Marina Birch

Marina Birch
Born New York City
Nationality American
Occupation Event designer and planner
Known for Birch Design Studio
Website
http://www.birchdesignstudio.com

Marina Birch is an event designer and founder of Birch Design Studio, located on North Dearborn Parkway in Chicago's Near North Side.[1] She has been described as one of the "most sought after" event planners in Chicago.[2]

Contents

Early life and education

Birch was born and raised in New York City and spent time overseas in London as well as Asia, India and Africa.[3] She is a fluent speaker of French, Italian and Spanish.[4] Birch graduated from Princeton University[5] with a bachelor's degree in art history.

After working for a time as an art gallery professional,[6] Birch moved from Manhattan to Chicago in 1998, where she studied interior design at the Harrington Institute of Design.[4]

Career

Marina Birch founded Birch Design Studio as an interior design firm in 2000. In 2003 she turned it into an event planning company,[4] focusing on a "personal approach" to design of the overall experience.[6] The studio's events include weddings, Chicago social events and charity fundraisers.

Process

Birch Design Studio provides creates a concept for each event, incorporating the décor, food and entertainment.[7] The studio's consultative process consists of two meetings and takes two to three weeks to complete.[3] Clients are given an "assignment" of reading from a wide selection of magazines,[8] and are then asked to mark images they like or dislike, in order to help translate their vision for the event.[9][10]

In 2008, Birch Design Studio designed the first annual fundraiser for musician Rob Thomas' Sidewalk Angels Foundation in 2008, also featuring Chris Daughtry, which raised more than $350,000.[11]

References

  1. ^ Karnes, Korey (July 2006). "The Wedding Planner". Chicago Social. 
  2. ^ Baldwin, Megan (Spring 2008). "Spotlight: Marina Birch". Chicago Collection. 
  3. ^ a b Rinke, Michelle (Fall 2007). "Marina Birch". Factio Magazine. 
  4. ^ a b c Wilson, Beth (March 2009). "It's Your Party". Chicago: p. 73. 
  5. ^ Klein, Sarah A. (10 September 2007). "Leading in good times and bad". Chicago Business. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?articleId=28424. Retrieved 3 August 2009. 
  6. ^ a b Pickett, Megan (January 2004). "Nuptial Navigators". Chicago Social. 
  7. ^ Finley, Larry (22 October 2006). "Chicago designers set tables for AIDS charity". Chicago Tribune. 
  8. ^ Garber, Natasha. "Theme a Little Theme". WeddingsinHouston.com: p. 164. 
  9. ^ Right, Zibby (Spring 2007). "Top of Her Class". Elegant Bride: p. 128. 
  10. ^ Furore, Kathleen (8 February 2005). "Plain old chicken yields to less ordinary edibles". Chicago Tribune: p. 18. 
  11. ^ "Backbeat". Billboard. 18 November 2008. 

External links