I don’t really do much event work these days, I certainly don’t go out and look for event work – I might look for speaking work, at events – but thats a totally different kettle of fish. However, every now and then a friend or ex client will ask very nicely or someone will approach me with an absolutely gorgeous idea that I just can’t say no to, and a DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE WEDDING was definitely one of those!!
Working with props and making things look pretty is STILL and will always be one of my favourite things to do!
I absolutely love creating a magical one-day wonderland, and so live events, themed weddings, parties and celebrations fill me with the kind of joy nothing else I do does.
This is not an invitation for a million people to email me and ask me and my little team to come and style your event, but if you do need someone to plan, put together or make your day a mystical magical WOW! and you have an unusual and fun theme, please do feel to get in touch and see if I can make it work…
In this instance the bride did so much of the making herself, she is a film writer and director and had a very clear image of what she wanted. She went to great lengths to make the details perfect, and only asked us to style and dress on the day – making sure everything was where it was supposed to be.
Before th
e day itself she and I went through everything that she wanted to happen, so that I could make the complete running order, almost like making 
a call sheet for the day. It is really important to know who and what needs to be where, when – especially when doing things on a budget!!
This wedding used the same chairs for the reception as they did for the sit down afternoon tea – which meant holding off on setting up the incredible place settings until all the chairs were back, as otherwise the china cups and saucers may very well have ended up smashed all over the floor!
Most of the awesome creative events I have worked on, for and with friends have asked all their friends / guests to help with the event in order to keep costs down. This is a great way to get everyone involved – often people would much rather help out and feel part of the magic, than know you’ve spent a 
fortune on them…
This bride set her guests all ‘missions’ to complete, no task was the whole of something, so the magic of the creation was not spoiled for them they did not know what the finished creation would be, but they got to be useful and involved, but no so involved that they felt like slave labour….
So, with that useful tidbit in mind, here are my top 5 tips for making a creative event on a budget.
1. Don’t forget the clean up team. Every on a budget event I have ever done forgets to allocate a clean up team. Don’t have them do anything else in the lead up, make it people who won’t be too hung over, a nd make sure that they know what they haveto get back to whom and by when.
2. Pay for some help so that you & all your friends can enjoy their day. Even if you are super organised and have got everyone helping you, you still need one person with the list that knows about it ALL.
3. Having a plan is great! Knowing it won’t go 100% as you planned it is ESSENTIAL. Being organised and thinking about all the details is SO important, but by the actual day, please just concentrate on enjoying it!
4. Props – buy or hire or make? This totally depends on your budget, how creative you are and rowdy your guests might be. It also depends on what your theme is, and whether what you’re after exists. Either way, making some provision for what will happen to them after the day is important, don’t let everything end up in a bin!!
5. Have FUN! Don’t take on more than you can handle, and get clear on how much you can handle. If you like making things, get creative, if not – WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
xoxo Ebonie
