Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Media Sponsor for Eventiques, WellWed Magazine

We're very fortunate to have some fabulous media sponsors for Eventiques Flea Market this Spring. WellWed magazine has been publishing books filled with gorgeous weddings and inspiration for years. We're so grateful to have them as a media sponsor for Eventiques Spring 2015!

WellWed offices are located in Burlington, Vermont but they have Magazines throughout New England. They own Vermont VowsWellWed New York, WellWed The Cape and Islands, WellWed The Hamptons, and WellWed Maine and New Hampshire. You can flip through one of their issues here.

VIP Ticket holders will get a copy of this magazine in their Swag bag at the event. A beautiful book full of inspiration and gorgeous real weddings! What a treat! 

Here a just a few samplings of the weddings that have been published by WellWed.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Eventiques Flea Market Sponsors

Eventiques Flea Market is this week and we can't wait! We have already begun our event set up and we'll be putting together some beautiful displays in addition to putting out all of the wonderful inventory for sale.



Doing an event like this would not be possible without the involvement of some pretty spectacular sponsors. We are thrilled to have some talented professionals on board for our April 2015 event! We limit the event to one sponsor in each category with exception to the florists. The vendors we ask are those that we trust and have worked with previously. This way, we know that you are given the opportunity to meet the best in the area! These are some of the people who can help make your wedding or event impeccable!

Let's introduce you to everyone...

Cronin Hill Photography will be providing photography coverage for the event throughout the weekend. All of the photos you see on our website and facebook from past events have been taken by Cronin Hill Photography. Not only are Paula and Rick talented wedding and event photographers, they are two of the sweetest people you could ever work with! They make you feel as though you are having your pictures taken by two of your closest friends. In fact, they take our family pictures and as well as capture memories from our own event! They are friendly, funny and easy going. They care so much for their clients and it shows in everything they do. They've worked all over New England and beyond, their photographs are amazing and we always love working with them on any wedding or event!

Cakes by Amanda is owned by Amanda Russell and to say that she is talented is an understatement! Her cakes and desserts not only look phenomenal, they taste fantastic!! We've known Amanda for years and have seen her business grow. She opened her own bakery in Barre, Ma last year and it has been incredibly successful. She's professional, fun and creative. She will be displaying some of her cakes at the event as well as providing some nibbles for attendees to enjoy.

Durocher Florist is another incredibly talented florist who has been designing and delivering flowers since 1948! Hundreds of flowers have passed through their shop and each piece is a work of art. They are professional, and work with your vision to make it come to life. We love working with this talented group!

Daisy Stone Studio is a boutique floral and event design company. They love to enhance any event with flowers as well as other decorative elements, creating a cohesive and beautiful design. Owner, Susie Hanna received her Certification in Floral Design from the New York Botanical Gardens and has worked in New York City, San Francisco and currently Western Massachusetts. Susie and her team pride themselves in providing excellent service for an unforgettable experience.

Forget Me Not Florist in Northampton has been creating gorgeous floral arrangements for weddings small and large throughout the Pioneer Valley. When it comes to floral designs, we know Rebecca and her staff will exceed our expectations and produce stunning arrangements. We've seen their business flourish over the years and enjoy working with them on weddings and events.

If you need rentals for your wedding or event, Michael's Party Rentals is your company! We've worked with them on events over the past 5 years and we are always impressed by their customer service, the quality of their items and their professionalism. We are honored that they have joined us as a 2015 Sponsor of Eventiques. You do not want to miss out on seeing some of their incredible inventory and talking with them about helping you with your rental needs!

We're thrilled to have JPod Productions as the official Eventiques Videographer. They have won awards and produce wedding films that are heartfelt. Jamie and his staff are professional, courteous and super friendly! They'll be onsite covering the event but they'll also be available for questions about Videography for a wedding or special event. We've seen some of their family films too, perfect for a milestone birthday, a mother's day gift (as mothers ourselves, we would love a gift like this!  Husbands, take note!). 

As Event Designers, we know the value of really good lighting and how it can dramatically transform a space. CJC Event Lighting has been providing specialty lighting for weddings and events all over New England for years. We're honored to have these talented and seasoned professionals as a sponsor this May! They push the envelope when it comes to lighting, keeping things fresh and new! We are excited to see what they come up with for our event space!

Our Musical Sponsors...

Rum and Steel will be providing some fun sounds on Saturday morning! They are a steel drum and guitar duo based in Western Mass. Their upbeat music is great for a cocktail hour, private parties, or rehearsal dinners. Enjoy shopping while listening to a taste of the tropics.

Viren Entertainment is owned by Shawn Santanello. He provides entertainment as a DJ but also plays acoustic guitar. We have worked with Shawn many times over the past few years and every client has raved about him! We are so fortunate to have such a talented DJ/Musician in our circle and we love recommending him. He is fun, sweet and really easy going. We love that he has offered to provide musical entertainment once again at Eventiques. We look forward to having him!

Our Food Sponsors...

Lattitude Restaurant and Events is a full-service restaurant and catering company that houses a brick wall and steel beam event space, perfect for any occasion. They are also a preferred caterer for many local traditional and non-traditional venues, and highly skilled in special menu restrictions and diets.

We will also be welcoming Western Woods Coffee to Eventiques Spring 2014. The owner, Patrick, will be at the event providing delicious coffee samples to guests. He provides exceptional coffee service for weddings and events, a unique and special service that will surely impress guests!

You can visit our Sponsor page on Eventiques Website to read more about each of these sponsors. You can also visit our Facebook page to see images of their work.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Shopping at Eventiques 2015


We are just over a week away from Eventiques Flea Market and attendees are in for a real treat! The event is happening on April 11th and 12th at Eastworks in Easthampton, Ma. We are bursting at the seams with items for sale and we have so much space to work with! We have linens, lots and lots of mismatched china, vases, votives, signage, buckets, baskets, cake stands, craft supplies, gift bags and boxes, glassware, mason jars, the list goes on and on and on!

To help make everyone's shopping experience a smooth and successful one, we thought it would be useful for us to post some tips and tricks for shopping at Eventiques.

Color Palette
Knowing a bit about your color palette and design ideas is helpful but not necessary. You might come and be inspired by some of the items you see which could influence your purchasing decisions.

Create a Wish List
Make a list of the things you are hoping to find. This will help give you a guide for what it is you need. Keep an open mind as well. Having an idea of the style event you are having will help you in making decisions about what items might be best for your event.

Quantities
Knowing roughly the number of tables you will have will help with buying enough centerpieces, votives, table numbers, etc. Typically, a wedding of about 120 people might have anywhere between 10 to 15 tables depending on whether or not you have 8 or 10 people seated at one table.

Table Size & Shape
For those of you planning an event at your home or at a location that requires rentals, you will need linens. Knowing your table dimensions will help you select the right size linen for purchase or for rental.

Bring Reinforcements
If you can, bring a friend or family member who can help you collect and carry things. There is a lot to look through and you might miss things at first glance. You'll also want an extra set of hands for collecting and carrying items. There will be staff available to assist but we may not be able to help everyone due to the large number of people attending.


Visit the Merchants
We have so many wonderful merchants participating this year. We know that Eventiques is a huge draw for the used items but you can also find some amazing things with the vendors who are in attendance. Think about what you might want to get for bridesmaid or groomsmen gifts, items for welcome bags, favors for a bridal shower or thank you gifts for after the wedding. Our mission is to bring businesses into the event who produce their goods locally or are sustainable.

A collection of talented vendors and merchants

Meet the Experts
Planning a wedding takes a lot of time and work, as you know! We have some phenominal sponsors who are participating this year and they really want to help you make your event shine! Take some time to visit with these experts in the industry. This is not your typical expo. We have chosen only the best in the area and they are there to help you.

Enter the Raffle!
We're going to have a raffle with some great prizes! Be sure to register at the ticket table so that you can enter for a chance to win. 

Have fun and stay a while!
Come with the intention to browse and enjoy the shopping experience! Meet with our designer and talk about ideas for the look of your event. Connect with vendors about lighting, video, photography, cakes, flowers, rentals, etc. Get a coffee, some food, listen to music, or do a DIY project. There will be many things to enjoy!

Some other important things to know...
  1. All sales are final. We will not issue refunds for any reason. It is up to you to inspect the item to ensure it is a good fit for you. All items are purchased As Is.
  2. We take cash or credit/debit card, no checks. There is a $25 minimum for credit/debit cards. There is an ATM in the Eastworks building so you can get cash if need be.
  3. We will be displaying as many items as we can but we may have to keep some overflow of inventory in a storage area onsite. Please be sure to ask an Eventiques Staff person if you are looking for a certain quantity of an item.
  4. When checking out, we ask that you kindly be patient with our staff. We have a lot of people working the event but there will be far more customers than staff. Each tag has to be removed to ensure we are accounting for all of the inventory for our consignors. In addition, our staff will want to ensure your newly purchased items are wrapped and/or boxed up so that you can take them with you. 
  5. We do encourage recycling and reusing which means that bringing your own bags is encouraged and appreciated. We will have bags, boxes and packaging material but reusable bags are great too! 
  6. You can also review our FAQ on the website for other important details. 
Our goal and hope is that you all are able to come and have a fun time shopping while also finding some inspiration! We're so excited to host this event again and we hope you will all enjoy your experience. After the event is over, we encourage you to email us with feedback. We will continue to try and make each event even better than the last! Thank you for joining us at Eventiques Flea Market!


All photos © Cronin Hill Photography

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Hangover Kits

At one of the Lord Jeffery Inn tasting events, we met Lauren—a fun loving Zumba instructor with an upbeat personality. We were raffling off to one attendee 10 free welcome bags for out-of-town guests. Lauren was our lucky winner! However, she had one special request—instead of the welcome bags, could we create hangover kits for her bridal party? We loved this idea and rolled with it.

Using her wedding colors of green and purple, we came up with these fun and creative boxed hangover kits as gifts to her wedding party. They all loved them, and appreciated them the next morning!



Inside these kits you will find:
• Pepto Bismal
• Advil
• Eye drops
• Gum
• Granola bar
• Bandages
• Water
• Mouth wash
• Sunglasses
• A nip of Vodka!

Are you in need of custom designed welcome bags, gifts, or favors for your wedding or event? Contact us and let's get this party started!

Friday, February 27, 2015

Eventiques Wedding and Event Flea Market

If you couldn't make it to our 2014 Eventiques Flea Market event, you are in luck! We are hosting another Wedding and Event Flea Market in 2015 on April 11th and 12th.

What is this event you ask? Eventiques wedding and event flea market was founded by Ruthie and Lauren of Eutopia Events and is focused on helping people find decorative elements all in one location! Décor from past events is given new life by being reused or re-purposed for someone else’s wedding, shower, even a birthday party. Looking for something old, something new, or something borrowed? You will find carefully selected, used event décor, vintage goods, wedding gowns, unique rentals, and handmade and locally sourced pieces for your wedding or special celebration.

Our last event took place at Eastworks in their events space. It was a fun-filled day for brides, grooms, event planners, photographers, designers, and people who just loved to shop! Check out some of the photos below from last year's event, photographed by Cronin Hill Photography. Cronin Hill Photography is one of our fabulous sponsors for 2015!

If you are in the market for event items, you can purchase tickets for our Spring event online for only $5. Door tickets will be $8 the weekend of the event. This year's event will be hosted in a much larger space than in 2014. We're very busy working on filling the space with inspiration, event items, local merchants, and much more!













Here are the people who help to bring Eventiques Wedding and Event Flea Market to life. A lot of hard work goes into creating an event like this and we are so fortunate to have some great people on our team.  We're looking forward to this year's Eventiques Flea Market!





Thursday, February 12, 2015

Milk & Cookies Baby Shower


When our very own Lauren was pregnant, expecting her baby in late June, we helped her family host a baby shower in her honor in early May. It was so much fun to help put together a shower for her to celebrate her little one! We did a Milk and Cookies theme for this intimate event, including cow figurines that Lauren has been collecting since she was a kid. The shower was hosted in a beautiful location in Holden Mass and the weather couldn't have been more perfect!

Lauren and her husband affectionately called the baby Rupert, though they didn't know if they were having a girl or a boy. On June 26th, they welcomed a sweet baby boy into their family and named him Dylan Anthony. He has been such a joyful addition to our Eutopia Events family, we are so incredibly happy for Lauren and her husband!



There were a variety of milk flavors available and lots of cookies, of course! The favors were milk bottles with chocolate chip cookie mix, so guests could make delicious cookies at home. We'll share the tutorial on to make them in another post. 






Thanks to Classical Tents and Party Goods for the rentals—natural wood garden chairs, linens, tables and glassware. Thank you also to Fairview Gardens for the flowers and all the people who helped make the shower possible!

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

The Dr. and the First Responder

Planning a wedding while working full-time can be a challenge, especially if you work odd and long hours. It's even harder if you and your partner both have work schedules like that. Add to those work schedules trying to plan a wedding from another state and you have a formula for one thing: needing a wedding planner. Thank you to Michelle Girard Photography for referring Sarah and Chris to us!

Check out some photos from their day from JAG Studios!




Sarah, a pharmacist, and Chris, a first responder, were such a fun couple. They really wanted to include their personalities and professions into the wedding somehow. They did so by including vintage prescription sheets as table numbers and cookie favors that looked like EKG heart monitors and the first aid symbol. They even had a small firefighter axe to cut their cake and a ring pillow made out of a firefighter jacket!




Thank you to these vendors who helped make their day so special:

Flowers: Durocher Florist
Ceremony Music: Bel Canto Chamber
Reception Music: Viren Entertainment
Calligraphy: Megan Chapin Calligraphy
Limo: Absolute Luxury Transportation
Cake: LaFiorentina
Makeup: Bridal by Liz
Hair: Jenursa
Wedding Planner: Eutopia Events
Venue: Chez Josef

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Rachel + Ry's Salem Cross Inn Wedding

Rachel and Ry are two active and busy people who had been engaged for a number of years when they contacted us. We are so glad we could help them get their wedding wheels in motion.

The ceremony took place at the First Congregational Church of West Brookfield with the reception to follow at the Salem Cross Inn, a venue near and dear to our hearts: (Lauren of Eutopia Events was married there in 2008.) The Salem Cross Inn is a restored 18th century farmhouse nestled on 600 acres of New England countryside. The main house dates back to 1705 and the attached barn—where the reception took place—is a peg and beam barn built around 1790. It is decorated with antiques, some of which were saved from houses destroyed in the building of the Quabbin Reservoir. It is quite a beautiful and historic property, and the food is delicious. If you ever have a chance to dine there, we suggest getting the prime rib cooked over the fire on a 17th century roasting jack. It's the only known operating roasting jack in the country!

Photos by Alvah Reida Photography

Photos by Alvah Reida Photography

Photos by Alvah Reida Photography

Photos by Alvah Reida Photography

Photos by Alvah Reida Photography

Photos by Alvah Reida Photography




Rachel and Ry also added some special touches to their wedding day, including their choreographed first dance which everyone enjoyed.

The seasonal and romantic flowers and succulent favors were created by Cameron and Fairbanks, hair and makeup for the bride by Silhouettes Salon and Spa, music by DJ Yedz, and the gorgeous photographs are by the talented Alvah Reida Photography.

All photos © Alvah Reida Photography. Please do not use any of these photos without the photographer's permission. 

Friday, January 23, 2015

Sarah + Ryan's Hometown Wedding

Sarah had contacted us well ahead of her wedding day knowing that she not only wanted a wedding coordinator, but that she needed one. Their wedding would take place in her hometown of Worthington, MA. Not only was the location new to this type of event, it was also outdoors. Although Sarah and her family were hands on and a do-it-yourself group, Sarah knew they would need help on the day of the wedding to pull it all off. It is always great to have help from family and friends who want your day to be as great as you do but part of our job as coordinators is to make sure you get to enjoy all of the hard work with those people who helped!

Photos by Chattman Photography



Photos by Chattman Photography

Photos by Chattman Photography

Sarah and Ryan chose the Worthington Inn because of the gorgeous setting: old growth trees with large sweeping branches, an old building with an attached barn, and the grassy lawn surrounded by fields of corn stalks. The weather was near perfect with the threat of rain just missing us, and a few puffy clouds dancing in the sky.

One of our favorite pieces of this wedding was the ceremony area. A giant, old tree provided the perfect alter area, and it's branches seemed to hug all of the guests seated below them. When Sarah and her bridesmaids arrived in the horse drawn wagon, we could see Sarah's excitement to meet Ryan down by those boughs.

Photos by Chattman Photography

Photos by Chattman Photography

Photos by Chattman Photography


After the ceremony, it was time to party! There were a few comedic speeches, a cake cutting done with a family heirloom (a sword!), dinner, homemade cheesecake desserts in mason jars, and people dancing all night long to the music provided by DJ Yedz. We have never seen such a packed dance floor! The night ended with a clear, dark, sky shining with tons of bright stars.

Photos by Chattman Photography

Photos by Chattman Photography

All of these gorgeous photographs were taken by Chattman Photography. Thanks to Jo and her assistant Brent for sharing their talents with us. Also thank you to Sarah and Ryan for including us in their special day!

Vendors who made Sarah and Ryan's Day possible:

Florist: Forget Me Not Florist
Linen Rentals: Classical Tents and Party Goods
Reception Music: DJ Yedz
Hair and Makeup: Salon 241
Event coordinators: Eutopia Events

All photos are © by Chattman Photography and are not to be used for any reason unless permission has been given by the photographer.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Jason + Clint's Outdoor Wedding

When Jason and Clint contacted us last year, we instantly connected. They were a fun couple who wanted to host an event that was memorable and elegant, but also one that took advantage of local resources. We were excited to be part of their wedding day and thrilled that they chose us to help make their vision a reality.

The wedding took place on the grounds of a privately owned venue in the Berkshires called August Moon. There were lovely open fields and a mountain view, which provided the perfect backdrop. The weather couldn't have been more amazing for these two! They had a beautiful and heartfelt interfaith ceremony (Jewish and Catholic Filipino), an open air cocktail hour with a Knotweed Fizz signature drink, phenomenal food, and a reception under a sailcloth tent filled with gorgeous décor, amazing music, and lots of dancing!

Photos by Eric Limon Photography



The sailcloth tent, farm tables, wooden cross-back chairs, vintage china, glasses, runners, napkins, white lanterns, and candles were all rented from Classical Tents & Party Goods. Floral arrangements and potted ferns were from the Big Y in Great Barrington, and the hardcover books were rescued from the incinerator by Clint and Jason! They love books and wanted to incorporate them into their wedding since they speak to their personalities so well. Many of the books were written by authors who lived or visited the Berkshires. (You can find gently used or brand new books at Better World Books starting at only $1.50 each.) Each book had a handcrafted bookmark to accompany it and guests were asked to take them at the end of the evening. And as if one favor wasn't enough, Clint and Jason also gave each guest some Berkshire Bark wrapped in butcher block paper, tied off with green twine and a coordinating tag. Eutopia Events provided the couple with two hand-drawn chalkboards: one as guests arrived that welcomed guests to the ceremony and matched their invitations, and a menu to accompany the buffet feast that the guests were going to enjoy.

One of our favorite moments from this wedding was when Clint came to the tent to check out the setup prior to the ceremony (something every couple should take a moment to do we should note). He was quiet—taking it all in. Then, he got all choked up and teary-eyed. We hugged him and he told us how wonderful everything looked. That, right there, is why we do what we do.

Photos by Eric Limon Photography













Jason and Clint left us a nice review on WeddingWire that was sweet to read! We thought we'd share it here with you.

"Eutopia is the real deal. They were incredibly on the ball. They were exceedingly polite. They were savvy. They kept us organized. They answered every question we had. They handled various emergencies with aplomb, including -- by way of one example -- coming up with creative solutions when we thought we had lost all hope of securing shuttle transportation to and from our wedding. They were quick to grasp our design aesthetic and they ran with it. They coordinated all of our vendors with finesse. We didn't have to bother with our vendors once during the week of the wedding because Eutopia was incredibly skilled at being our filter. We cannot imagine having done our wedding without them; in fact, it would have been an impossibility. In short, we adore them. Can they coordinate our whole lives for us?"

We are so blessed to work with incredible couples like Clint and Jason. We wish them both a lifetime of love and happiness together!

We had a hard time selecting just a few photos to share, they are all so beautiful! Eric Limon from Eric Limon Photography is the talent behind these photos. Big thank you to him for sharing these with us.

Photos by Eric Limon Photography





Hosting a wedding outside in an open field can pose some challenges—including having enough power! Generators had to be brought in for Jason and Clint's wedding in order to provide enough juice for the band, tent lighting, and heaters. The one element that didn't need power was the caterer —a caterer like no other that we have worked with before. Fire Roasted Catering cooks everything over an open flame. Their presentation and approach to preparing food was not only phenomenal to eat, but inspiring to watch! Their food is seasonal and locally sourced and sustained. At the end of dinner, the cooking fire was transformed into a bonfire that all the guests could enjoy.

Photos by Eric Limon Photography

Photos by Eric Limon Photography













Are you thinking about hosting a wedding in the Berkshires, or maybe an outdoor event and don't know where to start? We have the experience and the know-how to create a a beautiful event, just give us a shout!

The team behind this wedding:
Wedding Coordination: Eutopia Events
Photography: Eric Limon Photography
Catering: Fire Roasted Catering
Rentals: Classical Tents & Party Rentals
Venue: August Moon
Band: Empire Beats

All photos © Eric Limon Photography and are not to be used unless permission has been granted by the photographer. Eutopia Events has permission to share these photos. Please contact Eric Limon directly.