the hens nest | Spotlight On | Rebecca zajac

 

Meet Rebecca Zajac from

 

 

This month we have the privilege of showcasing Adelaide Wedding & Event Stylist, Rebecca Zajac from 3 Piece Events. Rebecca provides us with exclusive insight into her business, her approach to wedding planning and shares some of her sources of inspiration. Join us as we put Rebecca, under the spotlight.

 

 

 

Tell us a little bit about your business, 3 Piece Events?

With a desire to show that anything is possible, 3 Piece Events began its slow but steady journey in 2008. I have worked in the events industry for more than 10 years and have always been faced with what is deemed “acceptable”, package restrictions, what you should and shouldn’t do and I realised that I needed to challenge these thoughts and products.

3 Piece Events is all about encouraging clients to imagine what their wedding could look like, how it should feel and then getting out there and doing it. I am continuously challenged to come up with unique ideas and I love this about my work. Business for me is not about financial gain, but about personal independence and enjoyment.

I work with private clients (brides and grooms, parents and grandparents) and I also work for companies and not for profit organisations who seek assistance with event management.

2. From your posts in our forum and your business write up, you seem so passionate and deeply invested in what you do. Have you always felt drawn to the wedding industry?

I have always felt drawn to anything creative. I tried my hand at hairdressing and beauty therapy about 16 years ago but it just wasn’t for me. Then I “fell” into the events industry and I’ve never looked back.

Organising and decorating weddings has been a passion of mine for many years and I’m so glad that I am can work (and play) in such a creative industry.

3. How long have you been working in the wedding industry?

My first wedding was in 2001, less than a year after I moved to London. My best friend was getting married in Adelaide but she’d moved to Brisbane 12 months before. I started planning her wedding – sourcing products and suppliers, negotiating rates, etc – and managed to get all the big tick items off her list before I left the country.
I’ve been doing weddings off and on since then, but more frequently in the last 12 months.

4. Describe your style and approach to event styling:

Ah.... I approach every event with an open mind.
An event can only be as good as its creator and its creator is based on the relationship between the client and the stylist or planner. I love to make suggestions that are unexpected, by offering alternative decor and planning tips that often make an event really unique.

5. How can brides and grooms or anyone planning a function benefit from engaging the services of an event stylist and co-ordinator?

Event stylists and coordinators know just about everything when it comes to a group of people coming together for a common cause. We know what colours work well together, how to avoid last minute issues, how to fix anything that does go wrong and we have the creative flair to create an amazing ambiance for any event.

When people think of wedding and event planners, J-Lo is probably the first thing that comes to mind and even though it isn’t the best analogy, it is fairly accurate. However, there isn’t a huge price tag attached to the service – professional advice is not as expensive as you think and can save you a heck of a lot in the long run.

3 Piece Events does an enormous amount of leg work and research on your behalf, helps to negotiate great rates with providers, and makes suggestions on how all the elements can come together to create maximum impact.

As a stylist, 3 Piece Events has some really unusual decor elements and props that help to bring the whole dream wedding together.

6. You have a fabulous post in our forum about event theming. How important is event theming when trying to ensure all the details of a wedding come together and complement each other? Do you have any further advice or tips you could provide to our brides and grooms?

The concept of an event theme can be very confusing, which is why I wrote the post on styles and themes. Each event has a backbone, something that brings all elements together, and this is the theme or style.

7. Is there a particular aspect you love most about your job?

Creativity and inspiration. Clients often come to me with an image in their minds but don’t quite know how to pull it all together to be breathtaking. I love the challenge of interpreting their desires, working to their budget and watching their faces when it all comes together. I love watching the guests reactions too!

8. Who inspires you?
That is difficult to say because I am inspired by different people for different reasons.

9. If you were to plan your dream wedding (and we believe you are), describe a few of the details for us?

I’ve had to compromise on my dream wedding because I’ve realised that some things are more important than others. From the outset, I knew our wedding had to be a huge party-like event because we have friends and family coming from around the world. We wanted to incorporate travel into our style because it is such a huge part of our relationship, and we are doing this by having each table at the reception themed on a country we’ve visited and the experience we had there. I’m truly stepping outside of the box with my own wedding because that is what we want. I’ve found that most suppliers support the really unique aspects of our wedding day which is fabulous.

To give you a taste, here are three key details of our wedding:
Ceremony – Grange beach (YES in the middle of winter). Imagine snugly blankets, hot chocolate, mulled wine and crisp air.
Table for two – our bridal table will be just for the two of us. With two children in our lives every day, we wanted to make our wedding day about us and this is the best way we can!!
Wedding Favours – an unusual twist on chocolate dipped dried fruits!

10. How do you feel when you are putting the last pieces of an event together?

Generally pretty anxious, but in a good way. It is exciting seeing a concept come to life and to witness the delight of the client when they finally see what they had dreamed.

11. Do you have a favourite ceremony and / or reception location?

My favourite ceremony location would have to the great outdoors. No matter where you get hitched, the beauty of nature adds so much to such a momentous occasion. I don’t really have a favourite for a reception location, Adelaide has so many wonderful venues.

12. Are you able to share with us some of your favourite websites or blogs you love to visit inspiration?

I do a lot of my trend hunting by visiting international supplier websites. Having worked in London for 6 years, I have a few trusty sources! As for inspiration, I like to pick one element and just search. I don’t stick to wedding or event themes, wedding blogs or event sites, I look at interior design and travel sites, as well as home decor, personal accessories and fashion blogs. My inspiration is gathered from everywhere!

 

 

 

A Luly Yang creation that certainly inspires me to create decor that is completely outside the box

 

 

 

 

 

An absolutely delightful pair of Vera Wang shoes. I take a lot of notice of designer trends which in turn inspire my decor creations.

 

 

 

 

13. If you were to give a bride and groom 2 pieces of advice to help them plan their day, what would they be?

1. Write down your wish list before you start planning and committing to anything. It is really hard to accommodate everything on that list and before you know it, you are swept away with what others suggest. If you have a priority list, you can always refer back to it and remember what you both really wanted in the first place.

2. Don’t scrimp on the important things, including decorations. Decor creates the mood for your wedding and isn’t just about looking nice. Consider your options, get lots of quotes and ask decor experts for ideas that are a little different.  Sometimes asking a professional for their viewpoint can open up opportunities that you never would have dreamed of.

14. Can you share with us 3 of your favourite wedding images, be it inspiration boards, theme ideas etc?

Wow.... narrowing down to three is tough. Here are my current attractions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indigo and violet will very much be in the spotlight for weddings in 2011

(photo courtesy of Banquet Event)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such a timeless and elegant look that gets the mind racing with design ideas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brides and grooms around the world are leaning more towards midday weddings that create a relaxed and fun atmosphere, leaving them more time to spend with friends and family (and to escape to the honeymoon for their wedding night). You can still party when the sun is up.