Back to albums list

Rebecca Beato

by gradynewsource

15 photos · 11 views

Built in 1810, the Highgate Estate & Garden is 208 years old and has had six different owners. The current owner, Jack Rallo, renovated the house to its current state. This house has been a home, restaurant, bed-and-breakfast and now a wedding venue.

Rallo checks on a hanging plant. He bought the property in 2001. After suffering a brain aneurysm and almost a heart attack last year, he has taken a step back, but still continues to influence the work at the house.

Ms. Armor, the homeowner in 1890, used details from "La Belle Epoque", a French architectural style, throughout the house. She had stained-glass windows imported from Germany for the house.

Rallo has added his own touch on the home with porcelain trinkets and gargoyle statues. This room was the living room of the Hidden family, but Rallo has transformed it into an authentic parlor.

Jeff Hough, co-owner of the property, rests from tending to the gardens and watches as the landscaping team cuts the lawn. Hough moved down from Maryland last year after his partner, Jack Rallo, suffered from health complications.

Hough and Rallo pose for a photo in front of their home. The couple met back in 1996 in Atlanta, yet they spent most of their time apart as Hough was an accountant in Maryland and Rallo was managing the property in Georgia.

Ozza (left) and Bella (right) greet Hough in the garden. These are two of the dogs Rallo has rescued from the local animal shelter. Hough says that in the future they plan on hosting a fundraising event for the animal shelter on the property.

Married couples have this view of the gardens and the property from the stage of the wedding chapel. With the natural sloping of the yard the chapel is hidden from view in the front of the house. It provides a sense of privacy for wedding goers.

The wedding chapel can be seen from the old granite driveway through the gate. Hough and Rallo have worked to utilize every square inch of the property. There are three or more designated areas on the property for wedding ceremonies.

Hough and Johnana Ruff weed the gardens around the wedding chapel. The inspiration behind the chapel came from a scene from the Lord of the Rings movie. After the film, Hough says many guests commented on how they saw the chapel and thought of the movie.

Hough digs holes for plants along the walkway. After retiring, he has spent the past year working hands-on with the property. Last year, a team of UGA students came in to help Hough with marketing techniques and advertising ideas.

Ruff weeds the garden. She has worked for Rallo for years, and has been working on the renovations of the property for the past year. She works in the gardens three or more days a week making sure everything is in order for future weddings.

Hough and Ruff check which areas of the garden need improvement. When they returned in August 2016 to their property, they found that the general manager had not maintained the upkeep of the property in Rallo's medical absence.

John Worthington, from Jackson, Georgia, paints one of the recent additions on the property. Worthington is a self proclaimed painter and percussionist extraordinaire. He contracted many of the renovations on the property in the past six months.

In the next few weeks, more final touches will be made to get the property in shape for the April 16 reopening. Hough says the local radio station is going to be playing from the wedding chapel, and they're inviting the town to celebrate.