THE VISION EXPERIENCE
When we think about the experiences that make up our life stories, many revolve around an ‘event’. Maybe it was a transformational high school dance, a bonding family reunion, an inspiring conference, an epic wedding, or perhaps a life-changing fundraiser. Every memory created at one of these events adds up to the story of our lives. Some might say that puts a lot of pressure on those events to be really amazing.
We say, bring it on.
An event in and of itself is not the story. It’s the many tiny details and logistics and emotions that are carefully thought through and mapped out to create an experience that make an event memorable. The behind the scenes “magic” some might call it. These happen to be the very things that keep us, your Vision team, waking up excited every morning. These are the things we obsess over and geek out about.
Give us a logistical event challenge and our eyes light up. Really!
We started Vision out of a desire to bring others a taste of the joy we personally loved to experience. That desire became a mission — create joy and spread purpose, one event at a time.
We have spent the last 14 years shaping, evolving, fine-tuning, and exercising our event management skills to keep fueling that mission. It has become not only our company mission, but our personal missions as well. And those skills aren’t limited to how to create an event day timeline (although we are seriously good at that), they also cover understanding interpersonal relationships, contract management, entertainment, design, technology, wellness, and so much more. Because events are more than tables in a room and timing on a piece of paper. They are intricate puzzles made up of many pieces needing to find the perfect alignment for a beautiful final product.
Our team is a melting pot of highly energetic, motivated and empathetic event fanatics with varying professional and personal backgrounds. Each Visionary , as we call them, brings a distinct perspective and unique skill set to the table to complete the Vision Experience.
So, what is The Vision Experience? It’s personal, it’s strategic, it’s fun, it’s thoughtful…it’s the road trip you’ve always wanted to take with a final destination that gives you an incredible amount of excitement. Everyone’s road trip will look different and we are beyond excited to travel with you on the journey to your memorable event!
Eventfully yours,
Vision Event Co.
MEET THE VISIONARIES
“Daniela is the most organized, efficient, hard working executor I have ever met in my life. We were on the same page from the moment she jumped into our wedding weekend. All of the ideas people told me were crazy, she not only supported but encouraged/helped me pull off (and it paid off!!!!). Three weeks later, my family and friends are still talking about how amazing the Vision Event Team was!!!!!” -Lily W.
DANIELA GRAFMAN, CSEP
After her start as a special events associate in the nonprofit sector, Daniela has been assisting in the growth of Vision Event Co. as the Chief Amazement Officer and Partner for the last thirteen years, taking the company from a boutique DJ company to an award-winning event planning firm focused on coordination and production for social and nonprofit events.
She is a current board member for the Wedding International Professionals Association, a past board member for the International Live Events Association, speaks nationally on entrepreneurship and events, and co-founded Women in Events. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University, holds the CSEP designation, is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, and has been named one of the “25 Young Event Pros to Watch” by Special Events Magazine.
Hometown: Queens & Brooklyn, NY
Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
Hobbies She Enjoys: Dancing and getting into dance-offs with strangers, cooking (but don’t ask her for any recipes as her meals are mash ups of fridge leftovers), and traveling (both locally and internationally, usually on a whim).
Go-to Dance Song: Head & Heart by Joel Corry or Dance with Somebody by Whitney Houston
Gets Emotional at Weddings When...: The Father-Daughter dance happens and grandparents, if any, in general at a wedding, but especially part of the ceremony and on the dance floor. Gives me all the feels..
Event Details She Geeks Out About...: The timeline! Total timeline nerd who loves creating and executing a great flow to an event that unfolds like a story.
"Allison and the entire Vision Event Co. were beyond expectation - AMAZING! As a producer, I know how difficult it can be to be on tight deadlines while also making sure everyone is happy. Allison created a 5-star experience from start to finish. She was always reachable via phone and email. She kept everyone right on schedule the day of the wedding and leading up...I was fortunate enough to have Allison and Vision Event Co [and] because of them, I can say that I truly enjoyed my wedding day!" - Lorenza I.
ALLISON KULESZA
Hometown: River Edge, NJ
Zodiac Sign: Virgo
Book Smarts Come from: Bachelors in Organizational Communications and Minors in Business & History at Montclair State University
Hobbies She Enjoys: Traveling (she lived in Rome while in college and is hoping to visit Sardinia and Sicily soon!), spending time with friends and family, pilates, building a business from the ground up, and classic/vintage cars (she’s your girl for all things cars!)
Go-to Dance Song: When the Curtain Falls by Greta Van Fleet
Gets Emotional at Weddings When...: The First Dance happens...the perfect moment every time!
Event Details She Geeks Out About...: Wedding dresses, they are so stunning when you really think about all the work that went into making one. And she has a love for steaming dresses as well as having something in her wedding day emergency kit that someone needs.
“I have nothing but the utmost praise for Vision Event Co. I was lucky enough to have Debbie work with me on my wedding. I do not know what I would have done without them! From managing my (13!) bridesmaids, to making sure I was comfortable at all times, to every detail in between, they went above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly and seamlessly. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a day-of coordinator." - Alex S.
DEBBIE KRUGER
Hometown: Montville, NJ
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Book Smarts Come from: Bachelors in Urban Studies, Religious Studies and History at The University of Pittsburgh
Hobbies She Enjoys: Yoga, reading, travel (domestic and international and super fun fact, she lived in Brussels for 3 months with her husband), and staying on top of current events and news (The Daily and The JamSession are her favorite podcasts to listen to).
Go-to Dance Songs: September by Earth Wind & Fire and Mr. Brightside by The Killers
Gets Emotional at Weddings When...: The bride walks down the aisle and Jewish simcha dancing!
Event Details She Geeks Out About...: Creating and executing a timeline! She feels joy when there is proper amounts of time allotted to each portion of the day and when we've stayed on time!
“Hiring Colleen from Vision Event Co was the BEST decision we made during …I often felt she was in 10 places at once as my husband and our bridal party felt so supported from start to finish on our big day…Hanging out with Colleen and Marissa was just such a blast, everyone that got the chance to interact with them just had the utmost praise for all they did that day!” -Nikki P.
COLLEEN BURKE
Hometown: Edison, NJ
Zodiac Sign: Libra
Books Smart Come from: Bachelors in Hospitality & Masters in Business Administration at Fairleigh Dickinson University
Hobbies She Enjoys: Fun fitness workouts, playing Soccer (she played on her college team), learning new recipes (ask her for the best cocktail recipe, she’s got you covered), taking SPIN classes, planning post-quarantine vacations (you’ll find her anywhere with a beach).
Go-to Dance Song: Shut Up and Dance
Gets Emotional at Weddings When...: The Father-Daughter dance happens....gets her EVERY TIME.
Event Details She Geeks Out About...: The first look because it’s such a highly anticipated moment that makes the months of planning and small details all worth it.
“Ivana helped me to alleviate a ton of the stress that I was holding. She really got to know me and understand my family dynamics. Everyone on the team was great and making sure I didn’t forget anything and helping to keep my party organized on the day of. I also received great reviews from my vendors about them, which was when I knew I chose the right team.” -Megan A.
IVANA ANDREANI
Hometown: Putnam Valley, NY
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Book Smarts Come from: Bachelors of Arts at Saint Michael's College in Vermont
Hobbies She Enjoys: Cooking, list-making (for everything and anything), dog-petting (she has an adorable black lab mutt named Lia), Italian class (ask her about her trips to Italy and where her family is from) and acting.
Go-to Dance Song: Shut Up and Dance
Gets Emotional at Weddings...: Right after the ceremony, we'll typically guide the couple back to the bridal suite or a private room to enjoy a moment alone. This is typically when it really hits the couple that they've actually just tied the knot, and it's the most happy and joyous feeling.
Event Details She Geeks Out About...: It's a tossup between music, food and florals. In the end, a good band and/or DJ can make an event memorable. And she goes nuts over a super detailed timeline.
KATE KINSELLA
Hometown: Eagle Vail, Colorado
Zodiac Sign: Leo
Books Smart Come from: Florida State University
Hobbies She Enjoys: I love to cook and host friends and subject them to my latest cocktail recipe or table scape creations! I can also be found exploring the New York Food Scene, enjoying a great glass of red wine, traveling, and teaching a fitness class at Pure Barre!
Go-to Dance Song: Levitating by Dua Lipa
Gets Emotional at Weddings When...: Partners see each other walking down the aisle! Gets me every time
Event Details She Geeks Out About...: I love a creative seating chart display/table numbers that incorporate the couples interests or special moments in their relationship!
"DJ Unique was the best DJ! He was warm, accommodating and played the best music. I could not be any happier with everyone at Vision!! Thank you for the best night!!" - Sara B.
John “DJ Unique” Fields
LAURA GORSKI
Hometown: Hicksville, NY
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Books Smart Come from: Johnson & Wales University major was Sports/Entertainment/Event Management
Hobbies She Enjoys: Traveling, working out, beach days and planning parties.
Go-to Dance Song: I Want to Dance With Somebody
Gets Emotional at Weddings When...: Cutting the cake, I love the meaning behind it. Not many people know but that is the first task a husband and wife do together.
Event Details She Geeks Out About...: Logistics! I love planning all the details and creating the timeline to help your day go as smoothly as possible.