The Last Song church relocated on Tybee Island

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By Don Logana - bio | email

TYBEE ISLAND, GA (WTOC) - A church changed locations on Tybee Island, moved from one side of the island to the other.

The church was used in the Miley Cyrus movie, The Last Song. It was built last summer just for the film and now has a new home.

If you drove through Tybee Island Wednesday, you're eye sight is fine. That was a church on wheels, rolling down Butler Avenue from 14th Street.

The chapel was built on 13th Street and 6th Avenue and was moved down Butler Avenue on wheels.

"I'm tickled to death. We are just so excited," said Stacye Jarrell of Oceanfront Cottage Rentals who is heading up the project.

Its new home is on Highway 80 as you enter Tybee Island. It will now become a wedding chapel, ued for vow renewals and other special events. She's hoping it will also be the island's newest attraction.

It was a tricky move just to get onto the main drag of Butler Avenue.

"We had to remove a few stop signs and street signs and mail boxes," Jarrell explained.

Not to mention, crews had to cut down some branches to fit it down the street, as well as lift cables and power lines up to fit it under.

Utility poles and trees became obstacles, and a normal two minute drive became a three hour mission.

"You don't see this everyday," Bill Roach, Tybee Island, said. "We have been watching the church since they have been building it."

Roach has been taking pictures, documenting the year-long progress and watched the entire chapel relocation.

"Now we get to see the final move. And next time we see it, there will be people in it," Roach said.

"We loved the movie. We loved having Miley here and this is exciting to see the last phase," Mary Anne Stillers told WTOC.

Braswell House Movers were excited to get the chapel to Butler Avenue in one piece. The roof was not far behind on a separate trailer.

Almost 45 minutes after clearing 14th Street for Butler, the super sized load arrived at its new home. Tybee visitor Rich Burnett took it all in. "This is nice. It will be nice when they get it up in the air," he said. "I wish it had been done for my daughter's wedding."

With the move complete, Jarrell is thinking about her vision for the church and Tybee Island.

"Promote Tybee as a wedding destination and show the other venues that make us special and a great place to come to celebrate a big event," Jarell said. "I think it is going to be a major attraction."

The move is just the first part of becoming a fully-functional wedding chapel. The Jarrells's hope to open by September or October. They will be adding a 1,000 square foot porch, plus the chapel will include a bride changing room, a groom changing room and bathrooms, plus a catering kitchen.