Event Planners in Newbury, Berkshire

Carnations Events offers an event planning and décor hire company based in West Berkshire. Specialising in outdoor igloo hire and picnic setups, they deliver luxury experiences across the UK making them your unique one-stop service within the event industry.

What do you need to know from an organiser in order to provide a comprehensive quote?

To provide a comprehensive quote I will need to know the number of guests, location, desired outcome and the type of event the customer is looking for. Having a detailed brief from the customer helps me to visualise what they are looking for enabling me to put the best suggestions forward. We always have ideas in mind, but understand that isn't always what our customers want. Having a budget in mind is always useful and it gives us an indication of what to prioritise. Once we have all of the details, we will put together a detailed quote and proposal, using our preferred suppliers to ensure our customers have the best experience.

What advice would you give to a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

I would advise my customer to ask as many questions as possible and have a list of things they are looking for from the items they want to hire. For example, what is included in the igloo hire, what can be added, is there anything they need to do before the hire date e.g. cut the grass. Ensure they ask if the equipment is waterproof/windproof and that it will hold up in all weather conditions. They should ask what makes them more desirable than the next igloo company - why are they different? If possible, they could ask for reviews from other customers as these are more likely to give a less biased opinion on the company. Check that the company has the required insurance and checks carried out.

Please tell us a little bit about how and why you started the business.

I started Carnations Events after being made redundant from an Events company during the 2020 pandemic. I love everything about managing events and wanted to continue my dream in the events industry so made a difficult decision to start up my own business - it turned out to be the best decision! I am so passionate about what I do and I love making peoples dreams and visions come true. I wanted to create a company that made people feel comfortable about asking for a quote (I know it can be daunting for some) and provide as much information upfront to make it easier for everyone.

Please tell us about a booking you've had through Add to Event, how did it go? Would you recommend us to others?

This platform has been amazing and really helped my company! It is so easy to navigate and contact potential customers, I love it! I recently planned a children's birthday party for a customer who I contacted on Add to Event. It was Peter Rabbit themed party for a little girl! I arranged everything for the family and helped them to setup the event on the day. The family were over the moon with the party and loved the small touches I added FOC. I have recommended add to event to other companies I deal with because I think it is just such a great platform! I hadn't head of it before, it was only when I was contacted on Instagram that I came across the website.