Meet Ben Kalkman of Modern Moments

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Kalkman.

Hi Ben, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The story of Modern Moments begins in July 2022, when Ben Kalkman had a simple but revolutionary vision: create a wedding venue where couples could “celebrate moments that matter” without the stress, hidden fees, and vendor restrictions that plague the wedding industry.

What makes Modern Moments’ story particularly compelling is the unique foundation it was built upon. With roots in the marketing industry through Rocket Media, the venue launched with something most wedding venue owners lack – the expertise to get “on the map in short order.” While competitors struggle with marketing budgets that can cost a lot annually, Modern Moments began with built-in marketing mastery that gives them an unmatched competitive advantage.

But the real magic happened through the team they assembled. Within just a few short years, Modern Moments achieved something remarkable in the wedding venue industry – a 100% client recommendation rate, verified through WeddingWire. Their commitment to excellence was recognized early when they received the “Employer of Choice” award from the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce in 2022.

What sets Modern Moments apart is its collective commitment to transparency and flexibility for wedding couples. At a time when most wedding venues play pricing games with “contact for quote” policies, the team publishes their wedding rates online. While competitors charge vendor fees that can add thousands to wedding budgets, they maintain an open vendor policy – bring whatever wedding vendors you love, no extra fees. And when other venues treat coordination as an expensive add-on, they include professional day-of wedding coordination in every package.

Located on ½ acre in Gilbert with both stunning outdoor ceremony space and 1,200 square feet of climate-controlled indoor reception facilities, Modern Moments occupies that coveted mid-market wedding position – premium quality at accessible pricing. The family-owned approach ensures personal attention that corporate wedding venues simply cannot match.

Today, as they look toward their 2030 vision of becoming the East Valley’s most beloved wedding destination, the momentum they’ve built with their team-focused approach and “Modern Moments Way” philosophy suggests that goal isn’t just ambitious – it’s inevitable.

The team warns that their enthusiasm for creating perfect wedding celebrations might be contagious. But as their couples consistently discover, that’s exactly the point.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to success hasn’t been without its bumps, and the Modern Moments team is refreshingly honest about the challenges they’ve navigated since opening in July 2022.

Starting a wedding venue in the post-COVID landscape presented unique hurdles. The wedding industry was still recovering, couples were cautious about booking new venues without established track records, and supply chain issues affected everything from furniture to linens. “We were asking couples to trust us with their most important day when we literally had zero weddings under our belt,” reflects the team.

One of their biggest early challenges was breaking through the noise in a competitive East Valley market. Despite their marketing expertise, convincing couples to choose a brand-new venue over established names required proving their worth one celebration at a time. Each early wedding felt like a crucial test case – there was no room for error when building a reputation from scratch.
Weather presented another learning curve that first year. Arizona’s climate is generally wedding-friendly, but understanding the nuances of monsoon patterns, wind considerations, and temperature variations took real-world experience. The team had to quickly develop comprehensive backup plans and learn to communicate weather contingencies with couples who were trusting them with their outdoor dream ceremonies.

Perhaps the most significant challenge was assembling and training a team that could deliver on their ambitious vision of excellence. Finding staff who truly embraced “The Modern Moments Way” – that blend of professional service and genuine care – required careful hiring and extensive training. Not everyone was the right fit for their family-owned culture.

Financial pressures of a startup were also real. Unlike established venues with steady cash flow, every booking mattered enormously in those early months. The team had to balance investing in quality improvements with maintaining healthy cash flow.

However, what emerged from these challenges was a stronger, more resilient operation. Each obstacle became a learning opportunity that helped refine their processes, strengthen their team culture, and ultimately deliver the exceptional experience that earned them that 100% recommendation rate.

The struggles taught them that success isn’t about avoiding problems – it’s about solving them with grace, honesty, and an unwavering commitment to making every moment matter.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Modern Moments is a premier wedding venue specializing in creating stress-free, beautiful celebrations that truly reflect each couple’s unique love story. Located on a stunning ½-acre property in Gilbert, we’ve carved out a distinctive position in the East Valley wedding market by doing things fundamentally differently.

What sets us apart starts with our radical transparency. In an industry notorious for hidden fees and “contact for pricing” games, we publish our wedding rates openly – from $3,500 for weekday celebrations to $8,400 for Saturday events. But transparency goes deeper than pricing; it’s embedded in our communication style, our planning process, and our commitment to “deliver what we promise.”

Our open vendor policy represents another major differentiator. While many venues charge $500-$2,000 in vendor fees or restrict couples to preferred lists, we welcome any properly licensed vendor at no additional cost. This philosophy saves couples significant money while giving them genuine choice in building their vendor team – whether that’s bringing recommended caterers, cultural specialists, or vendors they’ve fallen in love with.

Our indoor/outdoor flexibility solves one of Arizona’s biggest wedding concerns. With 1,200 square feet of climate-controlled indoor space and beautiful outdoor areas including an amphitheater, brick patios, and pristine event lawn, couples get genuine weather backup without compromising their vision or guest capacity.

What we’re most proud of is our service approach, guided by “The Modern Moments Way” – five core values that shape every interaction. Professional day-of coordination comes included with every celebration, not as an expensive add-on. Our award-winning team manages vendor timelines, handles day-of logistics, and solves problems quietly so couples can actually enjoy their celebration.

We specialize in that sweet spot of the wedding market – couples who want premium quality and professional service without luxury pricing or corporate impersonality. We’re known for accommodating diverse cultural celebrations, from traditional Hispanic quinceañeras to LDS receptions to interfaith ceremonies, always with respect and genuine enthusiasm for each family’s traditions.

Our 100% client recommendation rate speaks to something deeper than just good service – it reflects our genuine investment in each couple’s success. We’re not just providing a space; we’re partnering with families to create meaningful celebrations that honor relationships and bring people together.

What readers should know is that we represent a new model for wedding venues – one where transparency replaces hidden fees, flexibility trumps restrictions, and family-owned warmth delivers professional results. We’re proving that couples don’t have to choose between quality and affordability, between personal service and professional excellence.

In essence, we don’t just host weddings – we celebrate love stories, one beautiful moment at a time.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
At Modern Moments, we define success very differently than most businesses in our industry – and it’s deeply rooted in our five core values that guide everything we do.

Success means living out “Excellence in Every Detail” – when we see a bride actually laughing during her ceremony instead of worrying about logistics, or when a groom tells us he didn’t have to think about vendor coordination once during his reception, we know we’ve truly “sweated the small stuff” so they didn’t have to. Our 100% client recommendation rate isn’t just a number; it represents couples who felt so supported and cared for that they’re enthusiastic about sharing our name with their friends and family.

We measure success through “Service with Heart” – treating every event like it’s our own family celebration. When couples tell us their wedding felt personal and meaningful, when families feel genuinely cared for rather than just served, that’s when we know we’re succeeding.

Success also means “Deliver What We Promise” – our word being our bond. When couples experience exactly what we promised with no surprises, when our transparent pricing means they can plan confidently, when everything unfolds exactly as discussed – that integrity is success.

The “Personal Touch, Professional Results” value defines success for our team culture too. When our team feels fulfilled in their work and earns recognition for excellence, when they demonstrate that customer-first mentality that makes couples feel special – we know we’re building something meaningful. Getting the “Employer of Choice” award from the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce confirmed that we’re successfully blending family-owned warmth with professional excellence.

Finally, success means being “Flexible and Fearless” – adapting, solving, and making it happen. When vendors actively refer couples to us because they love our collaborative approach, when we seamlessly handle weather changes or last-minute requests, when couples book us for multiple family celebrations because they trust us to handle anything – that’s the kind of success that can’t be bought.

From a business perspective, success means sustainable growth that allows us to keep doing what we love while taking excellent care of our team. We’re not chasing the biggest revenue numbers or trying to be the most expensive venue in the valley. We want to be the venue that delivers exceptional value, where couples feel they got more than they paid for.

Ultimately, our definition of success aligns with our mission: “Celebrating Moments that Matter.” Success isn’t about being perfect; it’s about consistently living our values and being genuinely invested in other people’s happiness, then delivering on that commitment one celebration at a time.

Pricing:

• Intimate Moments (0-50 guests) $3500-$5000
• Cherished Moments (51-100 guests) $4600-$7000
• Signature Moments (101-150 guests) $6000-$8400
• Grand Moments (151-200 guests) $7300-9300

Contact Info:

• Website: https://modernmoments.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernmomentsvenue/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modernmomentsvenue
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/modernmomentsvenue
• Twitter: https://x.com/modernmomentsaz
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@modernmomentsvenue