Meet Shelley Ima of Better Together at Brush Creek

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelley Ima.

Hi Shelley, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Our business began when Sean and I reunited after 30 years. Sean was living in Texas, and I was living in Oklahoma. I have always had a lifelong love affair with the idea of moving to Tennessee. Once Sean and I reconnected and began dating, we entertained the idea of bringing our two families together in Tennessee. To our surprise, we met a wonderful Realtor who landed us the perfect Tennessee property, which wasn’t even for sale! This was the beginning of our Better Together at Brush Creek event venue!

The previous owners were retiring for a second time and were hosting the last few weddings of their final wedding season, and they were closing the venue business when we came knocking on their door. Being good friends with our realtor, they agreed to meet and show us the property. Once we all met, we had an instant connection, and they quickly agreed to sell us their beautiful property. We were beyond excited and agreed to purchase and closed in 30 days!

Although we have both had experience in running successful businesses, reopening an event venue was a new endeavor. Our vision and dreams for the property began with remodeling and updating all areas of the venue to showcase the property’s beauty and feel the peacefulness of being on the property. Whether enjoying the rustic barn with all the beautifully romantic twinkle and bistro lights that pour into the night sky, or walking through our wonderfully curated garden that can be enjoyed day or night with perfectly placed landscaped lighting and maybe relaxed in the garden sitting area enjoying the firepit, or maybe follow the twinkle light path for a stroll to the pond to enjoy the walkout deck. Colorful fountain found nestled in a cozy valley with amazing views, this property has so much to offer!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a wonderfully challenging experience to move across the country and reopen an event venue while dealing with the covid pandemic. We remained steadfast and focused, even completing events just a few short months after reopening and while remodeling. While we counted our first year as a success, we still had some updates to complete before this year’s season. We could not be any happier with what we have accomplished, and the support of our community keeps us moving forward!

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Better Together at Brush Creek?
Our one-of-a-kind Rustic Barn is the perfect venue for any event, from weddings to corporate meetings, family reunions, and birthday celebrations. The interior and exterior of the Rustic Barn are adorned with an ample amount of twinkle lights and café lighting, creating the perfect ambiance for celebrating any occasion. The Rustic Barn is perfectly situated on the front 20 acres of the property, making it convenient for all your special event needs, such as tents, bounce houses, and food trucks, along with a dedicated field for parking up to 150 vehicles. Surround yourself with nature’s beauty by walking through one of three red cedar archways to our wonderfully curated flower garden. Your journey through the flower-filled garden concludes at a spacious flagstone patio that is perfect for weddings, cocktail hour, or leaves as a conversational area with plenty of seating around a propane fire pit and takes in some amazing views of the property. Located just outside the Rustic Barn is our wood-burning fire pit, which makes for a perfect area for gatherings and is surrounded by ample seating on swings and Adirondack chairs. The enchantment intensifies as our landscape lighting illuminates the property turning it into a truly magical place perfect for your next special occasion.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
We are not sure we would call it luck; rather, we decided we would not allow fear of failure to keep us from moving forward and dreaming big! We knew there was something special from the very first moment we stepped foot on this property, and we were up for whatever lay ahead.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bettertogetheratbrushcreek.com
• Instagram: BetterTogetherAtBrushCreek
• Facebook: bettertogetheratbrushcreek
• Twitter: BTatBrushCreek

Image Credits
D. Clymer Photography & Videography