Best designers

Preston Bailey Designs
Bailey’s dramatic floral designs and theatrical flair have made fans out of celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Liza Minnelli, and Donna Karan, as well as brands such as Sandals Resorts, Godiva, and Hewlett-Packard. The high-profile New York-based designer’s lush, over-the-top designs have been featured in six books, plus countless TV shows and magazines.
On Twitter: @PrestonRBailey

"I love creating a unique place for guests to congregate and enjoy one another, so I thought, why not create a massive floral carpet that would serve both as a beautiful focal point and a gathering area? I designed a 'carpet' and filled it with hundreds of beautiful blooms and then covered it with Plexiglas. The result was a statement piece that allowed guests to dance on air." —Preston Bailey

Events by André Wells
Wells launched his Washington-based, full-service production firm in 2004 and has since become one of the top planners in town, producing around 80 corporate, social, and nonprofit events a year in his signature glamorous, colorful style for members of Congress, BET, Dell, Disney, and more.
On Twitter: @AndreWells

"I like the chic simplicity of it. We used crystal and glass elements to make the historic building more modern and fun." —André Wells

Colin Cowie Enterprises
With a 26-year career that includes designing lush, extravagant events for big-name corporate clients and A-list celebrities, plus nine books, a wedding Web site, a line of home products for HSN, and too many television appearances to count, Cowie is a solid candidate for “Most Famous Person in the Event Industry.” He brings his five-senses design approach to around 25 projects a year, four to six of which he is heavily involved in.
On Twitter: @ColinCowie

"My favorite part about the design was the research trip to Kazakhstan. Since the national color is blue, I created a palette of blue and grey and used elements like cobalt blue mirrors to showcase a modern Kazakhstan, and yellow miniature calla lilies for the bright future they have ahead of them." —Colin Cowie

David Beahm Design
Beahm’s inventive, breathtaking designs have been in high demand since his big break, planning the nuptials of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas in 2000. Beahm and his New York-based team design more than 200 events annually, including lavish social, nonprofit, and corporate parties for Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Victoria’s Secret, and Louis Vuitton. Beahm is especially known for his sculptural, dramatic floral arrangements.
On Twitter: @davidbeahmdesig

Beahm is speaking at BizBash’s Event Innovation Forum­—South Florida on April 10.

"We were influenced by our surroundings. We let the decor of Blue Hill at Stone Barns rule our aesthetic, letting nature dictate the design. The hand-hammered copper urn visually grounded the design." —David Beahm

Abel McCallister Designs
Business partners since 2004, Los Angeles-based Abel and McCallister specialize in stylized editorial events, consumer promotions, sponsor lounges, and other brand-focused experiential events for clients such as Chase, Sprint, Entertainment Weekly, and Elle. Their designs often include surprising product installations, such as a chandelier of Godiva chocolates or a mosaic of Garnier bottles.
On Twitter: @larryabel

"We imagined what an amusement park would look like in the world of the Simpsons. Attendees loved the way the characters were integrated into the games, and my favorite part was turning Whac-A-Mole into Maggie’s Peek-A-Boo Pumpkins." —Larry Abel

Billy Butchkavitz Design
Butchkavitz’s claim to fame is the eye-popping, Technicolor decor he has been creating for HBO’s annual Emmy and Golden Globes parties since 1999. Using custom tents, carpets, and furniture, and drawing inspiration from such diverse sources as the stone mosaic walkways of the Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, vintage Pucci fabrics, and modernist architect Oscar Neimeyer, his designs are always a kaleidoscope of color, patterns, and light projections.

"I find out what will be trending and available to the public around the time of my event—and then I avoid it." —Billy Butchkavitz

YourBash
For four years, the Los Angeles-based creative duo has worked on designing movie premieres, product launches, and green-minded events including Fox’s American Idol finale party, the Foundation Polo Challenge, and the Teen Choice Awards.
On Twitter: @YourBASHjgeffen
On Twitter: @YourBASHbworley

"The V.I.P. tent was inspired by the surfboard that is given as the award. Each year it is fun to see what the award will look like and then get to design a space that represents it. This tends to be one of my favorite spaces to design because it allows for lots of color and whimsy." —Brian Worley

David Stark Design and Production
Clients such as Target, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the IFC request Stark’s signature style, which combines an artistic sensibility with a sense of whimsy. Stark is known for using recycled materials and items that can be repurposed in his often flower-free installations and for his striking on-brand marketing ideas.
On Twitter: @DavidStarkInc

"From atop a 20-foot-tall viewing platform, guests viewed a giant optical illusion ‘street’ drawing created by chalk artist Michael Macaulay as well as many other radical art installations, sculptures, performances, and video art pieces." —David Stark

Van Wyck & Van Wyck
New York-based van Wyck honed his design skills working as a protocol aide at the American Embassy in Paris and as a film set designer in Los Angeles before starting a business with his mother in 1999. Adept at creating a polished, whimsical look, van Wyck’s clients include high-profile private, corporate, and nonprofit entities such as Mercedes-Benz, billionaire George Soros, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

"The second the guests crossed the threshold, they were transported to another world, through the looking glass and down the rabbit hole. We raided Bergdorf’s warehouse and brought scenic elements from iconic window displays over the past 111 years—this was their 111th anniversary after all." —Bronson van Wyck

The Carlu Corporation/McNabb Roick Events
With more than 28 years of experience, Roick is a one-stop shop for Toronto events, designing show-stopping party decor for big-name clients like Target and Chanel.
On Twitter: @mcnabbroick

"The beauty of this design was the bold use of color, which complemented the essence of Picasso’s art without focusing on a specific piece of his work. It allowed guests to step into his world of color." —Jeffry Roick

Baura New York
Since he launched his firm in 2006, Baura’s aesthetic has been influenced by his graduate degree in Japanese and Chinese art history. He creates fresh, edgy branded environments for clients like AOL and Tumi by incorporating unusual conceptual designs and 3-D structures. Recent projects have included LED trays, iPad walls, and vegetable totem centerpieces.

"We designed a sunset dinner to showcase the New Museum’s Sky Room venue. Top-tier clients mingled in a space designed to convey the experience of watching the summer sunset from a field of foxtail millet." —Garin Baura

Todd Events
Fiscus founded his Dallas-based event design firm in 2003 and now personally designs and produces more than 250 events annually, including celebrity weddings and splashy events for clients like the Dallas Museum of Art, Audi, and Amfar. His company handles flowers, design, lighting, and installation and fabricates its own furnishings under the rental line Suite 206.
On Twitter: @toddevents

"I created a sweep at the rear of the room with a banquette wall covered in slipcovers in boxwood print. At the top of the curve was a waterfall of heather and hydrangeas. The seating in this area had a cocoon-like feeling. The chandeliers are actually painted Formica board in navy with phosphorus tape and
painted interiors." —Todd Fiscus

Bold American Events & Catering
Bales founded the design and production division of Atlanta event company Bold American in 2003, where he specializes in creating layered atmospheres that highlight color and texture. His early career as a performer and musical revue producer informs the theatricality of his work, and his career highlights include producing premiere parties for NBC and the 10th anniversary celebration for the Indianapolis Colts.
On Twitter: @BoldEventsATL

"One of my favorite things is to take an ordinary space and turn it in to something completely unexpected. The Atlanta Hyatt, which was hosting an elite group of local and national corporate event planners, wanted to serve them dinner in one of the hotel kitchens. To make the space pop, we built floor-to-ceiling chalkboard walls on which we personalized each guest’s apron, laid wall-to-wall carpeting, and, my personal favorite, created one-of-a-kind hanging chandeliers out of plastic flatware. It was a complete transformation from boring to bold." —Steve Bales

Event Creative
After a 10-year career in the fashion industry, Foster joined the Chicago-based Event Creative team in 2008. As senior event designer, he handles most of the company’s nonprofit business, designing as many as 100 events and galas a year for clients such as the Steppenwolf Theater, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
On Twitter: @eventcreative

"The event showcases student work, which is contemporary with an edge, requiring an environment that celebrates that level of creativity." —Jeffrey Foster

Phi Design Group
Gubitosa got her start in window displays and founded Boston-based event design and rental company PBD Events in 1985; Martin was a fashion stylist and boutique owner. The pair launched Phi Design Group five years ago. The duo often uses repetitive fixtures and found pieces in installations, and this spring they are launching an event rental branch called Reserve, specializing in custom tables, wall systems, and bars.
On Twitter: @phidesigngroup

"We designed and built the Kino Bar as an homage to Montreal native Kino Guerin, a master furniture builder and sculptor who bends rigid woods to get beautiful, graceful flow and movement." —Michelle Gubitosa

Rafanelli Events
Perhaps best known as the man behind Chelsea Clinton’s wedding, Rafanelli started his company in Boston in 1996, producing just three events a year. He now has four offices across the U.S. and handles more than 100 parties a year, creating eye-popping decor for fund-raising galas, state dinners, and corporate events.
On Twitter: @RafanelliEvents

"We were inspired by the beauty of Boston’s Harbor Islands at sunset, bringing the outside inside in a glass-enclosed tent surrounded by water." —Bryan Rafanelli

DeJuan Stroud Inc.
Leaving behind a career on Wall Street, Stroud decided to turn his longtime love of flowers and design into a business in 1996. He brings his sophisticated, clean look to events for clients such as the New York City Ballet, Universal Pictures, and HBO.
On Twitter: @DeJuanStroud

"The inspiration was a formal French garden, which originated from the French dances performed that evening. To make the vast space seem cozier we floated panels of lattice with wisteria and smilax over the dinner tables. " —DeJuan Stroud

360 Design Events and Matthew David Celebrations
Hopkins splits his time creating contemporary, imaginative decor for social events and corporate events, benefits, and product launches for clients like Hearst, Uniqlo, and Evian. He always aims to be eco-aware, reusing and repurposing materials in stylish ways.
On Twitter: @360DesignEvents

"We brought Hudson River Park activities to life. We created centerpieces using park activities and surprising facts, and peppered them throughout the room. Together with the playful ceiling and unexpected programming, guests were tantalized from all angles." —Matthew David Hopkins

HMR Designs
Heffernan started his Chicago firm in 1979 and has since merged it with two other local firms to form a design collective with different price points, specialties, and points of view. Heffernan’s elegant aesthetic has set the tone at some of Chicago’s most high-profile events, including galas for the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Botanic Gardens.

Jes Gordon/Proper Fun
Gordon started her career working at a flower shop at age 13, followed by post-college stints as a movie set designer and design director of Tavern on the Green in New York. Twenty years after launching her own business, Gordon funnels her energetic personality into creating eclectic, funky designs for social and corporate clients.
On Twitter: @JesGordon

"M&M's is an official sponsor of the Super Bowl, so we wanted to celebrate by creating an event that encompassed the glamorous side of chocolate. We wanted to create a luxurious yet fashion-forward speakeasy environment, which we felt was certainly befitting to the New Orleans-focused evening." —Jes Gordon

ExtraExtra
Balestrieri has been giving a downtown edge to brand-focused marketing experiences since 2002, when indie-minded Paper magazine launched its events arm. Designing thought-out, interactive environments for brands such as Absolut, Target, and Mattel, he often works with builders and fabricators to create large-scale, attention-grabbing event decor.
On Twitter: @ExtraCreative

"We wanted to create a space where guests could dream about being whoever they wanted to be. By playing with scale, technology, and theater we created a space that inspired young and old souls alike." —Nicky Balestrieri

Stanlee R. Gatti Designs
As San Francisco’s go-to event designer, Gatti has been creating visual art for high society weddings, glitzy galas, and fund-raisers for the likes of the San Francisco Opera, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, and author Danielle Steele since the 1980s.
On Twitter: @StanleeGatti

"I admire Picasso because his entire life was devoted to the creative process. I am presently going through my own blue period. Combining that with his guitar made for what I thought was a great theme for a museum party." —Stanlee Gatti

David Monn L.L.C.
After working in the jewelry business and interior design for 17 years, New York-based Monn turned to event design in 2003, creating elegant, dramatic looks for high-profile clients such as Fendi, Tiffany & Company, the Time Warner Center, the Guggenheim, and the Metropolitan Museum.

"The concept was to take MoMA’s ‘Party in the Garden’ and have it continue as the ‘Dinner in the Garden’ with a modern approach—classic roots, fruit trees, massive topiary cones, and French symmetry." —David Monn

Tom Ford Designs
The event designer—not that other Tom Ford—creates rich, luxurious-looking environments that often showcase dazzling overhead light installations and elaborate tenting for Hollywood’s elite. Perhaps most well-known for having designed the In Style and Warner Brothers Golden Globes party since 2002, Ford works with clients including Louis Vuitton, Sony Pictures, Disney, Fox, Victoria’s Secret, and Red Bull.

"We used a theme of minerals and semiprecious stone, with Brazilian agates and geode images for the walls and tables, anthracite leather banquettes, and garnet-colored carpet. It took seven people four days to hang all the gold mirrored chain for the ceiling installation." —Thomas Ford

Kehoe Designs
Eschewing themes in favor of creating captivating environments, Kehoe’s clients include prestigious charities, high-profile fashion brands, and discerning corporate groups. From ceilings filled with balloons to custom 18-karat gold tables to large-scale fabricated installations, the Chicago-based designer delivers on the wow factor.
On Twitter: @KehoeDesigns

"It was an honor to feel trusted and believed in by Carole Segal, who set the standard of retail design, not to mention the thrill of working with original pieces from the very beginning of Crate & Barrel." —Tom Kehoe

Marc Hall Design
After seven years as the creative director of events for Boston’s premier florist, Winston Flowers, Hall launched his own Boston event and garden design firm in 2010. Hall, who often incorporates his own line of handcrafted vessels, furniture, and textiles into his designs, recently opened a garden-focused boutique called Marc Hall Objekt.

"The use of bamboo dipped in 18-karat gold with thousands of purple orchids imported from the Netherlands spilling out from crevices drilled into the bamboo all made for one explosive visual." —Marc Hall

Ron Wendt Design
Wendt, who has a master’s degree in garden design from Columbia University, has been creating both contemporary and classic designs for the likes of Cartier, Swarovski, and Chanel since launching his New York-based company in 1991.
On Twitter: @RonWendtDesign

"Tiffany approached us to create an ambience for its annual holiday press luncheon that was not overly holiday, considering it was held in November pre-Thanksgiving. I thought winter white seemed to be the perfect solution. The wall-to-wall carpeting, custom room dividers, and ultrasuede tablecloths with white New Zealand peonies set the mood for the holidays. It was elegant, modern, and also magical." —Ron Wendt

Fete
Since 2002, discerning brides and corporate clients have sought out Lee’s modern design sensibility. Conceptualizing, planning, and designing all happens in-house, translating to a cohesive, detail-oriented look, from custom light fixtures to stylized seating charts.
On Twitter: @JungLeeFete

"We always want to create unexpected moments for guests. We accentuated the industrial elevator entrance with a massive installation. Guests rode the elevator to the party, and later it transformed into a bar, which surprised guests after dinner." —Jung Lee

Event Eleven
Over the past decade, Schubert has designed events for virtually everyone in the entertainment industry, with a client list that includes Rolling Stone, Disney, Vanity Fair, ESPN, and Entertainment Weekly. Combining modern ideas with clean accents, this past year has seen Schubert designing the SAG Awards after-party, the Emmys greenroom, Bill Clinton’s 65th birthday party, and Belvedere’s pre-Grammy celebration.
On Twitter: @event_eleven

"The client asked for an interactive space where guests could use the Note II to do fun things like order a drink, share music, or design a T-shirt, device cover, or dessert. We designed four individual pod-like stations showing off each capability. We had one week to design, fabricate, and install the custom pieces." —Tony Schubert

Lewis Miller Design
With a romantic, European aesthetic that tends toward the dramatic, Miller opened his New York event design boutique in 2002. He combines his rustic California farm country upbringing with a cosmopolitan edge to create lush, living installations for clients such as Givenchy, Paramount Pictures, Bulgari, and L’Oréal.
On Twitter: @LMDfloral

"This corporate dinner needed to merge two very different companies: the lavish aspect of Moët Hennessey and the modern, urban edge of Wallpaper magazine. We played with contrast and scale by creating a floating garden overhead while the actual surface of the table was merely a strict double row of square glass votive candles." —Lewis Miller

Karla Conceptual Event Experiences
In 1992, after earning her degree in architecture and design, Dascal opened a floral import and delivery service. As demand for her sculptural arrangements grew, she expanded her services into event design with a full-service, Miami-based venture. Dascal is known for creating architecturally minded looks for clients such as Bulgari, Chopard, Merrill Lynch, and Valentino.
On Twitter: @karladascal

"The most challenging aspect of producing this wedding was bringing in 10,000 hydrangeas from South America. It was virtually impossible to get our desired breed of hydrangea in the color palette and quantity needed for the wedding, but we love making the impossible possible." —Karla Dascal

Revelry Event Designers
Based in Los Angeles, Argentinian-born Zamora travels everywhere from Italy to Hawaii to design made-to-order looks for roughly 350 events a year, including corporate galas for clients like Gucci and Subaru, movie premieres and screenings, award productions like last year’s Dream Foundation event, and social events.
On Twitter: @RevelryDesign

"Geller Events turned to us to create a barn-style setting in a tent. We designed a dance floor area with a peaked ceiling using fabric and reclaimed wood beams. A drop-ceiling arbor over the dining area was covered with foliage and accented with wooden lanterns. Hand-painted hardwood floors helped set the stage of permanence for this temporary structure." —Edgardo Zamora

We Came in Peace
Stevens and Swift co-founded their creative agency in 2009, specializing in witty, immersive environments for brands. Combining set design, visual merchandising, custom installations, and interior design, the duo has created quirky, sometimes tongue-in-cheek experiences for clients such as Microsoft, Porsche, Zappos, and Sheraton.
On Twitter: @WeCameInPeace

“We wanted to bring the Reidel brand to life organically with this centerpiece chandelier of 125 champagne flutes, each filled with a tinted resin and a ‘foam’ of micro glass beads.” —Andrew Stevens

Matthew Parker Events
Through his Seattle design studio, Parker specializes in handmade event decor that has the feel of a modern art installation. With influences from geometry and typography to origami and pop art, Parker uses materials such as paper, cardboard, and plastic straws.

"I wanted the entrance to this indie wedding show in Seattle to have the maximum amount of wow factor but be totally familiar in its materials." —Matthew Parker

Antony Todd Inc.
Todd founded his New York-based company in 1995 and has designed events for the likes of Condé Nast, the New York City Ballet, Elton John, and L’Oréal. His “less is more” design philosophy translates to a clean, classic aesthetic with a global spin. In addition to designing about 30 events a year, Todd also runs a retail furniture and home accessories line.
On Twitter: @antonytodd

"The fluid silks lining the ceiling, puddles of votives above the dance floor, and water pools on the tabletops instead of flowers created a watery, underwater, ethereal setting." —Antony Todd

"We designed sheer white fabric cubes floating low over each table. This produced both an impressive vision and gave an intimacy to the enormous tent. We accented them with summery yet minimal branch projections in a blue-green shade, providing detail and a coolness to the warm evening." —Bill Heffernan

As part of AOL and T-Mobile's Signature Sounds program, indie pop band Fun took the stage at the House of Blues on June 4, performing a set that included their hit "We Are Young"—which also happens to be the highest-selling song of the year so far.

The closing concert was free for some 500 fans and open to T-Mobile V.I.P. guests who registered through Eventbrite. General-admission guests received free T-shirts with L.A.-inspired artwork from Hit & Run, Fun-branded pink popcorn as a nod to T-Mobile's magenta brand color, and access to an open bar. Meanwhile, V.I.P. guests took to the balcony area for custom screen-printed shirts, food and drink, and a meet-and-greet with the band after the concert.

A 10-foot Lite-Brite-style decor piece matched the band’s vibrant branding.

Guests could play with the pegs and change the piece's design throughout the night.

A custom neon lounge was available as seating for V.I.P. guests.

V.I.P.s picked up custom screenprinted T-shirts from Hit & Run emblazoned with neon L.A.-inspired artwork.

Fiber-optic decor pieces topped colorful tables covered with cloths from Wildflower Linen.

T-Mobile, the series and concert sponsor, set up a magenta-lit display showcasing the latest features of the new T-Mobile HTC One S smartphone including photo and video capabilities

Outside the House of Blues, Vizzi Truck served three kinds of sliders along with branded Signature Sounds water bottles.

Vine Wall displays as many as 40 Vine videos tagged with a selected hashtag. As event guests post new videos with the hashtag, the videos feed into the collage and older ones drop out.

At the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, a collection of six marigold chandeliers filled the V.I.P. tent ceiling, each standing eight feet high and made from thousands of strands of silk marigolds in the brand's recognizable yellow shade.

About 750 V.I.P. guests filled the India-inspired tent decked out in the brand's signature yellow hue.

BrownHot Events partnered with Mille Fiori Floral Design to create an eight- by 20-foot paper flower backdrop for the V.I.P. tent bar.

Each flower was hand made and comprised of custom-printed stock, crepe paper, and tissue paper.

Various sizes of flowers, from three inches to three feet in diameter, combined in a loose pattern, creating a bold pop of color to the mostly white event space.

To draw attention to its latest tortilla chip flavor, Doritos built a structure that was designed to look like a giant vending machine, dubbed the “Jacked Stage,” at South by Southwest in March. Artists including Snoop Dogg performed beneath it.

The stage at E!’s upfront in New York in April had three LED screens overhead and three curvilinear walls on the platform. The central panel, which remained in place during the presentation, later slid aside to make room for musical acts.

For the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert in June in London, producers built the stage around the Queen Victoria Memorial and employed wraparound LED screens and IMAG cameras.

A 60-foot-long, multitiered stationary float covered with glittering fabric was the central decor piece at the Recording Academy’s Grammy Celebration in Los Angeles in February. Decor elements soared to 25 feet in the air from the structure, which doubled as a two-sided projection screen and carried 30 costumed performers, dancers, and drummers.

As part of the TED Conference’s clean, on-brand stage design, producers used oversize letters that spelled TED to serve as the stage’s focal point.

The set for Marc Jacobs’ fall 2012 show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week was inspired by Puritans and Pilgrims, with decaying multilayered grottoes made of Luan plywood composing the bulk of the 80- by 60-foot structure.

The Xbox E3 media briefing in Los Angeles in June featured a 35-foot-wide projection screen flanked by five LED screens, 11 high-definition plasma TVs, and a curved floor LED screen that pushed the content into the audience.

The Levi’s fall installation in New York's Fashion Week featured a 165-foot-long runway, with two catwalks—one covered with carpet to mimic a home, and a concrete-like one to resemble city sidewalks.

Inspired by an explosion, illuminated acrylic structures expanded out from the center of the main stage at the Much Music Video Awards in Toronto in June.