DISCOVER: WEDDING JOY 2.0
Written by Amelia Jeffers
Fielding a busy nuptials calendar as a pastor’s secretary, Joy Brooks was often asked by inquiring brides for venue suggestions. Ever the problem-solver, she endeavored to find the right solution each time, only to find herself more and more involved in wedding plans. When Brooks asked her husband if she should quit her job to launch a business in the field, he not only became her biggest cheerleader and partner, but he had the perfect name already selected: Wedding Joy.
As Wedding Joy grew, the Brooks struggled to find venues that satisfied a fastidious approach to a seamless, memorable, and stunning event for their brides. Additionally, as their clients aged, they often reached back out for other special events. From baby showers to birthdays, retirement parties to anniversaries, the Brooks saw an opportunity to expand their business while providing a better option for their clients. The first of what would become three all-inclusive event centers was launched in Delaware county in 2006 as Brookshire. What had been a small family business was evolving into a respected leader in the event planning world, with a world-class team of designers, chefs, and stylists on board.
The Brooks now oversee hundreds of events each year at their original venue (Brookshire), as well as WatersEdge in Hilliard, and The Estate in New Albany. Each easily-accessible location offers a different aesthetic and (of course) full-service event management. Brookshire is sophisticated and elegant, on five secluded acres, and a classic ballroom with streams of linen and string lights hanging from the ceiling. Flooded with natural light, the ballroom of WatersEdge steps out to a large deck overlooking a picturesque 13 acre lake. And the newest location, The Estate in New Albany, boasts state of the art technology and audio systems in addition to an elegant, generous ballroom and spacious patio surrounded by trees.
Every wedding package booked at a Brooks’ venue is accompanied by 4 tickets to a seasonal open house and menu tasting, though guests may purchase additional tickets if they’d like. I attended the spring event at Brookshire and was amazed at the comprehensive, but fun experience. Brides, grooms, and their families were taste-testing, interviewing photographers, and eyeing up decor, all in a festive atmosphere. It’s hard to say if Joy Brooks is more passionate about designing a gracious celebration or innovating the process so that her clients are less stressed and more joyful (pun intended).
For more information about the Brooks’ family of event venues visit:
