Profile\Agent Services

April and Reid Jopling, proprietors of Country Manor Acres, each have over 17 years of experience in the wedding & party-planning, decorating and catering business. Reid, a graduate from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa, and April, of University of Florida in Gainesville, FL, were both from printing, graphic arts and photography career backgrounds, through which they met in Florida. Because of their mutual interests in horses and western-themed activities, they started a small company they named Pioneer Promotions in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. They began their business as caterers and decorators for country/western barbeque picnics and chuck-wagon breakfasts. They used their own horses in parades and horse-drawn hay wagon and carriage rides. They provided their own petting farm, pony rides and even a Western town with staged gunfights and bank robberies. By the second year of operation, their repeat customers were eager to try new themes, so within a few years, the Joplings had expanded their company to include 23 different themes, including:   Country/Western Antebellum Roaring 20’s Pirate Theme Hawaiian Luau Dixie Land Jazz Medieval Times Carnival Florida Everglades Nautical or Waterfront Tex/Mex  Caribbean Mardi Gras Casino\Las Vegas Spanish Circus Bonnie and Clyde Italian 50’s Rock n Roll Latin & Cuban Old English/Equestrian Beach Parties Indian Theme all holiday themes In addition to their own animals that they kept at their ranch in West Broward County, they had huge warehouses of decorations including antique cars and horse-drawn carriages, and the many theme decorations, as well as a nursery of live plants that they kept at their catering facility and party lodge on 15 acres in Ft. Lauderdale where they held private parties, weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. For most affairs, however, they loaded their decorations and plants in trucks, their animals in stock trailers, their catering equipment in vans with their smokers pulled behind, and the food often in refrigerated trucks, and their crews, sometimes in buses. They traveled like a caravan or traveling circus throughout several counties within Florida and sometimes by boat or plane to the Bahamas. They served as total turn-key wedding and party planners, from finding the appropriate venue, to providing the full menu and personnel, the entertainment, shows, acts, photography, promotion, equipment rentals and themed decorations, with their largest event for 20,000 requiring 504 employees not including the acts and entertainment. They catered everything from Barbeque Chicken and Ribs, Steak, Seafood and Oysters, Alligator, Buffalo meat, Lobster and Clam Bakes, Pig Roasts, New Orleans and Cajun style foods, Stuffed Grape leaves, Quiche, Latin and other ethnic catering, themed or exotic foods, lavish displays of hors d’oeuvres and desserts, or practically anything anyone could ask for. Some of the activities and entertainment they provided included The Florida State Flying High Circus, the Five Star Rodeo, The Lipizzaner Stallions, A huge mountain and stream they built for Gold Panning, A full western town with staged gun fights and robbery of horse-drawn stage coach, Ice Skating Shows, Professional High divers, Horse-drawn Carriage and Stagecoach rides, and Hayrides, Hot-Air Balloon Rides, Marching Bands, Gambling Casinos, Haunted Houses, Petting Farm and Pony Rides. By 1990 the Jopling's sold their lucrative but demanding business in Florida and moved to Townsend, TN. They purchased 45 acres of land where they started a new business called Pioneer Cabins and Guest Farm. They designed and built 6 unique cabins, and included their horses, ponies and petting farm animals as part of their guest farm activities…just so they could be “stay-at-home” parents raising a family in the small-town atmosphere of Townsend, TN. By 2005, after their youngest son graduated from Maryville College, they sold their Townsend cabin rental business and all the cabins, except for the barn with the Hay Loft Sky Cabin above, and they purchased more land where they built their beautiful Country Manor House with upscale private guest suites with magnificent mountain views. They started their new business, Country Ventures in 2006, and they completed construction of their Country Manor House in May of 2007. Shortly thereafter they began their new wedding business at their 60-acre Country Manor Acres estate. The Joplings rent the Hay Loft Sky Cabin for nightly vacation lodging, and they use their Appalachian-style barn for their party barn. They still use their personal horses in their business: sometimes the bride and groom use the horses for their entry, or for photo opportunities, and children of their vacation guests are sometimes treated to pony rides. Now, nearing the end of their second year of weddings and parties, they use their years of experience and expertise to plan exceptionally unique weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, corporate parties and private affairs. They help you create your personal and unique vision. They turn your vision into a plan. They pay attention to the smallest details, and they work within your budget to turn your dream into a reality. Perhaps they could help you create your own unique dream wedding or private party. Give them a call, at 865/448-9652 Party Planning and Decorating - Customer List - Dade County Teacher’s Credit Union (every 4 or 5 years - for up to 20,000 guests) - Eastern Airlines Credit Union (every year for 5,000 guests) - Dade County Fair Grounds - Fountain Bleu Hotel - ASTA Convention - IBM - Florida International University - Florida Power & Light - Disney World - RV Association - Waste Management - Gulfstream Race Track - Southwest Ranches Association - Case Equipment - Dade County Metro Zoo - Sophia Loren (antique horse-drawn carriage) - NCNB Bank - Miami Dolphins - Cordis Corporation – Houston Oilers in the Bahamas - Palm Beach Polo Grounds - Broward Marine - Florida Atlantic University - Epcot Center - Siemens Corporation - Diplomat Hotel -. Marriott Corporation - Pan American Airlines/National Airlines Plus private Bar Mitzvahs, Weddings, Private Parties, Upscale Corporate Meetings and Parties and Construction Top-off parties

We can provide your catering, tents, tables, chairs, music, (band) decorations, carriage rides, and parking attendants on horseback, anything to make your wedding unique and memorable.