Event styling + hire inspiration

Set the scene. Find event hire companies, stylists and decorators across Australia

Styling and hire ideas for weddings, milestone events and corporate spaces, curated around how you want the room to feel. Request quotes from professionals who work in your area.

Explore the Edit

Built on more than 15 years of hands-on experience across events, styling, customer service and supplier coordination.

Warehouse venue in late afternoon sun set with a cream bouclé sofa, rattan armchairs and a travertine coffee table on a jute rug, and a long terracotta-dressed dinner table with amber glassware and taper candles behind

Browse by occasion

Spaces for every kind of event.

A wedding, a fortieth and a work Christmas party all ask different things of a room. Start with what you are celebrating.

  • Garden ceremony set among eucalypts, with a timber arbour draped in sheer ivory fabric, white plinths holding candles in glass hurricanes, a jute aisle runner and rows of white folding chairs

    Weddings

    Ceremony structures, long reception tables and lighting that carries the celebration into the night.

  • Stone terrace at dusk set for a cocktail party, with black-covered cocktail tables, a white fluted bar lined with glasses, timber bar stools, green velvet armchairs, potted olive trees and festoon lights

    Milestone events

    Engagements, 18ths, 21sts and milestone birthdays. A party hire company can often supply the lounge corners, bars and cocktail furniture.

  • Clear-span marquee at dusk set for a long-table dinner, with festoon lights overhead, a draped backdrop with a round timber arch, and timber tables with linen runners, glassware, candles and cross-back chairs

    Corporate

    Gala dinners, launches, activations and awards nights with a considered guest journey.

  • Dinner table dressed in burnt orange linen with teal glass tumblers, amber wine glasses, speckled stoneware plates, blush linen napkins, brass candlesticks and small ceramic bud vases

    Private parties

    Dinners at home, anniversaries, showers and long lunches that deserve more than the everyday.

Browse hire and styling by event

The elements

Build the room, piece by piece.

Structure, seating, light and the finished table each change how a room feels. Hire event furniture, backdrops, lighting and tabletop pieces one element at a time, then bring them together in one brief.

Planning an outdoor event? Marquees and stretch structures create the room before anything else goes in.

Marquee hire All event hire

The Edit

Start with the feeling.

Choose a direction for the room before you decide on individual pieces. It gives every stylist and hire company a clear brief to quote on.

  • Minimal + Sculptural

    Pale stone, clean lines and a few strong forms, with room left to breathe.

    Plinths · bouclé · travertine

  • Dark + Dramatic

    Deep tones, black linen and pools of low light for evening events.

    Black linen · brass · low light

  • Soft + Textural

    Layered linen, bouclé and warm neutrals that invite guests to settle in.

    Linen · bouclé · draping

  • Outdoor + Relaxed

    Timber, rattan and festoon light for gardens, terraces and marquees.

    Rattan · timber · festoons

  • Candlelit + Intimate

    Long tables, taper candles and close seating for smaller gatherings.

    Tapers · vessels · long tables

  • Black-Tie + Polished

    Crisp linen, polished glassware and a formal, symmetrical layout.

    Crisp linen · crystal · symmetry

  • Colour-Led + Playful

    Coloured linen and glassware that make the table feel like a party.

    Coloured linen · glassware · ceramics

  • Modern Romantic

    Soft draping and candlelight in pale tones, with a contemporary edge.

    Draping · candlelight · soft tones

Save the direction that feels right and mention it in your brief.

More looks in Inspiration & Ideas

Event styling

Design the whole room.

Some events need individual pieces. Others need the whole space considered.

Event styling services can be as simple as a styled ceremony or as complete as a fully dressed venue. An event decorator or stylist shapes the concept, works out what to hire and dresses the room, from the ceremony structure to the last candle on the table.

All event styling
Plan view: one room, every element considered.

What a stylist can look after

  • The concept, colour palette and mood
  • A floor plan and furniture layout
  • Sourcing and coordinating hire pieces
  • Setting up on the day and packing down after

Styling or planning? A stylist focuses on how the space looks and feels. Budgets, timings and managing every supplier sit with an event planner.

Journal

Ideas that work in real rooms.

Practical planning notes and design thinking to help you shape the space before you ask for quotes.

  • What to check before you compare quotes

    Guest numbers, the size of the space, how many pieces you hire, delivery and setting up, and time on site all shape a quote. Ask for each to be listed so you can compare like with like.

    Planning guide

  • A wedding ceremony checklist

    Guest seating, a structure or backdrop to frame the vows, a signing table with two chairs, an aisle runner or aisle pieces, and a welcome sign at the entry.

    Checklist

  • How to choose a backdrop scale

    Measure the ceiling height and the wall behind the backdrop, and check the access path into the venue. A good backdrop frames the people in front of it without crowding the room.

    Design guide

  • Corporate events that don’t feel corporate

    Swap rows of chairs for lounge settings, trade overhead light for lamps and candles, and give guests a reason to move around the room.

    Inspiration

Browse Inspiration & Ideas

Australia-wide

Find event hire and stylists near you.

Browse hire and styling professionals across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, or go straight to a major market.

New South Wales

Victoria

Queensland

Western Australia

Planning somewhere else in Australia? Choose your state and suburb in your brief.

All locations

Questions

Event hire and styling, explained.

Quick answers to common questions. Details vary between suppliers, so confirm the specifics in your quote.

What is included in event styling?

It depends on the stylist and the size of your event. Styling can cover the concept and colour palette, choosing and sourcing hire pieces, a floor plan, and setting up and packing down on the day.

Ask each stylist to list exactly what their quote includes, including any hire items, delivery and time on site.

What is the difference between an event stylist and an event planner?

An event stylist looks after how the space looks and feels: the furniture, décor, tablescapes and backdrops. An event planner manages the wider event, such as the budget, timeline, suppliers and coordination on the day.

Some professionals offer both, so check the scope of each quote before you book.

What types of items can I hire for an event?

Common hire items include tables and chairs, lounge furniture, bars and stools, marquees and stretch tents, backdrops and arbours, plinths and signage, tableware, glassware and linen, lighting, and decorative pieces such as candles and vessels, which suppliers often list under event décor hire. Ranges and styles vary between suppliers.

Does event hire usually include delivery and setup?

Not always. Some suppliers deliver and set up, some deliver only, and some items are collected by you. Delivery areas, venue access and pack-down times also vary.

Before you confirm, ask each event hire company to spell out delivery, setup and collection in writing.

How far in advance should I organise event hire?

As early as you can once your date and venue are confirmed. Popular weekends and larger items such as marquees can be booked well ahead, particularly during busy wedding and end of year function periods. If your event is soon, it is still worth asking.

How do quote requests through The Set Edit work?

Share your event details and what you need in the brief form. Your brief is used to connect you with hire and styling professionals suited to your event, who can then respond with quotes.

Compare what comes back and decide which option, if any, suits your event. There is no obligation to book.

Build your brief

Style the Moment. Set the Scene.

Get event hire and styling quotes

Share what you are planning, where it is happening and the pieces you have in mind. Your brief is used to connect you with event hire companies and stylists who suit your event.

Seven steps. One brief.

Your event title, location, budget range and contact details are required. Everything else is optional, and you can move back through the steps at any time.

When you send your brief, you will be asked to verify your email address to confirm the request.

Your brief, step by step

  1. Event title

    What you are planning, in a few words.

  2. Event details

    The hire and styling services you need, and a description of your event.

  3. Location

    Your state and suburb, plus the venue address if it is confirmed.

  4. Schedule

    The size of the event, when you need it and the date.

  5. Estimated budget

    A budget range, so your brief reaches suitable professionals.

  6. Inspiration photos

    Optional images that show the style you have in mind.

  7. Your contact details

    How event hire and styling professionals can reach you.