Tri-Cities and Southwest Virginia brides, for an affordable “dream wedding”, look no further than The Homestead on the Holston, the beautiful home of Linda Burkett on the Hiltons Highway in Scott County, Virginia.
Burkett has owned this historical property for the last 27 years and recently launched her “maiden voyage” turning the home into an event venue by hosting her first wedding in early June. The Homestead on the Holston is now available for weddings, parties, reunions and corporate events.
A decorator extraordinaire, Burkett can transform her property into the wedding of your dream—whether that be French Country, rustic, or even a themed wedding such as “Alice in Wonderland.” Her main goal, however, is to create a bride’s vision of her “perfect” day while also working within constraints of the bride’s budget.
“Our goal at The Homestead on the Holston is to plan and deliver to each of our clients an exceptional 
event tailored to meet and exceed their expectations while taking budgetary concerns into consideration,” Burkett says.
“We work within the bride’s budget. Brides have several options with us—from a ceremony only package to an all-inclusive package and anything in between.”
Burkett is aided in this new venture by her daughter, Kelsey Taylor, and best friend, Jo Kilgore plus several close friends from Kingsport. Taylor is the principal at Hiltons Elementary School and is also a professional photographer. Brides may use Taylor’s photography service or hire their own photographer. Kilgore is the caterer and helps the client make menu decisions, prepares the food and presents it beautifully at food stations which eliminates long lines and waiting. As with the photography, brides may use a caterer of their choice and will have access to the on-site warming kitchen. The Homestead even has its own officiate to perform the ceremony
Providing and serving alcohol is the only service the venue cannot provide, however, the client can obtain an event alcohol license easily online from the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Board for a modest fee.
In the basement of her home, Burkett has a treasure trove of collectables gleaned over the years from attending yard sales, auctions and going to thrift markets. This stash serves as the inspiration for her creative weddings, but she also pulls personal items from her home and scours local flea markets and other additional sources for that perfect item. She can even design and create (within reason) a specialized wedding accent piece. Burkett especially enjoys making the bridal bouquets and designing floral arrangements.
“Our weddings are personalized,” she explains. “Once the bride shares her ideas and vision, I set up a display for the bride to respond to and adjust my vision to match hers. The day before the June wedding her Kingsport friends, Linda Martin and Jeanette Huret came in and helped Burkett arrange and transform her property into the “dream” venue.
Burkett isn’t new to event planning. In fact, she has been doing it for years while working at area community colleges and for friends and family. Her son, Scott County Circuit Court Judge John Kilgore’s investiture was held on the property and her husband, Charles Burkett often entertained associates and visitors from The Department of Education at ETSU where he was the department chair.
The Homestead on the Holston can comfortably accommodate 125 guests with 150 serving as the maximum. The four-acre property is located at 6474 Bristol Highway in Hiltons, Virginia.
The historic home is part of the original 11,000-acre land grant given to the Hart family in 1796. The 
original property followed the North Fork of the Holston River to its confluence of the South Fork of the Holston where Rotherwood Mansion stands today. The land grant required the Harts to establish a permanent residence within a year and also provide services to the frontier community. These services included a venue for a circuit judge and lawyers to hold court and provide civil services such as trials and marriages. In that respect, the property has come full circle, including the wedding of Burkett’s daughter Kelsey Kilgore to Steven Taylor in 2005.
Standing on the original footprint, the log house is built from hand-hewn virgin timbers of yellow poplar, using the dovetail technique of that time period with each log locked in place with wooden pegs. The two chimneys were chiseled from solid limestone mined from the property. Burkett and her husband spent years lovingly restoring the home for future generations. The home is tastefully decorated with period pieces and treasures from the past.
To start planning your dream wedding or perfect party, call Linda Burkett today at 423-502-2908 or her daughter, Kelsey Taylor at 423-677-5022.
