Creating beautiful wedding receptions with Dann Event Hire

Ultimately, your wedding day is about celebrating the love between you and the person you’re about to marry. On the other hand, it’s most likely going to be the biggest and most important party you are ever going to throw in your life.

Like all great parties, your wedding reception calls for a delicious menu and lots and lots of champagne. It’s also the opportunity to pull out all the stops to create a beautiful setting that will wow your guests and make your wedding photos look even more wonderful.

We asked Kerrie Thornton, Creative Director at Melbourne’s Dann Event Hire to share her tips for creating beautiful reception spaces and what’s on trend for 2020.

What is Dann Event Hire famous for?

We are famous for event hire. We design all our own furniture, hospitality and marquee structures in-house and manufacture globally.

We work with wedding planners and caterers including Peter Rowland to provide hire for the wedding ceremony and reception. This includes everything from marquee hire, through to furnishings, props, lighting, linens and tableware. Our essence is creative collaborative design. We love nothing more than to work hand in hand with our clients to re-imagine spaces to excite and inspire.

What is one of the most memorable weddings you have done recently?

Last year we worked with a couple who held their wedding at Baie Wines. We supplied our new Curve Marquee as well as a full furniture fit out including an indoor/outdoor bar, dance floor, lounge settings and cocktail furniture. The Curve Marquee has a clear domed roof and clear sides which makes it perfect for locations in natural settings, giving guests unrestricted views from both inside and outside the marquee, as well as up to the stars.

What’s on trend now for wedding receptions and what’s making a comeback?

The two big trends at the moment are Back to Nature and Confetti.

The Back to Nature trend involves a neutral colour palette complemented with rattan timber furniture and dried native florals to give a quintessentially pared back Australia vibe.

The Confetti style includes soft pastel gelati shades with the addition of holographic light. Softness with diffusions of light, clear acrylic and resin furniture and white accents. It is quite modern and futuristic. In regards to colour – brown is the new black and orange is the new pink.

What is the best way for couples to express their personal taste across their wedding and how can your team help?

Anything goes with wedding design these days. From the venue to the colour palette, furniture selection and music, all aspects of the day can be personalised to suit.

A pinterest board is a great start for couples to compile their personal taste and interests. It is a celebration of their unity, so it is important the day is a reflection of them as individuals and as a couple.

Once the venue is booked we can assist with the hire requirements for the day. We recommend a visit to our showroom with our sales team to view our product offerings. From there a quote request can be created and any creative mood boards and floor plans. If the wedding is in a marquee, a site inspection is required so we can assess all requirements for delivery and install.

How much should couples budget for a marquee?

This one has so many variables, it depends on the location, how many people are attending, build time, and any additional upgrades or extras. We do recommend starting with at least a $15,000 budget to begin looking at a marquee with walling and flooring and some key furniture pieces. You must then also budget for florals, lighting and of course catering.

What other costs need to be considered when deciding on a marquee or off-site wedding?

Distance and access are key considerations when looking at a marquee wedding. If you are planning to build a marquee on a private property, the lay of the land, access to water and power can determine overall costs. If everything needs to be hired from the marquee to the bathroom facilities and back of house kitchen, the costs will add up.

How do couples on a tight budget still achieve big impact?

Work with the venue design style. Rather than trying to transform a space into a different look and feel, it is better to complement what is existing in terms of colour, style and interior.

This will enable your budget to go further and make your wedding concept more impactful and intentional.

What would be your dream wedding brief?

I would love a summer wedding reception on the beach. Wide expanses of sand, long tables in a cabana style structure, bleached colour palette. Beautiful mood lighting and a stunning sunset!

Are you newly engaged and planning your wedding? Congratulations! Our wedding planning team would love to help create your dream wedding. Talk to us now about our wedding packages and venues.

All images are kindly provided by Dann Event Hire. Marquee and all hire items from Dann Event Hire. @danneventhire #foradanngoodtime