Make-A-Wish 2023 Gala

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The Saphier Events team was tasked with revitalizing the annual Boston Make-A-Wish Gala. We brought the event from a standard hotel ballroom, where it had been hosted for years, to the SOWA Power Station, Boston’s newest raw venue where we were recently named to the preferred vendors list. We partnered with our favorite caterer and AV team to bring their mission to life! From the creative tablescapes, to custom star auction paddles, a 100 item silent auction, to an hour long heart tugging program, the Saphier Events team had a hand in every single aspect of the event. 

For 10 months, we worked side by side with the development team, event committee, organizational leadership and board, to mine information about past event successes and misses. We wanted this event to represent the best of the past as they celebrated 40 years of wishes in Boston. 

The event site also offered us some unique budget saving opportunities. We used the caterer to serve appetizers and our main course, but then leveraged relationships to bring in donated desserts from 6 amazing vendors and a fully donated bar hosted by 90+ Cellars, The Boston Beer Company and Good Dogg Seltzer. We made the most of the night by offering signature mocktails and cocktails with custom blue cotton candy glitter bombs from one of our favorite women owned small businesses.

With David “Big Papi” Ortiz and Wish Families onstage, we brought in a record setting $1.1 million in donations for the event and set the stage for years to come. We have continued to expand our partnership with MAW and have planned 3 events in 2024 while looking ahead to 2025.

If you’re interested in learning more about about Make-A-Wish’s mission and incredible work, you can visit their website here.

Vendors:

  • Venue: SoWa Power Station

  • Caterer: The Catered Affair, Cool Cow Ice Cream

  • Photographer: Michael Blanchard

  • Entertainment: NIghtshift Entertainment

  • AV: High Output

  • Rentals: PEAK Event Services

  • Lighting: Love in Lights

  • Transportation: VPNE, Trike Hub

  • Plants: Tropiculture