Not familiar with this sight? Have a look at this silent film. It’ll only take 14 seconds.

Leaving the Fort Pitt Tunnel and Arriving in Pittsburgh from Christina Montemurro on Vimeo.

And it did not disappoint. Rather, it exceeded my expectations in every way. I was so impressed that not only are the History Center’s physical premises excellent, but the service is exceptional. Too often I have seen details overlooked, and customer satisfaction undervalued. Not so here. And that was all the more impressive considering the tough schedule the staff had the day of Jennifer and Jon’s wedding. You see, earlier in the day, there had been a fair in the Great Hall. So at the very end of business hours, the History Center staff had to quickly remove all of the tables, chairs and other items associated with the fair, and quickly set up chairs for Jennifer and Jon’s wedding ceremony, which was held in the Great Hall.

Then, after the ceremony, they had to remove all of the ceremony chairs, and re-set the Great Hall for Jennifer and Jon’s wedding. This meant bringing in all of the dining tables, setting up the chairs, and setting up tables for three serving stations. Plus bars, gift table, cookie tables and clearing out space for the band. All in less than an hour!

Jennifer and Jon’s guests were upstairs enjoying their cocktail hour in the Campbell Gallery while this transition took place.

They made it look easy. Below, you can see that the room is nearly set, and with time to spare!

I give a lot of credit to event coordinator Lori McElhatton, who oversaw everything. Lori works closely with brides and grooms planning their weddings at the History Center. I immediately noticed that while Lori is employed by the History Center, she also looks out for what brides and grooms want, and does whatever she can to see that they have the celebration of their dreams.

I asked Lori to answer a few questions about weddings at the History Center.

Christina: The Heinz History Center is not your typical wedding venue, and offers a myriad of different rooms for brides and grooms to choose from. Can you offer some guidance on how to help them choose which part of the Center to use?

Lori McElhatton: Many factors enter into determining which room is most suitable for each couple.  Main point being amount of guests so they are all comfortable.  Then whichever the bride and groom prefer, for example the Mueller Center which is bright and cheerful with a deck or the Great Hall which reflects History with the exhibits in view.

CM: Indeed… it’s not often that there is a Conestoga wagon and classic car in the background of a table at a wedding reception!

CM: Do you have a favorite part of the Center for events?

LM: No, each event is unique and I try to create something compatible for the client in order for their guests to enjoy the experience.

CM: Your exclusive caterer, The Common Plea, can provide all kinds of different meal types. Can you recall what some of your favorite setups or menus have been?

LM: The Common Plea has won many International Awards for their creative designs from small candy tables, multiple home made cookie tables and specialty martinis.  The excellent food presentation and taste speaks for itself.

CM: And having a twisty slide behind the cookie table is not a common sight.

CM: Are guests permitted to visit the museum before or during events?

LM: Absolutely, that is the added value of having an event at the History Center .  The fact that guests are permitted to tour during events works as an added attraction and increases attendance.

CM: Where else can you photograph your guests in an antique roller coaster car from Kennywood?

CM: How involved are you with brides and grooms during the planning process?

LM: Once the decision is made to have a wedding at the History Center I am available from that point on.  I am at their beck and call up to and including the actual wedding reception.  I am very “hands on” until their last guest walks out the door.  It becomes very personal to me that this will be the happiest and most remembered day of their lives.  As an event manager I must say the experience is extremely rewarding!

CM: Do you personally attend and oversee all weddings?

LM: Yes. From beginning to end.

CM: Indeed, in the third photo above, Lori is in the lavender jacket, overseeing the reception setup. And below, she’s on the left, helping to coordinate the bridal party and parents entering the reception.

CM: What led you to want to be an event planner?

LM: I have always enjoyed working with and for the public.  My past experience has been with Air Canada managing charter services for the state of Florida and Director of Sales with Holland America Cruise Lines.  I have always provided customer service and thoroughly enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.  Working with the public is something you must enjoy naturally; I don’t think it can be taught.

CM: What is your favorite part of your job?

LM: All of it!  The personal caring, the personal involvement,  the challenges and the satisfaction upon completion.  It is a job where you never stop learning.  What more could you ask for?  I look forward to it every day.

CM: Lori, thanks for sharing with us.

Contact Information:

Heinz History Center
1212 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-454-6000

And it was indeed morning. Kudos to Jordan and Andrew for being willing to meet really early in the morning.

Jordan and Andrew met during their undergraduate years at Duquesne University, and that’s where we began their session.

These two laugh constantly. This is what they look like most of the time:

The big fountain on Academic Walk wasn’t turned on, but the lovely Duquesne campus has a second fountain, so we headed over there. This spot is very close to where Jordan and Andrew first met, and also where Andrew proposed.

As we left the fountain area, there was a young man who stopped us to ask if there was some formal activity happening there that day. Apparently our photo shoot looked like a big production and he thought we might be part of some big to-do. He explained that he was concerned because he planned to propose to his girlfriend later that day. He pointed to a brick on the ground that said, “I love you Carol. Marry me -John” and said that in a few hours he’d be walking past that spot and showing her the brick. Best of luck to you, Carol and John, wherever you are!

Our second stop was the Hot Metal Street Bridge by the South Side Works.

Jordan’s eyes are gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.

Jordan and Andrew, I had a great time this morning and laughed a whole lot. I am very very much looking forward to your wedding at Riverside Landing in July!

Midwives are commonly misunderstood. They are decidedly not witch doctors, voodoo specialists or Amish. They’re not all women, either. Midwives are registered nurses with master’s degrees in midwifery. Two chief differences between a midwife and an obstetrician:

1) Midwives believe that for most women, pregnancy and birth are natural, normal events. They monitor pregnant women for any abnormalities or problems, and are trained to manage many of the common minor complications brought on by pregnancy. Midwives believe that the woman should be in charge of her care, and should have the right to give birth in the manner that she chooses.

Obstetricians are physicians trained to manage illness, and are more likely to actively manage and induce labor.

2) As midwives are not physicians, they don’t perform cesarean sections. Midwives can, however, prescribe pain medication, and attend births in hospitals as well as the birth center. So, you can choose to have a midwife AND a hospital birth AND an epidural.

The Midwife Center provides pregnant and laboring women with a reassuring, home-like environment. Below is one of the birthing suites, The Desert Room. It feels so warm and inviting, and for me was so much more comfortable than the institutional feel of a hospital.

It has its own bathroom with a jacuzzi tub.

What I love about TMC even more than the decor, though, is the personal care and attention that I receive there. When I have an appointment, the midwives talk to me like a person – not a list of symptoms. They are genuinely concerned and interested in me as a whole being. They want to know if I’m feeling stressed, what’s going on in my life, and they look at the whole big picture. In today’s health care world where you can feel lost between a sea of referrals, it’s so refreshing and inspiring to know they’re looking out for me.

So…

Tomorrow, Saturday, April 24th is The Midwife Center’s 5th Annual Let Them Eat Cake! Benefit. It’s at The Children’s Museum on the North Side at 7:30pm.

The night begins with a silent auction. One of the prizes will be a certificate for a portrait session (with digital files) by me.

So come, eat cake, sign up for some silent auction items, and help this fabulous resource for Pittsburgh women.

Find out more about attending Let Them Eat Cake! on the official Facebook page. Thanks also to Sumer Schmitt of Simply Perfect Weddings for lending her event planning expertise to the cause.