A moment with ‘M.Ingle Events’
ABIA meets Melbourne wedding planner and coordinator Jess O’Neill
@smithandarcher
Having worked in corporate events for more than a decade before finding herself in wedding planning and coordination, Jess O’Neill of Melbourne-based M.Ingle Events discovered little difference in the organisation and logistics involved, but was captivated by the sentiment.
“There are very few, if any, events where the outpouring of love and the emotional investment is as great as at a wedding. In fact, a wedding is not just an event, it's often a dream come true,” she explains.
Her desire to craft her couple’s wedding dreams, in a stress-free way, has seen M.Ingle Events grow and service weddings throughout Victoria, Australia and across the globe.
ABIA chatted to Jess about her success, planning packages, hire items and the latest wedding styling trends.
@lightandtype
Tell us about your business and wedding services.
M.Ingle Events was founded on wanting to take the stress out of perfection when it comes to wedding planning and coordination. We’re all about providing affordable hire, planning and wedding coordination services that relieve the pressure for marrying couples.
We have an array of props and florals for hire — all of which are available at discounted rates for our planning and coordination clients — and we offer multiple planning packages to suit all wedding planning needs.
How did you get started in the wedding industry?
It all started with the compliments I received after planning my own wedding. I was suddenly helping friends and family plan their weddings and getting referrals from those weddings. I had been working in events for more than 10 years, so it was a very natural transition to move from doing weddings on the side, to establishing a full-blown wedding planning and coordination business.
@smithandarcher
Where are you based and what locations do you service?
We service the globe. As we're based in Melbourne, most of our weddings are based in Victoria, however we travel extensively for weddings and events including to Japan, the United Kingdom and Europe.
When did you know you wanted to work in the wedding industry?
I didn't grow up thinking about weddings like many of my friends, but I always loved planning events and making other people happy. I loved seeing people's reactions to food, decor, music and experiences. I inherited that from Nan, and my mother — who my company is named after — and knew I wanted to turn it into a career.
I started out in corporate events but was drawn to weddings. There are very few, if any, events where the outpouring of love and the emotional investment is as great as at a wedding. In fact, a wedding is not just an event, it's often a dream come true.
@smithandarcher
What wedding items do you offer for hire and which are most popular?
We offer the likes of archways, backdrops, florals, floral pillars, champagne towers and dessert tables for hire for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Our wedding archways and florals pillars are always the most popular.
What advice do you have for couples when it comes to choosing a wedding planner, coordinator and stylist?
The fit has to be right, so I encourage couples to talk to their shortlisted wedding planners and coordinators and see if they have a rapport. A wedding planner and coordinator is the person who will keep things calm when they seem hard and may need to have difficult conversations —about budget, reality and the like — so having a good vibe and relationship with them is invaluable.
Experience is important too. A good wedding planner and coordinator should be able to deliver what a couple wants, suggest things they haven’t considered and be flexible enough to work with their vision.
Have you always loved to decorate?
Always. I started as a kid, rearranging my room in the middle of the night, and now I decorate and rearrange ballrooms and state halls for a living — it’s absolutely insane!
@lightandtype
@smithandarcher
Where do you turn for inspiration and ideas?
I love looking to nature and fantasy — I think whimsy and natural elements really make things so special. I also spend time getting to know my couples, because every couple is different and one style will never suit everyone. I also draw inspiration from a couple's story or personal preferences. I'm currently working on an enchanted forest-themed reception in a library — inspired by the bride's love for literature and stories such as ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’. I think it's vital to never be closed-minded when looking for inspiration — it could be how they met, their professions or travel escapades.
Do you offer packages? What do they include?
Yes, we offer a range of wedding packages to cater to a broad range of needs and budgets.
- With our ‘Full Planning’ package we take care of almost everything, except picking the suit and wedding dress.
- The ‘Month-of Coordination’ package sees us take over communications with pre-booked vendors four weeks out, and bring a couple’s vision to life on the day.
- Our ‘Day-of Coordination’ package has us ensuring everything goes without a hitch, from setting up breakfast to overseeing venue and vendor setup and pack-down.
- With our ‘Content Creation’ package we capture precious moments of the day and deliver four stunning reels in 48 hours.
- We also create customised wedding planning and coordination packages. We encourage couples to contact us and discuss their budget and needs as we're flexible and always willing to help.
@lightandtype
What trends and looks are you seeing in wedding planning, styling and decorating at the moment?
Drapery is everywhere and texture is being included at every turn. Couples are also using negative space to their advantage, with stunning effects and budget-friendly advantages.
I also love that couples are genuinely embracing their personalities when it comes to wedding design. We’re seeing quirky inclusions like Diet Coke fountains, outrageously bright colour combos and nerd/pop-culture wedding themes. These elements make a huge splash, and the more genuine the experience is to the couple the more the guests love it, and the better it all feels on the day.
What are some clever and unique ideas you've come across for weddings, from a planning or decorating perspective?
We've developed a signature planning template for all our couples, and it has been a game changer. This will be available for purchase shortly, which is exciting for very budget-conscious couples or those looking for engagement gifts.
I absolutely love the personalisation that has started becoming more mainstream in weddings. It can be done in so many different ways but can really make a huge impact on the vibe and design of a wedding. I'm loving personalised notes to guests, monogrammed everything (and I mean everything — you'd be surprised how elegant and high-end a monotone wedding with monograms can be), embossing and portraits of couples. These elements really make the day belong to the couple and can be so stunning and impactful. Personalisation makes planning design elements easy and really elevates a wedding design experience. It can also be done at almost any budget!
@lightandtype
What makes your service unique?
Our amazing ratings and reviews speak for themselves, but it's our staff's experience, personability and calmness that make us as strong as we are. Nothing phases us on a wedding day or during the hecticness of planning. We aim to keep things as calm and stress-free for our clients as possible and so many have commented that they never thought such a wedding planning experience was achievable.
How would you describe the couples you connect with the most?
Genuine! I connect well with couples that want to celebrate their love and journey, and are personable and honest during the planning process. We can have a laugh, they don't take themselves too seriously and are open to suggestions. I only want what is best for my couples, and the couples I connect with can see this, and know that any and all suggestions come from a place of commitment, caring and experience. The couples I work with have very varied visions for their big day, but are always wanting to put love at the forefront.
@smithandarcher
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