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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
painted interiors." —Todd Fiscus
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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 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.
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
American Payroll Association's Annual Congress 2015
Submitted by American Payroll Association
For the American Payroll Association’s 33rd Annual Congress, the association developed a Hunger Games-style “Payroll Games” that played off the popular franchise and appealed to the attendees from the payroll and accounts payable industry. In addition to educational workshops, speaker sessions, and an expo, the convention provided an element of hands-on learning for attendees through the “Payroll Games,” which incorporated on-theme activities such as costume contests, photo booths, and “Tribute”-like competitions. The event, which took place at the MGM Grand Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, saw a 26 percent increase in attendance over 2014, and social media activity surrounding the games reached an all-time high for the Congress.
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2014
Submitted by Microsoft and FreemanXP
For the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, Microsoft and FreemanXP created a campus-like environment through a number of experiences for the partners, exhibitors, and speakers who attended the 2014 event in Washington, D.C. To convey brand and partner objectives in an offline environment, the conference debuted areas such as Microsoft Central and the Social Hub to better connect attendees and provide hands-on opportunities. Also for the first time, the conference closed off K Street for a festive blowout featuring performances by Neon Trees and Paramore, plus local food trucks.
WeWork Summer Camp 2014
Submitted by Eventique
In August 2014, more than 1,500 WeWork employees and members converged on a children’s camp in the Adirondacks for education, networking, and old-fashioned fun. Producer Eventique devised three days of activities that would invigorate attendees, offerings that included outdoor film screenings, concerts, Bollywood-inspired dance workouts, ziplining through the forest, ropes courses, workshops on how Ayurveda can help in business and life, and various other teambuilding options. For accommodations there were glamping tents and dormitory-style cabins.
2014 Cinemax Latin America Upfront
Submitted by Experience Willow L.L.C.
To make a bold splash to celebrate its first upfront held in the United States, Cinemax Latin America launched an immersive weeklong experience in Miami to entice media buyers. The 2014 event, dubbed “One Throne One Choice,” was inspired by Game of Thrones, the network’s headlining show in the Latin American market, and comprised five “chapters” that took attendees through elaborately produced, interactive experiences. The success of the upfront led to a revenue gain of 250 percent over the previous year, as well as a 110 percent increase in new clients.
LG Art of the Pixel Gala
Submitted by Barkley Kalpak Agency
To launch its new 4K OLED televisions, LG hosted a competition among nine art schools to create digital work using the new technology. Dubbed the “Art of the Pixel,” the competition culminated with a black-tie gala at Gotham Hall in New York that served as a product reveal, award show, and press and influencer event. The student winners’ work was shown at the event via LG TVs and projection mapping that fully immersed guests inside the walls of the elliptical venue.
Luminato Festival's Big Bang Bash 2014
Submitted by Luminato Festival
The Luminato Festival’s Big Bang Bash 2014, held in June at the Hearn Generating Station, was inspired by the vibrant underground culture of Berlin throughout the decades. Dance routines took place throughout the cocktail hour, then dinner saw guests seated at a long communal table. Throughout the meal, guests were invited to interact with the tabletop decor, which included miniature foam-core versions of the Berlin Wall covered in graffiti. Large hammers were placed beside place settings, and guests were encouraged to break down the prop walls.
Smithsonian Gem Collectors Dinner
Submitted by National Museum of Natural History
Last year’s Smithsonian Gem Collectors semiannual meeting, held at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., had an “All Things James Smithson” theme in honor of Smithsonian namesake James Smithson. The centerpiece dinner of the two-day event included authentic period-appropriate details such as a 19th-century-style tavern, which was created on the museum’s balcony, as well as a menu inspired by Smithson’s favorite recipes.
Freightliner Inspiration Truck Unveiling
Submitted by OSK Marketing & Communications
In Las Vegas in May, Freightliner pulled off a dramatic product launch for its Inspiration Truck—the first self-driving semitruck licensed to drive on public roads—that earned it a Guinness World Record for the highest light output projection. Using the historic Hoover Dam as a massive projection screen, the truck producer displayed a presentation of video and imagery that told the story of the brand and its milestones. Guests—media, investors, and customers—later got to experience workshops and test rides.
Pre-Wedding Roast
Submitted by Eventsful Inc.
Grasmere Farm’s barn in Rhinebeck, New York, provided the scenic backdrop for the outdoor fall barbecue where friends and family paid tribute to the bride and groom. The food stations highlighted the “roast” theme, including barbecue racks of lamb, fresh-baked bread in fire ovens, spit-roasted ducklings, and harvest vegetables. Following dinner, the guests were escorted into the barn’s interior for a late-night comedy “roast” of the couple.
IBM InterConnect Expo 2015
Submitted by George P. Johnson Experience Marketing
To encourage engagement among the 20,000 attendees at the IBM InterConnect Expo 2015, the trade show floor was built with an “inside out” layout in mind. The floor plan of the expo in Las Vegas consisted of different “neighborhoods” that radiated out from a central IBM Cloud Experience, where attendees were able to get hands-on with products and technology in a unique way. The resulting feedback showed that many attendees considered the experiential environment of the trade show a highlight of the conference.
Target’s “The Daring Truth of Design” Dinner at TED2015
Submitted by Deutsch
As part of its TED2015 sponsorship, Target invited V.I.P. conference guests to an intimate dinner, bringing together creative leaders and innovators in the fields of technology, entertainment, and design. Late celebrity chef Homaro Cantu of Moto Restaurant in Chicago designed the menu of molecular gastronomy, along with the Four Seasons Vancouver. Each course included a “daring twist,” such as edible packing peanuts, “cigar” sandwiches, and carbonated fruit, all designed to match the conference’s truth-and-dare theme.
2015 Philadelphia Flower Show's Entrance Garden
Submitted by GMR Design
To replicate the glitz and glam of a movie premiere, a red carpet lead flower show guests through an Art Deco-inspired theater façade. The entrance garden featured towering juniper columns, 25-foot palm trees, and chandeliers decorated with blossoms, moss, jewels, and fabric; a 29-foot-high marquee of 10,000 dried flowers and more than 200 lights was the main attraction. Along with a giant movie screen, a moving sculpture of a deconstructed film projector whirled in the garden.
San Francisco Symphony's Opening Night Gala
Submitted by Blueprint Studios
The opening night gala featured several distinct settings—a welcome reception, two sit-down dinner areas, and an outdoor after-party space. Inside, shades of violet, fuchsia, plum, and rose complemented the inherent beauty of Symphony Hall, while hothouse orchids, ruddy roses, and mums brightened up the tabletops. Outside, strings of crimson bulbs matched the bright pink stools and other seating; boxy topiaries helped define the space.
2014 Cinemax Latin America Upfront
Submitted by Experience Willow L.L.C.
In 2014-2015, Cinemax officially launched throughout Latin America. To celebrate and create buzz for the new network—headlined by Game of Thrones—Cinemax created a live weeklong immersive experience at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami. For the entertainment, executive producer Experience Willow used a cast of more than 60 actors to help set the scene. The on-theme medieval characters included soldiers as greeters, a pipe and drum troupe, royal servants, jugglers, sword swallowers, and a court jester.
New York Festival of Light 2014
Submitted by New York Festival of Light
The first-ever New York Festival of Light, which took place in Dumbo, Brooklyn, in November 2014, brought together artists from around the globe who use light as a medium, allowing them to showcase their works and the power of light. Organized by Ira Levy of Levy Lighting and Liam O’Braoin, the nighttime spectacle featured small- and large-scale installations and projections, along with various DJs spinning tunes under the Manhattan Bridge.
Amusement Park-Theme Bar Mitzvah
Submitted by Penncora Productions Inc.
Inspired by a teen’s love of amusement parks, the ceiling in the main dining room of the bar mitzvah featured trussing designed to resemble roller coaster tracks. Petah Bashano Floral Design adorned the tracks with elaborate all-white floral cascades. Orbs with glowing tea light candles accented the dangling arrangements, offering an elegant interpretation of an amusement park theme.
'Alice in Wonderland'-Theme Summer Party
Submitted by RedBliss Design
For an annual summer party at a private residence in New Hampshire, guests received an oversize key, which was made of a material called Chroma and featured laser-cut characters from Alice in Wonderland. The invitation was mailed in a grass-lined box to mimic the woodland scenes in the movie and offered attendees a hint as to the theme of the party.
Target's 2015 Grammys Live Commercial
Submitted by Deutsch
At this year’s Grammy awards, Target staged a four-minute live commercial that featured a performance by Imagine Dragons and ran uninterrupted during the broadcast. The band performed surrounded by 250 real fans in its hometown of Las Vegas on a circular stage that mimicked the retailer’s bull’s-eye logo. Surrounding the 360-degree platform was a 2,500-square-foot LED wall that projected 3-D graphics of the band choreographed to the music.
Time Warner Cable's EncuentroSTEM
Submitted by Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable teamed up with Ovation TV for a multimedia campaign focused on bringing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education to low-income, heavily Latino areas of Los Angeles. The result was a live workshop where students could learn what goes on behind the scenes of the theater, through lighting, set, and sound design demonstrations. The program was also available as a webcast and as an after-school theater program.
Square Enix at E3 2014
Submitted by Kenwood Experiences
For E3 2014 in Los Angeles, video game developer Square Enix tapped Kenwood Experiences to help present its multiple franchises in one 11,000-square-foot exhibit. The result was several theaters, one with a 32-foot LED screen; 40 game-play kiosks; an ongoing role-playing game tournament; 12 meeting rooms; and, of course, company branding throughout. More than 48,000 attendees visited the booth over the course of the convention.
Merrell's “TrailScape” at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival
Submitted by MKG
Guests at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival took a virtual hike through the Italian Dolomites mountain range as part of Merrell’s “TrailScape” activation to promote a new hiking boot. The company created an Oculus Rift experience that gave guests the impression of being transported to a mountain base camp, walking across a rope bridge, escaping a landslide, and then climbing to the summit. Unlike most Oculus Rift experiences that require participants to be in a fixed position, this one allowed them to walk around.
Evian Bottle Service Campaign
Submitted by Team Epiphany
In New York in late August, Evian and Team Epiphany created a “bottle service” personal water delivery system—powered by Twitter. People in the delivery zones could tweet @EvianWater using the hashtag #EvianBottleService to request a free cold bottle of water, which was delivered by brand ambassadors on branded bicycles within minutes. To tie the program to the brand’s U.S. Open sponsorship, Evian ambassador and tennis star Maria Sharapova delivered bottle service and tickets to the tennis championship to one lucky fan. The social campaign helped drive a 5.2 percent increase in the brand’s New York sales and generated substantial social buzz.
Freightliner Inspiration Truck Unveiling
Submitted by OSK Marketing & Communications
At Freightliner’s Inspiration Truck launch in Las Vegas, the company turned the Hoover Dam into a massive projection screen, using 60 projectors and 1.17 lumens—the highest light output projection ever recorded. The dam became a screen the size of nine football fields, displaying a presentation of video and imagery that told the story of the brand and its milestones.
AltaSea Preview
Submitted by Megavision Arts
AltaSea—a project that will transform the Port of Los Angeles’s public waterfront into a marine research campus—created an immersive multimedia display to introduce the concept to the local community. A multiscreen 360-degree video showed viewers the history of the port, while additional imagery was played in synchronization on 31 screens made of tension fabric. Images of sea life were also projected onto the floor and ceiling.
Target's 2015 Grammys Live Commercial
Submitted by Deutsch
At this year’s Grammy awards, Target staged a four-minute live commercial that featured a performance by Imagine Dragons and ran uninterrupted during the broadcast. The band performed in its hometown of Las Vegas surrounded by 250 real fans and 21 cameras were used to capture the live performance, which resulted in more than 1.37 billion impressions.
Catchbox Pro
Submitted by Catchbox
Catchbox is a wireless microphone to pass—or even throw—among speakers or audience members. The device consists of a microphone capsule secured with a magnet inside a soft cube. Catchbox communicates with an included receiver that can be connected to any sound system. To avoid unwanted noises, internal sensors turn the audio off when the cube is in motion. The outer cover of the microphone can be customized with specific colors or prints.
Thompson Miami Beach
The luxury beachfront hotel Thompson Miami Beach opened in November 2014. The 380-room hotel has 47,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. A unique space is the 1930s House, a 2,700-square-foot cottage in the property's backyard that serves light bites and cocktails inside and in a garden. Another highlight is chef Michelle Bernstein's Seagrape restaurant.
Social at the W San Francisco
In September 2014, W San Francisco unveiled a new 2,467-square-foot event space called Social. The 200-seat venue, designed by Skylab Architecture, has skylights, contemporary radial lighting fixtures, and a color scheme inspired by the Bay Area’s distinctive fog. A terrace overlooks SoMa fixtures like the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.
Flight Deck at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York is home to the space shuttle Enterprise, the world’s fastest jet, a Cold War-era submarine, and the Intrepid aircraft carrier. The flight deck houses the majority of the aircraft collection and offers sweeping views of the Hudson River and the New York City and New Jersey skylines. Events on the flight deck can gain access to the museum’s collections.
Vibiana
Originally built in 1876 as a Catholic cathedral, Vibiana reopened in 2005 as a wedding, event, and performing arts venue in downtown Los Angeles. The space consists of a main hall and a garden courtyard and holds as many as 800 guests. In-house catering is provided by chef Neal Fraser, and custom rental equipment as well as a lighting and sound system are available.
