They say that friendship leads to the best romantic relationships, and that’s certainly the case for Daphne and Brian Viscomi, who met during freshman orientation in college. “Brian says he knew early on that he wanted us to be more than friends, but I was a little slow to catch on,” explains Daphne. While the two were married in May 2020 in an intimate ceremony, they chose to hold their big celebration with family and friends one year later on May 15, 2021.
Photos by Abby Rose Photography
Brian’s childhood church was the obvious choice for the Viscomis’ Catholic ceremony; the reception venue, however, needed to set the perfect atmosphere for a fun party. With its open floor plan and convenient location, Chattanooga Whiskey Event Hall provided just that. Daphne shares, “We loved that the venue was right by the riverfront, and it was the right size to fit all our loved ones for dinner and dancing.”
Kicking off the evening, a cocktail hour was guests’ first opportunity to get a glimpse of the event hall. “We kept the décor simple because the space was already so beautiful,” says Daphne. “We were going for romantic and classic, with lots of soft blush colors.” Materials such as tulle and ribbon provided a dreamy juxtaposition to the venue’s rustic design, and photo ornaments featuring childhood photos of Daphne and Brian could be found throughout the room.
Reception fare was a top priority for the bride and groom, and their various food stations, from the steakhouse station with grass-fed New York strip to the Asian station with curried street noodles, were a big hit with guests. The Viscomis also had an open bar managed by the venue along with signature cocktails – “The Blushing Bride” for Daphne, and “The Bourbon Street” for Brian.
Further into the evening, a DJ brought guests to the dance floor with a playlist of some of the couple’s favorite songs. “The dancing was one of my favorite parts of the day,” shares Daphne. “Most of our guests danced until we had to shut the reception down, and Chattanooga Whiskey was the perfect space for that!”
How He Proposed
“I joined the Viscomi family on a holiday to Mexico in 2019. Brian planned to pop the question on Christmas, but a couple of days into the trip, he was too excited to wait. He chose a beautiful setting by the ocean at sunset, and his family was there to celebrate with champagne.”