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Since 2005, CJ's Off the Square has been committed to delivering exceptional service and unforgettable experiences that honor love, connection, and community.
What if event planning didn’t have to be stressful? What if you only had to find a beautiful venue and then they took care of everything so you could avoid the hassle of driving all over town meeting vendors, getting estimates, keeping it all organized and crossing your fingers that it would all come together?
What if you could actually know what your wedding would cost BEFORE you booked a single vendor?
These are just some of the questions founder CJ Dickson was asking when she planned her own wedding in 2004. Frustrated with the outdated planning methods used by many wedding professionals at the time, the idea for a full-service venue that served hard-working professional couples started to take shape.
Within a year, CJ’s Off the Square opened its doors as the very first all-inclusive wedding and event venue in Nashville. It continues to develop new ways to serve busy couples who want a beautiful, meaningful celebration without all of the fuss. Watch this behind the scenes video below to see how CJ and her team work with couples like you to plan weddings and events in this intimate and romantic garden setting.
CJ’s Off the Square is a historic, garden-forward venue designed for weddings and event that feel personal. polished, and relaxed. Intimate by design and set in the heart of downtown Franklin, it offers warmth, charm, and sense of connection that feels truly special.
As an all-inclusive venue, CJ’s Off the Square brings planning, catering, rentals, and more together under one roof, creating a cohesive foundation with flexibility to reflect your style and priorities.
From your first planning conversations to your event day itself, you’re supported by a professional team who regularly plans and executes events together. This creates a calm, well-managed experience, so you’re never relying on friends or family to manage critical details. We’ll guide the planning process, anticipate needs, and handle logistics behind the scenes, so you can stay present and enjoy your celebration.
With no required guest minimums, hidden service charges, or surprise fees, our pricing is designed to be clear, predictable, and stable so you can feel confident in your investment before you book and throughout the planning process.
Originally from Southern California, CJ Dickson has called Tennessee home since 1999. After an exciting career in the music business, she opened the event venue CJ’s Off the Square in 2005. She has since fallen in love with weddings and events and is passionate about giving her clients an amazing planning experience and stunning, memorable events. CJ lives in Franklin, TN with her husband Andrew and sweet schnoodles, Charlotte & Willoughby.
A Tennessee native, Alli first fell in love with the world of weddings while working at a bridal salon. This led to her earning a degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Over the past 7 years, she has continued to develop her passion as a wedding and event planner first in Knoxville and now in Nashville. In addition to the ever-evolving styles of event design, Alli enjoys the relationships she builds with her clients and seeing the designs come to life. When she’s not busy working with clients, vendors and the team at CJ’s Off the Square, you can find her with family cheering on her alma mater. Go Vols!
Growing up in Kentucky, Sidney always dreamed of making Nashville her home. Little did she know, a summer job at a Country Club would lead her to a career as a wedding and event planner. After graduating from Eastern Kentucky University, she followed her heart to Nashville when she landed a job as an Event Assistant at CJ’s Off the Square. After a year of hard work and learning the ropes, she was promoted to her current role of Wedding and Event Planner. Sidney loves working with her clients to create beautiful, joy-filled celebrations. And in her spare time, you can catch her with friends at a concert or cheering on the many Nashville sports teams from the stands.
After working as a personal trainer for several years, Laura realized her favorite part of the job was helping bring her clients’ visions to fruition. The passion of turning ideas into reality kickstarted her career in production at CJ’s Off the Square. When she is not behind the scenes at the venue, she is making furniture in her woodshop, traveling, or hiking with her husband and dogs.
Meet Leah, a Texas native who came to Nashville to attend Belmont University. Her love for weddings began with a part-time role as an event assistant, inspiring her to pursue this passion as a career. Leah gained valuable experience at the Omni Hotel, working with a diverse range of clients and events. Now at CJ’s Off the Square, she brings her expertise and enthusiasm to creating unforgettable weddings. Outside of work, Leah enjoys exploring Tennessee’s great outdoors and cozying up with a good book.
Kaya is a Southern California native with a degree in Systems and Operations Management and a minor in Entertainment Management from California State University, Northridge. With experience in hospitality and event planning, she’s worked as a Wine Director and Operations Manager at The Capital Grille prior to joining CJ’s Off the Square to pursue her passion for wedding and event planning and design. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, playing music, and exploring the city.
Locally owned by Franklin resident CJ Dickson, CJ’s Off the Square attracts clients from around the world. Our work has been published by InStyle Magazine, People Magazine, Style Me Pretty, SouthernWeddings.com, and more. Our stellar client reviews have given us “Hall of Fame” status on TheKnot.com and prompted WeddingWire.com to name us as one of the “Top 25 Garden Wedding Venues in the United States.” While we are certainly proud of our accomplishments, nothing brings us more joy than knowing we have served our clients and guests well when we see the smiles on their faces at the end of the night.
