Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘Sweet Magnolias’ follows the story of three women who have been each other’s best friends and support systems since they were kids. Maddie, Helen, and Dana Sue were brought up in the same community and raised with the same values. The story begins when all three of them are well into their adulthood and dealing with the challenges that come with some earth-shattering changes in their lives. As much as they rely on each other for support, they also find a loving and nurturing community in their town of Serenity. The place is so picturesque and the people so good that it makes one want to relocate there.
The Fictional Town of Serenity is Brought to Life by a Real Town in Georgia
The events in ‘Sweet Magnolia’ take place in the South Carolina community of Serenity, a town that lives up to its name in several ways. It is, however, a fictional town and does not exist in real life. There is a Serenity Village in Greenville, South Carolina, but it is not connected to the one presented in the Netflix series. In fact, the fictional town was created by author Sherryl Woods, whose book series serves as the source material for the TV show. The author revealed that she based the fictional town on Sumter, a real town in South Carolina that she regularly visits to meet an old family friend. She has very fond memories of the town, and she has even dedicated a book to her friends from there. Considering how close she feels to Sumter and its residents, it made sense that she would want to share that love with the world. She did it by immortalizing them in her novel.
While it may be a made-up town, the version that we see in the TV show comes pretty close to depicting the aura that Woods was going for her in her books. Serenity has a quiet Southern charm that makes it stand out, and that is exactly what the creators of the show looked for while scouting for locations. They eventually ended up finding a real town that seemed perfect for Serenity. Interestingly, that town isn’t in South Carolina but in Georgia. The town of Covington sits in for Serenity, with the majority of the show and some very important locations in the story being filmed in the Georgian town. It might feel eerily familiar due to the number of movies and TV shows it has appeared in over the years.
Most famously, Covington is synonymous with Mystic Falls in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ and its spin-off shows. Movies like ‘Remember the Titans,’ ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’ ‘Venom’ and ‘The Tomorrow War’ have also been filmed here. Most of the exteriors, including the iconic clock tower and Dana Sue’s Sullivan’s, are filmed on real locations in Covington. A couple of locations have been filmed in the surrounding towns. For example, the church scenes were filmed at Oakhurst Presbyterian Church in Decatur. As for the interior scenes, the cast and crew rely on the interior sets built inside a studio in Atlanta. But for the most part, Covington lends its picturesque surroundings and beautiful architecture to bring Serenity to life.
Read More: Sweet Magnolias Season 4 Ending, Explained: Do Ty and Annie Break Up?
