What Kehoe Designs does

Kehoe Designs is a Chicago-based, privately held full-service event design and production company founded in the mid-1990s by Tom Kehoe. The company designs and produces luxury weddings, corporate events, galas, bar and bat mitzvahs, social celebrations, holiday installations, and experiential brand activations. It serves a diversified client base spanning high-net-worth individuals, enterprise corporates (Google, Bank of America, Chartwells, NFL, NBA, NASCAR, ALDI, Miller Lite), luxury hotels (Peninsula Chicago, Four Seasons, Fairmont, Waldorf Astoria), and nonprofit organizations.

The company's core capability set spans 10+ in-house disciplines — floral design, custom fabrication, furniture and drapery, art direction, graphic design, entertainment, plantscapes, technical production, hospitality design, and weekly florals — consolidated under a 256,000 sq. ft. production facility in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. This facility houses design studios, carpentry, welding, CNC routing, fabrication workshops, floral operations, and warehouse inventory, enabling single-source execution without third-party vendors. The company operates through a family of brands: Kehoe Designs (core event design), The Geraghty (a 25,000 sq. ft. owned event venue opened in 2015), BlackOak Technical Productions (standalone AV brand spun out in 2019), and Floral Exhibits (tradeshow plantscape provider acquired in 2008). Additional sub-brands include Hospitality by Kehoe and the Valedor hospitality design concept.

Kehoe Designs generates revenue predominantly through quote-based, project-driven event design and production engagements. Secondary revenue streams include venue rental at The Geraghty, recurring weekly floral contracts with hotels and corporate offices (e.g., Peninsula Chicago since 2001), hospitality design-build projects for restaurants and hotels, and a consumer-facing e-commerce floral shop with fixed-price arrangements. The go-to-market motion is direct sales with a 24-hour response contact form, supported by a portfolio website, social media presence (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok), a content blog, and active participation in hospitality industry associations including MPI, NACE, Visit Milwaukee, and the Wedding International Planners Association. The company remains founder- and family-owned with no institutional or private equity ownership evidenced.

Name

Kehoe Designs

Legal name

Kehoe Designs

Website

https://kehoedesigns.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kehoe Designs is a Chicago-based, founder-owned full-service event design and production company serving luxury weddings, corporate events, galas, brand activations, and hospitality design across 10+ in-house disciplines, operating a 256,000 sq. ft. facility and a family of brands including The Geraghty venue, BlackOak Technical Productions, and Floral Exhibits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Design and Décor Services

NAICS

Interior Design Services (54141), Custom Architectural Woodwork and Millwork Manufacturing (337212)

SIC

Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590)

akta.pro primary industry

Floral & Event Installations (HSACAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Rentals (Tents, Furniture, A/V, Decor) (HSACAAAG), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Lighting Design & Lighting Equipment Rentals (THAHAEAB), Staging, Scenic & Set Fabrication (Stages, Backdrops, Scenic Builds) (THAHAEAC)

Keywords

• Event design services
• Custom event production
• Floral design installations
• Hospitality interior design
• Experiential brand activations

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Event Design & Production Services: Full-service event design and production for weddings, corporate events, galas, bar/bat mitzvahs, social events, and holiday installations. Revenue is project-based, derived from design fees, fabrication costs, floral arrangements, technical production, and installation labor. Services are offered to individual consumers (high-net-worth individuals) and corporate/institutional clients.
2. Hospitality Interior Design & Build: Renovations, new builds, and pop-up design services for restaurants, bars, clubs, and hotels. Includes full interior design, construction management, custom fabrication, and installation. Project-based revenue from hospitality operators.
3. E-commerce Floral Shop: Direct-to-consumer sales of signature floral arrangements via the Kehoe Designs shop (kehoedesigns.com/shop/). Products include roses, orchids, and curated arrangements at fixed price points ($165-$375+). One-time purchase model.
4. Venue Rental (The Geraghty): Rental revenue from The Geraghty, a 25,000 sq. ft. event venue in Chicago available for external bookings. The venue is managed as part of the Kehoe Designs family of brands.
5. Weekly Floral Service Contracts: Recurring weekly floral installation contracts with luxury hotels (e.g., The Peninsula Chicago) and corporate offices. Ongoing account relationships requiring regular design and installation services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Kehoe Designs is a full-service event design and production house providing comprehensive in-house capabilities spanning floral design, custom fabrication, furniture, art direction, graphic design, entertainment, plantscapes, technical production, hospitality design, and weekly florals. The company serves weddings, corporate events, galas, bar/bat mitzvahs, social celebrations, holiday installations, and experiential brand activations for individual consumers, corporate clients, agencies, nonprofits, and hospitality operators. It operates from a 256,000 sq. ft. production facility in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood and runs a network of brands including The Geraghty venue, BlackOak Technical Productions, Floral Exhibits, and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce floral shop.

Product overview

Kehoe Designs is a full-service event design house offering a comprehensive portfolio of services unified under its core brand. The company operates through four main brands: Kehoe Designs (core event design), BlackOak Technical Productions (technical/audio visual), The Geraghty (event venue), and Floral Exhibits (tradeshow plantscapes). The service portfolio spans 11 in-house capabilities including Floral Design, Custom Fabrication, Furniture & Fabric, Art Direction, Graphic Design, Entertainment, Plantscapes, Technical Production, Hospitality Design, Weekly Florals, and Experiential & Brand Activation. Portfolio offerings include Weddings, Corporate Events, Galas, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, Social Events, Holiday Events, and Experiential & Brand Activation. The company also operates a retail arm (Everyday Florals Shop) and a hospitality design division (Hospitality by Kehoe) for restaurant and hotel interiors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Geraghty: A sophisticated 25,000 sq. ft. event venue named in memory of Tom Kehoe's mother, hosting weddings, corporate events, galas, and social celebrations.
• BlackOak Technical Productions
• Floral Exhibits
• Valedor

Products and services

• Luxury Wedding Design & Production Comprehensive design and production services for luxury weddings including floral arrangements, custom fabrication, furniture, lighting, technical production, and full ceremony/reception design. Serves high-net-worth individuals and families seeking one-of-a-kind wedding designs executed entirely in-house.
• Corporate Event Design & Production Full-service design and production for corporate events including annual meetings, conferences, product launches, experiential brand activations, and corporate celebrations, with hybrid and virtual event capabilities via BlackOak. Serves mid-market and enterprise companies plus agencies including Google, Bank of America, ALDI, Miller Lite, Chartwells, Physicians Realty Trust, and Monks.
• Gala Design & Production Purposefully curated gala experiences for fundraising, milestone celebrations, and mission amplification. Serves nonprofit organizations and cultural institutions including the Anti-Cruelty Society, Chicago Children's Museum, and American Heart Association.

Quantifiable outcome

• Anti-Cruelty Society gala exceeded its $250,000 fundraising goal, raising over $425,000 at an event produced by Kehoe Designs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Visit MilwaukeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKehoe Designs Director of Business Development Cyndi Roppolo Rosenberg serves as a partner with Visit Milwaukee, supporting hospitality and event industry development in the Wisconsin market.
• Wedding International Planners AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCyndi Roppolo Rosenberg serves on the Board of Directors for the Wedding International Planners Association, an industry organization for wedding and event planners.
• MPI (Meeting Professionals International) — Chicago & Wisconsin ChapterssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKehoe Designs team members are active members of MPI's Chicago and Wisconsin chapters, participating in industry events and professional development.
• NACE (National Association for Catering and Events) — Southern Wisconsin ChaptersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCyndi Roppolo Rosenberg actively contributes to the Planning Committee for NACE Southern Wisconsin Chapter, which awarded her the Dahlia Award in 2023.
• The GeraghtycoreOthersA 25,000 sq. ft. event venue opened by Tom Kehoe in 2015 in Chicago, named in memory of his mother. Part of the Kehoe Designs family of brands; available for external event bookings.
• BlackOak Technical ProductionscoreOthersA design-focused, human-friendly technical production company providing full-service AV for meetings, conferences, galas, and weddings. Launched in 2019 as a standalone brand from Kehoe Designs' technical department (established 2012).
• Floral ExhibitssupportingOthersAcquired in 2008, Floral Exhibits is described as the largest tradeshow plant rental company, providing plantscape services for tradeshows and conventions.
• BBJ (Kehoe Collection)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunch of Kehoe Collection, a designer series partnership with BBJ (a linen/textile company), in 2017.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• David Tutera: Celebrity wedding and event designer and planner producing luxury weddings and social celebrations. Comparable to Kehoe in luxury wedding design, brand-led positioning, and end-to-end production.
• Rafanelli & Associates: Boston/NYC-based luxury event design and production firm serving high-end weddings, corporate events, and social celebrations with full-service capabilities. Directly comparable to Kehoe in scale, luxury positioning, and full-service production model.
• Sterling Engagements: High-end event planning and design firm based in the DC/NY region specializing in luxury weddings and corporate events. Comparable to Kehoe for premium clientele and design-led event execution.
• Bash Events: Chicago-based event design and production firm producing weddings, corporate events, and galas at the luxury tier. Overlaps directly with Kehoe on Midwest luxury events and shared client pool including Four Seasons and other luxury hotels.
• Marigold Events: Chicago-based full-service wedding and event design firm offering floral, décor, and planning services for luxury clients. A direct Midwest competitor with overlapping floral, wedding, and event design capabilities.
• Mindy Weiss Party Consultants: Celebrity event planner and luxury event production firm serving high-net-worth weddings, Mitzvahs, and corporate clients nationally. Directly comparable to Kehoe for luxury positioning, Mitzvah segment, and end-to-end production.
• Frost Lighting: AV, lighting, and technical production company serving corporate events, galas, and weddings in the Midwest and nationally. Closest comparable to Kehoe's BlackOak technical production subsidiary.
• StarGroup: AV and technical production company specializing in lighting, sound, and staging for high-end corporate and special events nationally. Directly comparable to Kehoe's BlackOak Technical Productions arm for AV production at large-scale events.

Broad incumbents

• Rockwell Group: Large, established architecture and design firm with a hospitality interiors practice spanning restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues. Overlaps with Kehoe's Hospitality Design division at the established-interior-firm tier.
• Yabu Pushelberg: Internationally recognized design firm with a hospitality interiors practice serving luxury hotels, restaurants, and residential developments globally. Comparable to Kehoe's Hospitality Design division at the global, design-forward hospitality tier.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kehoedesigns
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kehoe-designs
• Instagraminstagram.com/kehoedesigns
• Pinterestpinterest.com/kehoedesigns
• TikToktiktok.com/@kehoedesigns
• Xx.com/kehoedesigns

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kehoe Designs