Lucy Ewing, our local Spell & The Gypsy Collective Events & Marketing Co-ordinator shares her secrets to planning & styling a dream event!

Dreaming of your next birthday, wedding or party, but dreading the thought of where to begin and how to manage that never-ending to-do list. Event planning doesn't have to be a hurdle before you can let your hair down, it can be the perfect outlet for creativity, inspiration and excitement. Lucy shares her secrets to help you plan the perfect event.

How do you take your coffee?

I usually have a soy cappuccino but I’m mixing it up at the moment and trying it with macadamia milk (so far so good - watch this space!).

What drew you to event management?

My mum was always throwing parties at our house, and I loved growing up helping her plan everything, rearrange the furniture and set up the house, and then have all our friends over for some of the funnest nights of my childhood life! I’ve never really thought it about it like that before, but I suppose that’s where my love of organising events for people to celebrate life began, and from there I studied event management and marketing at uni.

All of your events are incredible, what had been your favourite so far?

Aww, thank you! So many to choose from but my favourite events to date are:

The 2016 Spell Xmas party - we surprised our 50 staff with 2 nights glamping in Byron (complete with 3 course meal, DJ and movie night of course!) and I think we all got to feel like teenage girls again - camping out under the stars with our best friends.

The recent event I did for Spell in New York was pretty special to me. I had never been to NY before, so to have all these amazing people gather in one place and enjoy my little creation as we watched one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen was pretty incredible. We also had this archway light tunnel constructed that created such a fun entrance to our event and set the theme for the evening!

How do you create a vibe and aesthetic for your events?

The layout and flow of an event is so important. I always create cozy little nooks as they are instagrammable and create spaces for people to relax and connect. Lots of textiles and cushions to bring warmth to the space, and of course music and lighting! I usually opt for a warm glow as I think it’s so magical as the sky gets dark and the lights come on. Festoon lights are my favourite because they are functional but also look beautiful and add to the styling! I don’t think I’ve ever done an event at night without them!

What's your go-to remedy when you're stuck in a creative rut?

Make mood boards - Pinterest is such a powerful tool for me to inspire my vision. Sometimes at the beginning of the event process, I don’t have clarity on my vision, and jumping on Pinterest always fixes this. After a half hour session, I’m always surprised by how synergistic my board is and I realise I knew the direction I was going in all along.

Get into nature - cliche I know but it really works! For me, diving under a wave in the ocean with my eyes wide open just seems to invigorate my soul like nothing else.

What are some considerations when choosing lighting for events?

The atmosphere I want to create - warm and cozy, or bright and alert? White or colourful?

Any elements that need to be highlighted - e.g. is there a musician, artwork, stage, a beautiful tree, or activation I want to light up to bring attention to.

Planning events can sometimes be an overwhelming nightmare, can you tell us some of your struggles and how you overcome them?

I am pretty lucky in that I don’t dwell on problems for too long, and have a really supportive team here at Spell! I find when things get overwhelming I write a to-do list to get them out of my head and on to paper and then I just tackle the most important tasks first. Eventually event day rolls around and I’m always surprised that I’ve gotten through that never ending list!

Your events are always a raging success! Can you let us in on a secret to creating such beautiful fun events?

Having such an incredible team here at Spell helps so much. I couldn’t do what I do without the help of our Marketing and Graphic design team <3

Enjoy it! My favourite events are ones that I’ve participated in and there’s nothing that lights me up more than creating an atmosphere for people to celebrate life. People can feel the energy that you pour into an event to bring it to life.

What is your essential checklist for planning an event?

Oh gosh, it’s never ending! My top 3 are:

- A clear vision and intention for the event

- Mood board (share this with suppliers to make sure everyone is on the same page)

- Run sheet (with what’s happening all the time, and who’s responsible for it)

Shop The Look >