Havisham House Weddings in Southern Illinois - So much for wedding guests to do while in town for the weekend!
When searching for Midwest wedding venues, choose Havisham House in the heart of the Shawnee National Forest and Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Havisham offers a three night stay in both historic homes on its property. These homes were built in 1892 and restored with charm and elegance in 2017. Brides are steps away from the stone arch event venue in Havisham’s beautiful courtyard. Each home sleeps up to six people. The main house is perfect for the bride and her bridesmaids leading up to the wedding. The groom and his groomsmen enjoy the carriage house next door. Check in Friday at 10 a.m. and check out is at 10 a.m. on Monday. Wedding couples have the entire weekend to focus on their wedding, friends, and family. No rushing, no stressing, and there is so much to do nearby for all the wedding guests.
Visiting Havisham Bourbon, Brew & Spirits next door is a must. This low-lit, historic, speakeasy-type bourbon bar will make guests feel they have stepped back in time, while enjoying all their cocktail needs. Havisham Bourbon Bar has a wide variety of the best bourbons, cocktails, wines, beers, coffee, and mocktails. It even has overnight suites upstairs for more wedding guests and family.
Guests can also enjoy the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. There are several shuttle buses locally, ready to give guests an adventure throughout this popular wine trail. Now, there are 12 wineries, with award winning wines, to impress out-of-town wedding guests.
Waterfalls and nature trails are all throughout southern Illinois for the more adventurous guests. Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau has maps and guide information. Whether biking or hiking, guests will enjoy scenic overlooks, fresh air, and gorgeous terrain.
Any golf fans? Union County Golf Course (Anna), Kokapelli Golf Course (Marion), and the upcoming Apple Creek Golf Course (Makanda) will definitely entertain, with their gorgeous 18-hole grounds and experienced golf pros.
Union County’s local orchards and farms will delight every visitor with their fresh produce, farm stores and alpacas! Just up the road, a must-visit 150 year old farm awaits… Rendleman Orchards. They have something for everyone at their amazing farm store! Flamm Orchards is another local hot spot for fresh produce. Our local orchards offer fresh peaches, apples, blueberries, and strawberries, etc. Don’t forget about Bass, Brumleve, Halls, etc. Everyone loves to visit Rolling Oak Alpaca Ranch and its cozy alpaca store. Guests will fall in love with these sweet animals for sure.
Bald Knob Cross of Peace is a breathtaking landmark just five miles from Havisham House. Many walk or drive up to the scenic overlook for a gorgeous sunset, or visit the cross and learn its history. The view from the cross is unforgettable.
There are just too many fun things to list, but we can’t conclude until we mention southern Illinois’ local boutiques! Shopping and gift-grabbing is always fun.
Although southern Illinois may seem quite rural for larger city guests, we promise they will be thoroughly impressed with our local flair, tourism and welcoming atmosphere. The region’s beauty is absolutely remarkable. Brides can take comfort knowing their wedding guests will cherish our venue and its location, and will probably make coming back to visit southern Illinois a priority.