Historical Landmark Makes Picture-Perfect Wedding Venue

This history-minded couple chose a Pittsburgh landmark for their wedding day.

West Overton Village has a long, rich history, one that was intriguing to history buff Anna Bernat and her fiance Grant Butson.
 
The village was established in 1800 by German Mennonites from Bucks County, including Henry Overholt and his family of 13. In the distillery, Overholt produced Old Farm Pure Rye Whiskey, which was later made famous by his son, Henry. He created what is now known as Old Overholt Rye Whiskey.
 

 
Photos by palermo photo
 

In the late 1840s, it became the famous birthplace of Henry Clay Frick, the founder of the H. C. Frick Coke Company. West Overton was brought back into the spotlight in 2012 when nine cases of Old Farm Pure Rye Whiskey distilled in 1912 were found hidden in the walls and stairwell of South Broadway Manor, which sits a few minutes away from the distillery in Scottdale. A few weeks later, the property owner discovered the bottles in four of the cases had been emptied, which prompted an investigation of who drank the century-old whiskey. (It was the live-in caretaker.)

When Anna and Grant visited the location and took the guided tour, it was almost immediately evident that it was perfect for their upcoming wedding, held on Sept. 4, 2016.
 
“We kind of knew that we wanted to have an outdoor location, something that would allow us to have more of a laid-back vibe for the wedding,” Anna says.
 

Anna thought she would wait to commit until after the tour so that she could discuss the decision with Grant. But it turned out he felt the same way.
 
“I said, ‘Oh, OK we’ll talk it over, and we’ll be back in touch,’” Anna says. “And Grant was like, ‘No, I think we can make this decision now. I’m happy here.’”
 
The couple chose to hold their ceremony in the village and the reception in the barn. The distillery museum was open for guests to visit during the day, making the open flow of the celebration perfect for the easy-going couple.
 

Their close friends helped out with decorations, entertainment and officiating. One friend created the table numbers and cake toppers, another played the piano at the ceremony, and a neighbor performed the ceremony.
 
“We are super lucky to have so many friends who basically said, ‘Put me to work’ or were happy to help if we asked for help,” Anna says.