Andrew Ginsberg at D.C. Rental and florist Suzanne Codi decorated the tables with sheer orange Indian fabric with hot-pink appliqués. While some planners have used budget-busting drapes to warm up the hall’s long marble walls, Frost Lighting kept costs low by washing the walls with alternating pools of orange and pink light. “There’s not a lot of money spent on this event as opposed to other galas,” Peachey said. Her tricks? “Color, number one, and go for festive. You can’t do that for every event, but this is the right decor for Alvin Ailey. It fits what they’re about.”
Another challenge: The South Gallery hall is open to the public before and during the gala, so vendors were forced to keep their setups compact; tables were dressed in a nearby room, then quickly moved into place during the performance that took place earlier in the evening.




