Kristina Taheri Special Events stands apart from other event management companies thanks to the diverse background and experience of its founder. Kristina Taheri has immersed herself in international style and the fine art of entertaining since her postundergraduate days.
She began her career in an international position with American Airlines, then lived in Paris for several years as a key staff member for British Airways. Kristina returned to the U.S. to further her formal education, enrolling in Cornell University’s top-ranked Statler Hotel School, where she received her master’s of management degree in 1997.
Kristina embarked on a meteoric career in the hospitality industry that included stints with the Four Seasons Hotel Group in Chicago and the famed Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, where she managed major social, high-end corporate, political, and celebrity fundraising events.
Following a family transfer to Northern California in 2003, Kristina put her international background, hospitality education, and experience in the luxury hotel market into practice, founding Kristina Taheri Special Events in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company is now headquartered here in Hinsdale and delights clients in the suburbs, Chicago, and still in the Bay Area.
We caught up with Kristina to find out more about her dynamic philosophy and event trends.
Hinsdale Living: What do you love about creating special events?
Kristina Taheri: At Kristina Taheri Special Events, our mission is to be “Your Story Builder,” because the foundation for any event is your unique story. Our job is to provide the tools and resources to help translate that story into the special event you are hosting. We take great pleasure in focusing on innovative design, custom planning, and all of the fine details that make your event the only one of its kind.
HL: Why should someone hire a special events company rather than go it alone when planning a wedding?
KT: We make it possible for you and your guests to fully enjoy your occasion. We relieve you of the pressure normally associated with planning and managing an important event. Educated and trained in luxury hospitality management, we understand the vision and details that go into making your story perfect. With 12 years of event planning experience on the East and West Coasts prior to relocating to Hinsdale two-and-a-half years ago, my company offers a unique perspective on event planning and design concepts that mesh well with Midwest traditions.
HL: Any fun trends in weddings and parties?
KT: I am always being asked about wedding and event trends. People seem to be almost as interested in the topic as they are in real estate! I am noting events and weddings trying to emulate a more residential look. We are incorporating elements such as cozy seating areas that replicate outdoor patios or interior living space rather than dozens of linen-clad tables and flowers etched across a room. We add props such as fireplace mantles, bookshelves, lounge seating, carpets, smaller tables, and oversized mirrors. I must say, I am particularly fond of this recent trend, as my husband and I were married in a lovely garden wedding at my parents’ home a number of years ago.
HL: Rather than recreate a residential atmosphere, what about transforming a residence?
KT: I would encourage the residents of Hinsdale and our nearby villages to take advantage of this trend as the homes and gardens here are so amazingly beautiful and gracious. Homeowners here would have the perfect and personal setting for an intimate wedding for 30 or a blowout affair for 300 or more.
HL: What can you tell us about the amazing wedding at home in these photos?
KT: In this example of a private estate wedding, there were 300+ guests. The ceremony was held in the front courtyard drive, cocktails around the pool, dinner and dancing on the decked tennis court and grounds. Having an event at home does not necessarily mean it will be a minimal affair! In preparation for Devon and Andrei’s wedding, there were hundreds of details, dozens of timelines, weeks of production, and truckloads of fabric and flowers. Guests and service providers alike were “wowed” at this sumptuous, fairytale wedding.
To find out more about working with Kristina Taheri Special Events for your wedding or party, visit kristinataheri.com or call 312-972-4770.
-Michelle Crowe
