Creativity meets corporate know-how for new event design company JFG Events
After more than 30 years in the corporate world, Blake Devillier left office life to pursue his passion. Now, with help from his husband, interior designer Jerad Gardemal, they have launched new event-planning business JFG Events, which blends high design and behind-the-scenes coordination.
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Devillier says creating spaces for people to connect drives his passion and shapes his approach. From minute-specific planning to perfecting the space’s layout, the team considers every detail. He says his prior work experience sets him apart, enabling him to seamlessly integrate his creativity with operations and other functional areas.
“I’m sort of an interesting fit in the event space because I worked in corporate America for a really long time, and I haven’t met a spreadsheet that I don’t like,” he says.
This type of detailed planning is essential for Devillier and his team. Their method, he explains, is to walk an event from start to finish through a guest’s eyes. They did this for the brand’s launch event in March, where they mapped out the event step by step. The team planned what guests would see and experience from arrival through each room at specific times.
“It’s that level of detail we really think about to ensure the party is seen as seamless and the guest feels this level of intention, like no rock was left unturned,” he says. “When guests see and feel that, it sends a signal to them about how important you think they are and their experience is.”
He says layout planning is essential, and elements like that are where Gardemal’s interior design expertise comes in. Devillier says his husband’s insight helps enhance color palettes, mood boards and spacing to the next level.
“I often say I live really well because I’m married to an interior designer,” he says. “He just elevates it to a whole other level.”
As for potential clients, Devillier says he just wants hosts who aim to create special experiences for guests. Hearing guests’ and hosts’ feedback at events has been a highlight of his new career. After a Christmas party JFG Events produced for a group, the host shared a heartfelt message with Devillier about one of her guests’ experiences.
“She said everything was beautiful. The performance was very touching,” the hostess said. “The setting was so beautiful and the song that the performer was singing made her think of how far that experience was from some of the dark Christmases she had as a kid.”
Devillier notes that knowing how much of an impact a service like this can have on such special people brings tears to his eyes.
“If I could hear this after every event I produced, it would make it all worthwhile,” he says. “I think intention here is very important. The hearts and minds of your guests are one in that intention and your ability to deliver these details that bring surprise and delight that they didn’t expect.”
