Our team is ready to celebrate your love!

Meet the Leads

On your monumental day, you’ll have a designated person to make it all feel easy breezy. She’ll do all the heavy lifting so you can relax and take it all in.

team photos by Native Iris Photography

Kate Petach

owner

Kate is the heart and soul of Blue Dahlia. As the owner and operator, Blue Dahlia is Kate and Kate is Blue Dahlia. They really can’t be separated. 

When Kate’s not planning and attending weddings, she's spending time with her husband, their 3 sons, and their beloved dog, Petey. She loves all things Cincinnati and is always looking for the best places to eat, sip bourbon, and just hang out in the city. An avid runner and exercise enthusiast, you may even see Kate dancing on the corner of the dance floor on your big day.

Kate says, “ my favorite part of weddings is making the day and the details as seamless as possible. Knowing that I’ve helped kick off a beautiful marriage.”

Melissa

senior lead coordinator

Melissa, along with her husband and 2 kids, lives in a 100+-year-old house. There is always a project in the works, the latest has been dubbed “the fun room.”  With a background in graphic design, Melissa always has a keen eye for detail; whether she’s working on a house project or working on a wedding. Melissa’s family frequents the Taste of Belgium (mostly for the goetta), but Melissa’s favorite restaurant in the city is Pepp and Dolores (mostly for the pasta). At her own wedding, Melissa chose to have a favorite Nashville band play all original music, giving their day the unique feeling of a private concert.

Melissa’s favorite part of wedding day, “is when the couple sees each other for the first time. It reminds me why we’re all there - the love shared between the 2 of them. All the details are secondary at that moment.”

Bri

lead coordinator

Victoria

As a 2 time alum and an employee of the University of Cincinnati for more than a decade, Bri is a diehard Bearcat! She loves to introduce her 2 young daughters to all things UC. A favorite food is s'mores…and anything chocolate. If you’re in Australia and think you see Bri, it’s more likely her twin sister who lives there.

When asked why she loves weddings, Bri says, “I love the pure and heartfelt moments shared by the couples and their family. It’s an honor to make dreams a reality and to alleviate stress so the couple can fully enjoy their wedding day.”

lead coordinator

Victoria loves to cook so much that she created her own cooking Instagram account. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Victoria now works for the University’s Alumni Association. When Victoria isn’t at a wedding or working her day job, she’s watching a show on Bravo. Ask her about the Real Housewives.

Victoria says she loves being able to play a supporting role behind the scenes to make the day easy, organized, and fun! She also says, “I’m also a hopeless romantic, so apologies in advance for when I shed a tear during a meaningful speech or the first dance.”

Kendra

lead coordinator

Kendra and her husband love December. They celebrate 4 momentous days within a single week each year: Christmas, his birthday, her birthday, and their wedding anniversary. Kendra loves to grab a latte from Urbana and she finds American food boring. International cuisine, however, is fantastic according to Kendra.

When talking about her work at Blue Dahlia, Kendra says “The best part about coordinating weddings is witnessing all the plans coming together without the couple, family, or guests needing to lift a finger. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Joyanna

lead coordinator

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Get To Know Your Day-of Assistant

While our lead coordinators are fantastic, making your special day epic is a team effort. meet the assistants. These ladies are the heavy lifters, the go-getters. They really make it happen.

  • Anna was a gymnast for 20 years, and she loves all things cooking. Anna loves weddings because “they’re magical. To help create someone’s dream wedding makes me feel like I’ve helped them with a milestone in their life and relationship. It’s most rewarding to see the couple glowing throughout the event as they take in this one magical day.”

  • Elizabeth, a native of Kentucky, loves UK basketball and football. She and her husband have 2 dogs and a baby on the way! When asked about weddings, Elizabeth says “ First, I just love love. I love watching everyone celebrate the love of a couple. Of course, I also love all the beautiful details of the day and making sure that everything is just as it was planned and envisioned.”

  • Erica, the mother of 2 amazing boys, loves camping and roller skating. Erica says she loves “being part of the behind-the-scenes. I find so much light and positivity remembering the purpose of a wedding day, and why we are all coming together in the first place - it’s because of love. And while there are so many different moving parts to a wedding, we wouldn’t get to experience it without love.”

  • Haley loves going to concerts, big and small, and has a blast cheering on the Bengals. Who Dey! When asked why she loves weddings, Haley responds, “I love getting to meet new people and bring the couple’s vision to life. Your wedding is a celebration of love for each other and I want to ensure it is everything you imagined it to be.”

  • Geri, named after a Spice Girl, has lived in 3 countries and loves to try new foods. She says she loves weddings “because I get to be a part of the union of two people that love each other. I love seeing how the couple’s personality shows in their wedding and how different each can be. I also just love a good party!”

  • Lara, a student at Wheaton College, loved traveling to Oahu, Hawaii…a true paradise on earth. When talking about weddings, Lara says, “the details matter! There are so many little things that go into the special day that you wouldn’t normally think about, but that makes the process so fun!”

  • Kristen is a world traveler as she’s visited over 30 countries. She’s also run 7 half marathons, 3 of which were in Disney World. Why does Kristen love weddings? She loves “seeing the personal touches a couple adds to their wedding to make it uniquely theirs. I also love being around so much joy as people celebrate together.”

  • By day, she’s an academic advisor extraordinaire at the University of Cincinnati for their athletes. Sports have always been a part of Nicole’s life, so she’s used to the fast paced nature of a wedding day! Nicole loves weddings because she loves to help couples and their special people celebrate without worrying about the details. She’s go it covered!

  • Sarah loves to walk and cuddle her fur baby, Deku. If she had all the money, she would travel the world. When asked why she works weddings, Sarah says, “I love working at weddings to see all the beautiful designs and be surrounded by happy people.”