The Timber Yard continues to make its mark as one of Melbourne’s most sought after venues for event planners wanting to create extraordinary experiences.
Perfectly positioned just minutes from the city, The Timber Yard features re-purposed local timber across its range of flexible spaces which can accommodate any style of event. From luxe weddings and important business events through to exciting boxing matches and festivals (and everything in between), catering up to 1,500 guests.
On this month’s “Venues we Love”, we spoke to the team to find out why events at The Timber Yard are always so epic.
Why is The Timber Yard the best place to party?
The Timber Yard is a landmark Melbourne venue of unprecedented size and event flexibility. With six different spaces to choose from, The Timber Yard will transform in any way you envision. We are the heart of Melbourne’s entertainment and events culture.
What kinds of events do you host at The Timber Yard?
The Timber Yard is the perfect venue choice for all manner of events.
From live music to corporate Christmas parties and everything in between, the spaces can be catered to any and every event. Whether you want a space for a black-tie gala or a backyard shindig – we host it all.
The Polished Man Gala – an inspiring charity event at The Timber Yard. Photo by Andrew Morley.
What are your team’s tips for making an event really memorable?
The most memorable events are well planned out and exceptionally executed. You want your guests to feel included and immersed in the experience; a marriage of micro and macro – a big picture filled with a million tiny details.
Stuck on the fence about whether to host a stand-up soirée or a seated celebration? We spoke to the team of business event experts from CIS Event Management to get their top tips for event planners on which format is best for your event.
Dee Nicholas, Founder of CIS Event Management says that, “The answer to the question – to cocktail party or to dine – really depends on your event aims and audience”. Professional event managers know just how important it is to identify your event aims and audience from the outset as these things filter through every element of your event – from venue selection and menu choice to room configuration and entertainment.
The team of event planners at CIS Event Management ask their clients in-depth questions about who is attending and what the purpose of the event is – for example, it may be an awards night for top performing sales staff. In cases where there are going to be many formalities – such as speeches, awards, presentations and displays, Dee and her team recommend a seated event would be the best format.
Seated events are the best format for events with formalities.
Where the aims of your event are around mingling and networking, Dee and her team of event planners recommend a cocktail party style event format as this will provide you with a more casual forum for your guests to walk around freely and get to know each other.
Cocktail party style events should always include some furniture for your guests comfort.
Dee notes that there is a common misconception that a cocktail party event will be a cheaper alternative to a seated lunch or dinner. Event spaces and catering packages are effectively priced on duration – so if you are looking to have a 5 hour seated dinner or a 5-hour cocktail party, you still require the same amount of venue hire time, food, beverages and staff to service your event! The only instance that you could look at reducing your costs for a cocktail party event versus a seated event is when you look at a shorter duration for the cocktail party.
Cocktail party style events are best when you want your guests to mingle.
Whilst costs for table settings including linen and centrepieces are not relevant to a cocktail party – Dee and the CIS Event Management team encourages their clients to always factor in budget for cocktail party furniture (including bar trees, bar stools and a lounge area) to help fill up your chosen venue and to ensure the comfort of your guests.
CIS Event Management has an AWESOME offer for event planners that like to think outside the square – book your event with them by the end of the month and choose from a range of goodies including custom event app, event photography, DJ and more! Click here to find out more.
At Complete Function Hire, we enjoy working with Melbourne’s best event planners, venues and event stylists to help create amazing events.
We continue to work with the best in the biz because we take extra great care of our hire products. Our hardworking Kitchen Crew is responsible for cleaning and polishing our party hire products to perfection!
On this month’s “Who’s Who at Complete Function Hire” we chat to one of our awesome Kitchen Crew team members, Caitlin Stafford. When she is not working hard in our Kitchen to get our hire products looking immaculate, Caitlin is studying to be a nurse and loves to play video games.
How long have you been involved in the wedding and events industry?
I have been working for Complete Function Hire for about 3 and a half years.
What prompted you to start working at Complete Function Hire?
My uncle got me the job to help me get through university (and to help pay for my shopping habits!).
Caitlin and our Kitchen Crew work tirelessly to ensure all of our hire products are immaculate for each and every event.
Most memorable event or wedding you have worked on at Complete Function Hire and why?
Probably all of them! We are always too busy behind the scenes in the kitchen to see the amazing set ups that the Road Crew do.
What do you enjoy best about working at Complete Function Hire?
I love that everyone is a big family. We all work hard and it’s a really friendly environment.
Favourite hobbies and past times?
Playing video games and shopping.
Favourite food and drink?
Vegan burrito from Trippy Taco in Fitzroy and Rekorderlig cider.
Who do you barrack for in the AFL (or other favourite sport) and why?
I go for the Bulldogs because they won last year and Richmond because they won this year!
Complete Function Hire has been delivering amazing events across Victoria for the last 17 years.
Our busy operation was founded by our fearless leaders Steve Withers and Andrew Foulstone – both of whom are heavily involved in the business today.
On this month’s Who’s Who at Complete Function Hire, we chat to our Director Andrew Foulstone to find out why he founded Complete Function Hire and to see what makes him tick. Mad Essendon supporter, published novelist and passionate event industry expert – it is Andrew’s role to ensure that we to continue to provide Melbourne’s best event hire service to our valued clients and event partners.
How long have you been involved in the events industry?
20 years.
What prompted you to start Complete Function Hire?
I worked for another Melbourne hire company and I was told from the clients I dealt with that if I wasn’t there they wouldn’t use said hire company. I heard this enough times and thought, well why not start my own hire company? Steve was also hearing the same thing from his clients and we decided to get together and start Complete Function Hire and the rest is history.
First gig?
From small beginnings, our first job was a small cocktail party at a private residence in which we supplied glasses. We were so excited we sent the client a bunch of flowers to thank them for our first job.
Andrew loves his footy and is a proud Essendon supporter.
Most memorable event you have worked on at Complete Function Hire?
The most memorable event was an outside broadcast/promotion for Triple M radio who were having a contest called ‘Buried alive for Live’. A contestant had to spend all day in a coffin to win tickets the Live concert. We set up a broadcast stage and marquee on Southbank and then had to create a pop-up graveyard for the audience to watch the contestant. We had to source a coffin, build a stage with a clear front and hole in the middle to lower the coffin down ‘underground’ to replicate the act of burying him alive. After weeks of preparation and sourcing it went off without a hitch. Steve and I even got to play the part of the funeral workers lowering the coffin under the stage.
What do you enjoy most about working at Complete Function Hire?
Without a doubt, it would have to be the people. Staff and clients alike are what make this place special. We work hard and have a lot of fun doing it. I can’t remember that last time I came into work and didn’t have a least one good laugh.
Favourite hobbies and past times?
I love reading and writing. Time for some shameless cross promotion. In my spare time over the last few years I have written and published a seven book fantasy series. Here is my website and facebook page. Check it out!
Who do you barrack for in the AFL (and other sports) and why?
Andrew is a die-hard Essendon Fan and Complete Function Hire are proud event partners of the club.
Can there be any doubt I am a die-hard Essendon man?! Great to see the team bounce back and make the finals after a very tough few years and we are proud corporate sponsors of the club. I also follow the San Francisco 49ers in NFL, been following them since the Montana/Rice days of the 80s. Cricket is another one, looking forward to a great Ashes series this year. Hopefully we can send the ‘poms’ packing this year.
Fancy partying with some adorable penguins this Christmas? The team at Complete Function Hire were thrilled to talk to Kate Stevenson, Event Manager at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium recently to find out about their super cool shared Christmas Party event experience, “Christmas with the Penguins” and to find out what makes SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium such an iconic Melbourne function space. If you are after an event experience that your guests will remember forever, this is the venue for you this event season.
Guests experience a special combination of nostalgia from having visited the aquarium as a child and the excitement of seeing the space transformed into a sophisticated event venue.
Whilst at most venues your biggest decision is picking a theme, our clients can choose between a back drop of King and Gentoo Penguins or a 5m Salt Water Crocodile! Our Fish Bowl event space in particular, is a pretty surreal experience, everyone enjoys fine dining, but fine dining at the centre of a shark tank, with a 360 degree view of the ocean’s most impressive creatures ensures a pretty memorable night.
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium offers an experience that can’t be recreated anywhere else. As well as the obvious unique feature of viewing the cast of finding nemo as you sip a cocktail, we also offer amazing experiences such as diving. It’s not every day a corporate function begins with the CEO greeting their employees from inside a shark tank.
What is the most amazing / unusual event that you have hosted at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium and why?
We recently hosted a drag night called ‘Dragged Under’. It was incredible to see such an avant-garde performance in an equally dramatic space. In terms of creating an atmosphere for your guests, drag queens and stingrays are a winning combination.
We are hosting a Shared Christmas Party Event called “Christmas with the Penguins”. It is ideal for those looking for a more informal work Christmas party or as an opportunity to enjoy the aquarium child-free with a cocktail in hand. The penguins themselves are of course adorable and with our fun additions including a gourmet BBQ in the adjoining courtyard, Christmas dessert bar and interactive photo booth, it’s going to be a very memorable night!
Thank you to Kate and the team of event experts at the spectacular SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium! We can’t wait to visit again very soon.
We were proud to be a part of a recent collaborative photoshoot at one of Melbourne’s hottest new event spaces, The Line.
An amazing photoshoot at The Line with a great group of event partners – Toko Events, The Line, Pretty Flamingo Photography, Georgie Boy , Bangin Hangins & Complete Function Hire
Boasting high ceilings and polished concrete floors, The Line is a warehouse style blank canvas event space where the possibilities are endless.
Tucked down a Footscray laneway, The Line is minimalist with an industrial edge and can accommodate weddings, special occasions and corporate events for up to 200 guests for a cocktail style event.
Let your imagination run wild at The Line and create your dream wedding or perfect event.
This unique space allows you to create your dream wedding or amazing event from the ground up ‘with a team of dedicated event visionaries on standby to push the creative boundaries’. Incredible inhouse catering is provided with a range of stand out packages to suit even the most discerning tastes. The team at The Line are passionate, flexible and easy to work with (we know how important these traits are for both wedding and event planners).
How long have you been involved in the events industry?
