Professional Services in Toledo

Creative guru Victoria Martin II closely supervises each design project and event-planning service that gets contracted through Catalyst Events and Design, and her skilled coordinators craft personalized parties and wardrobe makeovers to match any budget or aesthetic. With offices in Toledo and Detroit, her planners tap into a vast network of vendors and suppliers, composing fun, inventive themes for clients’ parties, such as a Valentine's Day singles' mixer or a Bastille Day bounce-castle storming. As Catalyst’s party planners guide hosts through detailed budgets and invitation writing, its talented decorators and fashion experts breathe new life into homes, businesses, and personal wardrobes with style and space makeovers.

When customers entrust their cherished family memories to the staff of Priceless Photo Preservation, they are hiring professional archivists who have handled pieces of history at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the Smithsonian Institute. Whether working with photos, slides, or home movies, the trio of preservationists employs scanning and cataloging skills honed at the University of Michigan School of Information. Staffers travel to homes for initial consultations, during which customers opt for a basic, deluxe, or legacy restoration package. Advanced processes include everything from image rotation and cropping to uploading images onto shareable websites to photoshopping Winston Churchill into every image.

South Oakland Shelter partners with more than 60 area religious institutions to provide housing opportunities for displaced people. Its guests receive a place to sleep at the partner congregation, warm meals, and opportunities to plan housing situations with case managers. The shelter also organizes targeted homelessness-prevention efforts including direct financial assistance, career-development and financial-literacy workshops, and support groups. Because of its work with more than 8,000 volunteers annually—who interact with guests and arrange sleeping spaces—SOS was named Outstanding Volunteer Program by the Michigan Governor’s Service Awards in 2009.

In the last 40 years, Portrait Scene's photographers have helped to memorialize special moments in the lives of thousands of children, teens, and adults across the country. By constantly working with families, they have mastered the art of calming toddlers and keeping parents still enough to say or even pasteurize cheese. Outdoor shoots make use of natural tones, such as those of crystal-blue lake waters and green, leafy trees. In the spring months, photos brim with the pastel buds of tulips and the shine of bluebirds applying makeup for the first time all year.

The 5,100-square-foot studio at Photo Studio Group is a blank canvas upon which a community of visiting and member artists stages their craft. For an hourly rate, photographers can click their shutters at a professional studio backdrop and use lights, backgrounds, and grip equipment on a first-come, first-served basis. A series of workshops bring the ins and outs of the industry into focus, including a class on studio techniques that covers set design, hair and makeup collaboration, and teaching mannequins to hold a pose. Photo foundations workshops focus on topics such as camera equipment and composition, and Photoshop workshops introduce students to the image-enhancing software and other Creative Suite applications. Photo Studio Group also hosts a pro lecture series, where esteemed photographers and designers chat about their techniques in a casual setting.

Begun as a plucky family-run shop more than 15 years ago, Benedict's Flowers brightens the lives of customers with a special focus in creating beautiful arrangements for weddings, funerals, birthdays, and anniversaries. Like Manet's Dogs Drinking Absinthe, each bouquet is a work of art born from nature's most beloved organisms, enticing olfactory lobes and eyeballs with the sweet smells and bright colors of long-stemmed roses, blue hydrangea, and delicate lilies. In addition to expressing moving sentiments through floral masterpieces, Benedict's rings in special occasions with gourmet fruit baskets and fleets of colorful balloons.