March 24, 2025 • 33 mins
Step into the stunning world of marquee weddings with Susie Evans, founder of Susie Evans Wedding and Events Co. In this episode, we unpack the unique challenges and endless possibilities that bespoke marquee weddings present. Susie shares her journey into the wedding industry, revealing how her passion for creating memorable experiences evolved into a successful career characterized by a commitment to personalization and luxury.
Discover the ins and outs of transforming blank outdoor spaces into breathtaking celebrations that reflect the unique vision of each couple. Susie emphasizes the importance of understanding logistics and having contingency plans in place, especially when dealing with the unpredictability of nature. With over a decade of experience, she provides invaluable insights into the preparations necessary for a marquee event, including hiring vendors, coordinating logistics, and ensuring an unforgettable ambiance with strategic lighting design.
We also explore how marquee weddings allow couples to customize every element down to the finest detail, with a focus on creating immersive guest experiences. Susie encourages brides and grooms to break away from traditional formats and celebrate their love story in a way that resonates with their personalities.
If you’re looking to create a marquee wedding, or if you're an aspiring wedding planner eager to edge into this niche, this episode is packed with expert advice and inspiration. Tune in for an insightful discussion that will help you plan the wedding of your dreams! Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help others discover this episode!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Ben Connolly.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
And I'm Jack Bowie.
Thanks so much for joining usagain at Winnie Empires, because
of course, we are all about theworld of weddings and the
visionaries behind them, andtoday we're thrilled to have
Susie Evans, who's the founderof Susie Evans Wedding and
Events Co, joining us.
Hi, susie.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Hello, good morning.
Well, good night for you, butmorning for me in England.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Thanks for joining us , Susie.
I hear it's 7.30 in the morningover there.
Are you having a morning wineor are you on the coffee?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
I've got the wine.
I mean sorry, coffee.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Is it a single malt latte, maybe?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Possibly, I couldn't tell you.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Find a bit of Kahlua, you know, a bit of an orange
espresso martini.
Maybe not at 7.30 in themorning, though it's a bit of a
stretch.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
It's classed as coffee, so it's okay.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Okay, all right, good .
So Susie is well known for hermastery of marquee weddings,
crafting unforgettablecelebrations at private estates
and family homes all across theUK, and she's got a client list
that includes celebrities andEuropean royalty.
Susie is an expert at turning ablank canvas into a bespoke
(01:19):
dream venue, so in this episode,we're going to uncover the
secrets behind marquee weddings.
So, from navigating the complexlogistics to designing
breathtaking spaces that leaveguests in awe.
So if you guys have everwondered about how to transform
an empty field into a luxuriouswedding venue, then this
conversation is for you.
So grab your notebooks andlet's get started.
(01:40):
So, susie, I thought we'd kickoff with maybe just your journey
and how you got into weddingsand what drew you to specialise
in these sort of marqueeweddings.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Absolutely.
I've been planning weddings nowfor 14 years, come from very
financial backgrounds and I wasone of those people that got
married myself and in theprocess started sort of my
wedding journey.
So I initially started offabout 17 years ago with a
wedding design company so a lotof decor things and moved into
(02:15):
the production side of things,sold that business about 10
years ago but in the meantime Idid a diploma in wedding
planning and kind of moved intothat field.
More so Because I just lovedthe experience of working with
couples and taking that journeyand just yeah it's then, just as
you know what it's like as aplanner, you just evolve and
learn what you like, what youdon't like and absolutely love,
(02:38):
love, love marquees and so I'vebeen doing it, probably marquees
specializing in the last six orseven years.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Susie, what is it about marquee weddings that you
love so much?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
I think it's the challenge more than anything.
Like when I do a venue wedding,I do think, god, this is so
much easier.
Why don't I do this?
At the same time, I think youknow you're essentially building
a venue from scratch, so fromthe ground up, and the
challenges of all the logisticsand bringing all the different
vendors in and making it bespoke.
(03:12):
Essentially, you've got freecanvas to do what you like
within reason and budget.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
And why do you think that marquee weddings are so
appealing to high-end clients onon private estates and stuff
like that?
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I think it's that personalization and it's that
kind of bringing the familytogether and it's almost a
heritage.
It's where they, you know, alot of the time it's where their
family home, where they grew up, um, they feel it's very
personalized, um, what theydon't realize normally is the
stress that it comes with it andthat's, I think it's it's
bespoke element to it, probablythe key, key thing for them.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I agree with that.
I also.
I also think too, um, as aformer wedding planner, you
don't have that restriction on,I have to use this caterer or I
have to, you know, use this barprovider or whatever it's it's.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
You can absolutely pick what you want, whether it's
food trucks you know, a lot oftime they have all their own
wines and it's they've been inno corkage and it's just trucks.
It's like a lot of the timethey have all their own wines
and it's like they have nocorkage and it's just actually,
do you know what at this time?
We want to start at this time,and it's all so much flexibility
.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah.
Yeah well, Go Ben.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So, susie, for people who are interested in the
marquee wedding side of thingsJack's laughing at me here so
for people that are interestedin the marquee wedding side of
things, what are the biggestchallenges that you face with
marquees as opposed totraditional?
Speaker 3 (04:31):
venues.
I think that the biggest thingis probably people
underestimating the cost of amarquee wedding.
So it comes to the budget.
So I probably think you know,nine out of ten clients will say
, oh, we don't have the venuefee, you know, don't have any of
those costs.
It's like, no, no, but you haveto build your venue essentially
.
So you might not have the venuehire, but you have to build the
(04:52):
venue and essentially the Iwould say, uh, having a marquee
wedding here in the, especiallyin the UK, you're looking at
sort of 25 to 30 percent morethan it would be generally at a
venue.
Um, and also it's a logistics.
So whilst you might have themost beautiful large garden,
open plan, everything, it'salways it's always the um
logistics of getting people, theaccess for the suppliers and
(05:12):
building.
Especially if we're buildinghuge structures, it's not just
on the back of a van and put afew poles up, it's a huge, long,
massive, you know big townlorries and things that need to
come in.
So that's probably the biggestlogistic and I don't think
people realize the time it takesto build these.
So we're normally in at least aweek before building structure
and then it's the aftermath aswell for the d-rig.
(05:33):
So it's yeah, I think it's.
It's the logistics of it whichare probably the biggest thing
to overcome.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I think there's plenty of planners that haven't
I think there's plenty ofplanners that haven't.
Welcome to Australia, sue.
I'm in nature today.
I think there's plenty ofwedding planners that haven't
done a marquee wedding yet anddon't know all of these
logistics like power and waterand toilets, and you know all
(06:00):
these things.
Can you rattle off, I guess,the kind, the kind of I don't
know, let's say, core elementsthat you, you know all the time,
have to bring in and and that'san added, an added thing that
people may not consider yet yeah, and I think, sort of along
with that, it's also thinkingabout all contingencies of the
weather as well, especially, Imean, here in england.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Obviously we don't have the summers that you do,
and so we had to almostguarantee rain.
So, and I think the key thingis the structure.
It's deciding what structureand also the type of like.
Whilst it might look reallyflat to you, it's probably on a
gradient, so you've got to thinkthings like that.
But obviously the toilets, thepower is a big thing, um, and
toilets people again, if they'vegot five toilets in our house,
(06:44):
well, that's great, but you donot want 200 guests traipsing
through your house and they'renot fit for commercial use in
terms of flushing every twominutes.
So, um, I think those kind ofit's like the power, the
structure and definitely thetoilets, um, and obviously the
catering tent is where you'vegot to think.
They've got to build a fullkitchen, um, so it's not just
again a few frying pan, you know, the ovens, the whole, oh, so
(07:06):
much has to be brought in yeah Ithink also oh sorry, ben, can I
just ask something?
Speaker 2 (07:15):
um, I've done quite a few marquee weddings and I I
think it's also important tothink about the kind of
different spaces you know andthat that may maybe even making
the toilets a moment, or youknow an area, an area off there
where there's tall tables orwhatever, but, um, you know,
making the whole experienceenjoyable, I think, not not
forgetting and I think it seemslike parking as well.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
It's, yeah, especially a lot of the private
states I'm at.
They think oh, there's beenloads of parking, some of them
on such, especially here inengland.
They're all like fit reallynarrow lanes or they're private
states but they don't haveparking all outside on the
streets or anything like that.
They might not have the ormight have a field, but actually
access to the field is anightmare.
So if it's raining you have toget all the tracking down.
And then it's the lightingpeople.
(07:58):
A lot of people forget aboutlighting.
So it might be great during theday, but guests leaving you,
you know, late at night it'slike how do?
It's all the safety aspect aswell.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
That kind of leads me into the question I was going
to ask is like what are some ofthe common mistakes that couples
and that planners make whenthey're organising a marquee
wedding?
Speaker 3 (08:19):
I think one of them is like backup power.
So again, you can't power akitchen from your kitchen, for
example, you can't just plug itinto the wall.
It all works.
So there's always a generatorinvolved.
But I always have a backupgenerator and they're linked up.
So if one generator fails andit does happen, and it has
happened um, it'll automaticallylink into the other one.
Um, and it's the wet weathercontingency, rather than going,
(08:42):
oh, we'll be okay, just a fewumbrellas.
But've got to think thestructure, the type of flooring
you've got.
If you haven't got a decentflooring, water suites, I mean.
I've had all sorts of disastersover the years when I first
started out.
You just sort of go in, go in,it'll be fine, it'll be fine.
And then we've had heavy rainand leaks and floods and all
sorts.
I think the kit and the poweras well.
(09:05):
It's the amount of power that'sdrawn and it's knowing what the
limits are for everything,whilst you work with an
electrician, but you still needto have a basic knowledge of it
and people just don't even thinkabout it.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Yeah, I've worked over in the UK and that sort of
thing and I know what theweather is like.
The weather was especiallyprecious when I was there, so
that was good, but how do youhandle everything that the
weather throws at you over there?
Speaker 3 (09:32):
For the last two years.
We've had awful summers, in allhonesty, so we've had a lot of
rain and it's tested my patienceand I thought I had the weather
gods in my contract, butthey've taken a walk for the
last couple of years.
As I say to couples, we have tohave plan A, plan B, sometimes
a plan C, depending on thescenario, but we need to make
(09:55):
plan B just as good as plan Aand almost always prepare for
the worst, because when it doeshappen it's not such a shock.
And I think people again, itcomes down to budget because
generally you have to spend abit more to have your plan B
working well.
But yeah, key is we just haveto embrace it and make this that
guest experience.
You've got to ensure thatyou've covered every angle, yeah
(10:19):
.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
I think something else that people forget is just
how much you have to dress amarquee.
You know, like they.
I think clients forget that,don't they?
In that, you know, this is whatyou're weighing up quite often,
with going to a venue that'sgot its own atmosphere and
furnishings and things like that, to, oh, we'll put 150 or 200
(10:40):
people in a tent, it's like thenwe really need to dress it,
we're, you know, in order for itto you know it might be flowers
it might be, you know we have areal difference in marquee
structures in terms of quality.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
So you've got the local run family companies who
have the marquees which are alot cheaper to the.
It's obviously the high end andit's a completely different
experience in terms of look, youknow, because you've got the
linings and so many differentlinings to choose and, like you
say, it's then the florals andif we're doing a big structure,
you've got to fill thatstructure um, because it will
look really empty, and thenyou've got to get all the
furniture and all the lightingand it's yeah and creating
(11:17):
moments.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
You know lounge areas high table areas, those sorts
of things to really break it upand make it interesting.
And the floor.
You know People forget aboutthe floor and the dance floor
and, oh my God, all these thingsSort of giving me reminders of
my last one.
My last one wasn't great,actually, it was probably my
(11:38):
worst bribe that I ever had.
This is one of my last marqueereadings and but anyway it's
behind me.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
You need a sip of wine after that, Jack.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Yeah, I know, I went back there in my brain.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
There's a bit of reminiscing going on there.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
So what about, like permits and permissions and
things?
What are some of those thingsthat planners may not realise if
they're considering a marqueewedding?
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, obviously they differ in different countries
and different states and things.
But over here we have like atemporary events licence notice
that's required if certaincriteria you need for them.
But generally, like ifalcohol's being sold, obviously
there needs to be a licence forthat um, but it really it kind
of depends on the situation andwhere they are and what they're
(12:30):
doing.
But if it's a what we class asa party, so nothing's been sold,
nothing, there's no tickets toanything, you and it's on
private land, you can get awaywith a lot more um, not get away
, it's the wrong word um.
But you know you don't need thepermits there.
But I think for me I alwaysobviously not really so much a
permanent thing, but I thinkit's especially in private
(12:51):
states a lot of got neighbors.
They're so far away, butobviously, as we all know, noise
, travels and I think the bestthing is to ensure that, whether
you get on with your neighborsor not, and whether they're
miles down the road or not, Ithink it's making sure that you
let everybody know, because it'sjust not just about the night
itself, it's the traffic,increased traffic, loads that
are coming in before and after.
(13:12):
So it's just keeping the peacewith everyone, because the last
thing you want is neighboursturning up on the doorstep on
the night of the wedding.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Yeah, yeah, susie, how do you coordinate all the
vendors and like everything thatgoes on?
Like I know, in Australia,wedding vendors is like trying
to wrangle stray cats Like it'sa challenge.
So have you got a system forthat?
Speaker 3 (13:34):
I work with the right ones.
So I think it really is key andI only do full bespoke planning
.
So obviously over the yearsI've done on the day
coordination, partial and things, but and that's probably harder
because you are picking upsomebody else's planning process
and journey but I now do fullbespoke.
So it's working with vendorsgenerally that I've always
(13:57):
worked with before that know me,I know them and I trust them
and they're they always the onesI work with, always go above
and beyond.
So actually it takes the stressfrom me and without them, to be
honest, they're, they're theones that create the day.
You know, whilst I project,manage it, I think you know
everyone's.
I'm assuming you've doneamazing, done amazing.
It's like, yes, I have.
Actually it's my team around methat have created this.
(14:18):
So, yeah, I think it's aboutwho's around you, that's, I'm
working with the right onesdefinitely yeah, well, you heard
it here everyone, surroundyourself with awesome people.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
I guess that's might be why you're listening to our
podcast.
What do you reckon jack, jack'sand jack's gone silent.
What did you say?
Speaker 2 (14:40):
I turned it off because there was a train.
Dogs, glass trains, it's allhappening.
I was just going to say yeah,yeah, and if you're wanting a
wedding photographer inQueensland, I know I happen to
know a good one, oh do you, oh,do you.
So let's talk about lighting ina marquee.
(15:03):
Have you got any sort of tipsaround you know doing really
beautiful and effective lightingin a marquee?
Have you got any sort of tipsaround you know doing really
beautiful and effective lightingin a marquee?
Speaker 3 (15:09):
yeah.
So those people that know meand sort of the clients that
have worked with me know that Igo on and on about lighting.
Um, because I think it has thebiggest impact of anything,
because you can really changethe atmosphere of and you kind
of need it to change.
So you know, throughout the dayyou have very different
lighting to what you have at thenight and during the night time
, so from candle light.
(15:30):
But I tend to layer up mylighting.
So rather than just have oh,let's have that, let's up here
that you know just have some uplight, as I tend to do a lot of
layering up.
So it changes throughout thewhole day and then at night time
it then changes again and wekind of take everyone on a
journey.
But it's a very visual thingthat they don't realise what's
going on.
But we probably put quite a bitof budget onto lighting
(15:51):
generally because I think itmakes a huge impact.
It really does.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Yeah, I generally put a lot into lighting as well,
susie, yeah, as well, susie,yeah, so in I guess lighting is
one of the the key components inin creating atmosphere in in a
marquee.
So have you got any other sortof tips and tricks for everyone
you know looking at marqueeweddings on how to create
(16:20):
atmosphere and and what they cando to really make it something
special?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
yeah, I think jack sort of touched on it earlier
it's almost creating areaswithin that marquee.
So I always think and it doesn'tmatter what the budget is, it's
almost you want that impactmoment, you want people to walk
in those, those doors or youknow, open stuff, whatever it's
going to be, walk in that frontand go oh wow and not expect it.
So I think a lot of people dolots of little bitty bits, but
(16:44):
actually do you know what, ifyou have even just make one big
impact in the marquee.
So I generally use, for example, something like a bar.
So whether it's bespoke or astandard, you know hide bar, but
we make something of that.
So they walk in and there'sthat real visual point for them.
Creating soft furnishing, it'slike layering up different
(17:07):
textures as well, so changingthings up a bit, mixing
different chairs and just havingthose different elements of the
space so that you can and if wecan, we create that night time.
We just have like reveal wallsand things that you walk into
almost like a nightclub and it'syeah I think it's about
creating different spaces.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Definitely yeah I love that.
Different moments what aboutthis sort of multi-day
celebrations?
How do you deal with those interms of I don't know, do you,
do you reset and and createdifferent moments like how does
that work?
Speaker 3 (17:33):
actually all of mine are multi-day.
Now it's very, very popularover here, um, but they tend to.
As I always say, let's try.
If you've got the space, let'suse different areas if we can.
So again, again, it's weatherdependent, but also people
forget oh, we'll just doeverything in the same space,
that's great.
But what if you've got a creamcarpet?
So day one, you don't want allyour guests walking in for a
(17:54):
welcome party and it getscompletely trashed for the
wedding day.
So it's thinking of all thosethings.
But it's also what's importantto them.
So, like the welcome party,rehearsal dinner, it's a.
Do you want everyone there?
Do you want big, you know?
Do you want just a small,intimate, you know, group?
But it's again, it's creating.
You need to engage your guests.
(18:15):
You want them to feel likethey're experiencing a journey
throughout the weekend ratherthan just turning up, having a
drink, having a chat, going backdoing the same the next day.
So it's actually trying to mixup the day.
So we tend to start quiteinformal for day one, because
generally most people have onlyjust got together so that all
they want to do is talk and havea few drinks.
But I also say is finish thatearly people go oh yeah, we'll
(18:36):
finish 10, 11.
I said it won't fit if you say10, 11, it won't finish.
10, 11, it'll be 12, 1 or 2.
Because people and I said youdo not want your guests as much
as you're having the best night.
Finish on a high that firstnight, but a bit earlier it's.
Yeah, really key.
And don't ever underestimateday three, because people turn
up hungover.
They're not drinking, theymight eat a little bit and think
, oh, this is all a bit, butgive it a few hours.
(18:59):
They're back on it and theywill not stop.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Sounds like a regular Monday for me.
Susie Sounds like a regularMonday for me.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Susie, okay, can you share a memorable wedding that
you've done, that's, had anexperience with a celebrity or a
high-profile client?
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Difficult one because obviously, as you can imagine,
they're all under NDA.
So there's only so much I cansay with all the ones I've done,
I think the biggest thing withall of them, because a lot of my
clients are quite discreetanyway what about Meg and Mark?
Yeah, I didn't do that one.
Yeah, you know, what's reallyhumbling to it is, I think, the
(19:44):
ones I've done.
They genuinely, genuinely likecan't describe it they loved,
loved the whole experience andhow discreet it's been.
And the fact is and they've allfinished quite early, which has
been great, but they, I thinkit's just they're quite small
and intimate.
So then the numbers are 100 orless.
They've, all of them have beenand they've what the biggest
(20:05):
memory for me is, normally it'slike towards the end of the
night when they're all on thedance floor and I thought
there's no cameras, there's novideo, it's nothing there or
everyone's gone home in thatrespect, but they are just
embracing their time togetherwith no one watching them, apart
from me in the corner.
But it's, that's probably beenmy big you know, I think every
one of those where I've donesort of very high-profile
clients and I've just stood inthe corner and thought they're
(20:27):
just normal people.
They are just normal people andthey're actually really
enjoying that moment withoutanyone looking at them or
watching them.
But they've all been probablymy easiest clients, believe it
or not.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
I love how you said small and intimate 100 people.
Small and intimate over here inaustralia is about 10 people
tops yeah, I know I'm the samemost.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
I just say most marquee weddings we tend to find
they're kind of 150, 200 overhere, anything like.
I've got a wedding of 75 thisyear.
I'm like wow, it's really small, I love it yeah, all right all
right.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
So what advice would you give a wedding planner who
wants to go into marqueeweddings?
Speaker 3 (21:09):
I think the key is experience.
Go and get as much experienceas you can with other planners
who are either local you know,or to you, but not necessarily
doing marquee but really highlylogistical weddings.
So where there's a lot going on, the more experience.
So I think my biggest thingthat helped me many, many moons
(21:29):
ago was working with caterers.
So I used to do front of houseand just extra bit of extra work
every now and then and go workwith them or just shadow them,
because I think, like especiallya marquee wedding, caterers
probably have the hardest jobbecause they're having to create
a full menu for 200 guests andI mean literally at the end of
the night.
I think I'm so glad I'm theplanner and not the caterer,
(21:50):
because I see the stuff theyhave to clear up and it's just,
it's a long, long cumbersome dayfor them and I just I think the
key is experience.
Just go and get it.
Go and shadow people that youadmire, want to work with and
just, yeah, get, just be open todoing as much as you can.
The more hands-on experienceyou get, the better it will be
(22:10):
for you, definitely.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
I think that's really excellent advice because I
think a lot of people don'tunderstand the level of work
that's in the, in that sort ofbuilding and bumping out.
In my youth I worked on Cirquedu Soleil and even though one of
my jobs was in the VIP tent, weall had to build it.
We all had to build it and weall had to pack it down.
(22:31):
You know which was the firstcouple of weeks of our working
in the VIP tent, but you knowthat was hard hats.
You know the proper boots on.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
You had to start off.
You know, like the weddings Iused to do many years ago, I was
putting all the chairs out.
I was doing that, I was likehelping run the bar.
I was doing this and you know,you've got to be hands-on and
you know, now obviously I dotake a step back and I've got
teams that do that and I kind ofcan over see it all.
But um, doing all that hasgiven me where I am today.
It gives you the experienceyeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
So, suzy, I've got a two-pronged kind of trends
question for you now, so braceyourself, I'm holding on.
So the the first part of it iswhat are, what are the trends
that you see emerging and whatare the current trends when it
comes to marquee weddings?
Speaker 3 (23:26):
so I'm going to stop you with the word trend if I'm
going to be honest.
So in the luxury market wedon't talk about trends.
Um, so I would say, like, theword luxury to me is almost
bespoke.
So whilst you get everythingover pinterest and you know
australian, us states, there'sobviously so much out there and
(23:47):
I think in the uk it's harder todo a lot of things as well.
We just don't have the vendorsout there that do what you guys
do.
But for me, I think that I hateusing the word trend.
I think it's immersive.
Events are key at the moment.
They are really, and I thinkagain, almost immersive is a new
word for luxury being overusedbecause they think, oh, it's so
(24:10):
immersive, it's like no, it'sjust flowers and a tree, there's
nothing.
There's nothing immersive.
It was immersive but it's.
It's just a normal kind ofstandard setup.
But immersive to me is actuallyreally engaging the guests.
So from when they walk throughthat door to turn up to right to
the end, that that there's somany different things, elements,
again, it's layering upelements as well.
So we do a lot of where we haveactors in, we have performers
(24:34):
in, and it's engaging those just, but not just pockets of it.
You don't want to overwhelm theguests either, but I've seen a
real rise in trying to createexperiences on the day rather
than just having drinks, andwe're moving away from the kind
of tradition of we go and say,ok, we'll have the first dance,
we'll cut the cake.
(24:54):
It's like you've got to.
Why have you got to?
So we kind of like step backand go what do you want from
your day?
What's you know what's reallyimportant?
I mean, there's always beenelement of tradition and timings
, but we actually start.
We're there'll always beenelement of tradition and timings
, but we actually start.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
We're starting to move away from it now, making a
really bespoke experience, yeah,yeah, let me just answer your
question because it's yeah, Ijust I struggle with the word
trends, but and and that'stotally fine, because I do as
well from a photographystandpoint, trends just annoy
the hell out of me.
So what I'm going to do is I'mgoing to take the word trend,
I'm going to turn it into wordstyle.
So, have you got?
Have you got, a signature style?
That's something that you findthat you always do.
(25:34):
That is is just this is a SusieEvans event.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
I'm quite well known for again that word bespoke.
So when you look at my grid ofInstagram, there's no, it's not
beautifully curated in terms ofevery wedding looks the same.
So we really embrace what thecouple wants.
So you know, everyone thought Idid a wedding last year and
they refer to the pink barwedding, um, and if you look on
the instagram it appearseverywhere.
But that's kind of almostreally taken off because I know
(26:01):
the production company ended uphaving so many inquiries on the
back of it.
So it's, I think people and II'm sort of known for doing that
immersive and guest experienceis probably key.
So, rather than it was, I think, with the budgets everyone
talks about, oh, beautiful,beautiful flowers, everything
but actually with those budgets,your weddings will generally,
the settings will be beautiful.
(26:21):
So, yeah, I can talk about that.
It's the food, the drink, theimmersive experience, the guest
experience.
That's what I'm quite wellknown for over here.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Definitely yeah, yeah .
Um, I've got a bit of a habitof going rogue as well, suzy, so
I'm going to ask you a questionthat that isn't on the on our
list.
Um, you, you're uh, you're in aquite of a niche market with
regard to the marquees andputting it all together and
managing everything that you do.
So, within that niche market,what do you think has been the
(26:53):
most effective marketing toolthat you've used to build
yourself?
Speaker 3 (26:58):
just putting out there what I do.
It's so I think it's just beingreally and talking.
I know my ideal clients to thepoint.
I know where they shop, I knowwhere they live, I know how they
talk and I know where they goon holiday and you know right,
so I can picture them, I can seethem in their kitchen.
It's got that level of detailand whilst I don't live that
(27:19):
life, I'm very good at adaptingand understanding that lifestyle
that they live in.
And I'm just really, reallyhonest and I think, and I always
, whenever I speak to client,whether I win them or not, I'll
always dig deep into how theyfound me and why did they want
to talk to me?
And if they did, did win, if Idid win it, I'll then actually
(27:41):
find out okay, what made youchoose me?
Because it's sort of well, I'vewon it, brilliant, but actually
I want to know why I've won it.
So, and they generally, if youask the questions, I'll be
really open and I'd say nine outten times it's because of my um
, probably approach and veryfriendly, approachable, and just
say it how it is.
Honesty in terms of they'll sayI've got a budget of 150,000.
(28:02):
I'm like that's brilliant, butyou want to do four days with
that.
That's not going to happen.
And just being realistic withbudgets, and yeah, I think it's
for marketing.
You know I'm, you know I'm notquite marketing at all and I
tend to.
I don't pay for any marketing,but I just put out there what
I'm, what I do, what I'm good at, and just keep to that same try
and keep saying you know, I doother weddings as well, but
(28:23):
actually my niece is a, she's amarquee.
So that's what I focus on andtalk about.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Great Ben, you got your famous question.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
It's back to me, you're doing so well.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
I'm relaxing.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
I've got a bit of a guest question that I ask all of
our guests at the end of theshow.
If you were to walk outside andrun into an 18-year-old version
of yourself, what advice wouldyou give yourself around success
and business, knowing what youknow now?
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Biggest error mistake I made is not knowing my worth.
So for years let me say 14years ago we didn't have the
planners like we do now.
We didn't have the coaching,mentoring, all the supports, so
I just always was in my ownlittle bubble and I stayed in my
bubble for too long, I think.
Um, so I think it's go out andjust do it.
(29:19):
Just go and do it, because thebiggest regret is not doing it.
So we can all make mistakes.
We all make them and I stillmake mistakes, even to this day,
and I'm still learning in myjob.
But I think knowing your worthand value your worth and charge
the bloody right amounts becauseit's driving me insane.
Now I'm, you know I'm here andyou know I have been there.
(29:40):
I'm not going to lie, I'mcompletely honest in terms of
you know I have under chargemany, many years ago and years
ago and that's why it's taken meso long to get to where I am
now, whereas obviously lots ofplanners are coming in and
proving successful quite quicklybecause they are charging their
worth and they're doing reallywell, but the ones just don't do
what I did and yeah, it's mybiggest bugbear at the moment.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
That's good advice.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
So if you want to plan a marquee wedding with
Susie, all you need to do is goand hopefully find her on her
website and maybe she'll haveavailability.
I think she's pretty popularsusieevansco, and it's Susie
with an S-U-S-I-E.
We'll pop it in the show notesas well.
Plus, you can find her onLinkedIn, instagram and Facebook
(30:24):
.
Thanks so much for your time,susie.
It's been lovely getting toknow you.
Thank you, it's been fun cool.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Thank you very much.
Lovely to meet you.
We'll get you.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
We'll get you back because there's plenty to learn
and share about marquee, sowe'll get you back in the future
for sure fabulous.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
Look forward to it.
This is Ben Connolly.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
And I'm Jack Bowie.
Thanks so much for joining usagain at Winnie Empires, because
of course, we are all about theworld of weddings and the
visionaries behind them, andtoday we're thrilled to have
Susie Evans, who's the founderof Susie Evans Wedding and
Events Co, joining us.
Hi, susie.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Hello, good morning.
Well, good night for you, butmorning for me in England.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Thanks for joining us , Susie.
I hear it's 7.30 in the morningover there.
Are you having a morning wineor are you on the coffee?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
I've got the wine.
I mean sorry, coffee.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Is it a single malt latte, maybe?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Possibly, I couldn't tell you.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Find a bit of Kahlua, you know, a bit of an orange
espresso martini.
Maybe not at 7.30 in themorning, though it's a bit of a
stretch.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
It's classed as coffee, so it's okay.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Okay, all right, good .
So Susie is well known for hermastery of marquee weddings,
crafting unforgettablecelebrations at private estates
and family homes all across theUK, and she's got a client list
that includes celebrities andEuropean royalty.
Susie is an expert at turning ablank canvas into a bespoke
(01:19):
dream venue, so in this episode,we're going to uncover the
secrets behind marquee weddings.
So, from navigating the complexlogistics to designing
breathtaking spaces that leaveguests in awe.
So if you guys have everwondered about how to transform
an empty field into a luxuriouswedding venue, then this
conversation is for you.
So grab your notebooks andlet's get started.
(01:40):
So, susie, I thought we'd kickoff with maybe just your journey
and how you got into weddingsand what drew you to specialise
in these sort of marqueeweddings.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Absolutely.
I've been planning weddings nowfor 14 years, come from very
financial backgrounds and I wasone of those people that got
married myself and in theprocess started sort of my
wedding journey.
So I initially started offabout 17 years ago with a
wedding design company so a lotof decor things and moved into
(02:15):
the production side of things,sold that business about 10
years ago but in the meantime Idid a diploma in wedding
planning and kind of moved intothat field.
More so Because I just lovedthe experience of working with
couples and taking that journeyand just yeah it's then, just as
you know what it's like as aplanner, you just evolve and
learn what you like, what youdon't like and absolutely love,
(02:38):
love, love marquees and so I'vebeen doing it, probably marquees
specializing in the last six orseven years.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Susie, what is it about marquee weddings that you
love so much?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
I think it's the challenge more than anything.
Like when I do a venue wedding,I do think, god, this is so
much easier.
Why don't I do this?
At the same time, I think youknow you're essentially building
a venue from scratch, so fromthe ground up, and the
challenges of all the logisticsand bringing all the different
vendors in and making it bespoke.
(03:12):
Essentially, you've got freecanvas to do what you like
within reason and budget.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
And why do you think that marquee weddings are so
appealing to high-end clients onon private estates and stuff
like that?
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I think it's that personalization and it's that
kind of bringing the familytogether and it's almost a
heritage.
It's where they, you know, alot of the time it's where their
family home, where they grew up, um, they feel it's very
personalized, um, what theydon't realize normally is the
stress that it comes with it andthat's, I think it's it's
bespoke element to it, probablythe key, key thing for them.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I agree with that.
I also.
I also think too, um, as aformer wedding planner, you
don't have that restriction on,I have to use this caterer or I
have to, you know, use this barprovider or whatever it's it's.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
You can absolutely pick what you want, whether it's
food trucks you know, a lot oftime they have all their own
wines and it's they've been inno corkage and it's just trucks.
It's like a lot of the timethey have all their own wines
and it's like they have nocorkage and it's just actually,
do you know what at this time?
We want to start at this time,and it's all so much flexibility
.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah.
Yeah well, Go Ben.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So, susie, for people who are interested in the
marquee wedding side of thingsJack's laughing at me here so
for people that are interestedin the marquee wedding side of
things, what are the biggestchallenges that you face with
marquees as opposed totraditional?
Speaker 3 (04:31):
venues.
I think that the biggest thingis probably people
underestimating the cost of amarquee wedding.
So it comes to the budget.
So I probably think you know,nine out of ten clients will say
, oh, we don't have the venuefee, you know, don't have any of
those costs.
It's like, no, no, but you haveto build your venue essentially
.
So you might not have the venuehire, but you have to build the
(04:52):
venue and essentially the Iwould say, uh, having a marquee
wedding here in the, especiallyin the UK, you're looking at
sort of 25 to 30 percent morethan it would be generally at a
venue.
Um, and also it's a logistics.
So whilst you might have themost beautiful large garden,
open plan, everything, it'salways it's always the um
logistics of getting people, theaccess for the suppliers and
(05:12):
building.
Especially if we're buildinghuge structures, it's not just
on the back of a van and put afew poles up, it's a huge, long,
massive, you know big townlorries and things that need to
come in.
So that's probably the biggestlogistic and I don't think
people realize the time it takesto build these.
So we're normally in at least aweek before building structure
and then it's the aftermath aswell for the d-rig.
(05:33):
So it's yeah, I think it's.
It's the logistics of it whichare probably the biggest thing
to overcome.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I think there's plenty of planners that haven't
I think there's plenty ofplanners that haven't.
Welcome to Australia, sue.
I'm in nature today.
I think there's plenty ofwedding planners that haven't
done a marquee wedding yet anddon't know all of these
logistics like power and waterand toilets, and you know all
(06:00):
these things.
Can you rattle off, I guess,the kind, the kind of I don't
know, let's say, core elementsthat you, you know all the time,
have to bring in and and that'san added, an added thing that
people may not consider yet yeah, and I think, sort of along
with that, it's also thinkingabout all contingencies of the
weather as well, especially, Imean, here in england.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Obviously we don't have the summers that you do,
and so we had to almostguarantee rain.
So, and I think the key thingis the structure.
It's deciding what structureand also the type of like.
Whilst it might look reallyflat to you, it's probably on a
gradient, so you've got to thinkthings like that.
But obviously the toilets, thepower is a big thing, um, and
toilets people again, if they'vegot five toilets in our house,
(06:44):
well, that's great, but you donot want 200 guests traipsing
through your house and they'renot fit for commercial use in
terms of flushing every twominutes.
So, um, I think those kind ofit's like the power, the
structure and definitely thetoilets, um, and obviously the
catering tent is where you'vegot to think.
They've got to build a fullkitchen, um, so it's not just
again a few frying pan, you know, the ovens, the whole, oh, so
(07:06):
much has to be brought in yeah Ithink also oh sorry, ben, can I
just ask something?
Speaker 2 (07:15):
um, I've done quite a few marquee weddings and I I
think it's also important tothink about the kind of
different spaces you know andthat that may maybe even making
the toilets a moment, or youknow an area, an area off there
where there's tall tables orwhatever, but, um, you know,
making the whole experienceenjoyable, I think, not not
forgetting and I think it seemslike parking as well.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
It's, yeah, especially a lot of the private
states I'm at.
They think oh, there's beenloads of parking, some of them
on such, especially here inengland.
They're all like fit reallynarrow lanes or they're private
states but they don't haveparking all outside on the
streets or anything like that.
They might not have the ormight have a field, but actually
access to the field is anightmare.
So if it's raining you have toget all the tracking down.
And then it's the lightingpeople.
(07:58):
A lot of people forget aboutlighting.
So it might be great during theday, but guests leaving you,
you know, late at night it'slike how do?
It's all the safety aspect aswell.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
That kind of leads me into the question I was going
to ask is like what are some ofthe common mistakes that couples
and that planners make whenthey're organising a marquee
wedding?
Speaker 3 (08:19):
I think one of them is like backup power.
So again, you can't power akitchen from your kitchen, for
example, you can't just plug itinto the wall.
It all works.
So there's always a generatorinvolved.
But I always have a backupgenerator and they're linked up.
So if one generator fails andit does happen, and it has
happened um, it'll automaticallylink into the other one.
Um, and it's the wet weathercontingency, rather than going,
(08:42):
oh, we'll be okay, just a fewumbrellas.
But've got to think thestructure, the type of flooring
you've got.
If you haven't got a decentflooring, water suites, I mean.
I've had all sorts of disastersover the years when I first
started out.
You just sort of go in, go in,it'll be fine, it'll be fine.
And then we've had heavy rainand leaks and floods and all
sorts.
I think the kit and the poweras well.
(09:05):
It's the amount of power that'sdrawn and it's knowing what the
limits are for everything,whilst you work with an
electrician, but you still needto have a basic knowledge of it
and people just don't even thinkabout it.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Yeah, I've worked over in the UK and that sort of
thing and I know what theweather is like.
The weather was especiallyprecious when I was there, so
that was good, but how do youhandle everything that the
weather throws at you over there?
Speaker 3 (09:32):
For the last two years.
We've had awful summers, in allhonesty, so we've had a lot of
rain and it's tested my patienceand I thought I had the weather
gods in my contract, butthey've taken a walk for the
last couple of years.
As I say to couples, we have tohave plan A, plan B, sometimes
a plan C, depending on thescenario, but we need to make
(09:55):
plan B just as good as plan Aand almost always prepare for
the worst, because when it doeshappen it's not such a shock.
And I think people again, itcomes down to budget because
generally you have to spend abit more to have your plan B
working well.
But yeah, key is we just haveto embrace it and make this that
guest experience.
You've got to ensure thatyou've covered every angle, yeah
(10:19):
.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
I think something else that people forget is just
how much you have to dress amarquee.
You know, like they.
I think clients forget that,don't they?
In that, you know, this is whatyou're weighing up quite often,
with going to a venue that'sgot its own atmosphere and
furnishings and things like that, to, oh, we'll put 150 or 200
(10:40):
people in a tent, it's like thenwe really need to dress it,
we're, you know, in order for itto you know it might be flowers
it might be, you know we have areal difference in marquee
structures in terms of quality.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
So you've got the local run family companies who
have the marquees which are alot cheaper to the.
It's obviously the high end andit's a completely different
experience in terms of look, youknow, because you've got the
linings and so many differentlinings to choose and, like you
say, it's then the florals andif we're doing a big structure,
you've got to fill thatstructure um, because it will
look really empty, and thenyou've got to get all the
furniture and all the lightingand it's yeah and creating
(11:17):
moments.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
You know lounge areas high table areas, those sorts
of things to really break it upand make it interesting.
And the floor.
You know People forget aboutthe floor and the dance floor
and, oh my God, all these thingsSort of giving me reminders of
my last one.
My last one wasn't great,actually, it was probably my
(11:38):
worst bribe that I ever had.
This is one of my last marqueereadings and but anyway it's
behind me.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
You need a sip of wine after that, Jack.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Yeah, I know, I went back there in my brain.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
There's a bit of reminiscing going on there.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
So what about, like permits and permissions and
things?
What are some of those thingsthat planners may not realise if
they're considering a marqueewedding?
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, obviously they differ in different countries
and different states and things.
But over here we have like atemporary events licence notice
that's required if certaincriteria you need for them.
But generally, like ifalcohol's being sold, obviously
there needs to be a licence forthat um, but it really it kind
of depends on the situation andwhere they are and what they're
(12:30):
doing.
But if it's a what we class asa party, so nothing's been sold,
nothing, there's no tickets toanything, you and it's on
private land, you can get awaywith a lot more um, not get away
, it's the wrong word um.
But you know you don't need thepermits there.
But I think for me I alwaysobviously not really so much a
permanent thing, but I thinkit's especially in private
(12:51):
states a lot of got neighbors.
They're so far away, butobviously, as we all know, noise
, travels and I think the bestthing is to ensure that, whether
you get on with your neighborsor not, and whether they're
miles down the road or not, Ithink it's making sure that you
let everybody know, because it'sjust not just about the night
itself, it's the traffic,increased traffic, loads that
are coming in before and after.
(13:12):
So it's just keeping the peacewith everyone, because the last
thing you want is neighboursturning up on the doorstep on
the night of the wedding.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Yeah, yeah, susie, how do you coordinate all the
vendors and like everything thatgoes on?
Like I know, in Australia,wedding vendors is like trying
to wrangle stray cats Like it'sa challenge.
So have you got a system forthat?
Speaker 3 (13:34):
I work with the right ones.
So I think it really is key andI only do full bespoke planning
.
So obviously over the yearsI've done on the day
coordination, partial and things, but and that's probably harder
because you are picking upsomebody else's planning process
and journey but I now do fullbespoke.
So it's working with vendorsgenerally that I've always
(13:57):
worked with before that know me,I know them and I trust them
and they're they always the onesI work with, always go above
and beyond.
So actually it takes the stressfrom me and without them, to be
honest, they're, they're theones that create the day.
You know, whilst I project,manage it, I think you know
everyone's.
I'm assuming you've doneamazing, done amazing.
It's like, yes, I have.
Actually it's my team around methat have created this.
(14:18):
So, yeah, I think it's aboutwho's around you, that's, I'm
working with the right onesdefinitely yeah, well, you heard
it here everyone, surroundyourself with awesome people.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
I guess that's might be why you're listening to our
podcast.
What do you reckon jack, jack'sand jack's gone silent.
What did you say?
Speaker 2 (14:40):
I turned it off because there was a train.
Dogs, glass trains, it's allhappening.
I was just going to say yeah,yeah, and if you're wanting a
wedding photographer inQueensland, I know I happen to
know a good one, oh do you, oh,do you.
So let's talk about lighting ina marquee.
(15:03):
Have you got any sort of tipsaround you know doing really
beautiful and effective lightingin a marquee?
Have you got any sort of tipsaround you know doing really
beautiful and effective lightingin a marquee?
Speaker 3 (15:09):
yeah.
So those people that know meand sort of the clients that
have worked with me know that Igo on and on about lighting.
Um, because I think it has thebiggest impact of anything,
because you can really changethe atmosphere of and you kind
of need it to change.
So you know, throughout the dayyou have very different
lighting to what you have at thenight and during the night time
, so from candle light.
(15:30):
But I tend to layer up mylighting.
So rather than just have oh,let's have that, let's up here
that you know just have some uplight, as I tend to do a lot of
layering up.
So it changes throughout thewhole day and then at night time
it then changes again and wekind of take everyone on a
journey.
But it's a very visual thingthat they don't realise what's
going on.
But we probably put quite a bitof budget onto lighting
(15:51):
generally because I think itmakes a huge impact.
It really does.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Yeah, I generally put a lot into lighting as well,
susie, yeah, as well, susie,yeah, so in I guess lighting is
one of the the key components inin creating atmosphere in in a
marquee.
So have you got any other sortof tips and tricks for everyone
you know looking at marqueeweddings on how to create
(16:20):
atmosphere and and what they cando to really make it something
special?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
yeah, I think jack sort of touched on it earlier
it's almost creating areaswithin that marquee.
So I always think and it doesn'tmatter what the budget is, it's
almost you want that impactmoment, you want people to walk
in those, those doors or youknow, open stuff, whatever it's
going to be, walk in that frontand go oh wow and not expect it.
So I think a lot of people dolots of little bitty bits, but
(16:44):
actually do you know what, ifyou have even just make one big
impact in the marquee.
So I generally use, for example, something like a bar.
So whether it's bespoke or astandard, you know hide bar, but
we make something of that.
So they walk in and there'sthat real visual point for them.
Creating soft furnishing, it'slike layering up different
(17:07):
textures as well, so changingthings up a bit, mixing
different chairs and just havingthose different elements of the
space so that you can and if wecan, we create that night time.
We just have like reveal wallsand things that you walk into
almost like a nightclub and it'syeah I think it's about
creating different spaces.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Definitely yeah I love that.
Different moments what aboutthis sort of multi-day
celebrations?
How do you deal with those interms of I don't know, do you,
do you reset and and createdifferent moments like how does
that work?
Speaker 3 (17:33):
actually all of mine are multi-day.
Now it's very, very popularover here, um, but they tend to.
As I always say, let's try.
If you've got the space, let'suse different areas if we can.
So again, again, it's weatherdependent, but also people
forget oh, we'll just doeverything in the same space,
that's great.
But what if you've got a creamcarpet?
So day one, you don't want allyour guests walking in for a
(17:54):
welcome party and it getscompletely trashed for the
wedding day.
So it's thinking of all thosethings.
But it's also what's importantto them.
So, like the welcome party,rehearsal dinner, it's a.
Do you want everyone there?
Do you want big, you know?
Do you want just a small,intimate, you know, group?
But it's again, it's creating.
You need to engage your guests.
(18:15):
You want them to feel likethey're experiencing a journey
throughout the weekend ratherthan just turning up, having a
drink, having a chat, going backdoing the same the next day.
So it's actually trying to mixup the day.
So we tend to start quiteinformal for day one, because
generally most people have onlyjust got together so that all
they want to do is talk and havea few drinks.
But I also say is finish thatearly people go oh yeah, we'll
(18:36):
finish 10, 11.
I said it won't fit if you say10, 11, it won't finish.
10, 11, it'll be 12, 1 or 2.
Because people and I said youdo not want your guests as much
as you're having the best night.
Finish on a high that firstnight, but a bit earlier it's.
Yeah, really key.
And don't ever underestimateday three, because people turn
up hungover.
They're not drinking, theymight eat a little bit and think
, oh, this is all a bit, butgive it a few hours.
(18:59):
They're back on it and theywill not stop.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Sounds like a regular Monday for me.
Susie Sounds like a regularMonday for me.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Susie, okay, can you share a memorable wedding that
you've done, that's, had anexperience with a celebrity or a
high-profile client?
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Difficult one because obviously, as you can imagine,
they're all under NDA.
So there's only so much I cansay with all the ones I've done,
I think the biggest thing withall of them, because a lot of my
clients are quite discreetanyway what about Meg and Mark?
Yeah, I didn't do that one.
Yeah, you know, what's reallyhumbling to it is, I think, the
(19:44):
ones I've done.
They genuinely, genuinely likecan't describe it they loved,
loved the whole experience andhow discreet it's been.
And the fact is and they've allfinished quite early, which has
been great, but they, I thinkit's just they're quite small
and intimate.
So then the numbers are 100 orless.
They've, all of them have beenand they've what the biggest
(20:05):
memory for me is, normally it'slike towards the end of the
night when they're all on thedance floor and I thought
there's no cameras, there's novideo, it's nothing there or
everyone's gone home in thatrespect, but they are just
embracing their time togetherwith no one watching them, apart
from me in the corner.
But it's, that's probably beenmy big you know, I think every
one of those where I've donesort of very high-profile
clients and I've just stood inthe corner and thought they're
(20:27):
just normal people.
They are just normal people andthey're actually really
enjoying that moment withoutanyone looking at them or
watching them.
But they've all been probablymy easiest clients, believe it
or not.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
I love how you said small and intimate 100 people.
Small and intimate over here inaustralia is about 10 people
tops yeah, I know I'm the samemost.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
I just say most marquee weddings we tend to find
they're kind of 150, 200 overhere, anything like.
I've got a wedding of 75 thisyear.
I'm like wow, it's really small, I love it yeah, all right all
right.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
So what advice would you give a wedding planner who
wants to go into marqueeweddings?
Speaker 3 (21:09):
I think the key is experience.
Go and get as much experienceas you can with other planners
who are either local you know,or to you, but not necessarily
doing marquee but really highlylogistical weddings.
So where there's a lot going on, the more experience.
So I think my biggest thingthat helped me many, many moons
(21:29):
ago was working with caterers.
So I used to do front of houseand just extra bit of extra work
every now and then and go workwith them or just shadow them,
because I think, like especiallya marquee wedding, caterers
probably have the hardest jobbecause they're having to create
a full menu for 200 guests andI mean literally at the end of
the night.
I think I'm so glad I'm theplanner and not the caterer,
(21:50):
because I see the stuff theyhave to clear up and it's just,
it's a long, long cumbersome dayfor them and I just I think the
key is experience.
Just go and get it.
Go and shadow people that youadmire, want to work with and
just, yeah, get, just be open todoing as much as you can.
The more hands-on experienceyou get, the better it will be
(22:10):
for you, definitely.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
I think that's really excellent advice because I
think a lot of people don'tunderstand the level of work
that's in the, in that sort ofbuilding and bumping out.
In my youth I worked on Cirquedu Soleil and even though one of
my jobs was in the VIP tent, weall had to build it.
We all had to build it and weall had to pack it down.
(22:31):
You know which was the firstcouple of weeks of our working
in the VIP tent, but you knowthat was hard hats.
You know the proper boots on.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
You had to start off.
You know, like the weddings Iused to do many years ago, I was
putting all the chairs out.
I was doing that, I was likehelping run the bar.
I was doing this and you know,you've got to be hands-on and
you know, now obviously I dotake a step back and I've got
teams that do that and I kind ofcan over see it all.
But um, doing all that hasgiven me where I am today.
It gives you the experienceyeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
So, suzy, I've got a two-pronged kind of trends
question for you now, so braceyourself, I'm holding on.
So the the first part of it iswhat are, what are the trends
that you see emerging and whatare the current trends when it
comes to marquee weddings?
Speaker 3 (23:26):
so I'm going to stop you with the word trend if I'm
going to be honest.
So in the luxury market wedon't talk about trends.
Um, so I would say, like, theword luxury to me is almost
bespoke.
So whilst you get everythingover pinterest and you know
australian, us states, there'sobviously so much out there and
(23:47):
I think in the uk it's harder todo a lot of things as well.
We just don't have the vendorsout there that do what you guys
do.
But for me, I think that I hateusing the word trend.
I think it's immersive.
Events are key at the moment.
They are really, and I thinkagain, almost immersive is a new
word for luxury being overusedbecause they think, oh, it's so
(24:10):
immersive, it's like no, it'sjust flowers and a tree, there's
nothing.
There's nothing immersive.
It was immersive but it's.
It's just a normal kind ofstandard setup.
But immersive to me is actuallyreally engaging the guests.
So from when they walk throughthat door to turn up to right to
the end, that that there's somany different things, elements,
again, it's layering upelements as well.
So we do a lot of where we haveactors in, we have performers
(24:34):
in, and it's engaging those just, but not just pockets of it.
You don't want to overwhelm theguests either, but I've seen a
real rise in trying to createexperiences on the day rather
than just having drinks, andwe're moving away from the kind
of tradition of we go and say,ok, we'll have the first dance,
we'll cut the cake.
(24:54):
It's like you've got to.
Why have you got to?
So we kind of like step backand go what do you want from
your day?
What's you know what's reallyimportant?
I mean, there's always beenelement of tradition and timings
, but we actually start.
We're there'll always beenelement of tradition and timings
, but we actually start.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
We're starting to move away from it now, making a
really bespoke experience, yeah,yeah, let me just answer your
question because it's yeah, Ijust I struggle with the word
trends, but and and that'stotally fine, because I do as
well from a photographystandpoint, trends just annoy
the hell out of me.
So what I'm going to do is I'mgoing to take the word trend,
I'm going to turn it into wordstyle.
So, have you got?
Have you got, a signature style?
That's something that you findthat you always do.
(25:34):
That is is just this is a SusieEvans event.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
I'm quite well known for again that word bespoke.
So when you look at my grid ofInstagram, there's no, it's not
beautifully curated in terms ofevery wedding looks the same.
So we really embrace what thecouple wants.
So you know, everyone thought Idid a wedding last year and
they refer to the pink barwedding, um, and if you look on
the instagram it appearseverywhere.
But that's kind of almostreally taken off because I know
(26:01):
the production company ended uphaving so many inquiries on the
back of it.
So it's, I think people and II'm sort of known for doing that
immersive and guest experienceis probably key.
So, rather than it was, I think, with the budgets everyone
talks about, oh, beautiful,beautiful flowers, everything
but actually with those budgets,your weddings will generally,
the settings will be beautiful.
(26:21):
So, yeah, I can talk about that.
It's the food, the drink, theimmersive experience, the guest
experience.
That's what I'm quite wellknown for over here.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Definitely yeah, yeah .
Um, I've got a bit of a habitof going rogue as well, suzy, so
I'm going to ask you a questionthat that isn't on the on our
list.
Um, you, you're uh, you're in aquite of a niche market with
regard to the marquees andputting it all together and
managing everything that you do.
So, within that niche market,what do you think has been the
(26:53):
most effective marketing toolthat you've used to build
yourself?
Speaker 3 (26:58):
just putting out there what I do.
It's so I think it's just beingreally and talking.
I know my ideal clients to thepoint.
I know where they shop, I knowwhere they live, I know how they
talk and I know where they goon holiday and you know right,
so I can picture them, I can seethem in their kitchen.
It's got that level of detailand whilst I don't live that
(27:19):
life, I'm very good at adaptingand understanding that lifestyle
that they live in.
And I'm just really, reallyhonest and I think, and I always
, whenever I speak to client,whether I win them or not, I'll
always dig deep into how theyfound me and why did they want
to talk to me?
And if they did, did win, if Idid win it, I'll then actually
(27:41):
find out okay, what made youchoose me?
Because it's sort of well, I'vewon it, brilliant, but actually
I want to know why I've won it.
So, and they generally, if youask the questions, I'll be
really open and I'd say nine outten times it's because of my um
, probably approach and veryfriendly, approachable, and just
say it how it is.
Honesty in terms of they'll sayI've got a budget of 150,000.
(28:02):
I'm like that's brilliant, butyou want to do four days with
that.
That's not going to happen.
And just being realistic withbudgets, and yeah, I think it's
for marketing.
You know I'm, you know I'm notquite marketing at all and I
tend to.
I don't pay for any marketing,but I just put out there what
I'm, what I do, what I'm good at, and just keep to that same try
and keep saying you know, I doother weddings as well, but
(28:23):
actually my niece is a, she's amarquee.
So that's what I focus on andtalk about.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Great Ben, you got your famous question.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
It's back to me, you're doing so well.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
I'm relaxing.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
I've got a bit of a guest question that I ask all of
our guests at the end of theshow.
If you were to walk outside andrun into an 18-year-old version
of yourself, what advice wouldyou give yourself around success
and business, knowing what youknow now?
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Biggest error mistake I made is not knowing my worth.
So for years let me say 14years ago we didn't have the
planners like we do now.
We didn't have the coaching,mentoring, all the supports, so
I just always was in my ownlittle bubble and I stayed in my
bubble for too long, I think.
Um, so I think it's go out andjust do it.
(29:19):
Just go and do it, because thebiggest regret is not doing it.
So we can all make mistakes.
We all make them and I stillmake mistakes, even to this day,
and I'm still learning in myjob.
But I think knowing your worthand value your worth and charge
the bloody right amounts becauseit's driving me insane.
Now I'm, you know I'm here andyou know I have been there.
(29:40):
I'm not going to lie, I'mcompletely honest in terms of
you know I have under chargemany, many years ago and years
ago and that's why it's taken meso long to get to where I am
now, whereas obviously lots ofplanners are coming in and
proving successful quite quicklybecause they are charging their
worth and they're doing reallywell, but the ones just don't do
what I did and yeah, it's mybiggest bugbear at the moment.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
That's good advice.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
So if you want to plan a marquee wedding with
Susie, all you need to do is goand hopefully find her on her
website and maybe she'll haveavailability.
I think she's pretty popularsusieevansco, and it's Susie
with an S-U-S-I-E.
We'll pop it in the show notesas well.
Plus, you can find her onLinkedIn, instagram and Facebook
(30:24):
.
Thanks so much for your time,susie.
It's been lovely getting toknow you.
Thank you, it's been fun cool.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Thank you very much.
Lovely to meet you.
We'll get you.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
We'll get you back because there's plenty to learn
and share about marquee, sowe'll get you back in the future
for sure fabulous.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
Look forward to it.
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