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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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Meet Lauren Kendzierski, owner, along with husband Max Reichert, of Chanterelle To Go.
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What was the best wedding gift you received?
Handcrafted china (from Tiffany Hilton Pottery!) and table linens.
Is there one picture from your own wedding you couldn't live without?
Taken by my best friend and posted on Instagram.
What do couples worry about that they shouldn't? What should they sweat but don't?
Couples don't need to worry about all the options and making the right choice. The answer is that there is no wrong answer.
They should consider space and the feng shui of the room.
They should consider space and the feng shui of the room.
As a vendor, what's your favorite moment when working with a couple?
Finding that special food item that brings back a family memory or really makes the party.
What makes you different from other professionals in your field?
We are very upscale casual about everything. Everything we do is beautifully curated, organized and delicious, but has a casual vibe that allows the modern wedding to shine in its simplicity.
What do you love most about your work?
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Having people swoon over the food and be so surprised that catering can be so delicious. |
Favorite local restaurant for brunch?
Priya Indian cuisine in Chicopee, MA.
Cocktail of choice?
Tom Collins.
One piece of advice you would give your 18 year old self?
Go slower. Life is short.
Your dream dinner party guest?
AH! SOOO MANY! From Anthony Bourdain to Julia Child to Nicki Minaj to Nina Simone, the list goes on.
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.
Get to know our hand-picked wedding pros
in our Valley Wed Vendor Spotlight.
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Meet Valerie Hansen, baker and owner of Frosted Swirl Cupcakes.
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Is there one picture from your own wedding you couldn't live without?
We sneaked a kiss before walking out of the church and someone caught a photo!
What was the best wedding gift you have given?
I love to take candid shots of the wedding and then make a photo album to give to the couple on their one year anniversary.
What do you love most about your work?
I thoroughly love baking and always have since I was little. I feel so blessed to be able to make the couple's wedding day a little sweeter. I still look at the clock after I have set up for a wedding and think, "Wow....there are numerous people right now enjoying my creations!" I also love all of the new people I meet and new friends I have made.
What's the best advice you would give a couple about their wedding day?
Take a break from ALL of it and just take a walk together for a few minutes to enjoy a moment in quietness.
At 9am each day, you are...
...taking a walk with my 3 1/2 year old twin boys Nathan & Noah. They keep me on my toes!
What's one piece of advice you would give your 18 year old self?
Everything happens for a reason and always wear sunblock!
Current Netflix addiction?
Graceland!
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.
Get to know our hand-picked wedding pros
in our Valley Wed Vendor Spotlight.
What’s your favorite wedding memory?
We married in April of 2012 at Shana’s parents home in Boca Grande, FL. At that time, same sex marriage was not legal in the state. We did all of the festivities in Florida and made it legal when we got back home to Massachusetts. There was a section of our ceremony that we turned to all of our guests and family and asked if they would vow their support and love for our union. When we turned to them and our officiant asked the question, the crowd erupted in cheers and claps for us. The water works immediately followed from both of us as we truly have the best friends and family on the planet!
What’s the best advice you give to a couple about their wedding day?
The best advice we would give to our couples on their wedding day is to remember to stop for a minute and take it all in! Couples plan for this day for a year, maybe more and it is important to enjoy it. Don’t get caught up in the small stuff. Hire professionals that you can trust and that are capable of directing the day for you. Before you know it, it’s all over and the memories of the day are what you have to hold onto for a lifetime.
As a vendor, what’s your favorite moment when working with a couple?
We often hear from our couples that their favorite moment of the day is when we take them out for some quiet moments and photos during the craziness that is a wedding day. This moment is our favorite as well. It is a time that we get to bond and make jokes with our couples and watch the love they have for one another. It is such a special time for them. A moment in time that they get to walk away from the noise, music and attention and just enjoy being a married couple. Love it!
What do you love most about your work?
The aspect we love most about our work is the amazing people we have met in this industry. From couples to families to vendors, we have made unbelievable connections and such great friendships through this line of work. Being able to make people happy through photographs and maintain lasting friendships is the best thing ever!
At 9am each day, you are...
Shana: Multi tasking… Answering emails, cooking breakfast, dealing with our animals and getting ready for what the day has in store for us.
Brittney: Trolling Facebook and watching Shana do all of her 9am jobs :)
Brittney: Trolling Facebook and watching Shana do all of her 9am jobs :)
One piece of advice you would give to your 18 year old self?
Shana: If you think you know everything already…you really know nothing. Take the time to learn and listen, you will go far.
Brittney: You’ll be just fine…
Brittney: You’ll be just fine…
Current Netflix addiction?
Now that we have seen all of Orange Is The New Black Season 3, we are looking for something else to dive into… Leave suggestions in the comments :)
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.
Get to know our hand-picked wedding pros
in our Valley Wed Vendor Spotlight.
Lynne Graves Photography
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!
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.
Get to know our hand-picked wedding pros
in our Valley Wed Vendor Spotlight.
Dani Fine Photography
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Meet Tanya Costigan, a wedding and event planner and owner of Tanya Costigan Events.
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What's your favorite wedding memory?
I recently worked with a clients who held their wedding at the groom's home in Pembroke, MA. When it was time for the Father/Daughter dance, the bride's dad announced to everyone that he'd chosen to dance to the same song he played and danced to with his daughter the day she came home from the hospital.
Dani Fine Photography
What's the best advice you give to a couple about their wedding day?
I always tell couples that the busy wedding day starts early and moves quickly, so stop and enjoy the moments when you can. Take some moments alone with each other, especially right after the ceremony before going off to do pictures. Couples are grateful for that advice and in retrospect, grateful that I was the one caring for tasks on the wedding day so they could really, truly enjoy the day fully with everyone they love.
What do you love most about your work?
This is a hard one because I love so many things about it...but I love my clients immensely and I love their pleased reactions when they see their ceremony/reception spaces for the first time. It makes them happy and makes the day real. I love, love, love what I do. Love.
What makes you different from other professionals in your field?
I gush a little when my clients walk that aisle - every time. I am completely, completely smitten with what I get to do. I care for my clients' weddings as if they were my own. I love hearing Fathers of the Bride or Mothers of the Groom tell me stories of their children before the ceremony when they are emotional. I offer thoughtful and professional service and I have a natural calmness that I bring which has been the most consistent feedback I get from clients and their families.
Favorite restaurant for brunch?
I love Strawbale Cafe in Westhampton. In season, they make their own maple syrup and they offer gluten free pancakes (I always add chocolate chips!).
What's your cocktail of choice?
I love Malibu rum and pineapple juice. Or champagne. Oooooh, you know what? That sounds like a signature drink waiting to happen! *Makes mental note to try mixing the 3*
A charity you support?
I'm a volunteer Birthday Fairy for the Confetti Foundation. The Confetti Foundation is a non-profit started by a couple of event planners in Rhode Island that collects cute birthday supplies, packs them in a pretty themed box and Birthday Fairies like me deliver them to local hospitals that distribute them to children staying in the hospital on their birthday with long-term illnesses.
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.
Get to know our hand-picked wedding pros
in our Valley Wed Vendor Spotlight.
|
Meet Tiffany Hilton, a professional potter and co-coordinator of Valley Wed.
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What is your favorite memory from your wedding?
The ceremony was very meaningful to me and I still have very clear memories of it 12 years later. We passed our wedding rings around in a little basket so that everyone in attendance could offer a special blessing and wish for everlasting love. One of our readings was from Rumi and included the following line: ”A circle of lovely quiet people becomes the ring on my finger.” I remember all our guests surrounding us in the garden, looking at us with such love – and I recall Tim and I looking back at all of them as our rings went around and came back to us and we continued with our vows and exchange of rings.
“A circle is the symbol of the sun and the earth and the universe, of wholeness and perfection and peace, the rings you are about to give and receive this day are symbols of the endless love into which you enter as husband and wife.”
Is there one picture from your own wedding you couldn’t live without?
My mother was a photographer and art teacher and offered to photograph our big day. Several other family and friends sent us pictures as well. There is one of Tim and I after our ceremony, and after some traditional family photos had been taken…where we both were more relaxed and glowing with happiness – and it’s one of my favorite photos from our wedding.
If I had to do your wedding over again what would you do differently?
What would you keep exactly the same?
We had a low-budget wedding of $5,000. We rented a barn for $500, had a somewhat organized pot-luck wedding with 75 guests, hired wait staff and a bartender, and our biggest expense (and top priority) was having great live music. We hired The Bag Boys who had a regular weekly gig at our favorite bar in Cambridge, MA. They were so experienced and professional and easy to work with. We asked them to play something in the garden before the ceremony and then to move inside the barn after the ceremony for some great bluegrass, old time and western swing. I had absolutely no worries about the music or timing of anything – and trusted that they had everything under control. Our guests loved them! If I had to do it all over again I would definitely hire a great live band with lots of experience.
What do you love most about your work?
I love making something useful, durable and beautiful that will become part of people’s daily lives. I love meeting a couple who are inquiring about a handmade wedding registry with Tiffany Hilton Pottery and starting the conversation with them – asking them how they envision dining and entertaining in their married life. It is often the first time someone has asked them to envision hosting Thanksgiving dinner together in a year or two – how many place settings would they need? It’s very exciting to play a small part in their grand wedding celebration and to meet or speak with a couple’s family and friends through the wedding gift registry process.
What makes you different from other professionals in your field?
Lots of professional potters make plates, bowls and cups – but many of them don’t want to offer full wedding registry options. It takes an additional level of organization and experience to produce a large order within a certain time frame. I have been offering wedding registries for over ten years and am proud to have my work appreciated in this day-to-day way.
At 9am each day you are...
...usually enjoying a cup of black tea in a handmade mug made by myself or one of my potter friends…while I finish up some emails and get ready to start my day in the studio!
A charity you support:
Food Bank of Western MA. I often will host a raffle during my studio sales and holiday events to raise money for hunger awareness issues and our local food bank. I also contribute many bowls to the Amherst Survival Center Empty Bowls project and dinner each spring.
What's your motto in life?
“Work hard and be nice to people.”
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