Introduction: Our Working Retirement Jack Daniel's Independence Project

I am Lisa Best my husband is Darrell Best.  This is our story, our vision, and our plan.

Twelve years ago this truck changed our lives. With a lot of luck, and some good karma, and the compassion of the judges, it will change our lives again and the lives of others. We believe our plan is realistic. Here’s how the story goes.

Once upon a time, we were purchasing a 1942 American LaFrance firetruck to start a business called Red Hot Weddings, when the owner mentioned a historic church being for sale. Two days later, we purchased the church. Then we left our jobs, Darrell an over-worked and under appreciated banker and I, Lisa a much appreciated home daycare provider. We moved our family 200 miles and started Best Wedding Chapel and Little Angels Day Care. We live and work in the church. All was well.

Nine years after the move, we wrote to Trick My Truck and told them our story. They took our firetruck and created “Best Man” the mobile wedding chapel.

Three years have passed. We feel we have married all the couples we can reach, having only weekends off.

Our goal is to retire from the daycare, and travel the USA marrying couples and sharing our beautiful chapel with others.

We pride ourselves in the fact that we have not raised our prices in the 12 years we have been in business. We feel if more businesses practiced less greed, all products and services would be more affordable. Our motto is “do that which is right.” We will try to keep our price relevant to costs on the road.

Although the truck runs great, it has no top, no power brakes, and no power steering. It is not practical for cross country travel. We have researched towing and tow vehicles. We found for $15,000.00 we can purchase a quality used tow vehicle, which we would proudly allow Jack Daniels to advertise on. An additional $4,000.00 would prepare the truck for safe towing. That will leave us $6,000.00 dollars advertise in local want ads, to live on, and pay bills at home, as we work hard to marry couples and turn a profit. We are very frugal. Our expenses at home are not extreme.

This project will stimulate the economy in the places we visit. Our wedding couples commonly use hair dressers, nail salons, photographers, bridal and tux shops, cake shops, etc.

This project will also help our sons further their business sense and sense of responsibility. They attend an area college. Two of our  sons work with us. Dylan has been doing weddings for three years and is studying business classes. Reed began doing weddings  this year, he also helps maintain the building. They have already worked as a team to responsibly watch over the chapel and run weddings while we travel on weekends.

This truck holds the world record as fastest wedding chapel according to Guinness World Records. It puts smiles on many faces, young and old, and needs to see the roads beyond the cornfields of rural Illinois. Please help our vision become a reality. Thanks for reading our story. We hope to meet you on the road chasing or living your dream.

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