Event Planners Aim to Make Weddings and Parties Feel Personal

New Sterling Event Services offers one-stop shop for customized event design in Northeast Ohio

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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After 30 years of planning weddings and events, Janet Abbey realized her job was not just to make things look good, but to create experiences that truly reflect the couple or celebrant. She founded Sterling Event Services, a one-stop shop that brings together a team of event professionals to provide personalized design, flowers, lighting, photography, desserts and more for weddings and other occasions in Northeast Ohio.

Why it matters

In an era of cookie-cutter events, Sterling Event Services aims to buck the trend by focusing on creating customized, emotion-driven experiences for clients. By partnering with a range of local vendors, the company hopes to showcase the unique talents and perspectives of the Northeast Ohio event planning community.

The details

Sterling Event Services launches on February 17th, just after Valentine's Day when many couples get engaged. The company offers five distinct "eras" or design themes - Lover, 1989, Reputation, Folklore, and Midnights - that clients can mix and match to reflect their personal style. The team includes event planner Janet Abbey, Pomp Parties owner Tracey Rezak, bakers Teresa Hillyer and Brittany Hillyer Eidam, entertainment provider Ryan Konikoff, photographer Adela Dan, and glass artist Caroline Abbey.

  • Sterling Event Services launches on February 17, 2026.
  • The company was founded after Janet Abbey had an epiphany while planning a "perfect" wedding, but overheard the mother of the bride say it didn't feel true to the couple.

The players

Janet Abbey

The founder of Sterling Event Services, with over 30 years of experience planning weddings and events. She realized her job was not just to make things look good, but to create personalized experiences that truly reflect the couple or celebrant.

Tracey Rezak

The owner of Pomp Parties, a 20,000-square-foot warehouse filled with over 2,100 event items. Rezak left her corporate job to travel the world, visiting festivals in 56 countries, before returning to start her own event design business.

Teresa Hillyer and Brittany Hillyer Eidam

A mother-daughter baking team at Sugar Me Desserterie, who are partners with Sterling Event Services.

Ryan Konikoff

The founder of an entertainment company that provides DJs, dancers, MCs and technology for events. Konikoff is in charge of lighting for Sterling Event Services.

Caroline Abbey

Janet Abbey's niece, a senior at the Cleveland Art Institute who provides unique hand-blown glass pieces for Sterling Event Services' events.

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What they’re saying

“My job isn't to make weddings look good. It's to make them feel true.”

— Janet Abbey, Founder, Sterling Event Services

“It was all about the feeling.”

— Janet Abbey, Founder, Sterling Event Services

“You get a lot of bang for your buck.”

— Janet Abbey, Founder, Sterling Event Services

“You're telling the story of them.”

— Ryan Konikoff, Founder, Rock the House

What’s next

Sterling Event Services will officially launch its website and services on February 17, 2026, just after Valentine's Day when many couples get engaged.

The takeaway

By bringing together a diverse team of event professionals, Sterling Event Services aims to create customized, emotion-driven experiences that move beyond cookie-cutter weddings and parties. This personalized, community-focused approach could set a new standard for the event planning industry in Northeast Ohio.