Category Archives: Event Planning

4 Facts You May Not Know About The Australian Open

Event Planning

For the 104th edition, the best tennis players around the world gather at Melbourne Park with the biggest games played on the show courts in Hisense Arena and Margaret Court Arena, and centre court at Rod Laver Arena. As the first Grand Slam of the year, 2016 Open Australia will start from January 18 end on January 31.

As partner of the Australia Open for providing event flooring with synthetic grass floor covering, Open Air Events gives you below 4 interesting facts, so this tennis tournament won’t have any more secret for you!

Australian Open History

Australian Open was previously known as Australian Championship and was founded in 1909. We had to wait until 1969 to be renamed into Australian Open.

Surface changes

Prior to 1988, the tournament had been played on grass. Then, since 1988 two types of hard court surfaces has been used. From 1988 to 2007, we used the rebound ace. Since 2008, tennis courts are now covered with plexicushion.

Extreme playing conditions

As the Australian Open is held in January, the hottest month in Melbourne, weather conditions are extreme and topping out at around 40°. 2007 tournament has been recorded as the hottest year. Since then, the Australian Open make use of Extreme Heat Policy which can suspend match when temperature is too high.

Winners

For three decades, this tennis tournament has taken place in Melbourne. The Australian Open has provided us with a large number of winning legends: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, and Novak Djovokovic.

Whether you are hooked on tennis or simply in Melbourne in January, make sure to book your tickets on time, you won’t be disappointed!

6 Reasons To Host Your Next Event In A Marquee

Event Planning

Marquees are a wonderful tool, enabling you to host an event that breaks free from restrictive traditions. Whether you’re hosting a wedding, a birthday, a family reunion or a simple get together, there is a plethora of ways that a marquee can enhance your next function. We’ve compiled 6 reasons that will utterly convince you to host your next event in a marquee.

You get to choose your venue

The beauty about opting for marquee hire for your next event is that you get to select your dream venue of choice. Perhaps you have a favourite park that you used to play in as a child? Look no further. All you need to do is check with your local council about hosting an event in that area, and hire a marquee to signify your party space. You’re no longer restricted to hosting your event in a stuffy, stale bar or an ill-equipped hall.

Make it wholly your own

Hiring a marquee doesn’t just protect you and your guests from the elements, it also means you get to totally customise and style the space to suit your particular tastes and needs. Perhaps dancing is important to you? Make space for a huge dance floor. Perhaps you want an area where people can relax? Create a comfy chill out area. Whatever your needs, you will be able to meet them with a marquee.

Best of both worlds

A marquee also allows you enjoy the best of both worlds at your function. You’ll be able to soak up the sunshine, but have protection from the sun’s harmful rays. Perhaps you’ll be hosting an evening soiree? You’ll be able to enjoy the serenity and beauty of nature, whilst warming the night air with lighting, shelter and frivolity.

Fewer restrictions

Since you’ll be the one calling the shots with a marquee event, you will have far less restrictions than if you were to hire a venue. You’ll be able to have a guest list of whatever size you choose, you’ll be able to dictate the starting and finishing time, and you’ll have the freedom of adopting whatever event plan you desire.

You can work within your budget

Usually when you hire a venue for an event, you’ll be locked in to use their catering, their bar staff, as well as paying any security and insurance fees they may throw at you. However, if you choose to host your event in a marquee, you won’t be locked into any financial fine print whatsoever. If you want to self-cater your event and make it BYO, that is your prerogative! If you want to hire affordable vendors of your choice to be present at your event, that’s entirely up to you as well.

You don’t have to follow tradition

Marquees are also a great option if you want to do your own thing. Hiring a marquee allows you and your guests to break free from the norm, and adopt an entirely unique event format. For example, if your are hosting a wedding, you are able to employ a completely bespoke event plan that suits your particular wants and needs.

There is a reason that the famed marquee has stood the test of time. Hiring a marquee for your next event means that you are able to host an event that reflects exactly who you are and what you want. Save money, time and stress by investigating your marquee options today.

5 Rookie Mistakes To Avoid When Planning Your Next Outdoor Soiree

Event Planning, ,

Picture this: it’s a balmy summer evening, warm but not uncomfortable, a soft breeze is whistling in the trees, you’re standing with soft grass underfoot, holding a chilled flute of champagne, swaying to some relaxing yet vibrant live music. Fairy lights softly illuminate the space, and you see your friends and family dancing and laughing under the moonlight. Sounds divine, right? An outdoor soiree can be a beautiful experience when expertly executed. However, this doesn’t come without adequate planning and control. So you can have the best time possible at your event, we’ve put together 5 rookie mistakes that you should avoid when planning your next outdoor party.

1. Not having appropriate shelter

Whether it’s day or night, you’ll need to make sure that there is more than enough shelter to shield your guests from the elements. Be it beaming sun, winter cold or unexpected rain, you’ll be glad you organised a roof when that unpredictable weather hits. A great way to make sure there is enough shelter for every guest is to hire a marquee, so no one will be left out in the rain.

2. Leaving food out in the sun

A delectable cheese plate is a fantastic idea for nibbles before, during and after your sit down meal at your event. However, give the cheese plate mere minutes in the sun and it will have turned from delicious to drab in no time. Make sure you keep an eye on how long plates of food are left out, and replace them or dispose of them when the time is appropriate.

3. Not having enough food and water

As most modern events serve alcohol, it’s important to remember to keep your guests well fed and well hydrated. As you are hosting the function, you have a certain duty of care you must uphold to the people you will be inviting. Order more than enough food, water and non-alcoholic beverages to keep your guests happy and healthy all night long.

4. Not enough tables and chairs

If everything went absolutely according to plan, guests would RSVP promptly, then arrive on time, with the perfect number of people. However, this is never usually the case. Guests can often bring +1’s that you didn’t account for but can’t turn away, such as children, family or babysitters. Ensure you have more than enough seating, shelter and tables, should this situation arise.

5. Forgetting amenities

Remember – your guests are human, too! They will need all the appropriate amenities, such as toilets, wash basins, hand sanitizer, a first aid kit, tissues, paper towel – anything you can think of that might be of use at a party. When thinking about the appropriate quantity of amenities, be sure to consider the number of guests you are having. No one wants to be waiting all night for one toilet!

So, whether you’re planning a daytime garden party or a twilight soiree, make sure you put the effort in to redeem the wonderful results. An outdoor party can be a beautiful experience when carried out well, so ensure you take heed of these 5 rookie mistakes to avoid when planning your next function.

How to Add the WOW Factor to Your Outdoor Event

Event Planning,

When the weather is nice and the days are warm, there’s nothing quite like throwing an outdoor event. Having your guests mingling outside over freshly prepared food, cold drinks and dancing the evening away to the best music is every host’s dream.

The possibilities with an outdoor event are endless. Depending on the size of your venue, there really are no limitations to what you can do – just let your creative juices run wild and let your inner event planner loose. As with any event, the key is to make sure your guests enjoy themselves, feel comfortable and leave knowing that this was an event to remember.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when planning your next outdoor event. Follow these tips, be inspired and add the WOW factor to your event.

Use Different Lighting Sources

If your event is going to be taking place after the sun goes down, then you really need to consider your lighting choices. Lighting can help to set the mood and the tone of the event, so get creative and use at least three different lighting sources to achieve that flattering glow your guests will love. Hang fairy lights overhead, place candles around the area in jars or even better, hang them from trees in your garden. Light torches around the perimeter or light a fire pit for a truly amazing centrepiece.

Serve Finger Food

Finger food is a great way to allow your guests to move through the crowd and interact with each other freely. Stay away from cumbersome plates and cutlery and give your guests the chance to roam around uninhibited. Think too about the presentation and the colours you use in the food. Bright, vibrant colours will attract your guests to the finger food table, making it a fun focal point of your event. As an added bonus, there will be less cleanup at the end of the night and less chance of spills during the night. It’s win-win for everyone.

Hire a Marquee

A marquee is a fantastic addition to any event. They ooze sophistication and can give some much-needed structure to your event space. Using a marquee in your event area quickly changes the dynamic, creating that highly sought after indoor-outdoor feel. Marquees can hold anything from 12 to 50 people, giving you ample space to get creative. Add some lighting, put furniture in there or create a unique space for your guests to get acquainted. Attach flowers, colourful ribbons  or paper lanterns and make your decorated marquee a real talking point of your event. And, as an added bonus, if the weather doesn’t cooperate, your guests can take shelter and the event can keep on going.

Moving Bar

Rather than your guests having to break up their conversation to go the bar, why don’t you bring the drinks to them? Using a rolling table, you can have a portable bar at your disposal in no time at all. If you have a bigger crowd, then maybe multiple moving bars might be a better choice. It’s convenient for your guests and it can be a fun way to serve drinks without the hassle of carrying trays through large groups of people, which inevitably leads to spillages and breakages.

Creative Drink Ideas

On the subject of drinks, make your event one to remember by serving something a little different. Search Pinterest for some new cocktail ideas or make up some of your own! Perhaps rename some of the old classics with names that are appropriate for the night you are having and place menus around the event area. Try mixing it up with some local craft beers or wines and be sure to have a selection of mocktails for the designated drivers.

Prepare for an Outdoor Event to Remember

Organising an event takes time and lots of planning as there are so many things to consider. When organising an outdoor event, you have one more thing to consider, the weather! As long as you’re hiring a marquee that can house your guests, you won’t need to worry about a sudden downpour!

With a foolproof plan in your back pocket and everything organised, you can get on with the event, knowing that you’re covered no matter what happens. You and your guests can relax and embrace the WOW factor that your event will no doubt provide.

 

Top Tips For Styling A Magical Marquee Event

Event Planning,

There is a myriad of things to think about when you are hosting or planning an event, whether it be a birthday party or a simple luncheon for friends. Many factors have to be taken into consideration – food, drinks, table plans, guests, and equipment hire. A fantastic way to add a touch of class and magic to your event is to hire a marquee.

When hiring a marquee, it is beneficial to learn a few tricks that will enable you to utilise it to its full potential. Check out these top tips for styling a magical marquee event and have a roaring good time at your next party!

Choose a Reputable Marquee Supplier

First and foremost, there is no magical marquee event without a reliable marquee supplier. Marquee hire can be a tough nut to crack if you have not had experience with it before and selecting a reliable and well-established company with tons of experience and multiple positive reviews is definitely a must.

Lighting

Lighting is absolutely essential when it comes to marquees. A majority of marquees come with uplighters, but it is not uncommon to add your own personal touch of lighting in a bid to create the exact atmosphere you desire. Additions of fairy or tea lights over the entire ceiling of your marquee give off a beautiful, delicate glow that is sure to bring a touch of magic to any event.

Include Lots of Hanging Decor

Marquees are like a blank canvas – they have huge empty spaces that are just calling out to be decorated. There are a number of ways that you can decorate your marquee for whatever event you have hired it for. Decorating your marquee with hanging flower displays, fairy lights, lanterns or hanging birds and butterflies is a good way of adding some character and pizazz to your event.

Flooring

Adding personalised flooring to your marquee can be a great way of adding some character to your event. Depending on the season or the theme of your event, various floorings such as grass floors can add texture and a nicer summery theme to your party. In the cooler months, carpet flooring is a nifty idea to warm up the area and add an air of luxury to whatever event you are hosting.

An Exciting Entrance and Exit

Like any big event that everyone will be talking about for weeks after, creating a grand entrance and exit for your guests is always the way to go. Additionally, having an allocated entrance/exit at your event gives your marquee space some structure and direction. Treat your marquee as you would your own home – create a personalised, homely entrance. Decorate your entrance/exit with flowers, lights or even a goodie bag station so guests feel a warm welcome as they both enter and exit the space.

With these top tips for styling a magical marquee event in hand, we are certain that your next marquee event will be an absolute hit with all your friends and family.

5 Factors To Consider Before Hosting Your Next Outdoor Event

Event Planning,

The outdoors hold endless possibilities for event planning. It can create unique opportunities in large parks, as well as providing space for barbeques and organised sports. Best of all, wonderful weather energises people. However, outdoor events present a whole new set of challenges, complications and logistical concerns. To aid you with your next outdoor event, we’ve collated our top 5 factors to consider when facing the elements.

Is your event suited to an outdoor setting?

What sort of event are you going to be holding? Consider whether your event is wholly suited to an outdoor setting. For example, if you’re wanting to run a technology conference, this is probably best suited to an indoor venue with powerpoints, plugs and shelter. However, if you want to host a gorgeous, outdoor birthday bash, an outdoor setting would do just marvellously. Before committing to running an event outside, consider the core function and main objectives of your event.

Do you have the proper permits?

Now that you’ve decided to run your event outside, you need to consider whether you will require a permit. Even parks, outdoor concert halls and fields will be governed by a local council, so make sure that you check with local communities and governments in case you need a permit. Exactly as you would with an indoor facility, work with site management and understand the capacity, amenities and activities each outdoor facility can properly handle.

Pay attention to the weather, and have a backup plan

It is absolutely crucial that you pay close attention to historical weather records, such as temperature, wind and rain. Even so, the weather can turn on you at the last minute, so it’s imperative that you have a solid backup plan in place. A great, affordable way to still host your event outside whilst being shielded from the nasty elements is to hire a marquee. As well as this, it’s a smart idea to know your cost liabilities, insurance options and contract details in the event that inclement weather leads to cancellation or damages; this relates to equipment and venue rental, catering services, security, etc.

Don’t forget about the extra equipment

Because you’re hosting an event outside, you will most likely need to bring all the necessary equipment with you. This can mean chairs, tables, glasses, food, drinks, speakers, music system – whatever you need to make your event great. Outdoor event hack: extension cords, duct tape and synch cords are an outdoor event planner’s best friend. As well as this, it’s essential to keep walkways in mind when laying down wires, and always pay attention to power stations.

Keep your guests comfortable

Because you’re going to be out in the elements, it’s important that you cater to your guests accordingly. Are you going to be holding your event in the height of summer? If so, ensure an adequate number of fans and shade is available. Also, make sure there are more than enough amenities such as chairs, tables, toilets and sanitation facilities. For the safety and well-being of your guests, also ensure that there enough hydration and food, so people to go thirsty or hungry!

If you’re considering hosting an event outdoors, don’t forget about the details. Ensure you have the proper permits, equipment and amenities so your guests can truly enjoy the gift of nature.

How To Create A Winter Wonderland Wedding

Event Planning, Wedding, ,

The frosty weather is giving the surrounds a magical sparkle. A warm, crackling fire accompanies warm, chuckling conversation. Mulled wine, slow-cooked roasted food and hearty embraces. Why wouldn’t you want a winter wedding? Winter is one of the most beautiful seasons, and with a little bit of planning and logic, you can make your wedding as convenient and comfortable as a balmy summer’s day. We’ve put together our top 5 tips to ensure your winter wonderland wedding is as wonderful as can be.

Embrace the season

One of the things that will truly make your wedding unique is to embrace this less-than-popular wedding season. Instead of serving champagne upon arrival at your reception, think about serving winter warmers like hot chocolate or mulled wine.

Think about a coat or jumper with your outfits

Blazers, high collared coats, pashmina shawls, and wraparounds will be your best friend for a winter wonderland wedding. More and more commonly, however, these practical styles are being incorporated into wedding dresses and groomsmen’s suits. When designing your wedding dress or thinking about the groom’s suit, don’t forget to consider the cold!

Check the weather

Holding a winter wedding outdoors means you’re going to be checking the weather like it’s your daily religion. Although having your wedding in an off-peak seasons means you will save time and money organising your wedding, it also means you will be subject to the weather much more than in the milder months. If you’re a winter bride or groom, you may find yourself taking it a step further and researching how many times in the past five years it has snowed on your chosen date. However, this will make you feel really smart when it’s chilly yet sunny on your wedding day — you can tell people you did your research!

Use winter as your theme

Embrace the festive theme with snow, pine cones, foliage and lots of white. A plain white colour scheme can be both striking and stylish, as well as matching the season surrounding you. A cute idea can be to extend this theme to your save the date, invitations, and RSVP cards.

Have a backup plan

Because the weather has the chance of being more severe during a winter wedding, it’s always a good idea – and an insurance policy – to have a solid backup plan in place. If a particularly cold front comes on, it can be a great idea to have sorted out a wedding marquee, so you’re not left out in the cold! The simple hiring of a marquee can shield you from the harsh elements and keep in that desired warmth.

So there you have it; it’s as simple as that! Keep these 5 helpful tips close to your chest when you’re planning your perfect, winter wonderland wedding.

Selecting The Correct Type And Size Of Marquee For Your Event

Event Planning,

Whether you are organising a small eve1nt at home or part of a large scale function it is vital that you select the correct size and type of marquee to ensure all patrons are safe and well protected. Before selecting the type of structure required (the two main options being a clear span or instant marquee) it is important to consider your budget. Clear Span marquees provide a much more temporary structure, where silk linings and chandeliers can be added to really make your event stand out from the rest. These types of marquees are preferred at corporate style events and those looking to host a somewhat lavish function. This however, often comes at a price, with set up costs being almost double that of an instant marquee. On the other hand, for those who still require shade protection in Melbourne’s unforgiveable weather and who do not have thousands of dollars to spend on a clear span marquee, we offer the instant marquee range. This style of marquee is very easy to assemble, and depending on size the units can be joined together to cover larger areas. By hiring an instant marquee you are able to save on decreased labour costs whilst still providing good cover which allows funds to be spent on other aspects of your important event.

 

After selecting the desired type of marquee the next step is to consider what size is needed. In order to select the correct size two factors need to be considered;

  1. Useable space
  2. Number of guests attending

If you have an odd shaped backyard with 2over hanging trees or obstructions and large slopes then your useable space drastically decreases and it is advised you organise a site inspection to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day. If however, your event space is relatively flat and there are no obstructions, then simply measuring the area will be the easiest and most convenient way of calculating the largest sized marquee you can fit.

Now that you know the dimensions of your event space you need to consider how many guests are attending and if they will be standing or seated. The below table is a general indication of how many people you can accommodate in any given size;

MARQUEE SIZE:
NUMBER OF PEOPLE STANDING:
NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEATED (RECTANGULAR TRESTLES):
3m x 3m 10 6
3m x 4.5m 15 – 20 12
3m x 6m 20 – 25 18
3m x 9m 35 – 40 27
4m x 6m 30 – 35 24
6m x 6m 40 – 50 36
6m x 8m 50 – 60 48
6m x 9m 60 – 70 54
6m x 12m 80 – 95 72
6m x 16m 115 – 125 96
10m x 3m 35 – 40 30
10m x 6m 70 – 80 60
10m x 9m 105 – 120 90
10m x 12m 110 – 160 120
10m x 15m 175 – 200 150
10m x 18m 210 – 240 180
10m x 21m 245 – 280 210
10m x 24m 280 – 320 240

 

Whilst it is good to overcompensate, at times it may not be necessary to hire a 6m x 12m marquee just because your event space is 6m x 12m. By using the table above you may realise that the casual drinks function you are hosting for 50 people will require a 6m x 6m marquee and your entire back yard space will not need to be covered, thus saving you those extra dollars!