Meet the Team

Mission Statement

At Summit Farm Weddings, our mission is to provide a timeless, family-centered setting where every couple’s love story is celebrated with care, joy, and unforgettable memories.

Bios

Russell & Leta

Summit Farm Weddings Owners and Operators

Russell and Leta Hood are the proud owners of Summit Farm Weddings, nestled in the beautiful mountains of Ellijay, Georgia. For the past 10 years, they have dedicated themselves to creating unforgettable wedding experiences in a stunning, family-friendly setting.

With 26 years in the business world and more than 30 years in ministry, Russell brings a wealth of leadership, compassion, and vision to every event. Leta, after more than 30 years as a teacher, now pours her heart into weddings full-time, making each celebration feel both personal and meaningful.

From your very first visit until your grand send-off, Russell and Leta and their team pay close attention to every detail, ensuring that each couple feels cared for and every wedding flows seamlessly.

Together, they combine professionalism with a genuine love for people, turning weddings into more than just events—they are beautiful beginnings, thoughtfully celebrated in the heart of the mountains.

When they aren’t hosting weddings, Russell and Leta enjoy traveling and spending time with their grandchildren, cherishing both adventure and family.

Sam

Venue Manager

Sam has been an integral part of Summit Farm since its very beginning. Working alongside his father, Russell, he has helped shape the farm into the beautiful wedding destination it is today—building reception barns, creating welcoming spaces like the bridal suite and groom’s den, and keeping the grounds immaculately landscaped for more than a decade.

With a background at Chick-fil-A during his college years, Sam brings exceptional customer service and hospitality to every event. As Venue Manager, he oversees wedding-day operations and works year-round to ensure the property remains vibrant and inviting. Known for his green thumb and attention to detail, Sam takes pride in making every couple’s experience seamless, joyful, and unforgettable.

Susan

Venue Director

Susan brings over three decades of experience as a teacher, coach, and leader into her role as Venue Director at Summit Farm. She spent 33 years teaching health and physical education and coaching volleyball and basketball at the middle school and high school level. Her years as a teacher included 7 years as an adaptive PE teacher working with students with special needs.

Since retiring from education, Susan has found her second calling in the wedding industry. She began as a wedding coordinator at Summit Farm, where she has helped dozens of couples bring their vision to life with organization, clear communication, and a calm, efficient approach. Now, as Venue Director, she oversees every detail of the Summit Farm experience, ensuring couples and their families feel supported, celebrated, and at ease throughout the planning process.

Kelly

Day of Coordinator

By weekday, Kelly is a dedicated accountant with a sharp eye for detail — but on weekends, she trades spreadsheets for sparkles as a passionate day-of wedding coordinator. She fell in love with weddings in 2021, just after her son left for college, and what began as a side passion quickly became one of the most fulfilling parts of her life. Helping couples bring their vision to life brings her immense joy and purpose.

Kelly also has a deep love for travel — it fuels her, inspires her, and keeps her working hard. Whether she’s crunching numbers or fluffing veils, everything she does is driven by a commitment to excellence and a desire to explore more of the world.

Veronica

 Baker

Veronica has been creating wedding cakes for over 25 years, blending timeless skill with a true love for celebrating life’s most meaningful moments. As Summit Farm’s in-house cake artist, she works hand-in-hand with couples to design cakes that are as breathtaking as they are delicious. On wedding days, you’ll also find her helping behind the scenes, ensuring every detail flows seamlessly so couples can enjoy their special day without stress.

A lifelong resident of East Ellijay, Veronica proudly represents seven generations of her family who have called this beautiful mountain community home. Her deep roots in the area give her work an added layer of meaning — every wedding she’s part of feels like a celebration of both love and community.

Outside of Summit Farm, Veronica treasures her role as “Nanny” to her four-year-old granddaughter and loves traveling, especially with her Summit Farm work family. Together, they share a passion for creating unforgettable weddings and for giving couples peace of mind, knowing their big day is in caring, capable hands.

Robert

 Event Staff

Meet Robert – Summit Farm’s Behind-the-Scenes Problem Solver

At Summit Farm Weddings, Robert is the person working quietly in the background to make sure every wedding day runs smoothly. From managing parking and keeping the grounds in top shape, to stepping in with backup plans when needed, he ensures that couples and their guests can simply relax and enjoy the celebration.

Before joining Summit Farm, Robert spent over 20 years as a truck driver—an experience that shaped his strong work ethic, reliability, and ability to handle challenges with calm precision.

When he’s not keeping wedding days on track, you’ll often find him traveling with (the venue’s wedding cake maker) and spending time as “Pappy” to their 4-year-old granddaughter. He loves being part of the close-knit Summit Farm team and takes pride in helping create unforgettable memories for every couple.

Carol

Event Staff

A lifelong resident of Ellijay, Georgia, Carol is proud to call the North Georgia mountains home. She and her husband, Eddie, have been a wonderful part of the Summit Farm team since 2020. Before joining Summit Farm, Carol enjoyed a long career with the State of Georgia, where she worked in human resources and served as a community resource coordinator.

At Summit Farm, Carol plays a vital role in making wedding receptions run smoothly. From coordinating catering pickups to setting up, serving, and assisting wherever needed, she ensures that every detail is handled with care.

Carol is the proud mother of two sons. In her spare time, she enjoys quilting and crafting—creative passions that reflect her eye for detail and dedication, both at home and at Summit Farm.

Eddie

 Event Staff

Eddie is a highly valued member of the Summit Farm team, bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to everything he does. He holds degrees in both Aeronautics and Microcomputers, and has over 20 years of professional experience in banking, IT, data processing, and management. Eddie also proudly served more than two decades in the U.S. Army, with service in both Combat Arms and Air Traffic Control, completing numerous assignments across the United States and overseas.

At Summit Farm, Eddie works closely with his wife, Carol, to support the catering and food service operations. From pickups and setup to serving and cleanup, he plays an important role in ensuring each wedding reception runs smoothly. His strong work ethic, teamwork, and commitment make him an essential part of the Summit Farm family.

Gracie

 Event Staff

Gracie is a student at the University of North Georgia with a bright personality and a growing passion for events and public service. She recently completed an internship in Washington, D.C., where she gained valuable insight into government and professional life — and she’s brought that same enthusiasm and work ethic back to every project she takes on.

Gracie is always ready to jump in with a smile and make things happen. Her energy, attention to detail, and genuine love for people make her a natural fit in any setting where connection and celebration are at the heart.

Becca

Business Development

Having grown up on the property, Becca realized her dream of turning the farm into a wedding venue in 2015. With a background in community service and ministry, she developed a deep appreciation for hospitality and event planning from an early age. Becca earned a degree in Organizational Leadership from Dalton State College and has experience coordinating hundreds of weddings. Becca combines strategic expertise with a personal, hands-on approach. Her personal connection with each vendor, ability to understand each couple’s vision, and responsiveness ensure that each event at Summit Farm is executed with professionalism, care, and attention to detail.

Becca has worked closely with her mother, Leta, to learn all aspects of the business. The whole family takes pride in their heritage of quality work and commitment to giving back to the local Appalachian community. Inspired by her husband and three children, Becca strives to keep the business family-oriented by treating each event as if it were her own family.