Meet the Staff
Cherie
Style: Bold, Sophisticated, Classic with a statement necklace
Hometown: Hamburg, N.Y.
Sign: Leo
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Dog: Tibetan Terrier
Favorite Drink: Merlot
Favorite Quote: ‘It’s all about finding the calm in the chaos.’ (Donna Karan)
As Director of Events with experience of 45+ years, Cherie works with brides as more than just their Wedding Coordinator. She becomes their personal guide through the entire process, giving superb customer service and even genuine counsel when panic sets in! She works hard to ensure that their memorable wedding has an element of fun! As a good listener you will often find her giving honeymoon advice as well as discussing her favorite restaurant. Having her Masters Degree in Personnel Administration laid the groundwork for leadership while her years of experience at La Galleria honed her skills in being detail oriented.
She prides herself in finding the hidden talents in her co workers and loves taking them all for lunch!Cherie enjoys supporting local business, spending time with her husband and two daughters. Did we mention she loves avocados?
Gabriella
Trendsetter
Hometown: Hamburg N.Y.
Sign: Cancer/Gemini
Style: Passionate, Creative and Self Motivated
Fav. Color: Emerald Green
Fav. Drink: Mojito
Creative, friendly, and free-spirited with a passion to succeed in all endeavors she pursues. Most famous for her ability to spot and implement up-and-coming wedding trends, Gabriella keeps LG fresh by letting us know what is new in the industry to help couples with their visions. Her passion for detail drives Gabriella to make sure that every couple gets a wedding that is uniquely theirs.
On her free time Gabriella enjoys helping others and loves to travel most recently visiting Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and Europe. This girl has a passion for life and doesn’t let any opportunity pass her by!
Jill
Hometown: Hamburg, N.Y.
Sign: Taurus
Style: Hip, Artistic with a side of fun!
Favorite Color: gray
Favorite Drink: Captain and Diet
Jill has been at La Galleria for 16 years as Senior Wedding Coordinator attending to bridal couples making sure every detail is fulfilled the day of the wedding. She gives energy to us all with her innovative ways to capture a couples love story on their special day. When you ask creative thinking people how they create, they never know. They just visualize, and that is Jill. In addition to being an enthusiastic Event Coordinator, Jill holds a BA in Fashion Design and is our go-to creative seamstress. Laughter is certainly the best medicine and Jill can diffuse any situation with just her humor. All our staff agrees that Jill could be a standup comic. Knowledgeable, empathetic, passionate……. And an outstanding team player!
Married with two fabulous children, you will often find Jill enjoying her favorite comedian or baking a specialty dessert for a co worker’s birthday. Did we mention her love for Reeses pieces….?
Anita
Social Media Guru
Hometown: Boston, NY
Sign: Aquarius
Favorite Color: Forest Green
Favorite Dog: Scottish Terrier
Favorite Quote: “Life’s journey – it unfolds for you as you are ready for it.” – RuPaul Charles
Over the last 14 years, Anita has certainly found a home here at La Galleria Events! After spending 11 of those years in the kitchen as a dishwasher, she began serving on the floor, and now she’s also the personality behind our social media accounts! “Getting to see everyone’s wedding photos and making creative posts with them makes my job fun!”
When she’s not working, Anita has an eclectic set of interests. She is creative and crafty, and loves to knit, crochet, paint, sew, and just about anything else she can get her hands on! She also enjoys taking long road trips, and plans to drive across the country one day. And if you’re ever at the Sterling Renaissance Festival, keep an eye out, because you will probably see her there! She also loves Halloween, and celebrates it all October long by dressing in a different costume every day!
Did we mention that she also loves writing, and is in the process of creating a novel?
Travis
LG Photographer and Videographer
Sign: Aquarius
Style: Creative, Positivity, Passionate, Adventurer
Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Drink: Ask him about his self created drink he calls the Old Fashioned Fort Myers
Favorite Quote: “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do” – Steve Jobs
Travis joined our La Galleria team in 2017 as a dishwasher and has since become a valuable asset gaining knowledge of the many facets involved with operating a successful event center. His passion for photography and videography led us to tap into his talents to create our two outstanding LG Wedding Videos. Outside of La Galleria, he is an avid creative filmmaker, photographer and nature geek who loves to create his studio compliments of the beauty that nature itself provides and share his art to bring joy to others. We all are convinced that Travis = Creative Passion. He uses these creative juices in the kitchen, on the floor and behind the camera. He enjoys family camping vacations, trips to Florida, and boating a wide variety of waters whether it’s the Great Lakes or the Gulf of Mexico. Let’s talk being a seasoned hiker! The Adirondacks and Appalachian mountain regions that boast some of the most breathtaking views have been accomplished in summer and winter alike by Travis as well as snowmobiling in Adirondack Park.
Did we mention his favorite dessert is cheesecake and he also loves to cook? His signature dish is his cast-iron pan-seared, butter-basted steaks – let those creative juices flow!
Ardwin
Owner and Head Chef, Ardwin Carducci!
Style: History enthusiast & world traveler
Hometown: Hamburg, N.Y.
Sign: Taurus
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Dog: Tibetan Terrier
Favorite Drink: Muddled Old Fashioned
Favorite Quote: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.’ Hippocrates
Ardwin was 8 years old when his parents purchased the vacant land that La Galleria Events presently occupies. The property was a thick forest to the road and he helped clear the trees, design and build the space with his family.
It was originally built as a fine dining restaurant but over the years has undergone MANY renovations to the space to create it what it is today – the best Rustic Chic Wedding Venue! He is the brains behind the beautiful remodeling and was way ahead of his time with sophisticated architecture, food fashions and decor that every bride wants.
His passion for the business goes far beyond just the rustic look of the venue. He believes La Galleria has some of the best food in the industry, insisting on a kitchen that has fresh ingredients and scratch recipes. Ardwin grows a vegetable and herb garden outside his kitchen door where fresh herbs are only a reach away!
People are surprised to know that Ardwin attended Colgate University and UB- graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Political Science. He is total history geek and you will often find him giving a lesson while prepping for an event.
Ardwin loves to travel, especially with his two daughters and wife of 35+ years. Did we mention that he loves soup? Pho is his favorite and he make a great one at that!