The Journeyman Indiana Review

Your wedding day should be filled with love, joy, and unforgettable moments. At Heirloom, our priority is always you. We protect your vision and handle the hard parts so you can focus on what matters most. This commitment became especially important during a summer 2024 wedding at The Journeyman in Valparaiso, Indiana. Here's how we supported our couple through it all and what you can learn from their experience to make your day extraordinary.

Price

When you choose a venue, you deserve transparency and peace of mind, knowing your budget will align with their vision. Unfortunately, The Journeyman presented a different reality for this couple. Despite a substantial investment covering the rental fee, bar package, and dinner package (totaling $40,113.38), surprise costs started piling up for items that would typically be considered standard or complimentary.

They were asked to pay for access to the bridal suite, even though it would remain locked and unused during the reception. Then, just four months before the wedding, they were told they'd need to rent additional chairs for the ceremony—even though chairs were already included for the reception. Since both events were being held at the same venue, this request was especially surprising and should have been clarified much earlier in the planning process.

As the costs of the wedding weekend continued to pile up, it became clear that it was too late for the couple to make alternative plans. They had no choice but to proceed with a venue that fell short of their original expectations, making the situation even more frustrating.

The base packages may seem competitive, but frequent add-ons, surprise charges (bridal suite, extra tables, ceremony chairs), and a lack of transparency inflated costs and diminished value. The fact that gratuity was built into the price, yet the couple still felt the need to tip on top of it, highlights a mismatch between the cost and the value delivered.

Rating: 4/10

Planning Process

It was clear early on in the planning process that navigating The Journeyman's policies would be a challenge. We initially joined as month-of coordinators, but due to ongoing complications forced us to step in much earlier.

What should have been the fun, creative parts of wedding planning quickly turned into a series of frustrating roadblocks. From unexpected restrictions on floral arrangements to refrigeration policies for external food service providers, every step seemed to introduce a new hurdle. To make matters worse, one of the couple's favorite details that initially drew them to the venue—the chandeliers from The Journeyman's Three Oaks location—were nowhere to be found.

Broken promises compounded the frustration. Just weeks before the wedding, we were informed that guests might need to pay for parking due to the annual Popcorn Festival—an event that the venue had failed to disclose at the time of booking. Adding to the stress were last-minute changes caused by staffing shortages during the rehearsal dinner. Even essentials like additional tables for cocktail hour came with an added fee, despite the couple’s significant investment.

The consistent unfulfilled promises and additional charges stripped away the initial allure of this "all-inclusive" venue.

Rating: 3/10

Day-Of Execution

The couple’s wedding day brought moments of love and joy, beautifully reflected in their photos. But behind the scenes, operational failures impacted the execution of the day.

Dinner service, which should have seamlessly carried on the energy of the day, began late. This delay unexpectedly pushed vendor timelines into costly overtime. Worse still was the quality control issue we encountered during dinner service, with moldy bread delivered to some tables and salads missed on others.

To make matters worse, a staff member boxed up the couple's cupcakes for them to take home, but they were never received. The staff also denied several guests who requested a cupcake at the end of the night. That's money out of the couple's pockets that they will never get back.

These aren't small hiccups—they're significant quality control issues that impact both budget and guest experience. While the couple walked away with positive memories and a celebration that reflected their love, these unresolved issues have stayed with us.

Rating: 2/10

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Why You Should Reconsider

When you're planning your dream wedding, the last thing you want is to feel uncertain about the people guiding such an important day. Transparency, follow-through, and genuine care for your experience are non-negotiable—but unfortunately, this isn't always guaranteed.

At The Journeyman, pre-paid gratuities were built into the venue contract. However, the couple still chose to personally tip the bartenders on the day of the wedding—a reflection of their appreciation for the staff, who were not at fault for the larger operational issues.

After the wedding in September 2024, the couple asked us to advocate for them. We submitted a review and contacted the venue directly. Rickey Spively, the venue's director of events, responded shortly. To his credit, Rickey was professional, apologetic, and genuinely interested in understanding what had gone wrong. Rickey explained that the venue had previously been managed entirely by the owners, with limited event staff. Although they had hired a few team members, major decisions still had to be approved by ownership, which created delays and inefficiencies. He shared that he had recently stepped into a director role and that they were working to expand the team and improve operations moving forward. He was apologetic, thoughtful, and professional throughout the conversation. He also shared that, following our review, three couples had canceled their contracts.

At the end of our call, wWe requested that Rickey reach out to the couple directly and suggested a partial refund could help make up for the mishandled aspects of their day. By early December, however, the couple still hadn't heard from him. After we followed up again, they finally received a response on December 10, in which Rickey said he would speak with the owners about a possible refund or another form of resolution.

Unfortunately, when we followed up with the couple again in April 2025, they confirmed they never heard from Rickey or the venue again. No refund or any follow-up from the owners to ensure this will never happen again with another couple. That silence speaks volumes. Choosing The Journeyman means risking an experience where critical moments may be mishandled, and accountability falls short when it matters most.