Wahoo!! You’re engaged!! You’ve announced it to the world and now the fun part of pulling together your guest list can begin!!

Developing a guest list for your wedding should be fun but this is one area of wedding planning that requires a delicate balance of diplomacy, finesse and strategy to get the perfect balance.

Warmer days mean summer hosting’s almost here!

Whether you’re hosting a party, summer soiree or “day after wedding BBQ”, with longer days here, summer entertaining is just around the corner! What could be better than loading trestles with delicious treats and then dancing the night away? Or, if you prefer to keep it light why not host a long lunch?

Banquet or brunch we've got fuss free advice to help you throw a SWELL party and boost your party-giver status.

Great moments often happen when people are seated around the table, yet this seemingly simple task is more challenging than many think. It's no surprise that one of the most common questions we're asked is, how do I seat people?

The key to success lies with thinking of your venue first, and then your Pinterest board! Look at how you can maximise the space available in your venue to work out how you can best take advantage of the space and what best works for your needs.

Sounds easy enough but ultimately your end goal is to ensure everyone is seated in a way that allows for natural, easy interaction, guests can move around easily and have a great time.

If you’ve just started planning your wedding a huge congratulations!

It’s only natural to feel a bit overwhelmed and stressed when starting to plan your ceremony so Swell Hire has teamed up with the lovely Angela Port, Dunedin celebrant extraordinaire, to give you some top planning tips as well as ceremony inspiration with panache!

Your ceremony – the only truly essential (and legally required!) part of your wedding day - cocktail hour and reception are awesome but not legally binding (!!) and can definitely cause the most stress!

Here at Swell, we’ve got a resounding love of vintage and classic design- small disclaimer, we’re talking about the really amazing pieces that makes you go “WOW” while checking over your shoulder at the secondhand counter to make sure no one else has seen it first!

We’re firm believers that these amazing gifts from vintage heaven add incredible individuality to your event guaranteeing an event unlike anyone else’s!