The Chester County History Center has contracted a West Grove-based event planning company to manage all venue rentals at its N. High Street campus in downtown West Chester.

The nonprofit announced Tuesday, Sept. 22 that Catalina Weddings and Events will take over booking and coordinating events at the two-building complex, which CCHC describes as the largest event space in West Chester Borough. The center cited rising demand for the venue as the reason for the hire.

The contract carries a notable connection. Catalina co-owner Olivia Matos has served as CCHC's sole events manager since 2023. She and her sister-in-law, Meg Matos, founded the company in 2022. Olivia Matos serves as lead event coordinator and Meg Matos as creative director. CCHC's announcement did not address whether Olivia Matos will continue as a center employee alongside the contract arrangement.

The deal expands the events operation from one staffer to a four-person team. Two assistant coordinators, Priya Selvarathinam and Marissa Kervinen, round out the Catalina roster. Kervinen, a Chester County native, earned her marketing degree from West Chester University. Selvarathinam lives in West Chester and also runs a wedding signage business called Designs By The Happy Notice.

"Our clients frequently tell us they are happy to have a space that can accommodate nearly any size guestlist," Olivia Matos said in the announcement. "But I think what really appeals to them is that we take the time to understand their needs and guide them through every step of their event, and that our building is unique and beautiful."

Over the past year, the center has hosted weddings, corporate retreats, film festivals, proms, book clubs and fundraisers, according to the announcement. The venue includes a 250-seat banquet hall, a conference room, terrace, atrium and classrooms. All spaces are wheelchair accessible, and the museum can stay open late for events by request.

CCHC occupies two historic buildings at the corner of N. High and E. Chestnut streets. The older structure, Horticultural Hall, dates to 1848 and features a green serpentine stone facade. In the 1990s, the center converted the adjacent former YMCA's gymnasium into the banquet hall, keeping its original high ceilings and large windows.

Olivia and Meg Matos met while working in hospitality in southeastern Wyoming before relocating to the Philadelphia suburbs, according to the firm's website. Olivia Matos, a Chester County native, previously worked as an event manager at a local winery. Meg Matos moved to southeastern Pennsylvania in 2017 and married Olivia's brother, Alejandro, in 2020.

No financial terms of the contract were disclosed. Event inquiries now go through Catalina Weddings and Events, which can be reached through the CCHC website.