Our Team

Bryan Rafanelli’s exquisite sense of style, attention to detail and ability to transform clients’ visions into unforgettable celebrations has made him a go-to planner for the nation’s most exclusive and high-profile events. Bryan serves as Founder and chief creative officer of Rafanelli Events and is known for his customized approach to every project, paying careful attention to every detail to ensure each event is exceptional.

Rafanelli and his firm have a simple philosophy: Every event is a unique creative challenge deserving of a one-of-a-kind approach. “My team listens to what you’re imagining and then comes back with an idea you never expected,” he says. “We hone in on every last detail so we can always deliver clients the highest level of service.”

Frequently lauded by the media, Rafanelli was named one of the Top Wedding Planners in the U.S. by Harper’s Bazaar in 2016 and in Martha Stewart Weddings in 2015, one of the World’s Best Event Planners by Departures in 2014 and “Man of the Moment” by Town & Country. Rafanelli Events has been highlighted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, People, New York, CBSNews.com, VanityFair.com, NewYorker.com and more.

Notably, Rafanelli and his team led the concept and design of Chelsea Clinton’s wedding, as well as Allison Williams’ nuptials, many of President Obama’s White House State Dinners and events, as well as the White House holiday décor in 2015 and 2016.

Rafanelli grew up in a large Rhode Island family, his mother always finding reason to throw parties for the people she loved. “The sense of community and of bringing people together to have a good time just for ‘good time’s sake’ has always been inside me,” he says. He launched Rafanelli Events in 1996 as a three-person operation executing only a handful of events a year. Twenty years later, Rafanelli Events has produced more than 2,000 events with 15-15,000 attendees, in 50 cities and 9 countries.

Deborah Farley is the president of Rafanelli Events. Initially joining the Rafanelli Events team in 2005, she has been instrumental in working alongside company founder Bryan Rafanelli to establish strategic direction, event development, client and product initiatives since that time. Farley has overall operational responsibility for all Rafanelli events and also leads its marketing and business development initiatives. Under her oversight the company has grown in terms of both scope and breadth of its event offerings, and she takes an active role in managing the relationships between the company and its clients, employees and the community. Prior to her experience with the Rafanelli team, Farley has held positions on both the client and agency sides of the business in marketing, public relations and advertising. Her previous roles as director of marketing and VP of client services include work on behalf of brands such as American Express, Continental Airlines, General Motors, Western Union and Midas Corporation. Farley’s experience grants her vast expertise in understanding the client’s desires and how best to manage and motivate the Rafanelli team into converting those desires to reality. Farley has a bachelor’s degree in journalism & mass communication and an MBA from the Boston College Wallace E. Carroll School of Management.

Michelle Mutter served as a senior event producer at Rafanelli for more than nine years before being promoted to managing director. She has managed hundreds of events from private wine auctions to celebrity weddings; from an intimate dinner with President Obama to an institutional event for thousands. Mutter’s clients have ranged from high-profile figures and high-net-worth individuals to nonprofit charities, hospitals and children’s organizations. She is incredibly well-versed in fine tuning an event to seamlessly fit the client’s vision. Mutter also assists in acquiring new business as well as strategic planning and consulting projects. Prior to joining Rafanelli Events, Mutter worked for David Stark Design in New York City as a project director, where she produced events and managed the department of producers and production managers. Additionally, she has experience in the music industry, producing concerts, festivals and music conventions in North America, Europe and Asia. Mutter demonstrates a breadth and intrinsic understanding in producing an event that lifts up the idea of the client and exceeds their expectations. Michelle graduated with a dual degree from the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University.