Stressfreehire.com

Working with a Theme

2010-08-11T05:39:00.001-07:00

We all love a challenge here and recently worked on a "gothic" themed wedding at Cain Manor in Hampshire. The colour scheme was black and purple and our clients provided some fabulous pillar candles for the fireplaces, mantles and sills with black and purple striped and swirls. Our brief was to decorate the main barn with pealights, drapes and lighting to complement these colours.

For the table centres, we were given the following brief by the client: Silver twigs, feathers and pealights in a tall vase on a mirror surrounded with fur. We pride ourselves on our ability to sketch and frequently use sketches to demonstrate to our clients our ideas, bespoke building projects, room layouts and decoration suggestions. Following acceptance of our sketch, a mock-up was produced enabling the client to see exactly what they would be receiving. The finished article is then seen below in context.

For the ceremony, we provided black chair covers with purple organza sashes. Pealights wound around all of the beams and a pealight curtain over the main window behind the registrars table added to the look and later came into their own as light fell. A purple voile drape with ivy decorated the gallery and uplighters around the walls in purple and magenta complemented the theme.

Following the ceremony, the room was turned around for the wedding breakfast and table centres were added. The table centres with their pealights in twisted willow added to the overall twinkly effect and worked well with the pealights elsewhere. Silver twisted willow arrangements around the walls of the venue added extra interest and finished the effect.

Other items provided at Cain Manor and not shown above include pealight decoration to the Gazebo, hanging lanterns in the weeping willow trees, lanterns on the patio tables, flambeaux outside the main entrance, storm lantern or pealight decoration to the fireplace and mantle in the lounge areas, and pinspot lighting to the tables.

Transforming School Halls

2010-06-09T02:35:00.001-07:00

As everyone will know, we love transforming venues! Featured below are a school hall and library which were the location for a 10th anniversary party for staff and their partners this weekend.

The colour scheme within the school is blue and we decided to work with this to create a cool, ice blue effect - much appreciated by everyone on the hottest day of the year so far! Ice blue uplighting and silver willow with cool white pealights lined the walls. Tables were dressed with ice blue milan striped cloths and a contrast was provided using silver chairs with royal blue seat pads, pale blue water glasses and silver 68cm candelabra on silver mirrors. Frosted votives provided additional candelight.

The Library was used for arrival drinks and then for dancing following dinner. Computers were screened off using a starcloth which also provided a storage area for furniture. Black drapes covered bookcases and uplighting in magenta provided a warm atmosphere plus a contrast with the other rooms. Star gobos were used to decorate an otherwise plain suspended ceiling! Spiral candelabra with battery candles, poseur tables with black cloths and votives with tealights completed the look.

Shoji screens were used in the entrance hall to hide photocopiers and pigeon-holes and uplighting, silver twisted willow and pealights provided further decoration whilst working in conjunction with the blue colour scheme throughout the school.

The main entrance was simply dressed with two bay trees decorated with fairy lights.

Country "house-party" Weddings

2010-05-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

This weekend we worked for the first time at the Cotswold House Hotel in Chipping Campden. In the middle of this chocolate-box market town, the hotel offers stunning gardens, contemporary function rooms and exclusive hire at reasonable prices. There is even a new spa for those wishing to pamper themselves before or on their big day!

Following a church ceremony, the guests walked back to the Hotel and enjoyed a drinks reception in the gardens. A five-course dinner was served in the Montrose Suite which was decorated in Winter Wonderland style with cool white pealights in willow and garlanding, ice blue uplighting and fabulous floral arrangements featuring blue delphiniums, silver wire and thistles.

Following dinner, guests moved into the Juliana Suite for a disco. The theme continued with pealight curtains covering all of the windows and the doorway leading into the Suite. Icicle lights decorated the two bars.

Dressing School Halls with Marquee Linings

2010-05-04T04:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we decorated Rookesbury Park School near Southampton. This private school offers great facilities for a wedding with an impressive approach, lovely gardens with amazing views for arrival drinks and a very pretty conservatory for the wedding breakfast.

The downside for many is the school gym, which is used for evening dancing and in this case for the bar and a small chill-out area.

As this was a Spring wedding, our client had a "bluebell wood" theme. Our brief was to decorate the gym to resemble a bluebell wood.

Before ...

After ...

We began by lining the room with a flat ivory marquee lining. This provided a blank canvas against which we could project light effects and install furniture. To create a woodland effect we fitted a woodland backdrop at one end of the marquee. This was supplemented with blue uplighting to create the effect of bluebells and a haze machine to provide mist along the woodland floor.

Before ...

After ...

The remainder of the marquee was decorated with blue lighting to the floor and green lighting to the ceiling. Gobo projections in shades of green provided the effect of a leaf canopy over the dance floor, while alternating green and blue uplighters brought the leaf canopy and bluebell floor together.

Twisted willow arrangements added to the mystical effect and for a summer wedding, we would use birch branches to provide "real trees" around the outside.

Other items supplied included gas flambeaux at the entrance, brass lanterns to line the approach, storm lanterns for the table centres (containing sweets, with each table named after a different sweet), candelabra and a smokers gazebo.

Further details on Rookesbury Park School can be found on their website http://www.rookesburyparkschool.co.uk/ or by contacting the lettings manager Heather on 01329 833108.

Ideas for decorating an Aisle for a Civil Ceremony or Partnership

2010-03-11T02:57:00.000-08:00

1. Use low table centres to line the aisle - flowers are redeployed following the ceremony:

2. Dress the chairs adjacent to the aisle and hire an aisle carpet runner to add definition:

3. Rope off the aisle with pillars dressed with muslin and flowers and swagged together with cord:

4. For a traditional look use a hand-tied floral arrangement attached to the side of each chair by a sash around the base of the chair back:

5. For venues with high ceilings these candle stands with triple-wick candles provide a contemporay look:

Designer Wedding Show

2010-02-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

Our stand this year at the Designer Wedding Show - visit us on stand 110 from 12th to 14th February in Battersea Park:

Designer Wedding Show

2010-01-14T06:40:00.001-08:00

Don't forget to visit us at the Designer Wedding Show, Battersea Park next month from 12th - 14th February 2010. We will have samples of our stock and some new photos available to view. We are on stand 110 and look forward to seeing you there!

New Year and more New Venues

2010-01-12T08:36:00.000-08:00

The New Year saw us driving through the snow between Horsham and the Cotswolds decorating two venues for New Years Eve weddings as well as some private parties.

Both events used minimal flowers which is highly recommended at this time of year as the flower markets are closed and the cost of flowers increases significantly. Instead, candles, lighting and coloured linen were used to great effect.

Our favourite new venue over New Year was the Cotswold88 Hotel in Painswick. Set amongst the tiny little lanes of this picturesque town and with fabulous views, this boutique hotel is hired exclusively for house-party weddings. The management and staff are innovative, professional and very friendly and the decor is very funky. Larger weddings require a marquee in addition to the hotel, but as the following image shows this can be decorated to complement the character of the venue!

Christmas Party Highlights

2010-01-12T08:08:00.000-08:00

December was the month of Christmas parties and shown below are some of our highlights:

Claridge's was transformed for an 80s themed corporate party, with uplighting in 80s colours, a dance machine, cocktail bar and pacman game station.

The "funky" theme continued throughout the event with contemporary table centres decorating the dining tables.

Over at Fulham Palace we were asked to transform a permanent marquee with Hollywood glamour, providing an intimate atmosphere for a smaller company party with just 60 guests. Red velvet drapes hid windows and provided warmth as well as making the event space smaller. Two Awards statues set the scene for the night and elegant silver candelabra adorned the tables.

At Eltham Palace our 68cm silver table candelabra created the ambience for a candlelit dinner, without a naked flame in sight! Our battery dinner candles provided just the right amount of "flicker" to fool many of the guests!

Oakley Court in Windsor was the setting for a Venetian Masked Ball and our red velvet entrance canopy and floor standing candelabra were just the ticket to set the scene, complemented with amber and magenta uplighting.

December also involved us decorating several award ceremonies and our illuminated table centres were used on many occasions, bringing client's logos and brand colours into the decoration.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Stressfreehire.com

2009-12-21T12:41:00.001-08:00

More New Wedding Venues ...

2009-12-01T02:43:00.000-08:00

Our weddings this weekend included new venue Greyfriars House in Guildford www.greyfriars-weddings.co.uk. The owners offer a modern wedding in an historic setting and the house is beautifully decorated in the style of a luxury boutique hotel. For a country house wedding with a contemporary twist, this venue is ideal.

Items provided this weekend include a ruscus and ivy garland around the staircase banister with pealights, votives on the tables, storm lanterns to decorate mantlepieces and windowsills, lanterns to line the terrace, pealights in the topiary trees either side of the entrance doors and lighting to the outside of the building. Other items that would work well at this venue include gas flambeaux, lanterns, an aisle carpet, chair covers, floor standing and table candelabra.

Hollywood Theming at the Royal Festival Hall

2009-12-01T02:19:00.000-08:00

On Friday we were contracted by London caterers Food Show (www.foodshow.org.uk) to provide decoration for a Hollywood themed event at The Royal Festival Hall. A Night Under The Stars was hosted by Stephen Fry in aid of The Passage, a very worthwhile charity helping homeless people. Further details of the charity can be found on http://www.passage.org.uk/. This is an annual fund raising event and this year the concert was performed by The Orion Symphony Orchestra featuring music from well known films. Food Show as always provided the most mouth-watering canapes and bowl food.

A giant awards statue, clapperboard and red carpet provide a themed entrance to the event space.

Posters from Brief Encounter adorned the wall behind the bar.

Theming included a Hollywood projection on the far wall and filmstrip wrapped around the columns. Uplighting was provided by the in-house AV company.

Minimal Cost for Maximum Impact Christmas Party Decorations

2009-11-27T08:39:00.000-08:00

Everyone is looking for ways to keep costs down this Christmas and our venue and table decorations can help you achieve high impact with even the tightest of budgets.

This simple hotel conference room was transformed into a Winter Wonderland with some ice blue uplighting, silver twisted willow arrangements and table centres comprising wrought iron table candelabra decorated with pealights and iridescent tinsel.

Various vase arrangements are available for hire offering a contemporary and striking look to your tables. These column vases contain black glass nuggets, florists gel, an LED light and an orchid. A slate tile and satellite cube vases complete the effect and the table centres can be provided with a variety of flower types and in a colour to suit your theme.

A storm lantern with floating candles on a mirror base with votive holders and petals can add colour as well as candlelight to a table.

For a fun table centre which shimmers, these rotating mirror balls are great fun!

And finally, our various table candelabra which are available with real or battery candles, are ideal for an elegant or classic setting.

Opulent and Stylish Venues

2009-11-09T07:47:00.000-08:00

Two new venues, images from which may be seen on our Facebook page, include the Cafe de Paris in Leicester Square and Apartment 195 in Chelsea. Both offer wonderful luxurious event spaces for private parties, receptions and dinners.

The Cafe de Paris was the venue for a recent Barmitzvah and this fabulous venue really does have it all with a central location, grand staircase and stunning drapery. Our 60cm brass and 60cm glass candelabra both work perfectly here complementing the sumptuous furnishings.

Apartment 195 is a private function space located above Henry J Beans in the King's Road. This beautiful old building offers its own private entrance and boutique-style decor. We were asked to supply decoration for a birthday party and provided a double sided crushed velvet plum drape to partition the room into two, with one side for arrival drinks and the main function space for dining. Further decor included our 68cm silver candelabra on the tables, frosted votives to provide additional candlelight and uplighters around the room to enrich the natural colouring of the room. Silver complemented the burgundy perfectly with silver twisted willow, cool white pealights and silver tie-backs. More images can be seen on our Facebook page - just search for Stressfreehire.com

Stressfreehire is now on Facebook!

2009-11-05T04:59:00.000-08:00

We now have a facebook page showcasing our work at different venues. We currently have 18 albums online but we are adding to this on a daily basis, with existing and new images featuring lighting, decoration and prop hire plus links to some of our favourite suppliers. Please visit our page (search for stressfreehire.com on Facebook), have a browse, become a fan and leave us a review!!

We look forward to hearing from you.

More New Stock

2009-11-03T01:42:00.001-08:00

We are continuously adding to our stock and get very excited when new items arrive! These Moroccan style coasters look great in a Moorish chill-out area or Bollywood themed party.

Vintage remains very popular and these tin hearts can be hung from trees, birch or willow.

And following on in Vintage theme we couldn't resist including this picture of our new Vintage-style lanterns at a summer garden party last month.

Ghostly Happenings This Weekend ...

2009-11-01T09:24:00.001-08:00

Some images from the various Halloween parties taking place this weekend ...

Venues oozing with character ...

2009-10-27T02:47:00.000-07:00

We worked at two of our favourite venues last week. The Crazy Bear in Stadhampton is a chic boutique hotel in Oxfordshire offering a large glasshouse with adjacent Moroccan lounge for event hire. For anyone wishing to host an event in luxurious surroundings with a Moroccan theme, this venue is ideal and requires little additional decoration.

Wiltons Music Hall in London is another venue with a fabulous atmosphere and an unusual event space. The world's oldest surviving grand Music Hall has recently opened for events having been derelict for nearly 80 years and features barley twist columns, a wonderful gallery and large stage area.

The Power of the Gobo!

2009-10-27T02:35:00.000-07:00

Pictures of gobo projections in our portfolio always strike a cord with our clients and offer great value for money in decorating any event space. Projections may be used to dress a large expanse of plain wall, to provide interest to a dance or chill-out area or to incorporate your own logo or design into your event. Some of our favourites are shown here.

Stressfreehire.com at the Designer Wedding Show

2009-10-09T00:44:00.001-07:00

Come and see us this weekend at the Designer Wedding Show in Battersea Park, London. Examples of our stock and lots of new photographs showing previous events will be available for you to view. The Show runs from Friday until Sunday and further details can be found on the website www.designerweddingshow.co.uk

We look forward to seeing you on stand 132 - backing onto the reception bar!

Pretty Outdoor Lighting!

2009-10-07T04:46:00.001-07:00

We have a lot of stock suitable for lighting and decorating outside spaces and with the nights drawing in, outside lighting is becoming more desirable. The following images from Kenwood House a few weeks ago show some of our most cost-effective items and demonstrate how easy it is to light and dress a garden area on a budget. Other items available for hire include gas flambeaux, paraffin torches and all forms of electric and coloured lighting. Further photos of Kenwood House can be found on our facebook page (search for stressfreehire) or for further information on outside lighting options please visit our online hire catalogue.

New Stock Item - Themed Log Cabin

2009-09-22T04:29:00.001-07:00

Our new log cabin with a realistic fireplace is now available for hire! Shown here in Wild West Theme it can also be supplied as a Christmas Grotto, Snug or as a focal point to warm any Chill Out area at your event.

Church-like Venues for Civil Ceremonies

2009-09-22T03:57:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we worked for the first time at St Augustine's Priory in Kent. This is a stunning venue in a beautiful, rural location. The Priory is Grade I listed and can accommodate up to 100 (at a squeeze) for a civil ceremony. Allowing candles, this has to be one of the most church-like venues we have come across for a civil ceremony. For receptions, there is a marquee attached to the Priory seating up to 120 and dancing can take place until midnight below the ceremony room. Altogether a magical place.

Eclectic Table Centres

2009-09-09T07:03:00.001-07:00

Eclectic table centres are very popular at present and fit many different themes, such as vintage, contemporary, London chic etc. They can provide an opulent and lavish look, filling a table without the cost that large centrepieces often attract. By using a selection of different containers, filled not only with flowers but also with candles and other items such as crystals, coloured water and florists gel, a great deal of interest can be achieved. Tables may all feature the same items, or the eclectic style can be carried throughout the venue with each table featuring subtle differences. This also offers a great opportunity to double up table centres as favours, with items such as votive holders, antique picture frames or even champagne flutes, being available for guests to take home as a keepsake at the end of the event. One of our clients sourced individual champagne flutes for all of her guests, each in a different style, which formed part of the centrepiece until it was time for the speeches!

The two examples featured here include a classic Vintage style table centre from a June wedding this year. The centrepiece included a glass candelabra surrounded by individual glass, stone and silver containers of seasonal flowers, with an eclectic mix of vintage votive holders, decorated with crystals and pearls.

In contrast, the second event was a private dinner party in a highly contemporary setting. White crisp indian cotton linen covered the table, white chairs and a white grand piano completed the look. Various clear glass containers were used for the flowers, supplemented with pewter candle holders and mirrored votives. In contrast to the much softer tones above, this table centre contained only one type of flower, but the overall look was one of grandeur.

Chewton Glen

2009-08-24T06:40:00.001-07:00

We have just returned from a beautiful wedding at Chewton Glen on the Dorset coast. The venue has been refurbished since we last worked there and now offers a contemporary function room which can seat up to 140 for a wedding breakfast.

The ceremony took place in the Conservatory, simply decorated with ruscus and pealight trails to the roof beams and with a floral arch as the centrepiece. An ivory aisle carpet provided warmth. This room was turned around in the evening to provide a chill-out area, with furniture provided by the Raj Tent Club and soft uplighting supplemented with candles. Brass lanterns and votives decorated the tables.

As the ceilings are not particularly high our 68cm silver candelabra were ideal for the tables in the Lake Suite. With 5 candelabra per table of 30 guests, separated by mirrored tanks of summer flowers and vintage votives, a stunning dining experience by candlelight was created. Chair covers completed the look and transformed this room into a luxurious summer wedding venue.

The gardens were subtly lit and complemented with our "paper bag" lanterns, providing a soft glow to mark out the walkways between the function areas.

Dancing in the evening took place in the Garden Room, where we provided simple uplighters to add colour and to illuminate the band, and a gobo to provide a contrast and interest to the dance area.

It was a pleasure to work again with suppliers who are so well known to us through our wedding co-ordination work, including Keith Appleby (photographer), Linda Fripp (cakes), Pains Fireworks and the Raj Tent Club (Indian/Moroccan style furniture).

Decorating Barns

2009-08-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we returned to Kingston Country Courtyard in Dorset, one of the many barn venues in the UK which offer great flexibility for a party or wedding reception. These venues really lend themselves to dressing and the beams provide a framework for lighting and draping to be installed neatly and safely.

Pealights are a firm favourite for barns and these can be wrapped around beams or provided in the form of our twisted willow arrangements around the perimeter.

Drapes can be used to segregate a barn into different areas or to frame windows and doors. We have also dressed barns by draping all of the walls to soften the overall effect and provide a lighter finish against which to inject colour through lighting. For themed events, drapes can be used to inject an element of drama and one such example of this was a recent Moulin Rouge themed event for which we installed red velvet theatre curtains and a fringed pelmet along one of the ceiling beams.

High ceilings are ideal for tall table centres and candelabra work particularly well in barns, providing a classic or rustic look depending on the style of the event. With our battery operated candles, candelabra can be used in any location even if there are restrictions on naked flames.

Other items often suggested for barn venues include chair covers and co-ordinated linen, topiary trees, storm lanterns, votives and for outside: gas flambeaux, hanging lanterns and paraffin flares. For examples of decorating barns, further information and images are available on our website by clicking here.

Kings College Cambridge

2009-08-20T12:39:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we were back at Kings College, a regular haunt. These institutions offer fabulous venue spaces with grounds, spectactular rooms and good food. However, they all suffer from the same problem - that of resembling a canteen! This is easy to overcome with the use of chair covers to turn the venue from a educational establishment into a wedding or party venue. Supplemented with bows in your colour scheme, other decorative items we have provided here include table and floor standing candelabra, votives, storm lanterns on the tables and on the galleries, charger plates, gas flambeaux and muslin drapes to cover noticeboards.

Decorating Churches

2009-08-19T07:16:00.001-07:00

We are regularly asked to decorate Churches for weddings, concerts, recitals and special services.

Our iron candelabra complement most interiors and are available with regular or battery operated candles, the latter for those venues that do not allow naked flames.

Lighting is key for Churches as ambient light is often subdued and this can make a vast difference to the look and feel of the area.

Popular requests are uplighters to highlight columns, arches and other architectural features, storm lanterns to decorate sills and smaller candle holders (all of course available in battery form as well as with real candles) to dress ledges.

For more elaborate events, draping can also be used to hide storage areas, provide a focal point or simply to dress the space.

New Recommended Florist

2009-08-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

This weekend we had the pleasure of working with Victoria Arrowsmith who operates in the North Norfolk area. Victoria obviously takes great pride and enjoyment in her work and the attention to detail demonstrated was superb - something we don't always experience with other suppliers. Victoria can be contacted at the following email address: victoria@arrowsmiths.biz and we look forward to working with her again soon.

Kingston Maurward House

2009-07-28T07:21:00.001-07:00

This weekend we added another new venue to our books - Kingston Maurward House near Dorchester. This venue offers a range of rooms for events including a striking Entrance Hall and the Pengelly Suite for civil ceremonies or receptions. For larger events, the conference room is dressed with a marquee lining to provide a simple, blank canvas with clean lines which lends itself to all forms of decoration. Our outside lighting equipment and furniture is ideal for venues like this, with sweeping lawns, ornamental gardens and terraces for guests to enjoy. Brass lanterns can be used to line terraces, our vintage garden furniture and parasols provide comfortable and attractive seating and entrances and departures can be made more dramatic with the addition of our gas flambeaux and paraffin flares. For further details of our outside lighting and garden furniture options, please visit the hire catalogue on our website.

Personalised Cocktail Sign for Hire

2009-07-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

We have several ropelight signs for hire and recently personalised our Cocktails sign for a Barmitzvah to hang above the cocktail bar. Other items provided for the Barmitzvah included a market stall for a cheese display, a sweet stall, a photo booth, a fairy light dance floor, Anycolour lighting, starcloths and full production services.

Lighting at Belvoir Castle

2009-07-21T08:40:00.000-07:00

We were delighted to be selected to provide the lighting for the Duchess of Rutland's summer ball at Belvoir Castle last month. Uplighters provided a colourwash to the walls and ceilings of the rooms throughout this stunning venue while a gobo projecting large stars made a feature of the floral centrepiece. Gas flambeaux greeted guests on arrival and dramatic lighting to the outside of the Castle set the scene for an exclusive event. For further details of lighting techniques and options please visit our website or give us a call.

Chilham Village Hall Transformation

2009-07-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

One of our favourite and most satisfying jobs is always the transformation of a village hall. Yesterday it was the turn of Chilham village hall, a popular wedding venue in the most beautiful and quintessentially English village of Chilham, Nr Canterbury.

This was a very family oriented wedding with friends providing flowers and family members involved with the set-up and decoration. Decorative items provided by the bride and groom helped to put the finishing touches to a classic summer wedding with vintage overtones. The overall effect was to be subtle and soft, so we replaced the curtains with full length muslin drapes to frame the windows and mask the ambient light, and provided bespoke covers for the "village hall style" heaters. Walls were uplit in amber which worked in conjunction with the drapes to provide a soft hue to the room and these were supplemented with our twisted willow arrangements around the walls of the room. Round tables with floor length cloths were hired to supplement the Hall's own furniture and our crisp white chair covers with gold organza sashes completed the look. Clusters of storm lanterns in the hearth and on ledges provided a candlelit glow and complemented the brides own decorations which including ornate bird cages and vintage style picture frames.

Outside, we provided a marquee as an extension to the room for arrival drinks in the event of wet weather. Luckily, the rain didn't persevere all day and everyone was able to enjoy the outside space for which our new vintage garden furniture was ideal.

The continuation of the wedding party into the evening allowed us to change the look and feel of the Hall and lighting changed from amber to magenta as the dancing began. Subtle lighting, black cloths for the occasional tables and standard lamps turned the functional ante-room into a chill out area for the evening bar and lanterns and pealights outside provided an atmospheric walkway for guests departure.

Further details of venue transformations can be found on our website - click on menu item "venue transformations".

Recommended Florists - Lily & Myrtle

2009-07-19T09:03:00.001-07:00

This weekend we were fortunate to work once more with Lily & Myrtle (florists) at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hook. The flowers were stunning in soft pastel shades and a classic style, but also smelt divine as a result of using organic garden roses amongst other seasonal flowers. Although we work with a vast nunber of different suppliers and love working with new people, it is always a pleasure when we work with our regulars. All of our clients can now benefit from a discount on our hire stock if their flowers are arranged by one of our recommended florists - please ask for details of a florist in your area. These florists know our equipment and work with us regularly, generating savings for us which we are happy to pass on to you. For more details of Lily & Myrtle please visit their website at http://www.lilyandmyrtle.co.uk/

Uplighters and Colourwashes

2009-07-17T05:47:00.000-07:00

The lighting we provided at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich a few weeks ago provides a great example of the dramatic impact that can be achieved through the use of uplighters. In this instance, uplighters in purple provided a colourwash to the walkways between dining and dancing rooms as well as creating a clublike feel for the evening reception area. Outside, uplighters in amber were used to provide soft lighting to the colonnade which was used at dusk as the magical setting for the first dance. Additional items supplied including a star gobo to illuminate the floor for the first dance, storm lanterns to line the walkways and moving lights for the disco. Other images on our website and blog show how uplighters can be used to provide colour and warmth to the simplest of spaces as well as highlighting details such as columns and other architectural features. Further details can be found under venue transformations on our website - click here

Glass Candelabra - Plinth Decoration

2009-07-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

One of our most popular items, our glass candelabra are used as centrepieces for many themes and at numerous venues. They are offered with an optional plinth, which can raise them by 75mm or 150mm to aid guest communication across the table. Most clients decorate plinths with an oasis ring, but recently at The Landmark Hotel in London, a fabulous vintage effect was achieved simply by wrapping the plinth with loose ivy and dressing with single flower heads. Much more cost effective than an oasis ring and providing a simpler, looser style of decoration the table looked stunning. Flowers by Neil Birks - wonderful! www.nbflowers.co.uk

Decorating Conference Rooms for Weddings

2009-07-15T07:49:00.001-07:00

We are frequently asked to dress conference rooms for weddings and parties and examples of venue decoration can be found throughout our blog. The Hilton Metropole at the NEC Birmingham offers a good example of what can be done to make a room "weddingy" without breaking the bank. For this rather large Greek wedding with 600 guests, we provided uplighters in the wedding colours, a backdrop behind the top table and a starcloth behind the band. Chair covers, bows and tall table centres completed the look. The overall hire cost was low, particularly given the size of the room, but the impact was great and turned a traditional meeting room into a wedding venue.

Ethical Centrepieces

2009-07-08T06:38:00.000-07:00

In June, we were asked once again to provide table centres for the One World Broadcasting Trust annual awards ceremony. One World Media seeks to raise awareness of global human rights, social and development issues – from poverty and debt to education, good governance and freedom of expression. Ethical or "green" supplies are therefore essential to carry this message through the event, as well as meeting the normal requirements for any event of budget and value for money. The design chosen for this event incorporated both beauty and sustainability whilst featuring the colour of the brand. All elements of this table centre are reuseable right down to the gel beads in the vases. Even the flowers are sustainable with either seasonal fresh flowers or reusable silk flowers. This option offers an exciting and individual table centre that gives the client peace of mind as well as a beautiful decoration.

Various other sustainable table centres are available using a variety of vases and containers - please ask for details. Equally popular are our candelabra, storm lanterns and hurricane lamps, all available with wax or battery powered candles.

Vintage Glamour

2009-07-08T04:58:00.001-07:00

Vintage weddings are proving popular this summer and the images below show some of the decorative ideas and hire items we have provided to date.

Wedding signage, vintage garden furniture, ribbons in trees

Glass candelabra, eclectic vintage floral containers, swarovski crystals, vintage tableware, napkins dressed with ribbons, crystals and pearls

Padded furniture, mirror topped bars and tables, clusters of eclectic votives and storm lanterns

Church Venues

2009-05-07T08:01:00.001-07:00

We are increasingly being asked to decorate churches not only for wedding ceremonies but also for receptions, dinners and parties. These spectacular venues offer high ceilings and wonderful architectural features, ideal for tall centrepieces complemented with simple lighting. Christ Church in Spitalfields is a great example and it is becoming one of our regular haunts.

Boat Trips on the Thames

2009-04-21T09:22:00.001-07:00

This weekend we dressed The Waterman, a light, airy and modern boat ideal for trips along the Thames. The Waterman is run by Hobbs of Henley and is one of three passenger boats available for weddings. It is ideal to transport guests from hotels or churches to reception venues, to take guests for a river cruise during the drinks reception, for evening parties afloat, or as a different venue for your rehearsal dinner or brunch. There are five churches within reach of Henley and reception venues with river frontage are plentiful including Henley Management College, Phyllis Court, The Leander Club, Temple Island and Cliveden. We are pleased to be on the recommended supplier list of Hobbs of Henley as well as having worked at the venues mentioned above amongst others in the area.

Spring Cleaning and Stock Taking!

2009-04-21T09:14:00.001-07:00

Spring is finally here and we've taken advantage of the good weather to have a clear out of our stores and take stock. We're eagerly awaiting our new swag chandeliers which arrive in a few weeks time and will look fabulous in marquees, barns or other venues with high ceilings. We're also expecting deliveries of our new vintage garden furniture and will soon be ordering a selection of new hanging lanterns too. Our stock take is also key as our web technician is putting the finishing touches to our on-line hire catalogue which will soon be live on http://www.stressfreehire.com/ This will showcase all of our hire stock rather than the limited selection currently displayed on our website and will make it easier for our customers to choose items for their events. Further pictures and news to follow! Watch this space!

Budget Tablecentres 2

2009-03-23T04:44:00.000-07:00

This weekend we were at Guildhall, one of our favourite London venues for large, prestigious events. We were asked to provide cost effective table centres for 70 tables for a charity dinner and auction. With such a large and ornate space, tall table centres are key and so our wrought iron candelabra were ideal, offering high impact at a low cost. These were simply decorated with ivy and placed along the centre of the tables. The space in between the candelabra was dressed with pots of spring bulbs including narcissi and hyacinths. Potted plants are a very reasonable way to decorate tables and they are available from all garden centres at this time of year. Moss and clusters of votives around the base of the pots finish the effect perfectly and for weddings, these centrepieces can double as favours, with guests able to take away a living plant at the end of the evening.

How to have candlelight when your venue does not allow candles!

2009-03-16T12:58:00.001-07:00

All of our floor standing and table candelabra are now available with battery-operated candles, allowing everyone at any venue to enjoy dinner by candlelight! Seen here are our 68cm silver candelabra with battery dinner candles at Birmingham Town Hall for a "Phantom of the Opera" themed Ball on Saturday night. The 30 tables had alternating 68cm and 98cm candelabra, with battery-operated candles in the smaller candelabra and real candles melted to provide the effect of dripping-wax in the taller candelabra. The overall effect was one of theatre and candle-light, which came into its own when lights were dimmed and music began.

Budget Table Centres

2009-03-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

Our 68cm silver candelabra are proving particularly popular as a budget table centre, available for hire at £25 + VAT each and providing a much greater impact than flowers to the same value could achieve. On Wednesday they could be found at Claridge's alternating with posies of purple lisianthus and anemonies to reflect our client's brand. The effect was complemented with mauve water glasses, available to hire from Top Table (www.toptablehire.com) for 25p + VAT each.

Rhydian singing amongst our candelabra!

2009-03-11T06:45:00.001-07:00

This morning our new carousel candelabra could be seen on GMTV when Rhydian performed his new single. http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=33681. These candelabra are particularly popular for wedding ceremonies and receptions, themed parties, church concerts and any other events where candlelight is required to make an impact.

Hunton Park

2009-03-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

LK Lily - excellent florists whom we have worked with for years - approached us to drape and decorate the winter marquee at Hunton Park and provide some touches to soften the House as well. This is a conference centre with stunning gardens and a beautiful Queen Anne mansion.

The marquee is a permanent fixture in very good condition and presented in a contemporary style. This can appear a little cold though for a wedding and our brief was to soften the panoramic windows and aluminium frame doorways with drapes, as well as dressing the chairs and main marquee space. The theme was ivory and red, so ivory muslin was used to complement the marquee lining and ivory chair covers were adorned with red sashes. Twisted willow arrangements were placed around the walls to break up the space and inject some sparkle.

Further candlelight was introduced with storm lanterns lining the steps leading down to the evening lazer display. Other decoration included ivory muslin draping to the walkway leading to the marquee, uplighting to add the wedding colours to the arrival area and topiary trees with pealights to flank the main entrance.

Addington Palace and Forest School

2009-02-23T02:22:00.001-08:00

This really was a weekend of new venues! We have worked at Addington Palace before but decorated the marquee for the first time on Saturday. This is a similar structure to the marquees at Tewin Bury Farm in Hertfordshire and Painshill Park in Surrey, offering a blank canvas at a reasonable rate for large events. The marquees are functional but can be dressed up very easily making a vast difference to the look and feel and putting your own statement on the space. Suitable decoration includes chair covers and bows, a pealight backdrop behind the top table possibly flanked by topiary trees and coloured gels for the venues own uplighters. Other items we have supplied at these venues include our fabulous crystal chandeliers, coloured valance and wall linings and of course our table candelabra which are ideal for tall ceilings.

Another style of venue which lends itself to tall table centres is a Baronial Hall, often found in Stately homes but also in many Schools and Colleges. Our 68cm silver candelabra made a stunning centrepiece at Forest School in North East London on Saturday, providing a high impact table centre for a much lower cost than anyone could achieve with flowers.

Renaissance Heathrow

2009-02-21T11:58:00.001-08:00

Friday evening found us draping the Renaissance Suite at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow. This is a typical function room with great capacity, but with side aisles divided by columns which were not required to accommodate the guest numbers. In order to make the room more intimate, we hung drapes on a bespoke framework between the columns, with amber uplighters to provide a warm glow and draw the eye into the room and away from the ceiling and walls. For contrast and a change in ambience, gels were changed from amber to purple following dinner. Our clients had some great ideas for this wedding using potted plants for exotic table centres (a great money-saving idea) and with an orange theme, what better favour than a Terry's chocolate orange!

Stoke Place

2009-02-21T11:51:00.000-08:00

Today we worked at Stoke Place for the first time. What a great venue! I attended a conference here many moons ago, but it has since been updated and has a lovely colonial feel providing a light airy space for events which can be dressed up or down according to your theme. The wedding today made use of the decoration provided by the venue using their own silver candelabra to adorn the tables and bar and complementing this with silver picture frames for the table names. We provided muslin draping to the windows and dividing partition, softening the feel of the room and hiding the roller blinds. And we had a lovely surprise when we bumped into Euphoric Flowers, who were viewing the room with their clients. We worked with Euphoric last month at One Great George Street when they hired our popular glass candelabra.

Welcome to our Blog!

2009-02-21T07:47:00.001-08:00

Welcome to our Blog! We have been intending to start a blog for some time and look forward to sharing our experiences, news, ideas and observations with you.