Event Strategy, Design, Planning & Production
Event Strategy, Design, Planning & Production
BASED IN WASHINGTON DC & the berkshires
We are a full service event planning, design and management company, producing highly creative and impactful corporate, non profit and social events in the Washington DC metropolitan area and beyond.
We also now offer event program strategy, coaching and advisory services to our corporate and nonprofit clients.
about
About Atelier Events
Atelier Events works with corporate, non profit and social clients on a variety of events including multi day meetings and educational forums, innovation showcases, executive gatherings and networking receptions, donor recognition and engagement events, fundraising events, curated destination experiences, and milestone social gatherings.
We are an “atelier” of talented event creatives and producers, immersive storytellers and experience designers. We are client centered, engagement focused and impact driven.
Our corporate and non profit clients consider us a critical extension of their in house teams, relying on us to design, plan and execute elevated experiences that align with their brand, mission, desired impact and budget.
Our social clients treasure our ability to create uniquely elevated and deeply meaningful experiences that honor their vision and the moment being celebrated.
In addition to designing and producing events, we also now offer coaching and advisory services to our corporate and non profit clients to help build or strengthen institutional event capacity and outcomes.
Our Values & Approach
wondering what makes us different?
Listen with intention. Innovate to create. Deliver for impact.
We listen carefully, engaging closely with our clients and their stakeholders to translate objectives into a cohesive and compelling event vision. We innovate in the design space, creating elevated experiences that excite the senses while simultaneously reducing event waste and engaging with communities in need. We are collaborative by nature, placing our clients, their stories, their vision and their objectives at the center of our work; partnering with tremendously talented event partners to bring beautiful, flawlessly executed and impactful event experiences to life.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN, INNOVATION IN ACTION
An elevated aesthetic paired with environmentally responsible design.
We are proud innovators in the event sustainability space. Strategic, intentional, creative. We dream up design elements that fit the thematic vision for an event, align with a client’s brand or interests and are guaranteed a second life after the event.
Our award winning design for a client working to support girls' education in Nepal included a striking overhead installation of umbrellas (umbrellas are ubiquitous in Nepal due to the annual monsoon season), all of which were in turn donated to local shelters following the event.
CORPORATE & NONPROFIT
Corporate and non profit event strategy & experiences
Events play a critical role in building and enhancing brand awareness, supporting mission and goals, and ensuring long term engagement and impact.
Your event strategy may need an upgrade. In addition to producing innovative, impactful events in collaboration with our clients, we also provide coaching and advisory services to help build internal organizational event capacity and the likelihood of success. Our goal is to give corporate teams and non profit professionals the tools they need to build actionable event strategies, promote brand and mission through engaging and impactful events, and support long-term engagement and impact.
Let us help you build a winning event foundation; elevate event design to next level experiences; innovate event marketing and promotion to amplify brand, mission and desired outcomes; crush event execution for resounding success; and target event follow up to ensure sustained engagement and lasting impact.
AE drives success through a relentless commitment to trust and transparency, design innovation and strategy in motion.
"For the opening of our North American Visitor Center in Washington, DC, Deborah and her team transformed a bland, less than desirable rooftop space into an upscale and elegant setting. With imagination and clever staging they created a tailor made event space far beyond what we thought was possible.
Atelier Events puts its customers first and it really shows."
CORPORATE | International AerOspace & Defense Client
Services & Investment
We provide comprehensive services over the full lifecycle of the event process, from visioning, planning and design to on site management to post event followup.
We help position events as the face of your brand, organization or mission; as an engagement strategy for new and existing audiences, stakeholders and participants; and as a powerful marketing tool to amplify your brand and messaging.
Pricing varies depending on the nature of services and/or type of events.
EVENT DESIGN, PLANNING & PRODUCTION
EVENT PROGRAM STRATEGY
CORPOORATE, NON PROFIT & SOCIAL
our core team
LEADERSHIP & team
Inside the Atelier
principal & chief creative officer
Deborah Lesser
Some unexpected twists during an earlier career in the public and non profit sectors led to the world of events. I’ve since built an events focused business centered on integrity, transparency, innovation and elevated design. Honed a keen eye for aesthetics; designed innovative approaches to incorporating mission and brand into experiential engagement and impact; integrated sustainability into the fabric of event design, and developed tools to ensure consistent excellence in client engagement and event execution.
AE is an ever evolving atelier/workshop, combining the talents of in house associates focused on design, planning and logistics, client engagement and the guest experience along with a deep bench of outside creative and production partners.
And now, after twenty + years creating and producing primarily social events, AE has transitioned almost exclusively to the corporate and non profit space with a growing portfolio of clients. Full circle back to the world of ideas and innovation, policy in motion, ideas that transform, experiences that bring those ideas outside the bubble of creation. It is an honor to work beside those who are pushing the envelope in so many different sectors – security, defense and aerospace; technology and communication; international human rights; food recovery and food security; health and medicine; education and the environment; historic preservation and the cultural arts. The journey continues!
The journey has been full of growth; this new path exciting, transformative and deeply meaningful.
Our long time associates Debbi Levine and Jill Konopaske have "retired" but their creativity, expertise, spirited energy and deep commitment to our clients were fundamental to AE's growth and past success.
TEAM
Ellen Cutler
Ellen is our on site lead for catering and rentals. Her deep background in high end catering and event rentals gives her the insight and confidence to ensure that every event setup goes smoothly and every detail is styled to perfection. She keeps a watchful eye on operations and is incredibly skilled at problem-solving without missing a beat.
Vanja Amodeo
Vanja is our on site lead for client and guest experience. Gracious, welcoming and innately attuned to how both our client hosts and guests are experiencing an event, she is adept at bringing even the smallest detail immediately to our and our vendors' attention. Her smile is contagious, her presence and attentiveness deeply appreciated by all.
With gratitude to our amazing vendor partners
Branding & Print
Artisan 2
Designers Fine Press
Emily Baird
Fingers in Ink
Lettering by Lynne
Little Black Dress Paperie
L2 DESIGN STUDIO
Mitzvah Logos
Social Supply Design
Rentals / Tenting
AFR
BBJ LA TAVOLA
DC RENTAL
Lola Valentina
Maison de Carine
Party Rental
POSH & LUXE
Select
Something Vintage
SUGARPLUM
Table Manners
Vintage to Modern
WHITE GLOVE RENTALS
Floral & Decor
Blue Vanda
Company Flowers
DaVinci
Edge
Festive Effects
Helen Olivia
NICOLE LISSENDEN
Paper (flowers) by Anna K
Randy Watts
She Loves Me
Victoria Clausen
Lighting & Production
ATMOSPHERE
Frost
John Farr
POTOMAC SOUND
SMASH CREATIVE
Social Supply Design
Music & Entertainment
Airbrush Unlimited
A Squad
Bialeks
Blue House Productions
CALEB NEI/SWEET SOMETHING JAZZ
Chris Grasso Music
District Strings
Electric Events
Everything Entertainment
Pelonkey
PHOTO IN A BOX
TAPSNAP
SAGE STRING QUARTET & JAZZ
Washington Talent
Catering
Airlie
Capital One Hall
Charles Levine
The Dupont Circle
Equinox
get plated
Lansdowne
Metro Bis
Mindy’s
Occasions
Pampa’s Fox
Spilled Milk
SUSAN GAGE
Food Trucks
CAPTAIN COOKIE
Surfside
TIMBER PIZZA
Swizzler
Cakes
Blue Lace Cakes
Buttercream Bakeshop
LIBERTY BAKING CO
SIFThouse
Sweets & Treats
Alexandria Cake Pop Company
America’s Favorite Popcorn
Buttercream Bakeshop
Call Your Mother
Casa Rosada Gelato
District Doughnut
Dolcezza Gelato
Happy Tart
Hey Sugar Rex
Holy Ganache
Fluffness
Laduree
Mrs. Macarons
The Pretzel Company
Sofie K Bakes
Sugar Pixie Sweets
Tiny Tudor Cookies
Zola Bakes
PORTFOLIO HIGHLIGHTS
Corporate & Non Profit
INTERNATIONAL AEROSPACE & DEFENSE -
NORTH AMERICAN INNOVATION CENTER OPENING RECEPTION
PHOTO CREDITS: jENIFER MORRIS
INTERNATIONAL AEROSPACE & DEFENSE -
WASHINGTON DC VISITOR CENTER OPENING RECEPTION
PHOTO CREDITS: JENIFER MORRIS
20TH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE
(hybrid live & virtual)
PHOTO CREDITS: LLOYD WOLF
building a Community Playroom
Photo credits: Joshua Barry
international policy & advocacy non-profit -
10th anniversary celebration
photo credits: Jerry frishman &
atelier events
GRATITUDE
SOCIAL | MILESTONE EVENT
"You are a master at what you do, and clearly skilled at bringing so many moving parts together in a seamless orchestrated event. Thank you; we couldn't have been happier!"
NONPROFIT | DONOR ENGAGEMENT EVENT
"Atelier Events superbly orchestrated a Texas-themed event at Gensler architecture's Washington D.C. headquarters, helping to spread awareness for the ongoing redevelopment project of the Alamo in San Antonio."
Their attention to detail and seamless execution were instrumental to the success of the event. Atelier Events is highly recommended for their creativity and skill in bringing such meaningful themes to life.
CORPORATE | VISITOR CENTER OPENING
"Having peace of mind while working on a big event means more than words can express."
Working with Deborah was an absolute pleasure. From our first meeting Deborah understood and helped to enhance our vision. Deborah and her team are very responsive, good at working with client budgets and very flexible in supporting client needs, addressing even last minute requests with grace and composure.
SOCIAL | MILESTONE EVENT
"Words fall short of the results this team produced. Five stars!"
What can I say about a team that made a milestone life event into an absolutely beautiful and awesome memory? Words fall short of the results this team produced. Gave the particulars and they took care of the details. Wonderful communication, wonderful results. Highly recommend. Five stars (six if I could give that many)!
WONDERING WHAT THE ATELIER EVENTS PROCESS IS LIKE?
Bringing you a custom approach, just like our highly curated event designs.
to start
Call or email us to start the conversation and learn what we do and how we can help you.
to follow
We’ll deliver a beautiful, highly engaging event you and your guests will treasure forever and for our non profit/corporate clients, help meet or exceed fundraising or other goals. We close out each event with client reporting and feedback and plan forward as appropriate.
to finish
We'll prepare a custom quote and draft letter of agreement for review and discussion, then go to contract and begin work on your event or event strategy. Our process begins with Discovery; proceeds to Design and Planning or strategy roadmap consultation; moves on to Logistics or implementation guidance; and culminates in On Site Management or recommendations for ongoing success.
We’re proud of our work and excited to begin the journey with you!
© Atelier Events 2022 – 2026 | All rights reserved | Legal | Video Credit | Template by TONIC | Site Credit by STUDIO STEFAN
PORTFOLIO HIGHLIGHTS
Social
GALLERY CELEBRATION
PHOTO CREDITS: CYNDI LEE
WEDDING WELCOME DINNER
PHOTO CREDITS: RODNEY BAILEY
WINTER ONEDERLAND FIRST BIRTHDAY
PHOTO CREDITS: ATELIER EVENTS
Wedding Welcome family Brunch
Photo credits: Matthew Ha
Tropical Elegance 50th birthday
Photo credits: Ian Sitek
FIRST BIRTHDAY celebration
PHOTO CREDITS: TONYA TERAN