Spice Up Your Wedding with The Traveling Tin Co.

As the old adage goes, if you’re looking for something and it doesn’t exist, you might as well make it yourself. That’s the situation Amanda and Adam Stowell found themselves in. 

The newlyweds were looking for that special flair to get people excited and talking about their September wedding. They fell in love with the concept of the mobile bar—a portable and customizable bar. The couple found extravagant airstreams in Texas and similar concepts across the country, but they couldn't find what they were looking for in 417-land. “We wanted something really cool and unique, but we really couldn’t find anything besides a bar top that somebody throws a tablecloth over,” Amanda says.

The hole in the market gave the couple an idea: They would create their own mobile bar business and use their wedding reception as the official launch. It all started with a Craigslist post Amanda’s mother sent her that listed a 1983 horse trailer for sale. The post was from a hunter who lived about two hours away. They didn’t see the trailer until the day it was delivered.

To make the trailer wedding ready, Amanda and Adam created a design for the interior and exterior of the trailer. From there, they took it to a fabricator and an auto body shop to get the steel cut and the trailer painted white. The eight-month renovation was a labor of love that ended up costing a bit more than the Stowells anticipated, but they knew it was worth the cost. 

When the wedding day rolled around, Adam and Amanda drove the newly rehabbed trailer to Greenhouse Two Rivers where the wedding and reception would soon unfold. As guests gathered for the reception, the newlyweds unveiled the new business: The Traveling Tin Co. (Springfield, 417-830-8860, thetravelingtinco.com) The mobile bar fits all the bartending needs the couple was searching for back when they were planning their wedding.

The trailer was a huge success, which gave Amanda confidence in the concept. The business has already started to grow. They’ve already received double-digit inquiries from other couples, and Amanda is now in a Facebook group with others who run similar concepts, where they can bounce ideas off each other. 

As for the bar service at The Traveling Tin Co., Amanda recommends one bartender for every 75 guests. Beer is served on tap through a kegerator, and a 46-can, 50-bottle refrigerator can house an assortment of extra beverages. The Stowells can also personalize the trailer to fit a particular theme, and if you like a specific type of alcohol, they can create custom cocktails. The only thing the wedding couple needs to provide is the alcohol and mixers.

Since this is something new to Springfield, it serves to be a unique concept at any wedding. That’s what the Stowells are banking on. As the first drinks were served out of the rehabbed bar during the Stowells’ reception, Adam and Amanda raised a glass with their family and friends and toasted a new union and the launch of a new business.