October in Pittsburgh from Valerie Barnes Film on Vimeo

If you haven’t had a chance to check out our gallery, now is the time. Susanna and Carl’s gorgeous October wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral with reception at the Omni William Penn Hotel was breathtaking!

Susanna and Carl walked down the aisle on a custom monogrammed runner by The Original Runner Company. You’ll see in later photos how we moved the monogram from ceremony, to cocktails, to dinner and even dessert!

The beautiful couple posed for Goldstein Photography in downtown Pittsburgh.

The vivid floral centerpieces by Hepatica popped against the subtle gold linens by Mosaic and chiavari chairs. The candles around the centerpieces added a romantic glow around each table.

The menu card matched the invitation perfectly and each course was paired with the perfect wine selected by the bride and groom.

To keep consistent with the monogramming throughout, we had pretty little wooden stirrers with a shiny gold monogram at the bars.

The bride and groom met at Boston College so we knew that this framed Boston College flag would make the perfect guest book and keepsake for the couple. Guests were able to leave their well wishes and signatures with silver and gold fabric pens.

During cocktail hour, cocktail napkins were placed on each bar and passed with hors d’ouevres. Each cocktail napkin had a fun fact about Susanna and Carl which helped to provide guests with some information about the couple that they may not have known!

Cider champagne was the signature drink passed during cocktail hour. It was seasonally appropriate, delicious and pretty! We mixed things up by having the waitstaff serve the drinks on gold monogrammed trays. 

The 6-tier wedding cake was created by Vanilla Pastry Studio. The opalescent sheen is something that the bride loved. The pastry chef used a special painting technique to get the desired look.

The Urban room is located next door to the ballroom which was used for cocktail hour. Then, we flipped the space for dessert. We brought in lots of furniture from The Prop Shop to create a luxe, cozy atmosphere.

The opulent William Penn ballroom was the perfect setting for a night of toasts, dinner and lots of dancing to a fabulous band. The monogrammed gobo on the dance floor was the perfect touch!

The getaway car was a 1960 Silver Cloud II Rolls Royce. We made it special by having their monogram added to the back window of the car. It made for a fun getaway! Then it was time for the bride and groom to go off on their honeymoon! Wishing the couple a very happily ever after!

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and love is in the air. This time of year is perfect for POP!ping the question! But, are you worried your marriage proposal is going to go a little something like the above scene in Meet the Parents?


With the Event Group, we’ll make sure your proposal goes more like the above video! There are so many amazing proposals that have gone viral on YouTube. We love watching the videos in the office, getting ideas and gathering inspiration for POP!. Of all of the proposals we have seen, we wanted to share some of our favorites with you! But don’t say we didn’t warn you… these videos are addicting. Make sure you have tissues on hand for all of the happy tears.


This one is a large production in Bryant Park in Manhattan. It is so cute to see the girl’s face in true shock and excitement!


Most people don’t think of Home Depot as the most romantic place. But, in this situation, this guy went in for some paint and left with a ring! We love the upbeat song, too, and the inclusion of their family and friends.


This video has nearly 30 million views on YouTube and for a good reason. This creative surprise proposal was well executed and he caught her reaction on film!


This is one of our all-time favorites. Give your future bride a heart attack before you give her the ring? That was this guy’s plan of attack! The reaction on her face is priceless.


It’s not often that you go to a NBA game and see an on-court proposal. This was very well orchestrated, not to mention, the couple has a great keepsake video!

So many inspiring ideas… we told you they are addicting! If you’re about to POP! the question, be sure to contact us for ideas. We are always coming up with creative and romantic ideas.

If you are planning a late spring or early summer wedding, it is time to really start thinking about your menu. There are endless options of things to serve to your guests as well as different ways to serve them. So many options that it can almost be overwhelming. We’ve contacted some fabulous Pittsburgh chefs to get their input on how to make a decision on what to serve your guests. While what to serve as your meat/fish option is somewhat straightforward, the side dishes can be the toughest choice. Here’s what the chef’s have to say …

“One of my favorite spring dishes is olive oil poached baby vegetables. Based on what I can get from our farmers, I like to use a variety of vegetables including baby beets, young asparagus, heirloom tomatoes and new potatoes. I love using seasonal ingredients like these to create a dish that is both healthful and delicious. It’s a great choice for a wedding menu because it’s very flavorful and colorful and pairs well with poultry or fish.” – Executive Chef Jason Dalling, Fairmont Pittsburgh

“Early Summer weddings are a great time seasonally as produce, greens and tomatoes start to be available from the west coast.

A great first course is the caprese salad reinvented using heirloom tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella . Many different presentations can make this classic dish provide wedding guests with a real taste of the season’s bounty.

Also another great seasonal vegetable side for spring and early summer is the emergence of the chard family. Rainbow chard can make a wonderful, colorful addition to fish and red meat entrees.

Artichokes are another vegetable that come into season during spring and early summer. One of my favorite preparations is English style. This is lightly roasted with a garlic and Parmesan crumb.

New potatoes start to emerge and the possibilities are endless. In my opinion, keeping this sweet tuber simple is the key and paring them with a mint gremolata adds a wonderful contrast, awakening the palate.

Rhubarb is an item that is becoming a more widely seen menu item. Although during my childhood in Europe , rhubarb was a regular ingredient, it has many dessert applications but also makes a wonderful salsa for any robust fish such as halibut, chicken or pork.” – Executive Chef Tom Dunne, Common Plea Catering

“We always provide a seasonal medley of vegetables to provide color and texture to the main course selection. Starch (carbohydrate) selections tend to be served in smaller portions or passed.

Vegetable considerations:
Grilled asparagus, lemon butter
Grilled shiitake with rice-miso and cilantro
Ratatouille Stuffed zucchini blossoms
Roasted Heirloom carrots, local honey and lavender
Caramelized Romanesco haricot vert and breakfast radishes

Starch considerations:
Smoked corn and truffle risotto
Wild Mushroom Polenta
Roasted pineapple Grits
Horseradish Dauphinoise potatoes

Salad considerations:
Heirloom tomatoes and Burrata cheese, balsamic agar gel, bowtie arugula, basil oil
Shaved Fennel and Orange Supremes, fennel blooms, honey-ginger vinaigrette
Composed Heirloom Greens, oven roasted tomato and grilled ricotta sallada cheese
Tossed Arugula and spinach, smoked peaches, almond fried avocado, basil vinaigrette

I can go on and on with summer vegetables…there is such an abundance!” – Executive Chef Keith A. Coughenour CEC, The Duquesne Club

So there you have it, a word from the pros with some great food suggestions for your next event. Thank you to the fabulous chefs for participating!