Kiera Blanden is a little obsessed with colour and texture.

"I could quite happily spend an entire day in Bunnings or trawling through Spotlight and (apart from missing my adorable family) walk away feeling completely energised and inspired by a heap of new ideas."

As the founder and team leader of Rapture Events, Kiera has worked on almost 900 beautiful celebrations. Recently rebranded as Kiera Blanden Events + Styling, she has an excellent eye for design and an almost intuitive understanding of which style elements work best together to create an exceptional wedding experience.

One of the growing trends in weddings is for Brides to take on the task of styling their big day themselves - which is why Kiera also offers her couples the option of hiring out her elegant and extensive range of furniture, accessories, linens and games.

Unbridely asked Kiera to let us in on some insider tips for styling your own wedding. We feel honoured to be given a glimpse 'behind the curtain' and to tap into her 7+ years of experience. Thank you so much for your generosity, Kiera!

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Mistake #1 - Not having a clear vision.

Fix: We use mood boards or Pinterest with all of our clients. Try and choose 3 things you think represent your style, then build on it from there.

If it makes it easier, those 3 things don't even need to be wedding related. We quite often have clients bring us a clip from a fashion magazine or an interior styling book with a picture they love of a kitchen!

It all helps us to get a clear understanding of who you are and what you're all about.

Mistake #2 - Trying to incorporate EVERYTHING you like.

With Pinterest being all the rage these days, it can become very easy to over style and forget what you were initially trying to achieve (see mistake #1).

Fix: Choose just one key element (a theme, look or feel) that you love at a time and only add to it after you've considered it's place carefully.

Mistake #3 - Being unrealistic about what you can achieve in your venue.

Fix: If you are considering elaborate lighting, hanging installations or other labour-intensive designs, then make sure you have a venue that can accommodate this.

For example, many venues do back-to-back weddings which will mean a wedding is bumping out (the process of dismantling and removing all installations, furniture, styling elements, DJ, musicians etc. after an event) at midnight one night and then another wedding is being set-up straight after it.

Keep in mind that there will be additional costs for installations that need to take place outside of normal business hours and this could blow your budget.

The other solution is to hire a stylist and let them tackle it! As a general rule, we have a 'whatever it takes' attitude and love to make things happen. We will only tell you something is impossible after we have exhausted all avenues.

Mistake #4 - Not making the most of what you've already got.

Oftentimes the old cliché 'less is more' is true….

If you have a venue that has an incredible view, I wouldn’t fill the room with huge or elaborate arrangements that will detract or distract from it.

Fix: Let the venue speak for itself. Some of the most beautiful weddings I have seen have been achieved using a few stunning statement furniture pieces and lots of candles.

Mistake #5 - Hiring on the basis of price only.

I truly believe that you get what you pay for.

An all too common complaint is how cheap hire prices can sometimes translate to old, stained or damaged items or inflated delivery/collection fees.

Fix: Do your research before you hire the elements you need to bring your look together and be sure to dig further than the price.

Look at the company's previous work. If you're hiring furniture like chairs or lounges, take the time to look at them in person to assess their cleanliness and suitability. Or simply hire from us!

Mistake #6 - Not considering the weather.

As I said, there is no better way to create ambience in a room than to add heaps of candles. BUT keep in mind, if you are getting married in summer for example, that filling an older venue or marquee with candles means hot guests and makes for a miserable occasion.

Fix: Consider the comfort of your guests and the longevity of your flowers and other decor elements given very hot or very cold conditions.

For example, in summer you could compromise by investing in high quality LED real wax candles.

Header photo by Emme Jade Photography

All styling by Kiera Blanden Events + Styling