Interview by Lori Bizzoco. Written by Courtney Shapiro
Most people know reality television star Ben Higgins from The Bachelor, but this busy entrepreneur has also opened up Generous Coffee Co., which helps those in need, and Ash-Kara, a restaurant in Denver serving up Israeli and middle eastern cuisine. Next on the list, the self-confessed romantic is pairing up up with DiningOut Events to create a large, one of a kind wedding event called, The Wedding Party. If you are newly engaged this could be for you. The Wedding Party is looking for a dozen couples to experience the unique opportunity to have a ceremony and reception with all the fun and none of the headache.
In our exclusive celebrity interview, we chat with Higgins about the creation of the Wedding Party, his entrepreneurial endeavors as well as his current dating life and relationship advice.
Check out our celebrity interview with Ben Higgins to see what the reality star is up to today:
1. Hi Ben, you must be excited about your new endeavor with the Wedding Party. What inspired you to get involved and would you ever consider this type of wedding for yourself?
The Wedding Party is a first-of-its-kind mass wedding ceremony, reception, and festival all rolled into one. I am not aware of another wedding that has ever been quite like this. I am very excited! I’ve known the founders Jeff Suskin and Shalisa Pouw of DiningOut Events for some time – we are involved in a few projects together. They approached me over coffee with a wild idea and I was immediately hooked. I’ve always been a romantic at heart, so I didn’t need much convincing.
I would consider this type of wedding for myself, but then again, I’m not the only one who would have a say in the matter!
2. If not, what would your dream wedding look like?
I love a big celebration! Whether it be a group wedding like The Wedding Party or a more traditional setting, the celebration and energy of the attendees is what matters. My ideal wedding would be filled with lots of laughter, dancing, smiling, and enjoyment.
3. Can you tell us what your role will be at The Wedding Party and any specific things that you will be doing?
I’m hosting The Wedding Party. The real job is to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves and having a good time. It’s going to be a special day for the couples and attendees, and I want to make sure we throw one hell of a celebration!
4. Who else will join you in this process of choosing the couples and what specific characteristics or traits will you be looking for during the selection process?
The couples are chosen by a group of people including myself and the team at DiningOut Events. We are looking for couples from all different backgrounds and love stories. We are looking to bring people up on stage who are all different, all diverse, and all excited about making the commitment! Couples can apply online at https://www.theweddingparty.
5. Aside from the cost savings, can you give our visitors 2 to 3 additional reasons why they might want to consider sharing their special day with a bunch of other couples and their families?
The modern wedding experience is very expensive, with tired rituals and too much stress for everyone involved. The Wedding Party is a way for couples to share in the fun and excitement at a blown-out shindig with a couple thousand people there to support them!
6. Let’s move on to you. Ben, we hear that you are dating again. We are so happy for you. What can you tell us about this new woman in your life? So many fans want to see you happy!
Jessica and I have been dating for a few months, and it has been great since the beginning. However, the relationship is new and we want to be wise about how much pressure we put on our relationship. Timing is important in any relationship and we both wanted to figure out if this was going to be something that we were going to try and make last before we publicized our relationship.
7. We know that communication is critical in a long distance relationship. Any advice to help our readers who are struggling with dating someone long distance?
Long distance relationships are much harder to maintain, but it can be done. Communication is key! Trust also plays a big role. Face-time is a huge asset to long distance relationships! The best thing about long distance is that you are forced to have intentional conversations and as a result dig into the lives of the person you are pursuing. I encourage anyone out there to write down some questions that you maybe wouldn’t ask if you were in person and then ask those while you are on the phone so you can use that time to your benefit.
8. Ben, where do you want to live and start a family? Does Denver have your heart long-term or would you move for someone special?
Denver is an incredible city! I love Denver and do consider it home, but I am not necessarily stuck in Denver. I am open to the discussion but right now Denver is the number one place for me to call home (and ideally I would be in Denver a long time).
9. As the owner of two businesses, have you always been passionate about entrepreneurship? What was the inspiration behind Generous Coffee Company and Ash-Kara?
I’ve always been passionate about entrepreneurship, especially if there is a purpose behind the business. That’s what inspired me about Generous Coffee. The profits are used to fund sustainable, life-changing work around the world. As for Ash-Kara, it was more of me fulfilling my childhood dream! The idea that I can be a part of so many different things that may last beyond my time here on earth is exciting to me. I want to leave a legacy.
10. Is there anything else that you’d like to leave us with or anything else that you are working on that you’d like us to cover?
Currently, my life is fairly consumed in Generous International, Humanity and Hope International, Ash Kara, The “Almost Famous Podcast” with iHeart radio, and The Wedding Party. I do not know what is next, but right now these are the items in this world that bring passion, purpose, and excitement to my life!
Ben Higgins will be hosting The Wedding Party this upcoming September in Denver, CO. You can keep with Ben on Instagram, Twitter,as well as his website.
