The Timeline (Overview)
Friday, June 21st (evening)
7:00 pm (Optional) - Beer garden visit for folks who have made it to town! We’ll be at Ashe’s Bearden Beer Market. More details below.
Saturday, June 22nd (morning)
~10:00 am - 2:00 pm (Optional) - For anyone inclined, feel free to join Ella and Nathan at Ijams Nature Center for some rock climbing (or biking, swimming, hiking, and lounging). Bring your own picnic lunch! More details below.
Saturday, June 22nd (evening)
5:30 pm - Join us at Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria for pizza, dancing, good company, and to celebrate the happy couple! Specifics on the venue and the schedule below.
Sunday, June 23rd (morning)
10:00 am (Optional) - For anyone still in town, we’ll be having a drop-in brunch (bagels, coffee, and the like) at Addison’s Bookstore. Come join us on your way out!
Friday Evening (Drop-in Drinks)
Nothing fancy! We’ll be at Ashe’s Bearden Beer Market on Friday evening to have some snacks and a few drinks with whoever’s in town. We plan to show up around 7:00 pm, but our plans are flexible, so come late if you prefer! There’s a playground on the premises, kids and dogs are welcome.
Drop in any time, no dress code or formal arrangements required. Give one of us a text or a call if you have questions. P.s. - this is right across the street from Ella’s Ice Chalet!
Saturday Morning (Ijams Nature Center)
If weather permits, we’ll be meeting up at Ijams Nature Center (just outside downtown Knoxville) to do some rock climbing on Saturday morning. Anyone is welcome to join!* If you’re interested in climbing, let us know so we can arrange to have enough equipment on hand - we can support kids and total beginners, so don’t hesitate to give it a try!! If you’d like to spend some time outside, but climbing isn’t your jam, Ijams offers hiking and mountain biking trails, a quarry for swimming, and plenty of green space to just relax. It’s a short hike (5 min or so on a hilly trail) from the parking area to the climbing area, and you can bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket if you want to “supervise” the climbing.
If you’re joining us for rock climbing, we recommend that you wear long shorts or pants that are easy to move in, and closed-toe shoes or climbing shoes. Bring a swimsuit and towel if you want to take a swim in the quarry!
*The meetup spot for Ijams can be short on parking - if you plan to join us, just let us know so and we’ll ensure you get to the right spot.
Saturday Afternoon/Evening
“Wedding Party” Photos
After a post-climbing recovery nap, we’ll take photos with family and a few friends before the reception, and will reach out to expected attendees directly to coordinate time and place!
Reception
Plan on arriving at Barley’s between 5:30 and 6:00 on Saturday afternoon (we expect to get there around 6:00 after taking some pictures). The reception portion of the evening will be pretty freeform, with a pizza buffet, music for dancing, and a few moments for us to thank you all for your attendance!
Late Evening
We anticipate finishing up at Barley’s around 9:30 or 10:00 pm. If you want to keep the party going, we’ll be spending a little time after Barley’s somewhere in the Old City - you’re welcome to join, no formal arrangements required!
Reception Dress Code
Who doesn’t love an excuse to get dressed up? We’d recommend a semi-formal outfit for the party. (But we’ll be at a pizza place, so feel free to opt for comfort and creativity over formality.)
The Reception Venue
Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria - 200 East Jackson Ave., Knoxville, TN 37915
We’ll be celebrating on the second floor of this hometown favorite, nestled in Knoxville’s historic Old City!
Barley’s has its own parking lot, and is right across the street from another public lot.
If you’re staying in any of our recommended downtown hotels, Barley’s is very accessible via an easy stroll down Gay St. and through the Old City.
Food for the event will be a pizza buffet (plus sides and salads). Every attendee will receive drink tickets to start the evening, redeemable for non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks of choice.
Sunday Morning (Drop-in Brunch)
Addison’s Bookstore - 126 S. Gay St., Knoxville, TN 37902
The morning after reception festivities, we’ll have some light brunch set up in Addison’s Bookstore, right on Gay Street! Totally optional, but if you’re still in town and want some extra time with the happy couple and family, feel free to drop in anytime from 10ish to noon (when the bookstore turns into a bookstore).