Discover Central Illinois : Decades of helping people tie-the-knot

SHELBYVILLE, Ill. (WAND) - For more than 20 years, Darrell and Lisa Best have helped couples tie-the-knot.

In September 1999, Darrell became ordained. He made that decision after his cousin married him and Lisa in 1984. It was just a few months after being ordained, the Best's took a leap of faith and bought an old fire truck to start a business called "Red Hot Weddings".

"We bought the truck and were getting ready to go, but the gentleman we bought it from told us about this building here being available," said Darrell.

A couple of days later the couple purchased the church on North Washington Street, behind the Shelby County Courthouse, and began their business. A few weddings here and there, nine years after the move, their sons secretly wrote to the Country Music Television show "Trick My Truck" about the story. The show transformed the firetruck into the now world famous "Best Man" mobile wedding chapel.

The mobile chapel has been seen in parades throughout central Illinois and even in a campaign ad for fashion designed Betsy Johnson.

"We don't have any plans other than help those get married who want to get married," said Darrell.

Since 1999, the couple has done 2,500 weddings, some of those included in Shelbyville lake, around the area at various locations, even in a graveyard.

"The Halloween ones are always fun," said Lisa.

The couple will retire from their daycare in August and will dedicate their time to organizing weddings full-time. The Best's believe they helped put Shelbyville on the map for weddings.

"We think buying the wedding chapel really turned Shelbyville into a wedding destination, because after we opened our wedding chapel, other wedding venues have opened," said Lisa.

To learn more about The Best Wedding Chapel, click here.