Our ongoing spotlight series features clients, local businesses, and community organizations in Pennsylvania and Maryland that we admire.
Our ongoing spotlight series features clients, local businesses, and community organizations in Pennsylvania and Maryland that we admire.Before The Stone Mill 1792 became a popular wedding venue, the South Central Pennsylvania mill was the home of Keller Paper Mill until 1844. Revitalized in 2006, the mill has been an in-demand wedding venue for couples all over the Mid-Atlantic region.
Earlier this year, twin brothers Michael and Matthew Polonchak purchased the space. This new venture is a culmination of their lifelong passion for music and weddings. Read on to see what led them here and what they envision for the future of The Stone Mill 1792. Plus, get some wedding planning tips from these lifelong experts.
A passion for music and weddings
Music has always been a passion for identical twin brothers Michael and Matthew Polonchak. Beginning with violin lessons at age 5, they were already performing at weddings before they even turned 10 years old. They pursued this passion throughout school, and it's driven their lifelong career performing music.
After graduating, they started their own business, Two Rivers Chamber Music. Together, they've performed under that moniker for 10 years, often contracting quartets and trios for weddings around Washington, DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia.
Having spent so much of their lives around weddings, they always dreamed of owning their own venue. "We just love working with weddings. People are so happy on that day, so you get to see them at their very best. Since we work in the industry, we get to experience that joy over and over again. It's really cool to know we play a small part in helping people create great memories."
Throughout their career, they have traveled to hundreds of wedding venues in the Mid-Atlantic region. During their travels, they've continuously banked inspiration and ideas for the day they finally had the opportunity to open a wedding venue of their own.
Advice for couples from longtime wedding professionals
Performing at hundreds of weddings has taught them an important lesson about the planning process. A great team is key.
A knowledgeable wedding planner or coordinator can guide you through the entire process. If you can, they recommend selecting a planner and team of wedding vendors with experience at your chosen venue. That way, they're already familiar with the location. When they know what to expect, you have less to worry about. You can also lean on them for support if anything unexpected happens.
Wedding insurance offers essential protection for couples - at an affordable price. Check out our easy online process for getting a quote and binding coverage fast.
What the future holds for The Stone Mill 1792
In addition to music, they also enjoy getting their hands dirty while flipping houses. Before purchasing The Stone Mill 1792, they looked at a few other places but it seems like fate had other ideas and led them to South Central Pennsylvania.
The future is bright for The Stone Mill 1792. Michael and Matthew plan to continue the legacy of the previous owners and continue offering weddings. But that's not all! They have big dreams for the wedding venue, which they envision offering a variety of community events, such as paint nights, yoga classes (including goat yoga!), and live music.
Plus, they see a lot of potential community events like gardening, farmers' markets, and glamping. Ultimately, "the goal is to explore different directions. We want to fully develop the space because there are so many opportunities to enhance the experience for anyone visiting."
In fact, they already have a few really exciting community events on the schedule:
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August 19th: Music at the Mill will be their first public event since purchasing The Stone Mill 1792.
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December: Look out for their planned Christmas Market in December!
And community is key to the plans they have in store for The Stone Mill 1792. In the spirit of community, Kate Hepner shouted out a few of the team's favorite local businesses—many of which could come in handy to any couples in the midst of wedding planning...