Opulence Events

Opulence Events are the Ultimate Event Specialists. With over 15 years experience within the Industry, their team is composed of hard working event experts that are dedicated to creating your dream event. We spoke with managing director Kirsty Fagan to see what inspires her style.

Modern Wedding: Tell us a little bit about yourself?

Kirsty: My name is Kirsty Fagan and I am the managing director of Opulence Events, Weddings and Design.

I am passionate about bringing couples visions to life and ensuring that everyone involved in their special day adores all the different elements.

My other passion is CHOCOLATE!!

Modern Wedding: How did you get started as a stylist?

Kirsty: I studied Events Management and Marketing in London, whilst working full-time for an events caterer to gain experience in the field. Upon returning home to Australia, I started a job managing a large events calendar for a company owned by the Ruler of Dubai. After this local and international experience, I decided to begin my own business and that is when I founded Opulence in 2011. I have always had an eye for detail and love the styling aspect of my job, whether it be for weddings or corporate events.

Modern Wedding: What colours and colour palette combinations do you love for next 12 months?

Kirsty: It is wonderful that we are seeing both ends of the spectrum- dark and bold tones along with neutral and soft pastels.

We love to see brides opting for darker colours- you can still have an elegant, beautiful wedding whilst using a dark, intimate colour palette. Deep wines, slates and pearl greys can be contrasted against soft purples, blush pinks and oyster tones, which really adds the romantic, lavish feel which a wedding needs.

We also adore a classic, neutral look with understated colours, which are always in style. A more traditional colour palette consisting of shades of whites, from ivory to cream, with flushed pink tones. When these are matched with an accent colours, such as the in-trend magentas or azure blue, it adds a modern, unique and eye-catching element to weddings.

Modern Wedding: What are your favourite new styling trends for 2018/2019?

Kirsty: The Opulent look: A stylish and elegant theme will always be a favourite for brides and we have seen it being taken up a notch with luxurious, grandeur weddings taking centre stage. Beautiful, lavish florals as centrepieces and hanging installations are the signature look of this trend, along with lustrous lighting and a simple, elegant colour palette.

Personalised location weddings: Couples are wanting more unique, key locations for their weddings, to really show their individuality. This is a win for stylists as we are given a blank canvas to work with! The ability to completely transform a space which isn’t traditionally used for weddings (e.g. industrial spaces, outdoor areas, warehouses) lets us to go wild!

Modern décor: Couples are moving away from rustic, traditional styling- the earthy, woody tones are being swapped for modern furnishings which leave a sleek, stylish look. We love using wire furniture, perspex furnishings and metallic adornments to style a room.

Modern Wedding: What are your five favourite styling elements to work with right now and why?

Kirsty: Balloons: As an understated design feature, balloons have been reinvented as a modern and unique style feature. Think large, boldly coloured balloons of differing sizes, cascading as a lovely ceiling installation. They work beautifully well paired with our next favourite styling element- flowers.

Florals: Flowers have always played a big part in weddings but their placement and volume is what makes them standout. For a feminine, luxurious style, we use florals as elevated centrepieces, hanging installations and voluptuously arranged decorations. Heavily petalled flowers such as peonies and roses work well for a strong design feature.

Silks and linens: Using beautiful fabrics in various styles, cuts and designs adds character and beauty to tablescapes. Your table décor is a huge style feature and choosing beautiful linen for your tablecloths, runners and napkins is important. The colour, feel and look of the material all adds to the theme and effect you want to create. Using a lovely magenta or jade blue damask for a statement napkin is a great idea for a soft, delicate theme. Whereas sheer handkerchief linen can be beautiful layered over thicker linens to create a detailed and effortless look.

Draping: Elegantly arranging and draping material is a beautiful and often underused feature, which adds a dramatic and luxurious feel to an event. Consider letting the material fall in folds, bunching it at certain points or gathering it for a glamorous feel. It allows venues to be completely transformed, setting the mood and spacing out different areas.

Geodes and crystals: These natural beauties have emerged recently as a trend in the wedding world and we predict it to continue on into 2018. Geode-inspired wedding cakes act as a design feature in itself- it can be used as the centrepiece and be put on display. The geode inspired look can be used in other creative ways also- having agate slice name plates and sparkling crystals as a hanging feature or styling element adds a unique and ornate touch.

Modern Wedding: What are your top 3 tips for brides wanting to create unique wedding style?

Kirsty: Remember that it is YOUR wedding- the style needs to reflect yourself and your partner. Think about what you want, what you like and speak to your partner first, then your family and friends- they know you best and may have some ideas which you wouldn’t have thought of.

Do your research- if you have a specific idea of how you want your wedding to look or even if you don’t, researching will help you conceptualise and plan in different ways. It will lead you to more ideas and inspiration- Instagram & Pinterest are a great starting point.

Simple is better- Wanting a unique style doesn’t mean you have to change all aspects of a wedding. You can maintain the tradition but adapt it to your style by changing it slightly. For example, instead of having an open bar, why not have a bartender creating a signature drink in a stylish martini glass. You can play with all the traditional features of a wedding and adapt it to make it more personal to you. Think outside the box and get creative!

Modern Wedding: If you were designing your own wedding, how would you style it?

Kirsty:  A graceful, stylish wedding-

I would style it as an elegant, simple yet sophisticated wedding. A perfect mix of playfulness and grace, elements of traditional styling would be mixed with a modern touch. It would be set in a beautiful outdoor venue with an abundance of lush greenery that complements well with the modern, neutral colour palette of soft pink, dusty white, gold and a dash of pale blue. A clear marquee would be set in place to allow for an alluring, intimate guest area. A mix of round and long tables would be used to create the perfect look. Crystal glassware and floral centrepieces would line the table and stunning coloured linen would be beautifully draped across the long tables. A feature dessert table with a selection of fun and tasty items such as alcoholic popsicles, donut-cake stands and traditional favourites would be situated towards the end of the marquee.

A long bar decorated with floral arrangements and a hanging personalised Neon sign would add a touch of fun whilst becoming a central statement piece.

An outdoor dance floor would be decorated with glamorous, warm lighting, surround by lounge furniture and a classy mobile bar -such as prosecco van or champagne cart which would sit parallel to the dance floor- the ideal location.

 

Stylist & Planner: Opulence Events / Photography: Bianca Kate Photography / Bride’s gown: Elizabeth De Varga from Dion For Brides / Bridesmaids’ dresses: Coco & Lola, Bojena King / Ceremony venue: St Boniface Cathedral, Bunbury / Reception venue: Private Residence / Groom & groomsmen’s attire: Tony Barlow Menswear / Hair: Jasmine Bridal / Makeup: Brooke Carter Makeup / Flowers: Carmen Breihal / Cake: Bride’s Grandmother / Catering: Cowaramup Food / Furniture: Empire Events / Entertainment: Skiffle Billy / Lighting: Totally Sound