It’s likely you’ve seen or heard about our gorgeous marquees – but, we’d like to take the chance to share with you a little about who we are, what matters to us, and how Exotic Soirees came into being.

 Introducing Carl and Nicole

 First of all, let us properly introduce ourselves - the people behind the marquees.  We’re husband and wife, Carl and Nicole.  With Carl’s background in retail management and Nicole’s career in the beauty industry, we’re committed to providing excellent customer service, with a great emphasis on communication and just a touch of perfectionism.  We go above and beyond to achieve every client’s vision to deliver event hire services which are as memorable as they are beautiful.

How we began

 Like many others who venture into niche areas within the events industry, Exotic Soirees was born when we identified a gap in the existing tent hire market.  We were planning our daughter’s birthday celebration and hoping to create a beautiful and practical party space in our back garden.  So, we did our research and purchased our first marquee, enabling us to offer our guests an ambient, elegant area.  It provided valuable shade (a necessity in the Queensland Summer) and, being fully weatherproof, it offered the perfect solution in the event of rain.  Subsequently, Exotic Soirees came to life!  All our friends loved the Boho style marquee and wanted to borrow it for their Arabian and Bohemian parties.

Since that first marquee purchase in 2017, we’ve continued to grow our collection of tents, responding to event trends and the increasing number and variety of events being held outdoors in our fabulous south-east Queensland and Tweed Coast region.  From intimate proposals, extravagant birthday parties, to stylish and stunning weddings and corporate functions, we’ve provided marquee and furniture hire to some of the most wonderful celebrations over the past two years.

What inspires us

We feel so fortunate to operate in this unique corner of the world.  In fact, our greatest inspiration in our work in marquee event hire comes from the close connection we experience with nature and the outdoors.  This is expressed through our work with amazingly creative florists and stylists who are part of the team we’ve formed for our installations.

Incredible locations

 An outdoor event is very spiritually grounding and we wholeheartedly believe that outdoor open space should be a big part of any event.  So, when it comes to the perfect location for the set-up of your marquee, almost anywhere is possible! 

We’ve created installations in all manner of settings, and we especially love views, but the most amazing location we’ve worked with (so far!) was a set up of two marquees on Wavebreak Island in the middle of the Gold Coast Broadwater for an extravagant luncheon. We were transported over on a yacht and spent the day at the sunny beach.  After we’d finished the setup, we relaxed in the background for a few hours until pack-down time, reminding ourselves how lucky we were to call this work!

Memorable events

After being involved in so many incredible events, no two being identical, and with all of the wonderful people we’ve encountered along the way, it’s quite a hard task to choose a favourite. We love every event for its own unique qualities.  Having said that, there are two particularly memorable events we’ve had the privilege of being part of – the first was one of Australia’s first LGBT weddings and all the extravagance that went with it.  Secondly, supplying 13 luxury marquee installations for an international event being held on the Gold Coast for Queensland Tourism.

Connecting with people 

Perhaps the greatest thrill we get is receiving words of praise and fantastic reviews after events have taken place.  Knowing that we have contributed in a unique and special way to our clients’ vision for their event makes our hearts sing!

In terms of advice we’d offer to others starting out or already operating in the events industry, it’s so important to network, network, and network!  Surround yourself with professionals.  It’s a big part of what we’ve done – and the mutual benefit is invaluable.  Timely communication is key.  Every client query needs to be acknowledged on the same day they contact you.

 Looking to the future 

It’s been a whirlwind two years so far, and we’ve got big plans for the future.  First of all, we’re  expanding our event hire services into the Sydney event market.  In addition, we have some beautiful custom-made larger garden tents and marquees in the pipeline ready to meet the needs of our growing wedding clientele. 

To say we’re excited for what’s to come is an understatement.  We look forward to meeting new amazing people and bringing many more event dreams to life! 

We would love to be part of your next event.

Best wishes, Carl and Nicole x