Meet our vendors and find out why we're not your average wedding expo.
Valley Wed is a unique wedding show offering couples a handpicked selection of exceptional wedding pros in Western Mass. It's designed especially for couples that want to go their own way, but they don’t want to go it alone.
Love & Perry Photography and Films
Meet Liz Washer, owner of Makeup Artistry by Liz,
offering on-location high-definition airbrush makeup. When did you start your business?
I started doing wedding makeup long before I officially started my business: eleven years ago, to be precise. I was known as a total makeup geek so I became the go-to for all my friends’ weddings, as well as girls’ nights, Halloween, etc. I would do anyone’s makeup if they would sit still long enough and I was also fond of photographing my own makeup (back before the term “selfie” was coined!), so I had a lot of opportunities to scrutinize how my work looked on camera.
My obsession lead to classes, workshops, lessons, assisting and a lot of travel and education in the name of beauty. Pretty soon I was building a portfolio and clients were finding me, and it quickly snowballed into a career. I officially launched in 2009 and haven’t looked back! 
Binita Patel Photography
Why do you do what you do?
I do what I do because makeup is my medium – it’s the art for which I have the most aptitude, passion, curiosity and excitement. I love faces (hey, who doesn’t?) and I love the process of enhancing the features in front of me. I especially love making people feel confident, empowered and ready to take on the world!
After your first meeting with a new client, what do you want them to leave knowing about you or how you work?
My bio, resume, and portfolio are all online (I have a wedding website as well as one that covers my commercial and editorial work), so I generally spend meetings listening and learning more about my clients: What are they imagining for their wedding day? How do they want to feel when they look in the mirror? What makes them feel their best? Do they have any funny pet stories to share? (That last one is unrelated to makeup but usually a good icebreaker!)
Michelle Girard Photography
Unless we have previously met at an event like Valley Wed, I meet most of my brides for the very first time at their preview session, which is my chance to craft a look that will beautifully complement their unique style and wedding-day vision. It’s very important to me not to fall back on a cookie-cutter look that doesn’t suit the face (or the personality) I’m working with. I work very collaboratively with clients to help them look their best from every angle and in every medium (in person and on camera).
After the wedding, what would be the best compliment you could hear about your work?
I’ve been fortunate to receive some incredible feedback over the years (my online reviews are a testament to that). One comment that always makes me super happy is “I look beautiful – and I still look like myself!” This is clearly a relief for clients who have experienced unnecessarily heavy-handed makeovers in the past (and for their fiancés, who generally want to recognize the person they’re marrying!).
Levi Stolove Photography
What would make you feel great knowing you had accomplished for your client?
Share one gem of advice…something every couple needs to know about planning a wedding or the big day itself.
My biggest suggestion for people planning weddings is to talk to the savviest and most trustworthy people you know: your recently married friends or family who not only looked amazing, but whose weddings seemingly went off without a hitch. Your photographer and videographer, who regularly see the results of makeup artistry in high resolution. Your wedding planner or venue coordinator, who have worked directly with many artists over the years and can tell you who will ensure that your day runs smoothly. You’ll learn a lot, and save yourself a lot of guesswork.
Show us two things you are really proud of…your best work or highest achievement professionally and something personal that makes you happy.
I’d have a terrible time choosing a top professional accomplishment – I’ve had the good fortune to work on some amazing jobs over the years - but this has been the lead image in my editorial portfolio since 2012, because I think it best captures who I am as a makeup artist and what I most love to do: clean beauty, glowing skin, and makeup that celebrates the face’s unique features (in this case, the model’s showstopping freckles!).
Luis Aragon Photography
As for something personal, well, everyone who knows me knows that I am crazy about my dog, Edie. So here’s a portrait of her that was actually featured in a book about black dogs (particularly rescues).
Fred Levy Photography
P.S. - Edie loves meeting my brides as much as I do!
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Valley Wed is a curated style of wedding show; one that focuses on real relationships with the best wedding vendors the Pioneer Valley has to offer. We want to connect you with the top wedding professionals in Western Massachusetts to help you plan one of the most important days of your life.
You're not cookie cutter. Neither are we.
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What do you love most about your work?
I believe that beauty is universal, and makeup is one way to let it shine through! I relish working with color and texture and finding ways to enhance the face in front of me, and I enjoy the collaborative process involved in a wedding, shoot, or any professional work that I do. I love the effect makeup can have on a person’s overall style and attitude, and I strive to enhance both with my work. I get to make people feel happy and beautiful, which is a pretty awesome way to make a living.
Douglas Levy Photography
What makes you different from other professionals in your field?
Many of my brides are surprised to learn that I don’t just do weddings – my other career focus is makeup for commercial and editorial photography, video, and broadcast. Media makeup artists must create long-lasting faces that look amazing in person as well as on high-definition cameras, in any lighting situation – which translates wonderfully to the multifaceted demands of a wedding day! I also strive to bring an editorial eye to every wedding that I do, and I don’t fall back on a cookie-cutter look that doesn’t suit the face (or the personality) that I’m working with. I work very collaboratively with you to help you look your best from every angle and in every medium.
Renzi & Hawkens Studio
Another thing that sets me apart is that my services are fully mobile – I come to you with my kit, comfy director’s chair (to make you feel like the VIP you are), and even a table and lighting if needed. You don’t have to worry about providing a perfect studio set-up for me, and you don’t have to take time out of an already stressful day to go to a salon to get your makeup done. Finally, I’m an avid writer and love to share my knowledge with others. I regularly serve as an expert resource in a variety of media, and I publish a biweekly newsletter as well.
What's your favorite memory from a wedding?
This week I’m celebrating 10 years of doing weddings: my very first was my college friend Heather, who entrusted her face to my skills long before I had a portfolio or even a complete kit! Her huge grin when she looked in the mirror sealed the deal for me – I absolutely loved doing this. (And the makeup made a huge difference: her wedding was on a swelteringly hot, humid August day, but it stayed put!)
Michelle Girard Photography
As a vendor, what's your favorite moment when working with a couple?
That’s a tough one! I love the process of getting to know my clients: finding out more about their vision for the day, their personal style, their creativity, their quirks, and what’s important to them. Getting to know so many people during such a joyful, exciting time in their lives is inspiring and fun. And naturally, I love the moment when a bride looks in the mirror and loves what she sees!
Love & Perry Photography
At 9am each day, you are...
That really depends on the day! Now, my ideal a.m. self would do a little yoga or take a meditative walk in nature before starting work; something refreshing and energizing. But my actual self is usually working on location by 9am (which could be anywhere in New England, so I definitely have some early wake-ups on commute days) or typing away furiously on my laptop while rocking PJs and bed head. That’s freelancing for ya! (I’ll let you know if I manage to make the yoga and/or meditation a regular thing.)
Cocktail of choice?
I’m easy to please as long as it’s not too sweet. I usually drink vodka with seltzer and lime, perhaps also cranberry juice if I’m feeling fancy. I’m also partial to margaritas, although I can’t make a good one to save my life.
What charity do you support?
Dakin Humane Society! In February of this year, I was behind the scenes at the PAWSCARS, a fundraiser featuring food, film, and fashion all in one. (Dogs on the red carpet – seriously, what’s not to love?) As most of my clients know, I’m a big adopt-don’t-shop advocate and love my rescue mutt Edie, so this seemed like a natural fit. I served as an event sponsor and the makeup artist for most of the Dakin staff and runway models who were part of the show. It was so much fun!
Florence entrepreneurs Tiffany Hilton of Tiffany Hilton Pottery and Reverend Hannah Grace of Grace Ceremonies got all dressed up and sparkly (with help from our friends Sandra Costello Photography and Makeup Artistry by Liz Washer), to tell you about our new project, Valley Wed. (You can read more about our story here.)
Not your average wedding expo.
We don’t do cake-dives or gimmicks. Instead, Valley Wed offers a curated style of wedding show; one that focuses on real relationships with the best wedding vendors the Pioneer Valley has to offer. We want to connect couples with the top wedding professionals in Western Massachusetts to help them plan one of the most important days of their life.
We're so excited to have a fabulous group of vendors and sponsors participating in Valley Wed at Quonquont Farm on Sunday, November 1st. Whether your wedding is rustic or elegant, casual or classic, you’ll find bakers, photographers, DJs, event planners, musicians, officiants, florists, caterers and other highly skilled vendors for your Western Mass wedding.
We hope you'll follow the Valley Wed blog and find us on Facebook and Instagram as we announce more details and news about the event!
Get a behind the scenes look at our photo shoot with
Sandra Costello Photography & Makeup Artistry by Liz Washer
Liz Washer working her magic on Valley Wed coordinator Tiffany Hilton.
Valley Wed coordinator Rev. Hannah Grace getting used to her new look.
The final result by Sandra Costello Photography:
(Selfies, of course.)
Valley Wed Blog
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