About

          

Katherine Shaw, Owner and Director of Trends To Traditions, graduated from Theatre and Film school in 1992. Until the turn of the century, Katherine planned events for the NFL, NHL, the AFL, and the WB network.  She is certified as a Wedding Director through the National Bridal Service,  a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC),  a member of the International Society of Event Specialists (ISES), and has coordinated at least partial aspects of over 700 weddings and events in her career. She is supported by a talented staff with an impressive and diverse background.

From a complimentary consultation to all inclusive coordination, Trends To Traditions offer customized packages and guidance for over 70 possible wedding aspects and service providers.

Serving the couple as: coordinator, director, etiquette coach, business manager, family mediator, creative planner, referee, and friend, to evaluate the couple’s needs and desires and match them to the vendors who will best meet their criteria. The team helps them budget most appropriately, according to their priorities. As Pittsburgh Wedding Planners, Trends To Traditions negotiates for better prices and perks, orchestrating the event from start to finish or simply helping a client find one specific service.

Meet our team:

Katy Simovski, Director of Design and Decor/Associate Planner, Katy began as an assistant in 2004 while studying scene design at Seton Hill University . With a love for theatre, Katy has extended her talents to the direction of weddings, as well as the design of the spaces in which they take place. She believes that by transposing a lucid space into any brides dream is of utmost importance.  Since receiving her B.A. in Theatre Arts, Katy furthered her studies in event planning/marketing by obtaining a M.B.A. in Sports, Art, and Entertainment Management from Point Park University.  She can be recognized in various theatrical venues of Pittsburgh as she is a professional scene designer and prop artist, works in the box office of The Pittsburgh Playhouse, and manages her own clothing alteration business.

Jaime Dray, Associate Planner, Jaime has worked for Trends to Traditions since April of 2007. From the time she was a child event planning had always been an interest, but Jaime attributes the initial spark to the time she saw Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner. While she has since learned there is much more that goes into executing an incredible event, Jaime has found that her attention to detail is perfect for the events industry. Jaime is also the Marketing and Events Manager at the Junior Achievement branch of Pittsburgh. Prior to working there, she worked for the Lighthouse Foundation, FSN (Fox Sports Network) Pittsburgh, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania, and FSC Marketing Communications. Words she lives by: Be the change that you want to see in the world.

Victoria Bushmire, Associate Planner, After obtaining an undergraduate dual-degree in Neuroscience and Psychology, Victoria decided to switch tracks and pursue a career in her real passion – event planning. Since February 2007, she has worked as an event coordinator for Carnegie Mellon University, planning large scale events, such as Commencement and Homecoming, and smaller events including faculty recognition programs, staff award ceremonies, VIP visits, memorials, and building openings. Victoria began working for Trends to Traditions in April of that same year, beginning as a Day-Of Assistant and working her way up to an Associate Wedding Planner. “Nothing is more satisfying than seeing the smiles on the face of a bride and a groom; I love helping them make their dream wedding a reality,” Victoria says.

Julie Mason, Associate Planner, When asked what she wanted to do for a living, Julie’s response was always the same: event planning.  Julie attended Penn State University, where she obtained a B.S. in Marketing and was active as a Lion Ambassador, planning campus-wide events for students and alumni.  Upon graduation, Julie began her career with Fleishman-Hillard International Communications, where she currently working as an account supervisor on the Gatorade business.  She can also be found at the Consol Energy Center on game nights as a concierge for the Pittsburgh Penguins.  To further her event experience, Julie had the privilege of working with and learning from AOO Events, one of the nation’s most respected galas.  Julie began working with Trends to Traditions in August 2009 and loves the attention to detail that goes into making every bride and groom’s day absolutely perfect.

Bethany Glaser, Office Manager/Creative Assistant, Bethany has had a passion for creativity since a young age.  A recent graduate of Allegheny College in Meadville, PA she channeled her creativity by designing her major in Performance and Production. While at Allegheny she enjoyed staging and dancing in productions as well as planning events for various clubs on campus. Her minor in Managerial Economics gave her the knowledge to begin a non-profit organization selling handmade fleece caps for Cancer patients.  She is also successful in selling her painted wine glasses and glassware specific to special occasions. She continues working as a dance teacher in Wexford, in addition to contributing her creativity at Trends to Traditions. Beginning as an intern, Bethany has enjoyed staying with the company as an Associate Wedding Planner and on-staff seamstress.  Not only does she love bringing organization to events, but she loves using creative elements to make a brides dream come to life! She is currently pursing a certification in Floral Design.