in between ceremonies. I didn't take much pictures as most were taken with my friend's phone instead. There was a brief reception followed by drinks at the bar prior to dinner. We had quite the wait after we got seated around 7pm. However, it was between 8 and 9pm till we got served. Not sure what was going on I the kitchen.. But, the guests were starving that day! Luckily, I had a late snack before heading out to the wedding. I particularly liked the room with the baby grand piano with walls filled with Asian paintings. It was pleasant listening to someone who was decent at carrying a few tunes on the piano. It was fun watching the bride and groom getting their pictures taken in the garden outside the Art Center prior to dinner. read more

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center - Dining Hall - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Really cool art center and event space. Was there for a wedding. The grounds are palatial, well maintained, and beautiful. They also had an exhibition upstairs that was very strong. Perfect venue for rent read more

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I attended a whiskey tour and tasting hosted by Macallan Whiskeys! It was such a wonderful, educational experience that was new for me! I'm learning more about spirits and this just helped further me along in my journey! It was very interactive, informative, and quite entertaining! The hosts had great personalities and kept us on our toes! It was a great night of drinks, live music, and meeting some really dope people! read more

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Beautiful Christmas display show. Well worth the tickets since I've never been to this museum. Each room was designed by a different group. Soft organ music was played downstairs. Wonderful interior decorating at it's best. Sort of a mini Biltmore display. read more

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Highlight: ICallanwolde is a non profit organization that is 10 mins outside of Emory University down Briarcliff University. It is a nice mansion, good venue for weddings and events, and it is also an arts center for dances/performances/music. Just got married here this past weekend and I think this is the best place to go if you're someone looking for a beautiful venue that allows outside catering. That was the deal breaker for me- we wanted a Chinese Themed wedding, but most venues wouldn't outside catering, so our dreams of a Chinese wedding seemed shot at first. If you want southern gardens, lovely historic mansion, crystal and whimsical reception that comes with tables and chairs and you bring your own drinks/catering, then this is the clear winner. Outside catering: We were torn between choosing an elegant place such as Atlanta Botanical Gardens or something like Swan House, but those places did not permit outside catering- so it seemed that our idea of a 10 course Chinese banquet seemed shot. However, there are 2 venues that allow outside catering- one, being the Solarium in Decatur and this place. I think this is the best. If you book a Friday, it's a 4200$ fee and it's 2000$ more for a Saturday, and 1000$ more for Sunday. That is the only fee you pay. The other fees you pay include chairs, tables, and any bartending you wish Callanwolde to provide. We did not do open bar, but we did tickets. They set up shop in a fold up table at the back of the reception- so don't expect an actual bar in the venue. Venue: Lovely gardens- highly recommend people bring epi pens and allergy medications if your bridal party has those issues. We had our wedding outdoor and we used the gardens for photos. Early May and Late April are excellent times for the wedding b/c you are beating the summer graduation/mothers day crowds but still get the beautiful gardens and flowers for the photos. There are lovely historical rooms in this mansion that are good for entertaining guests, cocktail hours, and for exploration. Upstairs: the dressing rooms- these are actually ballet rooms but can be used for performers/bridal parties to get dressed for the wedding. It i spacious but don't expect a boudoir kind of interior that other venues may have with nice sofas and fancy areas to sit and take pics. It is a big room with mirrors and bare floors- enough for people to dress/leave things there. It's not a nice sitting area for bridal pics with sofas and fluffy cushions. Reception area- this is why we chose this place- the crystal chandelier and drapings made this place feel magical and have a whimsical air that was both elegant and beautiful. Great touch and saves one from ceiling deocrations for any events since the ceiling speaks for itself and automatically lends a great vibe to the place. If you do a dance floor at night, it feels veen more lit and elegant and super fun with the high ceiling and crystals. read more

Love the building and landscape; however, it's dusty and full of cobwebs. The out of the windows are dirty and have a ridiculous amount of bugs. A family member had a wedding here and I couldn't help but notice these basic things. I know it's an old building and love the look, but that doesn't make it ok for it to be as dusty as it was. Blinds, sills, outside of windows, wooden panels, etc. were all dusty. There was a huge spider in our groom's suite. Can you say "pest control"? Other than that, the event went well and pics were beautiful. read more

We attended a reception and a wedding here. Very pretty place great location in Atlanta. Food is above decent. I'm not certain about price point is assume it above a mid priced place read more

I love this place!!! I have driven by this place forever and never had a reason to go check it out. Then, my hubbies friends decide to get married here! Everything about this place is what you would want in a wedding venue. It met all my expectations and was so lovely that I want to figure out a way to have an event here... Maybe a wedding vow renewal or party for something special... There are a million places outside to take brilliant photo. The backdrop in any place outside or inside is amazing!!! The landscaping is so lush and unique. Colors everywhere! Cute courtyards, big windows, tall trees, something prettiness all around! There wasn't one bad place for a picture inside or out! The area where the grand staircase is where the three piece band and cocktail reception was and then the ceremony was in the large room with that phenomenal chandelier!!! Just picture perfect! After the ceremony the couple went upstairs and then ascended the stairs to everyone as hubby and wife. The pictures were brilliant!!! Did I mention I LoVe this place!!! I don't give out 5's very often do you know I mean them!!! read more

This review is only about Christmas at Callanwolde. I first visited Christmas at Callanwolde three years ago when I first moved to Atlanta. It was everything that it was advertised to be. The rooms were furnished and decorated elaborately for Christmas. You had the feeling as if you were touring an exquisite mansion. In fact, I was told upon entry NO PHOTOS. Apparently the designers didn't want anyone stealing their ideas. I went again this past Sunday, Dec. 14th. It was such a huge difference and almost disappointment. All of the bedrooms upstairs had their furniture removed, the walls covered in white cloths and were converted into *theme* rooms. They had a room with a Coca-Cola display. They had a room where they were selling Build-a-Bears for $30. They had a room with some small card tables which was the Leggo room. It wasn't a tour of a mansion, it was a walk through an indoor festival. Even the family sitting room upstairs was wall to wall vendors selling jewelry and other nick nacks. Not even all of them were Christmas related. You could tell the purpose of the event wasn't to showcase a lovely mansion that had been decorated for Christmas but to hawk goods. It was OK, but it was definitely not what I expected. I'll stick with a different tour of homes for my Christmas viewing pleasure next year. I won't be back. read more

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center - What Christmas at Callanwolde used to be... - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Callanwolde is a magical, welcoming place that can become your second home. There are so many ways to get involved here! - There are classes of all kinds for kids and adults (dance, pottery, art, etc) - It is the most perfect wedding venue you can imagine - There are outdoor concerts and events for many holidays - There's a coffee shop (Callan Cafe) - Christmas at Callanwolde, when the mansion becomes a show house for interior designers, is not to be missed! - AND, there are a host of other cool events that happen, including Toursdays (on select Thursdays) where you can enjoy drinks and get a tour of the historic home. Built in 1920 by one of the Coca-Cola heirs, Callanwolde is stunningly beautiful. It's a non-profit arts center now, and I can't say enough great things about it! Also, there is plentiful free parking! Check it out! read more

Recently attended a wedding at Callanwolde. Wow, it was beautiful!!!! Callanwolde is a magical place that you a can melt into! Once you enter the gates you are instantly transported into a a wonderland. The ceremony was held outside and the weather was perfect. We sat under a canopy of trees, leaves, and flowers. The only glitch was that the officiant was not miked and we could not hear a word of the actual ceremony. I am not sure if it was Callanwolde's decision or the Bride and Groom. Everything else was perfect!! The reception was held inside the Arts Center. It was absolutely to die for! When you enter you are welcomed by dark wood walls, a high ceiling, and intricate details on all the wooden pillars. We had dinner, dancing and toasts on the outside patio, which was covered. It made a large wedding feel small and intimate. Overall, it was a great experience!! read more

What a wonderful event! Stopped in to preview the upcoming artist show that is at the Callanwolde Arts Center. If you can go this weekend it's worth the trip. From jewelry to soap and everything in between. Plus you get to visit the awesome Callanwolde Mansion. So many great finds during this show. Staff was so nice and there is plenty of parking. Plenty of room to move around. This event was from 6-9 but hours may be different this weekend. Please support these artist if you can. Worth the visit!!! read more

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My granddaughter takes ballet lessons at Callanwolde. Last Thursday during her lessons my daughter became ill. Ms. Bobbie in the cafe was exceptional in taking care of her until I arrived. She was kind and patient in attempting to make my daughter comfortable. Once I arrived and the illness did not subside Ms. Bobbie contacted the General Manager Caitlin. She and other staff members were so compassionate in attempting to assist. Finally Caitlin suggested an ambulance to transport my daughter rather than me trying to get her to the hospital. She called for the ambulance and Scott along Witt Ms. Bobbie stayed with us until the ambulance arrived. I wholeheartedly appreciate the level of attention given to us during this scary situation. Today when we arrived all the aforementioned staff members came to ask my daughter if she was feeling better. I wish this level of kindness was throughout our society. MANY THANKS TO THE CALLANWOLDE STAFF. read more

Viewed an art exhibit here recently. It's a nice space with an abundance of natural light in the exterior rooms. It seems well maintained and cared for. We didn't bump into a single employee while there, so I'm not sure if the space station is manned or not, but even so, the center felt inviting and possessed of a lot of history. Outside there was a jazz event on the lawn. Lots of jazzy people showed up armed with wine and lawn chairs. They were going to go buck wild. read more

Wow. What a change a few years AND new management makes! I got a note from their ED asking me to come back and check things out and I took her up on it - no bribes or slick enticements: just "Hey, come check us out." Well worth it; this place is ready for prime time and has a ton to offer. Don't miss the Halloween thing they have planned and get on their info list! read more

We had our wedding here three years ago and it was one of the best nights of our lives! Our guests could not stop commenting (& still do to this day) what a great party and facility we had. Thank you! read more

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Excellent support team! I recently did an event here, (I'm a wedding planner), and I had a seemless experience. The sales and events coordination team was wonderful and very proactive in helping me solve logistical issues. The on site staff on the day of were invaluable and helped me pull the event off without a hitch! Would highly recommend as an events/wedding venue. read more

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Cool venue for a wedding. If I ever get reincarnated as a person who has no memory of being married in my previous life and therefore I have no guilt about getting remarried, especially at a place that I attended a wedding at...oh and if I live in Atlanta...yeah I'd consider this place. The bathroom fan in the men's room was about two inches away from giving me a haircut. So, you know...watch out, tall brothers. read more

I would highly recommend not taking any ceramic / pottery classes here. They'll take your money, overbook the classes, and then have you "watch." But don't worry, because you will still get your clay, and you're welcome to come in outside of any scheduled classes to practice, without help. Definitely not what I paid $200 for. Edit: they refunded my money and were very nice. I have not since taken any classes here but other friends are really enjoying their classes here. read more

This review is for using them as a venue: We rented the Retreat and Gardens for our wedding and we were extremely frustrated and disappointed with how the staff handles events. They double-booked us with another wedding on the same date and we eventually were pressured to reschedule our wedding time around them, 2 weeks prior to the date. Edit: to clarify, they will double book the Gardens for 2 ceremonies on the same day. I.e.- they have a contract for Retreat & Gardens, and another (I assume) for Mansion & Gardens. Beautiful, but not worth the headache for an event read more

I just wanna say this was absolutely the most beautiful house ever. I took my muse here to take photos of and they turned out superb. I didn't get to walk around the whole estate but I viewed majority of it for times sake. The inside is gorgeous. The staff are a little weird but it's whatever because you can do a self guided tour to roam around. I was the only "guest" in the house so I got to really explore every detail of the rooms, to the bathrooms, and closets. Wish I could've saw the kitchen and basement! lol but other than that I love it. read more

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center - Elegant & classy - IG @ogsourpatch - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Very uninspiring architecture and landscaping. Have toured other early 20th Century homes and found them more appealing. Callenwolde has a basic floor plan and the gardens are boring. I guess it has struggled over the years and is owned by the local county. It shows. The Christmas decorating was also very bland. Looked like somebody essentially stumbled down the aisle at Michael's. Almost seems like the decorators had their arms twisted to participate read more

I started out taking classes in Callanwolde's Photography dept 10 years ago when I met one of the instructors at a pay by the hour darkroom and learned about color film He suggested that I check out Callanwolde . The level of instruction is great and the Black and White darkroom classes provide general access to the darkroom . After 10 years I enjoy the community at Callanwoldeand I'm still using the darkroom read more

This place has allot going on all the time.. It is definitely worth a trip if you are interested in what they have at the current time.. Very serial and time oriented with there events. Great for planning a trip to change pace. Allot of what they have going on is for couples coming up in february. I put allot of there stuff up on evolutionatlanta.com so people can keep up with whats going on. I make it easy for people to make a quick decision and get a good idea about an event.. read more

I have yet to hear anything back from Director Peggy Johnson regarding my damaged clothing (which were damaged while attending a wedding at this venue). I attended a wedding at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center back in late August. The center is beautiful and upon arrival, most of the staff was amicable and friendly. At this particular wedding ceremony, the center provided white folding chairs. Some of the chairs had been painted and the paint was tacky to the touch. I had not noticed this beforehand and was sitting for more than an hour in wet paint. When I stood, I felt the fabric on my skirt sticking to the cushion. As I peeled my skirt away from the seat, I was left with multiple streaky stains of white paint across my bottom. I was beyond livid! Being that this was a wedding, I was formally dressed and the skirt cost a pretty penny. The staff on-hand seemed generally unsympathetic to the issue. They took everyone's name but no contact information. They didn't even set the wet chairs aside when they pushed them into the next room for the reception. I spoke with the main coordinator, Jade, who seemed bothered when I asked her name and contact information to follow up. She never once apologized and acted as if I was annoying her for being concerned about my ruined skirt. I left the event early to keep from sitting, once again, in wet paint (since they reused the same affected chairs). I plan to speak with someone a bit more professional in the main office as soon as it reopens for business, but I am beyond dissatisfied. For such a classy venue, I was appalled at the lack of care and compassion the staff showed the guests. I wonder how future guests will feel, knowing that this center would allow carelessness (wet painted chairs on the day of the wedding) and callous disregard for complainants. I will not soon attend another event here. It has been nearly a month since the paint incident and the only resolution that the Director (Peggy Johnson) had to offer is that I drive 25 miles out of my way to leave my formal skirt with her assistant to have it cleaned. I explained that it was not feasible for me to make that trip (and certainly inconvenient) and even mentioned that the woman, "Jade" that I spoke to on the day of the incident indicated that there would be a different means of fixing our issue. I have not since heard a word from any member of the Callanwolde staff and am completely dissatisfied. Be wary that if you host an event here, that you and your guests may be victim to the same. The venue provided seats that were painted and not dry the day of the event. Several guests walked away with paint on their clothing. Nothing has been done to settle this matter. read more

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center - Paint damage on my tulle and satin formal skirt - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Visited for juried art exhibition that a friend's work was in for a solo show at Whitespace gallery. Such gorgeous grounds! Interior of main building is elegant. Pleasant staff. Very spacious inside and out. Look forward to attending future events here! read more

Callanwolde is awesome, and is probably one of the best-kept secrets in Atlanta (well, OK, Decatur). It's a community arts center, and they offer all kinds of art classes that are open to everyone. The class fees are reasonable (I've taken several photography courses there and they were all under $200 for 8 weeks), and you meet awesome people. Here's my personal experience: I took a film photography course back in the day in high school, and I was interested in trying it out again. I was looking for somewhere in Atlanta that I could take a film photography class, but all I could find were digital photography classes. Finally, a friend told me about Callanwolde. I had never heard of it before, so I checked it out and found that it had just what I was looking for. For under $200, I took an eight-week photography & dark room course at Callanwolde taught. There were just over 10 people in the class, and we had access six days a week to Callanwolde's dark room. The class met on Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m., and the class allowed students at different levels to set their own goals and work on their own projects, although there were also class-wide assignments. I learned a lot in the class, including dark room technique and photography technique. I also met a ton of cool people through Callanwolde. In fact, I enjoyed the class so much that I took it three times while living in Atlanta. Now that I live in Los Angeles, Callanwolde is one of the things I miss the most. I loved the photography course, but they have painting, sculpture, weaving, carving, dancing, and all sorts of things I'm leaving out. The catalog is on the website: http://www.callanwolde.org/ Check it out. read more

We attended their annual Easter Eggstravaganza this weekend, and I just wanted to comment on how well run, well planned, well executed this event was. From the convenient shuttle buses, to the onsite staff members who made every guests visit comfortable, to the many fun and exciting activities they had planned for the children...this is quite possibly the best Easter Hunt event in town for children and families! We look forward to making this our family's annual Easter tradition! read more

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Went here with a friend today. She had a groupon for Christmas deal. We both weren't very impressed. You walk through this house which has like maybe 7 or so rooms and they're decorated for Christmas but I just expected more. You can always buy any of the furniture as you walk through. So it's kinda like you're paying to walk through an estate sale in a way. read more

Don't waste your money on the jewelry class. Signed up for beginner class that was supposed to be limited in class size, but advanced students were in the classroom and diverted too much time from planned projects. The instructor is very talented, but unfocused and offered little instruction. Limited tools for group size make class time unproductive. This class was clearly stated for beginners in the catalog, but I felt that for the $250 class fee, there are better options elsewhere. Very disappointed. read more

Callanwolde is a dream. As soon as I saw it, I knew this was where I wanted to get married. The space is so beautiful. Words can't begin to describe. It's also a part of Atlanta history, which makes it all the more unique. The team was wonderful to work with. They were accommodating and patient. I wouldn't have picked any other place! read more

Great for weddings, call us for photos we do digital, we do albums LOVE that Venue. stephen becker-atlanta in Gainesville we can do budget wedding pics... read more

We had our wedding ceremony in December of 2012 at the Samuel Goldman Retreat of the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. Obviously it's not the most popular area of the campus (it's the smaller cabin-ish building on the south side, near the amphitheater), but it was perfect for what we wanted - intimate, rustic and not outrageously expensive! We loved the huge stone fireplace and the wooden beams. It's also in a great location and was close to our reception venue (Paris on Ponce). Charlotte was professional, pleasant and easy to work with, and she was also very flexible in allowing us to have a little extra time to decorate/clean-up. (Although it depends on other rentals, of course.) While there isn't a lot of extra space to get ready (I hid out in the kitchen while guests arrived), the facilities are excellent, and we were overall very pleased and glad we chose this space! read more

I was married at Callanwolde right before Christmas. We held the ceremony and reception there. It was a gorgeous event, and a perfect space for a winter wedding. The best compliment I received was from a close friend who felt like she was attending a wedding in an episode of Downton Abbey. Callanwolde was great to work with. Their Events/Facilities Direction, Anna Warner, is responsive and flexible with allowing you drop in with vendors to make planning decisions. She also helped point us to a caterer, florist, and event planner who frequently put on events at Callanwolde. Those recommendations were invaluable, as the vendors all knew each other and Callanwolde's facilities inside and out. I wouldn't change a thing if I could do it all over and will cherish our photos forever. read more

Callanwolde is a beautiful setting for an Atlanta wedding. We had many guests come from out of town, and we loved having a reception venue that so quintessentially exuded Atlanta culture. Our wedding was late August, and we were able to use the patio for cocktail hour and the gardens for our pictures - all stunning! Anna was our primary contact for our wedding day and the month leading up to it, and she was very helpful and coordinated well with our vendors. A reflection on other reviews: I was apprehensive to work with Callanwolde after reading some reviews about the un-helpfulness of the staff. The original contact we had at Callanwolde caused a lot of unneeded stress (and my 4-star review), but Anna is a joy to work with! read more

This review pertains to the darkroom photography course with David Damon--I came to Callanwolde after spending about five years learning digital photography. The more I learned about digital, the more I wanted to get back to photography as an art form. After two quarters of his darkroom black and white photography course, I feel like I am experiencing photography the way it was meant to be learned and enjoyed. It is a process, and David has taught me so much about making photos rather than just taking them. He is dedicated to the art form, teaching the proper process for handling the chemicals and taking care of the darkroom equipment. I also appreciate that Callanwolde allows plenty of access to the darkroom outside of class time. read more

Very nice location for a big event. Went to a wedding with 120 plus guests with outdoor ceremony. There was a gazebo for the string quartet and trees and flowers to gaze upon. Then we had cocktails on the terrace followed by dinner and dancing in the house. Everyone had a lovely time. You can rent the whole place for the night so there was plenty of space to spread out. read more

This is a beautiful venue for an event. I came here for a school formal in the fall and absolutely loved the charm of the entire night. There was plenty of space, though it felt like I had waltzed into a magical elegant home. Additionally, there was art upstairs to view at our leisure. I would like to come back to see the exhibits or attend future events here. read more

The Callanwolde rooms in past years have been impressive. Each room has very specific appointments with unique art, fixtures, furniture etc. Today defined disappointment. The rooms had limited materials that failed to produce a feeling of quality, uniqueness, or even the belief that the room defined the designer's flair. It should have challenged the visitor to create an ambiance similar to a somewhat perfect room. Two years ago, the rooms were stunning. It was not simply a reminder of Christmas. It was an experience-an amazing and memorable experience that my friends and I will always share. Perfection is possible more than one time. Please reproduce it. read more