On any given weekend, Baltimore is hosting countless weddings. The couples are radiant, and the venues are jam-packed. Behind all those festivities are the Tastemakers. They might not have physically been a vendor at the celebration, but they are still responsible in some way for its success. They are a person or thing that establishes—or strongly influences—what is stylish and worthwhile in the wedding industry. They are the matriarchs and the new generation of idea generators. They’ve put themselves out there, tried new things, and kept a business successful, not by coasting but by adapting. Our Tastemakers are made up of dreamers and visionaries, builders and magicians. We see their work/ideas/processes shared and revered time and time again—and that’s how they become the foundation of the industry. There’s always room for more Tastemakers, but for now here are our inspirers.
The Builders
Social Supply
What Social Supply is doing is quite spectacular for wedding build-outs. The company, founded in 2016, is not a can we but when we. What we hear from those who work with Social Supply is that it’s a partnership from the get-go, as event planners work with the team to design, problem-solve, and install. They understand the balance of design and functionality. We have been completely blown away by how they take a tent and somehow elevate it to something we’ve never seen before. How they add water elements and focal points that are lavish, fresh, and beautiful.
The Reinvention
Katey Clark Creative
For 13 years Lemon & Lime Event Design’s name was synonymous with high-end events, but this past year, Katey Clark, now the sole owner of the company, decided it was a time for a refresh and emerged as Katey Clark Creative. “Deciding to change the name was hard because we built such a nice reputation here,” says Clark. “But I did think it was time for a little bit of a change, so it came at a good time.” No matter the name, clients are choosing Clark and her stellar team because of their full-service experience and design work, and that they’re always pushing boundaries. “They know we can do the day-of stuff, we can do the planning, we can do the timelines, we can do the vendor recommendations,” she says. But the reason Clark is so in-demand is because her weddings truly reflect the couples. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, I saw this wedding you did at the Pendry, and it looked so different from every other wedding I’ve seen there.’ We hear that a lot—which was always the goal,” says Clark. “I really want to solidify that we are known to wow, we are unexpected, and creating designs that you haven’t see yet.”
Topping the Table
Guests spend a lot of time sitting at the table—whether for dinner, taking a break, or anticipating the arrival of a slice of wedding cake. Whatever the reason, it has to look good.
HONEYWOOD EVENT + TENT
SELECT EVENT GROUP
PRETTY LITTLE WEDDING CO.
SOMETHING VINTAGE
TABLE TOPPERS
WHITE GLOVE RENTALS
the Go Big Or Go Home
Victoria Clausen Floral Events
We can always tell a Victoria Clausen floral arrangement because they are immense and flawless. Clausen is the master of storytelling through flowers—the kind of design that elicits a gasp from a couple as they see their reception for the first time. She’s not just a florist but an artist, making big sweeping tablescapes, elegant bouquets, and memorable entrances. Clausen, who moved from Ukraine at the age of 21 and learned to perfect her English at a flower shop, has never stopped trying to be a showstopper. She raises the bar on what wedding flowers can be.
Let’s Talk Florals
We’ve loved the emergence of the small but mighty floral studios. “More and more of my clients are gravitating towards avant-garde, unusual, and unique,” says Jessi Rutherford, owner of the bespoke event design firm Sentimental Fools.
WANTON POPPIES
GOTT EFNI
POMONA FLORAL
ritual Floral studio
THURMAN & FIG
YARROW FLORAL CO.
VIOLET FLORAL
THE MATRIARCHS
Mary Gamberdella & Francesca Ripple
If you know the bridal shop Gamberdella, you know stalwart Mary Gamberdella, top left, who started the boutique 47 years ago with her mother, Rita. “The clients are changing, the area is changing, so keep your same foundation,” says Gamberdella, of how she became the wedding dress matriarch. You have to be willing to update or you become obsolete, she says. “I like change. Change is good. It’s been fun.” Not far behind is the always-glamorous Francesca Ripple, top right, who has owned her eponymous boutique since 2000 but has been in the wedding world for more than 30 years. While the two women have no intention of retiring any time soon, they have also smartly tapped into the next generation. For Gamberdella, it’s Clare Ryan (her mother and sister both bought their wedding gowns at Gamberdella), who started working there part-time in high school before coming on full-time after graduating college. She became the shop’s general manager in 2020. And for Ripple, it’s her two daughters, Kara Moro and Victoria Hetzel. When the three of them are working together, it’s like watching a perfectly synchronized dance. “We just look at each other and don’t have to say a word,” says Ripple.
THE “NEW” GIRL
Mia Antalics
When Garnish Boutique opened in 2006, it was an immediate darling of the modern bride—fresh, sophisticated, and fashionable. And when owner Mia Antalics moved Garnish to Ruxton four years later, the experience was upped tenfold in her new sunlit, posh space. And suddenly brides who had to shop in New York City or Philadelphia for bridal collections were finding them here in Baltimore. She worked hard to curate exclusivities with Lihi Hod, Chosen by Kyha, Jane Hill, Truvelle, and Jenny Yoo. Antalics is savvy and no-nonsense and when she picks a dress off the rack, you know you’ll love it.
The Magician
Jill Andrews
It should come as no surprise that magic happens in the Castle at Keswick, originally built in 1899, and the home of seamstress Jill Andrews’ studio. Clients who walk through the door are immediately transported into an atelier, a dreamy place drenched in natural light with hardwood floors and a row of sewing machines. Gowns ready to go are encased in Andrews’ signature pink dress bags, each tagged with the bride’s name and wedding date. Andrews spent 14 years making costumes for Center Stage before opening her space in November 2009. For the past 16 years, she’s created countless couture wedding gowns and also breathed new life into outdated wedding dresses—giving them a second chance. Somehow, she always knows what will make her clients the happiest.
OTHERWISE ENGAGED
There’s a new sheriff in town—and she’s holding an iPhone. The content creators have landed, and it’s beautiful. These professionals (yes!) are capturing weddings in a new way: instant clips for social media. They are becoming more and more popular for couples who want to share their wedding with their contemporary audience.
the Envelope pusher
Social On Weekends
Jess McSweeney, who was everyone’s go-to calligrapher, launched her custom wedding stationery business last year, named for the days of the week she leaves home and mingles with other humans. McSweeney is known for her quick wit, and it comes across in her incredible fresh designs. “It’s just the refresh needed for couples to look at stationery in a different way,” says Katey Clark, of Katey Clark Creative. McSweeney’s talents also include wedding favors, seating charts, and even place cards written on uncooked lasagna. She’s up for anything.
The dreamer
Nikki Daskalakis
Before photography, Nikki Daskalakis was the head social worker of the special victim’s unit at the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office. Feeling overwhelmed by the burden of her job, she started taking photographs as a release and realized she was really good at it. Daskalakis’ skills have exploded since she first picked up that camera and her photographs are sexy and editorial and so stunning. She connects with her subjects in a deep way. They trust her and her photographs capture that trust, that vulnerability. Her snapshots—taken on both film and digital—are the reason she can ask $15,000 for her starting photography package. She’s worth it.
THE COOL KID
Hotel Ulysses
Maybe the last on the to-do list, but the “getting ready hotel” is really important. Couples need somewhere that feels fun and exciting as they slip into their gowns and tuxes and sip champagne with their wedding party and laugh and quiet their nerves and count down the minutes until they’re swept away to their ceremony. Hotel Ulysses, in the heart of Mount Vernon, is stylish and sensual and so unlike any other hotel. The Dasher Suite, named after Donna and Darrell Dasher from John Waters’ Female Trouble, is ridiculously blue, with a king-sized bed and a clawfoot tub—a photographer’s dream.
The ReImagined
Gatherings by Woodberry Kitchen
When Spike Gjerde’s Woodberry Kitchen reemerged as the Tavern at Woodberry Kitchen in the fall of 2022 it was also reconfigured as an event space. The restaurant seamlessly blends rustic charm with Clipper Mill’s industrial vibe, creating a cozy and intimate venue that hosts ceremonies—including elopements—and receptions. The space calls out for long family-style tables and, in the warmer months, the outdoor area is pretty special. It’s one of those rare places where both the locale and the food are divine.
Party ANimals
When it comes to wedding venues, we do a great job of supporting our old favorites—there’s a very popular library in town—while also excitedly booking the brand-new spots. Baltimore definitely doesn’t have a shortage of cool industrial spaces opening—each one a little different. Time will tell which of the newbies migrate to the forevers.
The Forevers
CYLBURN ARBORETUM
THE ENGINEERS CLUB AT THE GARRETT-JACOBS MANSION
GEORGE PEABODY LIBRARY
FREDERICK DOUGLASS-ISSAC MYERS MARITIME PARK
Gramercy MansioN
ANTRIM 1844
BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART
THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BEACH CLUB
BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF INDUSTRY
BELVEDERE & CO.
AMERICAN VISIONARY ART MUSEUM
THE CLOISTERS
EVERGREEN MUSEUM & LIBRARY
HISTORIC LONDON TOWN & GARDENS
The New Kids On The Block
SAGAMORE PENDRY
M&T BANK EXCHANGE
THE BUTTERFLY ROOM
GOOD NEIGHBOR
THE LOOM AT MEADOW MILL
THE ASSEMBLY ROOM
THE WINSLOW
ACCELERATOR SPACE
TANNERY BARN
The Visionary
Kate Dear / Fêtewell
It all started when Kate Dear launched Ellicott City’s Main Street Ballroom in 2016. She loved the idea of a historic venue (it was an authentic stone warehouse from the 1920s in its previous life) but outfitted with modern amenities like a dressing suite, great lighting, and beautiful windows to let the sunlight in. But what set her apart from the beginning was her mission-focused policies: no preferred vendor list, a 16-hour rental window, a very clear “we welcome all” attitude, and an “affordable luxury” mantra. With Main Street’s success came Haven Street Ballroom near Highlandtown, which was a 1920s iron foundry warehouse brought back to life as an industrial and airy space (read: all-white interior). And most recently, Dear opened Citizens Ballroom, a gorgeous former bank that sits right in the heart of downtown Frederick. Originally built in 1908, the venue still contains most of its original details, including 30-foot coffered ceilings and the bank’s signature vaults. Her Fêtewell empire now includes a venue in Savannah (she’s franchising) along with a TikTok account— thevenueceo—that has almost a million followers. Says Dear, “I’m focusing on venues in historic downtowns with vibrant community ties.” Suggestions welcome.
EAT DRINK BE MARRIED
You can’t talk about Taste-makers without mentioning food and drink. We’ve seen everything served at weddings, from fancy surf-and-turf to BBQ sliders. There are food trucks and ice cream bars, and lots and lots of seafood. Our picks push boundaries or expectations and are simply delicious.
EKIBEN
THE LOCAL OYSTER
COPPER KITCHEN
THE CORNER PANTRY
TAHARKA BROTHERS ICE CREAM
HOOPLA! CATERING
VINTAGE VIEWS BAR
H3IRLOOM FOOD GROUP
THE URBAN OYSTER
OCCASIONS CATERERS
BLUE PIT BBQ
BLIND TIGER MOBILE BAR CO.
Faidley’s Seafood
the benevolent baker
Plant Baked by Sarah
Sarah Greene is an engineer turned baker. After having a difficult time finding a vegan bakery for her wedding, Greene decided to make her own cupcakes. (She doesn’t recommend it, because she spent most of the day before her wedding in the kitchen, frenzied.) But Greene quickly realized she loved baking more than she loved engineering. She’s found her niche (and her decorating skills) and her wedding cakes, cupcakes, buttercream, and filling flavors are all vegan, can be made gluten-free, and, most importantly, are delicious.
