Check Out Melanie Abrams’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Abrams.

Hi Melanie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My husband and I moved to North Georgia 18 years ago for a simpler way of life. We purchased 24 acres with a panoramic view of the North Georgia mountains in Young Harris where we planned to eventually build a home to retire. The first structure built was a simple pole barn. We hosted a July 4th party the second year and one of our daughters who attended indicated if she ever got engaged she would love to get married there. 3 months later she got engaged and I convinced my husband to let me take on the task of renovating the pole barn to turn it into a venue. Even though this was my project, I could not have done it without the help of my husband. His experience as a contractor/builder helped guide me and keep me on track and within budget, most of the time, to accomplish what I had set out to do. We started out small, enclosing the pole barn and building a pergola to hold outdoor ceremonies. Each year we would enhance the property with something else and in 9-1/2 we are the proud owners of a beautiful venue that provides our clients with an enclosed barn, a separate bridal suite, two pavilions, 2 rental cottages, and a honeymoon suite above our newest barn. In 2024, we started our second business, Highlands of Young Harris. We purchased Hadassah, a five year old pregnant cow and her young steer, Maestro and in 1-1/2 years have grown the fold to 10 beautiful registered Scottish Highland Cows. The intent was to grow and breed the cows as an investment while providing a breathtaking backdrop of beautiful fluffy cows for the guests to enjoy and interact with. It didn’t take long to realize that everyone wants to see and pet a fluffy cow and so began The Highlands of Young Harris, where people can schedule a tour to see these beautiful creatures up close and personal, to pet or brush and give treats to. To be able to interact with these docile animals, each with his own distinctive personality, has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Our dream is to grow the fold while providing our clients the opportunity to enjoy them as much as we have.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While we researched and interviewed several businesses related to venue operations, we still had our share of challenges, mainly growing pains. We had a business plan and a budget so to stay within that budget, we started out small, a small kitchen, a small bride’s dressing room and most definitely not enough amperage for the number of electrical needs required to run a venue. One of our first weddings decided to utilize just about all of the outlets we provided, inside and outside which overheated the circuit causing it to trip the main breaker and lose electricity throughout the entire venue just minutes before the ceremony was to start. Luckily, we were right down the street and able to get to the venue and started turning off appliances and fans and such to cool off the breaker allowing the music to start on time. The next day we had our electrician add another circuit breaker with more amperage allowing for miscellaneous electrical needs like coffee makers, extra speakers, margarita machines, curling irons and the gazillion extra string lights we decided to hang throughout the venue.

During our second wedding, we quickly discovered that the bride’s dressing room was not suitable for a bride who had 10-12 bridesmaids. Our daughter’s wedding which was the second wedding had 10 bridesmaids. When I walked into the bride’s dressing room to check on the girls, they looked like sardines in a can. I knew right away we would have to figure out how to provide more space for the bride and her bridesmaids, and there went the budgeted business plan. Our second year of business, we decided to add a very nice bride’s dressing room next door to the venue that provided the bride and her bridesmaids a spacious suite to enjoy while getting ready. Our next goal was to tear down the wall between the original bridal suite and the kitchen to enlarge our kitchen and equip it with commercial grade appliances and a stating area giving the caterers the much needed space to accommodate the larger weddings we had begun booking.

One of our biggest obstacles has been the growing number of venues in the North Georgia/Carolina corridor. Keeping the venue interesting and competing with those around us has been an ongoing challenge. We decided to compliment our beautiful panoramic Mountain View with registered Scottish Highland Cows which has become our second business venture. The brides and even grooms along with the guests absolutely love seeing these docile creatures and being given the opportunity to interact with them. We have totally fallen in love with these animals and the joy they bring us and those who get to see them up close and personal.

There will always be challenges and obstacles while running two successful businesses and I am lucky to have the support and help from my husband who is also my partner. We have learned over the years to compliment each other’s roles and responsibilities and have both given 100% of our blood, sweat and tears. All in all, it has been quite the journey and has provided us with many fond memories to look back on.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Prior to owning and running a venue, my husband and I both worked for a Food Broker for 20 plus years. My husband left the industry several years before me to start his own business in home inspections as I worked my way up the ladder to become a Distributor Sales Manager in charge of two different distributors over the course of 17 years. The company I worked for represented some of the largest and best known manufacturers and I was able to meet many great chefs and owners of Atlanta’s best restaurants along with our great colleges, Georgia Tech and University of Georgia. This was a wonderful career but I am most proud of my accomplishments as an entrepreneur, starting and running an event venue in the beautiful North Georgia Mountains going on 10 years and starting a second business and career breeding and raising registered Scottish Highland Cows. To run two businesses at the same time keeps my husband and I busy but we wouldn’t have it any other way. We put 100% of our heart and soul into both businesses to ensure everyone who comes to The Barn at Young Harris, Inc. or Highlands of Young Harris has a great experience and leaves with nothing but wonderful memories.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Over the years we have created an extensive vendor list for our clients to take advantage of which allows us to collaborate with vendors in the hospitality industry. Not only has this provided a strong network of vendors reaching as far away as Atlanta, Tennessee and the Carolinas, we bring business to our local vendors as well. We have a great support system that includes DJ’s Caterers, Restaurants, Photographers, Videographers, Florists, Bakers, Coordinators, Makeup Artists and even hotels. We are constantly striving to build and keep a great list of vendors our clients can utilize and know will be the best of the best.

Pricing:

• $5,000.00 mini week day wedding (50 guests or less)
• $8,000.00 Two day option, Friday and Saturday, 150 guests max
• $6,000.00 One day Sunday through Thursday

Contact Info:

• Website: Thebarnatyoungharris.com and Highlandsofyoungharris.com
• Instagram: The Barn at Young Harris
• Facebook: The Barn at Young Harris

Image Credits
Indigo Wild Photo
Karlee Searcy photography
Hannah Langford Photography
Stampliphotography
Qtography
Lit Weddings with Mike Moon