Three years ago, Zionsville resident Shelby Henry, 24, approached her parents, Chris and Tana Henry, with an idea that would marry her eye for art and her parents’ landscaping skills to create a wedding venue in her hometown.
Shelby, a photographer, felt there was a need for a charming yet practical wedding venue in the town because she believes couples shouldn’t have to choose between the two. Chris, the project’s general contractor, lent his expertise, and, along with Tana, the three built and co-own The Sixpence, a wedding venue. The grand opening is scheduled for June 18.
The 8,000-square-foot venue has three event spaces on 17 acres about 15 minutes from downtown Zionsville, Shelby said.
Shelby developed an interest in photography and videography while attending Palm Beach Atlantic University. She now owns her own photography business, Amavi.
“I was working a lot of weddings,” Shelby said. “We do a lot of destinations all over the country, and then ultimately, we were coming from Florida back to Indy to shoot a lot of weddings there. It gave me a chance to see a lot of wedding venues. I got the chance to see in venues what worked really well, and I got the chance to see wedding venues that didn’t work as well, for whatever reason.”
Shelby envisioned creating a unique venue in Zionsville that would allow couples to choose a wedding that was beautiful and functional. The venue, which resembles a large barn, is fully insulated.
“I wanted to put together a space that was pretty and could give that rustic, elegant charm but also give clients all the amenities that they need,” Shelby said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Shelby and her parents designed and built the venue. The said the project brought them closer together.
“It’s been so fun,” Shelby said. “There’s just those pieces in the family that all came together, and I honestly think that my dad’s eye for functionality and my eye for beauty as a photographer (meshed). We butted heads, but it was always in the right way. It was always to figure out the solution for a specific thing. I think it’s always a little bit nerve-wracking to think of working with family this closely on a project that matters this much, but it was a joy.”
For more, visit thesixpence.com.