A Gala Affair - Event Design, Decorating, & Floral

What A Gala Affair - Event Design, Decorating, & Floral does

A Gala Affair is a privately held, founder-owned boutique event design, decorating, and floral services company based in Stonington, Connecticut, operating since 2014 under owner Deborah Dempsey. The firm provides full-service event planning, design, decoration, and floral production for weddings, corporate events, bar/bat mitzvahs, and destination events across New England and Pennsylvania, with a network of preferred regional venues (Jonathan Edwards Winery, Mystic Yachting Center, Anthony's Oceanview, Lord Thompson Manor, Branford House) acting as a primary B2B2C distribution channel.

The core service offering is custom-designed event production with itemized pricing menus: full-service custom packages start at $7,500, with individually priced personal flowers ($15-$250), ceremony florals ($35-$700), and reception décor ($75-$300). Supplementary revenue comes from a seasonal Wine & Wreath Making Workshop at Jonathan Edwards Winery sold via Eventbrite at $95 per ticket. The firm does not operate a proprietary technology platform; the operating model is manual design and vendor coordination by the founder supported by a network of external vendors, with digital lead flow sourced from WeddingWire and The Knot marketplace listings.

The customer base is composed primarily of wedding couples and families plus occasional corporate clients (e.g., Paychex team-building, Mystic Aquarium Ocean Commotion gala, Williams School 125th Gala, NASDA Annual Meeting), with each engagement structured as a one-time custom package. There is no disclosed revenue, no institutional funding, and no M&A activity; the business operates as an independent sole proprietorship with a 1-10 person effective headcount that includes the founder and an on-demand vendor network.

Name

A Gala Affair - Event Design, Decorating, & Floral

Legal name

A Gala Affair

Website

https://agalaaffair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

A Gala Affair is a privately held, founder-owned boutique event design, decorating, and floral services firm in Stonington, Connecticut, providing full-service weddings, corporate events, bar/bat mitzvahs, and destination events across New England and Pennsylvania through custom packages starting at $7,500.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Design and Wedding Services

NAICS

Florists (4593)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Ceremony & Aisle Decor (Arches, Chuppahs, Mandaps) (HSACAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Gala Dinners & Fundraising Events (Nonprofit/CSR) (MPAGAHAE)

Keywords

• Wedding event design
• Floral arrangements
• Event decorating
• Corporate event planning
• Destination wedding design

Headquarters

HQ city

Stonington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Full-service event design and decoration: Custom-designed and created events with itemized pricing menus. Clients select from available services and elements to build a custom package. The company provides full planning, design, floral arrangements, draping, lighting, custom furniture, linens, and rental coordination. Pricing is determined by selections, time required for set-up and clean-up, and event complexity.
2. Floral arrangements and personal flowers: A significant revenue stream includes personal flowers (bridal bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages), ceremony flowers, and reception centerpieces. Flowers are sourced from local and worldwide growers. Pricing varies by type, quantity, and seasonal availability.
3. Workshops (Wine & Wreath Making): Periodic workshop events at partner venues such as Jonathan Edwards Winery. Ticket-based revenue at $95 per person for wreath-making workshops including wine and light bites. Generates supplementary revenue and brand awareness.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

A Gala Affair provides custom-designed full-service event planning, design, decorating, and floral services for weddings, corporate events, bar/bat mitzvahs, and destination events across New England and Pennsylvania. Each event is built from an itemized pricing menu covering personal flowers, ceremony flowers, reception decor, draping, lighting, custom furniture, linens, and rental coordination, with custom packages starting at $7,500. The company also operates seasonal Wine & Wreath Making Workshops as a community-based supplementary offering.

Product overview

A Gala Affair is a full-service event planning and design company offering comprehensive wedding and event services. The core offering includes full wedding planning and design services, corporate events, destination events, bar/bat mitzvahs, and the proprietary Mystic's Amazing Race team building program. The company provides complete event design, decorating, and floral services with a network of top event vendors. Services are offered as custom packages starting at $7,500, with additional à la carte options for personal flowers, ceremony florals, reception decor, workshops, draping, lighting, and custom fabric designs. The company also offers a Wine & Wreath Making Workshop as a seasonal add-on service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wedding Planning and Design Services

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jonathan Edwards WinerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJonathan Edwards Winery in North Stonington, CT serves as a recurring venue for A Gala Affair's events and workshops. The winery hosts the annual NASDA Annual Meeting decorated by A Gala Affair, as well as wine and wreath-making workshops led by Deborah Dempsey. The partnership involves reciprocal marketing — A Gala Affair promotes the winery as a preferred event venue while the winery promotes A Gala Affair's workshop events. Custom arbor installations and wedding decorations have been created for weddings at this venue.
• Mystic Yachting CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMystic Yachting Center is a preferred venue for A Gala Affair. The company has designed and decorated multiple weddings and events at this venue including rehearsal dinners, ceremonies, and full wedding receptions. Ocean Blue Catering is a frequent partner at this venue. A Gala Affair is listed as a preferred vendor at the venue.
• Ocean Blue CateringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOcean Blue Catering frequently works alongside A Gala Affair at Mystic Yachting Center, Mystic Aquarium events, and other venues. The companies have a working relationship at multiple events where A Gala Affair handles décor and floral while Ocean Blue provides catering.
• PEAK Event RentalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPEAK Event Rentals provided gorgeous rentals for the Mystic Aquarium's Ocean Commotion Mid Summer Night gala. A Gala Affair coordinates rental equipment for events through this vendor.
• International Special Events Society (ISES)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Gala Affair is a proud supporter of ISES (International Special Event Society), now known as ILEA (International Live Events Association). This membership provides industry networking, education, and credibility. Deborah Dempsey is a supporter of the professional organization.
• Anthony's OceanviewcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnthony's Oceanview is a preferred venue partner where A Gala Affair has provided full wedding design and floral services for multiple events including Andrea & Adam's wedding photographed by Jessica Roberts Photography.
• A Thyme to CookminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Thyme to Cook is a catering partner that has worked with A Gala Affair at multiple events including Lake of Isles Wedding and Groton Long Point Wedding, as well as the Branford House Wedding.
• Power Posse ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPower Posse Productions provided A/V and amazing lighting for the Mystic Aquarium's Ocean Commotion Mid Summer Night event where A Gala Affair handled all décor and design.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Rafanelli Events: Boston-based luxury wedding and event design firm with deep New England venue relationships. Comparable premium positioning, similar end-to-end design/floral model, and overlapping Connecticut/Rhode Island venue footprint.
• A Perfect Event: New England-based event planning firm offering weddings, corporate events, and design services. Comparable regional boutique model with overlapping CT/MA geography and event types.
• True Event: Boutique wedding and event design firm based in Connecticut/New England offering full-service planning, design, and florals. Directly comparable regional competitor targeting the same premium wedding couple and corporate segments.
• Colin Cowie: National celebrity event designer and planner covering weddings, galas, and corporate events. Comparable premium positioning and end-to-end design/floral/production model, though operating at a national scale.
• Stefanie Cove Events: Full-service event design and production firm focused on luxury weddings and private celebrations. Comparable for design-led weddings with custom decor and floral, similar premium service offering.
• Marcy Blum Associates: New York City luxury wedding and event planner with full-service design and floral capabilities. Comparable high-end positioning and full-design service model for high-budget weddings and milestone celebrations.
• David Stark Design: Event production and design studio specializing in custom decor, floral, and environmental design for weddings, galas, and corporate events. Directly comparable for design-led, custom-built event experiences.
• Lisa Vorce Event Design: Luxury wedding event design firm offering full planning, custom decor, and floral design for high-budget weddings. Directly comparable in service mix and premium positioning for affluent couples.

Broad incumbents

• The Knot Worldwide: Dominant U.S. wedding marketplace and content platform connecting couples with vendors including planners, florists, and designers. Comparable in that A Gala Affair sells through The Knot marketplace, but The Knot operates as a venue for the broader industry.
• FTD: National floral marketplace and delivery network. While A Gala Affair sources flowers through growers, FTD represents the broader floral and gift-delivery incumbent ecosystem against which boutique floral/event design firms differentiate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/agalaaffair
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/deborah-dempsey-08466ba
• Instagraminstagram.com/agalaaffair_events

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 A Gala Affair - Event Design, Decorating, & Floral