Design A Dream

What Design A Dream does

Design A Dream Events is a privately held, founder-owned wedding and event planning firm headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, operating globally for destination events. Founded in 2012 by Jana Ingraham — who began assisting with weddings in 2008 — the business delivers custom, faith-based event design and coordination services to couples, corporate clients, nonprofit organizations, and individuals planning surprise proposals. The firm runs on a professional-services revenue model with five distinct service lines: Full Service Planning (starting at $7,000), Design & Planning Service (starting at $5,000), Corporate + Charity Events, Proposal Planning, and Specialty + Decor Rentals, each priced via direct consultation and custom proposal. Delivery is human-led by a six-person team including the founder and an Associate Lead Planner who has personally coordinated 250+ weddings across nine years.

The company does not operate proprietary technology platforms; its digital surface consists of a Wix-hosted website, standard social channels (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube), and an online client portal for communication and file management. Marketing is driven by content (wedding blog features, highlight videos), platform listings on industry directories (WeddingWire, The Knot, Elegant Wedding Blog, Bridal Guide, Carats & Cake, WeddingRule, Loverly), and word-of-mouth referrals. A sister company, Studio 44 Design Co., extends the founder's brand into residential and commercial interior design, creating a referral pathway for clients needing both event and property design services under shared ownership.

The go-to-market motion is direct sales: prospective clients reach the firm via website inquiry, email, or phone, after which the team conducts consultations and issues custom proposals. The firm claims 100% client satisfaction and positions itself as a high-touch boutique operation rather than a scaled agency. No outside investors, funding rounds, M&A activity, or public-market exposure are disclosed. Revenue figures are not publicly reported.

Name

Design A Dream

Legal name

Design A Dream Events

Website

https://designadreamevents.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Design A Dream Events is a privately held, boutique wedding and event planning firm based in Wilmington, NC, serving couples, corporate clients, and nonprofits with full-service planning (from $7K), design services, and decor rentals through a six-person founder-led team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Planning Services

NAICS

Other Specialized Design Services (54149), Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wedding Design, Decor & Floral Planning (HSACABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Engagement & Proposal Planning (HSACABAJ), Event Design, Decor & Styling (HSACAAAB), Event Theming, Mood Boards & Concept Design (HSACAOAH), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Wedding planning services
• Event design coordination
• Corporate event planning
• Proposal planning services
• Specialty decor rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Full Service Wedding Planning: Comprehensive wedding planning service from engagement to wedding day including vendor management, design, logistics, budget management, rehearsal coordination, and day-of coordination. Starting at $7,000.
2. Design & Planning Service: Partial planning service for couples who need assistance with design elements, florals, and rentals. Includes 3 physical meetings and vendor coordination. Starting at $5,000.
3. Corporate & Charity Events: Event planning services for corporate and charity organizations including design, networking, logistics, and coordination. Pricing determined per project.
4. Proposal Planning: Specialized service for planning and documenting surprise proposals. Custom pricing based on requirements.
5. Specialty Decor Rentals: Selection of specialty and decor rentals available for events. Contact for inventory list and pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Design A Dream Events is a wedding and event planning firm that delivers end-to-end planning, design, and coordination services for couples, corporate and charity organizations, and individuals planning marriage proposals. The firm manages vendor booking, design, budgeting, timelines, rehearsals, day-of coordination, and full setup/breakdown, complemented by a specialty decor rental inventory. A sister company, Studio 44 Design Co., extends the offering into interior design for residential and commercial properties.

Product overview

Design A Dream Events is a full-service wedding and event planning firm offering a portfolio of distinct service tiers. The core offerings include Full Service Planning (starting at $7,000), providing comprehensive end-to-end planning from engagement to wedding day with unlimited communication, vendor management, design expertise, and day-of coordination; Design Service & Planning (starting at $5,000), a partial planning option focused on design elements for couples who manage vendors independently; Corporate + Charity Events for business and nonprofit functions; and Proposal Planning for marriage proposals. The company also offers a specialty decor rental selection. A sister company, Studio 44 Design Co., handles broader interior design services for residential and commercial properties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full Service Planning Comprehensive wedding and event planning service providing end-to-end assistance from engagement to wedding day, including vendor booking, design expertise, budget management, contract review, timeline creation, rehearsal coordination, day-of coordination, and setup/breakdown. Priced starting at $7,000.
• Design Service & Planning Partial planning service focused on design elements, including assistance with florist and rental bookings, preferred vendor list, and in-person design meetings for couples who handle vendor communication but need design guidance. Includes 3 physical meetings and is priced starting at $5,000.
• Corporate + Charity Events Event planning and coordination services for corporate and charity events, including design, networking, logistics, and coordination assistance. Pricing is determined per project on a quote basis.
• Proposal Planning Specialized service for planning and executing marriage proposals, including documentation and capture of the proposal moment. Pricing is custom based on requirements.
• Specialty + Decor Rentals Selection of specialty and decor items available for rental to clients, with inventory regularly updated. Pricing available on contact with the company.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% satisfaction rate
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Studio 44 Design Co.coreOthersSister company providing interior design services including vacation rentals, venues, home design, new builds, renovations, offices, retail stores, and all commercial and residential real estate. Referrals between Design A Dream Events and Studio 44 Design Co. for clients needing both wedding and interior design services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LFB Events (Lisa Fayne): Luxury wedding planning and design firm offering full-service planning, design, and styling to high-end couples. Comparable in boutique positioning, premium pricing, and full-service scope, with greater brand visibility nationally.
• Bella Event Design: Full-service wedding and event planning firm offering design, florals, and day-of coordination for mid-to-upper market couples. Closely aligned in service portfolio, pricing tier, and founder-led boutique positioning.
• Overland Events: Boutique wedding planning studio offering full-service planning and design to an upscale clientele. Directly comparable in boutique service model, premium pricing, and design-led approach to events.
• Rafanelli Events: Boutique event planning and design firm producing weddings and private celebrations. Comparable service mix (planning + design + florals), mid-to-high-end client base, and founder-led boutique model — though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Easton Events: High-end boutique wedding and event planning firm serving an affluent client base with full-service design and coordination. Directly comparable to Design A Dream in service tier, customer profile, and delivery model, though operating at a larger national scale.
• Stefanie Cove & Co. Luxury wedding planning and event design firm serving high-net-worth clients with full-service planning, design, and production. Comparable in premium boutique positioning, design-forward delivery, and end-to-end service scope.

Broad incumbents

• Zola: End-to-end wedding platform combining planning tools, vendor marketplace, registry, and website services. Comparable in serving the same engaged couple audience but as a technology platform with planning workflows rather than a hands-on design service.
• The Knot Worldwide: Large-scale wedding planning platform offering vendor marketplaces, planning tools, websites, and registry services. Comparable in serving the same wedding customer segment but at vastly different scale and as a platform rather than a boutique service provider.

Emerging players

• Aisle Planner: Software platform providing planning, design, and collaboration tools to wedding planners and event professionals. Comparable in serving the wedding planning workflow but as enabling technology rather than a competing service business.

Regional players

• Blue Ridge Bride: Regional wedding planning resource and vendor community serving the Blue Ridge/Southeast US market. Comparable in boutique wedding planning focus and Southeast US market overlap, though positioned more as a planning resource than a design firm.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/designadream
• Facebookfacebook.com/designadreamevents
• Instagraminstagram.com/designadreamevents
• Pinterestpinterest.com/designadream
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/design-a-dream

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Design A Dream