On the afternoon of Sunday, February 23, Journeyman Distillery’s location in Valparaiso hosted its annual Whiskey and Weddings Winter Bridal Show. Although this is only the second year that Journeyman Distillery’s Valpo location has hosted the Whiskey and Weddings bridal show, this free event has been held at Journeyman’s location in Three Oaks, Michigan since the distillery first opened its doors in 2011. Vendors from the Region set up booths in the East Room on the second floor of the Valpo location, ready to advertise their services and help the soon-to-be brides and grooms design their dream weddings.
According to Amy Wentland, senior event sales manager at Journeyman, the Whiskey and Weddings bridal show is an excellent opportunity for engaged couples to learn what Journeyman has to offer as a wedding venue and talk with some of the Region’s most accomplished wedding professionals.
“We are always trying to find new ways to perfect our art here at Journeyman,” Wentland said. “That’s one of our core values and it sets us apart. We are experts in the wedding industry and have had a great track record of hosting weddings at our Three Oaks location for the past 15 years. Journeyman is more than just a wedding venue. We are also a resource that inspires couples and helps them with the planning process. I hope our guests walk away feeling in love and inspired to consider choosing Journeyman as their wedding venue. I also hope that the people who have already booked with us leave the bridal show even more excited about their big day.”
Over 30 vendors hailing from throughout the Midwest were featured at the Whiskey and Weddings bridal show. Among them were businesses like Elite Sweets, Albert’s Diamond Jewelers, Rolling Sounds Entertainment & Lighting, and Fred Astaire Dance Studios. The vendors decorated their tables with eye-catching displays and chatted with the attendees as they handed out promotional materials.
Jenny Bennett-Beschinski, owner and manager of Orchestrated Events, was one of the vendors at the Whiskey and Weddings bridal show. Her business is located three doors down from Journeyman, so she and her team have managed many weddings at the distillery. She has grown close with the Journeyman team and always looks forward to the opportunity to work with them.
“Journeyman’s East and West Rooms are blank canvases that accommodate any style or aesthetic,” Bennett-Beschinski said. “There’s a common misconception that the couple has to be partial to whiskey if they’re going to have their wedding here. That isn’t the case at all and the bridal show is a great opportunity for people to learn that. Over the past year, our team has become friends with the Journeyman team. It’s so convenient and so much fun for our team to come over to Journeyman. We call it playing in the sandbox with our friends. We all work so well together, and that makes for a seamless customer service experience for the brides.”
Wanting to do something a bit different from conventional bridal shows, the Journeyman team put on an immersive wedding experience in the West Room for this year’s Whiskey and Weddings event. The West Room was decorated as it would be for an actual wedding, complete with seating and reception tables. Guests could get a sense of the way a wedding at Journeyman would look and feel by watching models in full garb simulate a ceremony, a cake cutting, and more. Clawdia’s Beauty Salon, Catherine’s Bridal Boutique, Louie’s Tux Shop, In Bloom, Spare Room Studios, and Picture a Moment in Time were several of the vendors who helped bring the immersive experience to life.
Joe Christian, owner of Arrested Sounds and one of the vendors at the bridal show, has been participating in the Three Oaks location’s Whiskey and Weddings show since the distillery first opened. He is pleased to be a part of the bridal show alongside his daughter Ava Christian, owner of Sweet Lenz Photo Booth Co.
“This is an awesome event,” Joe Christian said. “Journeyman is one of the premier wedding venues in Northwest Indiana and the Whiskey and Weddings bridal show gives some of the highest-quality wedding vendors in the area some great exposure. We’re all hand-picked by the Journeyman team. I appreciate having been invited to participate in the bridal show. Being affiliated with Journeyman is very special.”
Like Joe Christian, Marco Alexzondra, owner of Marco Alexzondra Floral and one of the vendors at the bridal show, has also been a Whiskey and Weddings participant at Journeyman’s Three Oaks location for the past 15 years. Alexzondra is pleased to be back at the Valpo location’s second Whiskey and Weddings installment.
“Many of the wedding venues in this area are at barns, vineyards, and wineries,” Alexzondra said. “Journeyman was the first to offer a venue that has both a rustic and industrial feel, which appeals to a lot of people. I think it’s great that the Valpo location has its own Whiskey and Weddings event. There’s something for everyone here today. Ideally, all of the couples have found wedding professionals who can work with them to make their visions a reality. Journeyman has been really good to me over the years, so I appreciate the opportunity to show my support for them while promoting my business at this event.”
For more information on Journeyman Distillery’s upcoming events, please visit journeyman.com.
