A nice day for a White Wedding

Start-up firm Mood Events, which plans special occasions like your big day, corporate functions or even just your run-of-the-mill party, describes how both social media and a showroom are helping it reach customers

Monday 30 July 2012

Weddings are among the most special occasions of a person's life. Yet they can be pressurised and difficult to organise. So it is not surprising that a small firm, Mood Events, was set up in September 2009 to take the burden off people, or that it is proving a successful business concept.
The business idea was first conceived by its owner and managing director Melanie McGimpsey while working for the Arcadia Group as a visual display artist and stylist.

She recalls: "Having worked in a highly creative environment for almost 15 years, theming and creating window displays, I felt that there was a huge gap in the market for my business model."

She adds: "I knew that the concepts designed and created for shop windows and in-store displays could easily be applied within the events industry. At this time, and whilst the retail sector in which I worked was in decline and looking to make huge budget cuts in terms of their display departments, I was busy looking for ways of taking my modest budget - a potential redundancy pay out - and turning it into a viable business.

"After just a few short months in the planning - sourcing and buying equipment, and in between the birth of my second child, Mood Event Decoration was born - now rebranded to Mood Events."

Today, Mood Events describes itself as "purveyors of the finest weddings and events", providing a bespoke events service for customers in both Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Part of the success of Mood Events comes down to an effective use of social media.

Both its website - www.moodevents.co.uk - and its Facebook presence contain dramatically impressive illustrations of the business's capabilities.

Another of the firm's distinctive marketing strengths is that it has its own showroom, which allows clients to custom choose their designs and materials.

The showroom is based at Mill Street in Newtownards and has now been open for just over a year. Recent clients have included former Miss Great Britain Gemma Garrett and Ten Square Hotel.

Melanie says the use of the premises is going well.

"We have been amazed and delighted at the variety of clients and the work we have carried out this year, from theming car showrooms, decorating marquees and hotels for weddings, to providing interior fittings and furnishing to some of Northern Ireland's most prestigious hotels," she explains.

"It's been a fantastic year for us!"

The business prides itself on being fashionable with its designs and offering "the hottest trends in wedding and event design". Its showroom "is a treasure trove of props, fabrics, floral, linens, and centrepieces; anything you could want when planning the theme and decoration for your wedding," adds the firm.

As well as serving weddings, Mood Events also specialises in designing and installing special birthday parties and corporate events. "Our corporate event design service is aimed at companies and associations who want to create a positive and lasting impression on their brand," says the firm. "We excel in designing gala dinners, award ceremonies, staff parties and product and venue launches."

By outsourcing the arrangements for a corporate event, the client can be more relaxed and focus on the commercial purpose of the activity, stresses Melanie.

"Nothing is too bland for us to make beautiful," she continues. Venues that have been beautified by her firm have included barns and buses, as well as hotels and various empty spaces.

Melanie believes that the business environment is right for further expansion, with plans to increase its operational presence in the Republic over the next two years. The business prospects, you could say, are looking pretty.

Pictured: Former Miss GB Gemma Garrett, a client of Mood Events

Find Mood Events on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/pages/Mood-Events/268612700282

Source: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/small-business-can/a-nice-day-for-a-white-wedding-16177137.html

Monday 30 July 2012