All occasions
Event Stylists
What event stylists do, when to hire one and what to compare across quotes.
Event design and styling
Event StylingFrom one styled table to a whole venue, designed and set up for you.
An event stylist decides how the space looks and feels: the palette, the layout, the pieces and how they come together on the day. Use this page to choose the level of styling you need and the kind of stylist to brief.
Styling covers the look of the space. Planning the day, florals and catering are separate services with their own specialists.
Plan view of a styled reception
Scope
How much styling do you need?
Styling ranges from advice you carry out yourself to a designed and installed event. Knowing your level makes quotes easier to compare.
- Concept onlyLevel 1 of 4.
A stylist creates the look on paper: a moodboard, a colour and material palette and a floor plan you can hand to your venue and hire companies.
Suits confident hosts and venues with their own furniture.
- Styling with hireLevel 2 of 4.
The stylist selects the furniture, tableware and décor, from their own range or from hire companies, and organises delivery.
Suits birthdays, engagements and showers where the look matters and the day is simple.
- Full styling and installLevel 3 of 4.
Design, hire, delivery, installation and pack-down, with the stylist or their team on site to dress the room.
Suits weddings and larger celebrations with a ceremony, a room change or a tight setup window.
- Event design and themingLevel 4 of 4.
A concept built around a brand, a theme or the way guests move through the night, sometimes with custom pieces, signage and staging.
Suits launches, galas, awards nights and themed functions.
Find a stylist
Choose who to brief.
Three provider pages help you choose a stylist for the occasion. Two service pages explain what the work involves.
Stylists
Weddings
Wedding Stylists
Choosing a wedding stylist: portfolios, scope, ceremony and reception, and the questions to ask.
Birthdays and celebrations
Party Stylists
Stylists for birthdays, engagements and parties, from a styled table to a full room.
Styling services
The service
Wedding Styling
What wedding styling covers, from the ceremony aisle to the reception tables, and how the day runs.
Brand and business events
Corporate Event Styling
Styling for launches, awards, conferences and end-of-year functions, built around a brand.
Who does what
Stylist, planner or florist?
Each answers a different question. Knowing which one you need keeps your brief clear.
How should the space look?
An event stylist
Designs the look of the room, chooses and places the pieces and sets up. The Set Edit helps you find and brief stylists.
How will the day run?
An event planner
Manages the timeline, suppliers, budget and guests. If you want someone to organise the whole event, look for a planner as well as a stylist.
What flowers will we have?
A florist
Designs and delivers the flowers. Stylists often work alongside florists, so mention your floral plans in your brief.
Packages
Event styling packages, read closely.
A package name tells you little. The list underneath it tells you what you are paying for.
What a styling package tends to include
Packages usually combine a design consultation, a set list of hire pieces and setup. The contents differ from stylist to stylist, so read each list rather than the package name.
What to ask about separately
Travel beyond a set area, extra hours on site, custom signage, the insurance certificates some venues ask suppliers for, and late-night pack-down are all worth confirming.
When a custom quote is better
If your guest count, venue or style doesn’t match the package, ask the stylist to quote from your brief rather than adjusting a package line by line.
Questions that save time later
Who will be on site on the day? What happens if a piece is damaged? When do final guest numbers need to be confirmed?
Theming
Event theming that still feels considered.
A theme works best as a design decision rather than a pile of props.
Start with one idea
A place, a decade, a colour or a material. One clear idea carries further than many props.
Choose three moments
Guests look longest at the entry, the tables and the backdrop behind the speeches. Put the theme there first.
Let materials speak
Rattan and linen suggest a coastal lunch more quietly than a row of themed objects.
Keep the brand in proportion
At a corporate event, a logo in a few considered places reads better than a logo on every surface.
Near you
Event styling near you.
Stylists often travel for events, and setup time grows with distance and access. Your suburb and venue help a stylist judge both before they quote.
Market pages cover local geography and the styling and hire searches people make in each area.
Questions
Event styling, answered.
Styling means slightly different things to different companies. These answers help you ask the right follow-up questions.
What does an event styling company do?
It designs the look of an event and puts it in place. Depending on the company, that can mean the concept and colours, sourcing furniture and décor, a floor plan, delivery, setup and pack-down.
When should I contact a stylist?
Once you have a date and a venue, or at least a shortlist. A stylist can advise on the space before you commit to hire pieces, and popular dates can fill early.
Can a stylist work with pieces I have already hired?
Often, yes. List what you have already booked in your brief so a stylist can build around it and avoid quoting for the same things twice.
Is event design different from event styling?
The terms are often used for the same work. Some companies use event design for concept-led work, such as themed or branded events, and styling for dressing the space. Ask what each stage includes.
Do I need styling for a small event?
Not necessarily. A single styled table, a welcome sign and good lighting can carry a small gathering, and some stylists will design a look for you to set up yourself.
Build your brief
Brief a stylist once.
Share the occasion, the venue, your palette and any pieces you already have. Stylists who suit the event can review your brief and respond.
There is no obligation to book.