The Notebook isn’t the only notable aspect of the picturesque venue where the Graves, who live in Jacksonville, FL, were married: This centuries-old spot, whose spectacular oak-lined drive was created in the 18th century, is a former plantation, where dozens of enslaved people were once forced to harvest cotton and pecans, and handcraft millions of bricks that were then used in the construction of countless other buildings in the region. Visitors who stop by Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens today won’t find the original plantation house standing, but they can see some of the cabins where enslaved people lived; they’re not far from where couples take their wedding photos. And there are a lot of couples who do this. Boone Hall — which is also a working farm that hosts a popular annual strawberry festival, a museum, and a concert venue — is one of the most popular wedding venues around Charleston, SC. Despite the fact that there has been a concerted effort recently, on behalf of racial justice advocates and some Black wedding planners in the South, to discourage weddings on former plantations, Boone Hall hosts an average of 130 weddings a year, according to what the venue told Refinery29, and is often booked over a year in advance.
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