The events industry is about to witness a shift, and it’s happening right in the heart of Melbourne’s cultural corridor.

As events professionals at Evviva Events, we’re always scanning the horizon for developments that will transform our industry. The upcoming opening of Hannah St. Hotel in Southbank isn’t just another accommodation option – it’s a $150 million statement that will fundamentally alter how we approach event planning, vendor management, and venue selection in Melbourne.

A New Corporate Events Player with Serious Credentials

Set to open in Summer, 2025, Hannah St. Hotel represents everything the modern corporate events industry is evolving toward. This isn’t your typical corporate hotel. Developed through a powerhouse collaboration between Time & Place, MaxCap Group, and TFE Hotels, this 188-room boutique property is positioning itself as a ‘cultural clubhouse’ that bridges hospitality, creativity, and community.

The hotel’s location at 19 Walker Street, Southbank, places it at the epicentre of Melbourne’s $1.7 billion Arts Precinct redevelopment. For event planners, this means access to a venue that’s not just contemporary, but anticipatory of where the industry is heading.

 

Why This Matters for Corporate Events Planners

The Integrated Experience Economy

Hannah St. Hotel understands something many venues still don’t: modern events aren’t isolated experiences. They’re part of a broader journey. The hotel’s multi-level ‘Clubhouse’ concept creates what hospitality experts call a ‘third space’. It’s neither home nor office, but something entirely new.

This integrated approach means your company can seamlessly transition from the hotel’s conference session to the 25-meter lap pool, from networking drinks at the rooftop bar to a private dinner in the Izakaya-style dining room. It’s event planning without the logistical headaches of coordinating multiple venues across the city.

The Infrastructure Advantage

The events facilities speak directly to our industry’s pain points:

Two dedicated conference rooms with adaptable meeting areas

10th-floor rooftop event space with panoramic Melbourne skyline views

Private Izakaya dining room for intimate corporate entertaining

Fully equipped podcast studio for content creation and hybrid events

Co-working spaces that double as breakout areas

But here’s what sets it apart: these aren’t afterthoughts added to a hotel design. They’re integral to the property’s DNA, designed by award-winning Flack Studio with the same attention to detail as the guest rooms.

The Competitive Landscape Shift

Location, Location, Innovation

The strategic positioning cannot be overstated. Hannah St. Hotel sits within walking distance of:

Crown Casino (3 minutes)

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (5 minutes)

Collins Street business district (10 minutes)

Marvel Stadium (17 minutes)

This proximity creates opportunities for event flow that simply didn’t exist before. Imagine coordinating a multi-day corporate program that moves seamlessly between MCEC for large sessions, Hannah St. for intimate workshops, and Crown for evening entertainment – all without a single transfer. 

The Design Differentiation

Flack Studio’s ‘modern nostalgia’ aesthetic isn’t just Instagram-friendly (though it certainly is that!). It represents a fundamental shift toward venues that tell stories and create emotional connections. In an era where corporate events compete for attention, this kind of immersive design becomes a competitive advantage for event planners.

The hotel’s triangular facade, reminiscent of New York’s Flatiron Building, provides the kind of architectural gravitas that photographs beautifully and creates natural talking points for networking events.

Industry Implications and Opportunities

Premium Positioning Creates New Market Segments

With its boutique luxury positioning and $150 million investment, Hannah St. Hotel is clearly targeting the premium corporate and association market. This creates several opportunities:

Executive Retreats: The combination of luxury accommodation and purpose-built meeting spaces makes it ideal for C-suite gatherings

Innovation Workshops: The podcast studio and co-working spaces cater perfectly to tech companies and creative agencies

Hybrid Events: Purpose-built facilities for content creation mean seamless integration of in-person and virtual attendees

The Community Integration Model

Perhaps most significantly, Hannah St. Hotel’s model of integrating hotel guests with Queensbridge Building residents in shared spaces like The Clubhouse represents a new approach to venue utilization. For event planners, this means access to authentic local networks and the possibility of events that feel genuinely connected to Melbourne’s creative community rather than isolated in corporate bubbles.

Challenges and Considerations

Capacity Constraints

With 188 rooms, Hannah St. Hotel won’t compete with Melbourne’s mega-conference venues. This is boutique luxury, which means intimate gatherings rather than large-scale conferences. So, we’ll need to adjust expectations and positioning accordingly. 

Premium Pricing Pressure

The luxury positioning will likely mean premium pricing across accommodation and event spaces. This could push some traditional corporate clients toward more cost-effective alternatives, but it also creates opportunities for high-value, low-volume events where budget isn’t the primary constraint.

Strategic Recommendations for Events Professionals

Early Engagement

With opening still months away, now is the time to establish relationships with the hotel’s events team. Early adopters will likely benefit from promotional pricing and preferential booking terms.

Repositioning Your Services

The Hannah St. Hotel model suggests the industry is moving toward more integrated, experience-focused events. Consider how your service offerings align with this trend toward ‘lifestyle events’ that blend work, wellness, and social connection.

Partnership Opportunities

The hotel’s community-focused model creates opportunities for ongoing partnerships rather than one-off bookings. Consider how your events might contribute to the broader cultural ecosystem the hotel is trying to create.

The Bottom Line

Hannah St. Hotel represents exactly what forward-thinking companies have been asking for: venues that match the sophistication and innovation of their brands. While your competitors are still settling for generic conference rooms and predictable hotel packages, you have the opportunity to host events that people actually remember and value.

The corporate events landscape in Melbourne is about to get significantly more interesting. The companies that recognise this shift early will be the ones whose employees actually look forward to company gatherings, whose clients associate their brand with thoughtful experiences, and whose events become genuine competitive advantages.

Your team deserves better than just another boring office party. Your clients deserve events that reflect the quality they expect from your organisation. And frankly? Your brand deserves to be represented by experiences that live up to your standards.

Ready to discover how Hannah St. Hotel could transform your corporate events? 

Our team at Evviva Events specialise in creating sophisticated, memorable experiences that make your brand shine.

 

Contact us today to discuss how this stunning new venue could become the perfect stage for your next company gathering, because your events should be as impressive as your business.

 

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That’s why hiring a wedding stylist, who’s meticulous eye for detail, deep industry connections and ability to transform any space into a visual feast, will help bring your vision to life and still give you plenty of time to relax and enjoy your special day. 

What does a wedding stylist do?

A professional wedding stylist is someone who works with a couple to build a theme for their wedding and then style the ceremony and reception spaces. A wedding stylist generally works with their clients from the beginning, unravelling their vision before masterfully bringing it to life through design, decor and decorations. They are multi-functional and can help pick your venue or work with a prearranged event space. Wedding stylists also coordinate the lighting, colour scheme, invitations, floor plans, furniture and floral arrangements.

What are the benefits of hiring a wedding stylist?

There are many benefits to hiring a wedding stylist that go beyond just having a talent for creating beautiful spaces!

Choosing a theme

One of the first challenges of planning a wedding is deciding upon a theme. If you’re newly engaged, you’re bound to have lots of ideas but from a design perspective, if you try and throw too many elements together without a core idea, your overall aesthetic is going to be a big old mess. A wedding stylist will help you narrow down your ideas and provide guidance on the different options they believe will truly bring out your unique personality as a couple.

An eye for style

Once a theme is decided upon, a wedding stylist will start moodboarding and designing styling ideas to suit both the venue and the couple. Even if you already have a good idea of how you want your wedding to look, a wedding stylist will act as a guiding hand to help bring it all together with a sense of cohesion. As professional stylists, they have their finger on the pulse of the latest design trends and will come up with all sorts of creative ideas you may not think of. They also know exactly what design elements photograph well, so that your photographer can truly capture all the beauty and magic of your big day! With a wedding stylist, every little styling detail will be thought of.

Time savers

The amount of time that goes into organising a wedding is astonishing! From the initial planning stages, right through to packing down the last decoration in your reception space, the time that goes into designing and styling a wedding can equate to a full time job and is totally unrealistic for a working couple to take on by themselves. By hiring a wedding stylist, not only can you relax knowing you’re in the hands of a professional, but you’ll also know you’re saving yourself countless hours of valuable time.

They’re highly organised so you don’t have to be

Wedding stylists are almost always perfectionists and will be across every little detail with meticulous attention. They love nothing more than a checklist and leave nothing up to chance. This isn’t just important in the planning stages of your wedding, but also on the big day itself, when little things can easily go wrong. A good wedding stylist always has back up plans in mind and knows exactly what to do in case of unforeseen circumstances.

They have access to the best vendors and prices

Wedding stylists have incredible connections throughout the industry and access to discounts and special deals that most couples wouldn’t be able to secure by themselves. From venues, to decorations to suppliers and caterers, you’ll be amazed at just how many people your wedding stylist knows and the amazing negotiating skills that they’ll bring to the table on your behalf!

They provide on-the-day support

Most wedding stylists will organise all the set up and pack down of your venue so that you don’t have to do anything except get ready and head to the venue for one of the best days of your life!

When’s the best time to hire a wedding stylist?

Although it’s recommended to start working with your wedding stylist as early in the planning process as possible, that doesn’t mean you can’t hire one later down the track to help get the finishing touches of your wedding sorted. Just keep in mind that stylists can book out many months in advance, so if you want to secure your preferred professional, it’s definitely recommended to lock someone in as soon as possible.

Is it expensive to hire a wedding stylist?

In the past, hiring a wedding stylist was seen as a luxury that many couples couldn’t afford on top of their existing wedding expenses. Today this perception has changed and there are many reasonably priced stylists out there suited to a range of budgets, making it very common for modern couples to engage their services!

While it may seem like another expense to begin with, remember that because of their industry connections, wedding stylists can secure you excellent deals with suppliers, venues, caterers and florists, so the cost of using their services are sometimes balanced out by the savings you make through their perks!

If you’re on a really tight budget, it could be helpful to speak to a wedding stylist about helping you design and organise some DIY features that you can create yourself. Many stylists offer complimentary consultations, so reach out and see what they can do for you and your budget!

Can I style my wedding myself?

While some couples choose to style their own wedding, it’s hard to beat the stunning results you’ll achieve from working with a professional! An experienced wedding stylist ensures that the vision you have for your dream wedding is brought to life in a way you may never have thought possible.

Evviva Events are highly experienced at styling breathtaking weddings in and around Melbourne, with stunning results that speak for themselves. Get in touch with us for a free consultation so that we can start working with you to design and decorate the wedding of your dreams.

The post Why hiring a wedding stylist will help bring your vision to life appeared first on Event Management Company & Wedding Planner Melbourne | Evviva.

That’s why hiring a professional event planner, who lives for creating incredible functions, is always a good idea!

Event planners are expert organisers

Events are fun, so planning them should be a breeze too, right? What many party goers fail to notice as they’re sipping champagne and having a ball, is the hours of work which went into ensuring the event runs to a tight schedule, on budget and with all suppliers, event staff, technology and decorations working together like a well-oiled machine. 

Professional event planners are expert organisers, capable of keeping a cool head under pressure while their meticulous eye for detail tracks a million little things no one else would ever think about. When you consider all the logistics required to keep your guests happy without becoming completely overwhelmed, it’s easy to see why hiring a professional organiser (otherwise known as an event planner!) is essential. 

Event planners get the best deals for your budget

An event planner is filled to the brim with boundless industry knowledge and a mental rolodex of handy connections. What does this mean for your party budget? It means they are able to secure you the absolute best deals and rates, no matter what your budget or circumstances. 

When you work with a professional event planner, not only will you receive an honest opinion on what can be achieved within your means, you’ll have access to substantial industry discounts and a middleman experienced in dealing with suppliers and venues. They ensure your budget is working as hard for you as possible and that you aren’t being taken for a ride by potential opportunists who may inflate prices if they think they can get away with it. 

Event planners stress so that you don’t have to

Nothing ruins a good party like a stressed out host! A primary reason for hiring an event coordinator is so you can actually relax and enjoy the occasion that you’ve put together. A hallmark of a good event planner is their ability to keep their cool no matter what is going on, but just because they make it look easy doesn’t mean that it is! Event planners are constantly running around behind the scenes, triple checking every last detail and taking on any stress that may arise, so you don’t have to worry about anything except having a good time!

Event planners throw the best parties

When you make a livelihood out of planning and coordinating events, it’s guaranteed you know how to throw a banging party! An event planner’s years of experience, fantastic contacts and access to some of the best entertainment, food and decor around means they’re experts at taking an event to a whole other level. With a talented event planner by your side, you’ll leave a lasting impression on your guests who won’t be able to stop talking about what a great party you put on.

Event planners are creative and know how to bring a theme to life

Sometimes, just coming up with a theme or style for your event and knowing how to keep it consistent across food, invites, decor and entertainment is a challenge in itself. A quality event planner will be naturally creative and love working with their clients to come up with innovative and stylish ways to make their event pop! Whether it’s a precise theme that requires specific props or you’re simply trying to evoke a certain atmosphere, a professional event planner knows exactly what it takes to capture your personality and objectives, and create something truly magical.

Event managers know how to be resourceful if something goes wrong

Even though professional event managers are perfectionists who thrive on being hyper organised, we all know things in life don’t always go to plan. This is why having someone who is resourceful and knows how to quickly and seamlessly overcome a challenging situation is worth their weight in gold! 

Perhaps there is a technical difficulty with your AV equipment, the DJ gets ill or a supplier tells you last minute that they can’t fulfill an order you’ve triple checked with them multiple times this week. When an unforeseen scenario takes place, you’ll be so thankful to have a professional with you who has the contacts and expertise to quickly turn things around and keep your event running seamlessly.

Event planners love to make you happy

At the end of the day, when you hire an event planner, you are engaging someone who’s key objective is to help you throw an unforgettable function which brings happiness to you and your guests. The amount of work, organisation and stress required to plan and execute an event is immense but with the help of a professional, not only will the process be seamless but also a roaring success that you and your guests will talk about for years to come.

Evviva Events are experts in planning private parties, corporate functions and weddings across Melbourne and its surrounds. Whether you require an end-to-end service or just need us to jump in at the last minute to oversee the event itself, our reputation for planning and producing exceptional events that impress speaks for itself.

To organise your free event planning consultation, get in touch with our friendly team, today.

The post Do I really need an event planner? Why professional help is always a good idea appeared first on Event Management Company & Wedding Planner Melbourne | Evviva.

In all the excitement, even the most organised bride or groom can forget something important, leading to unnecessary stress or an overlooked task. This last-minute wedding day checklist covers all those little details, so all you have to do is relax and enjoy your special day!

Have a written confirmation of arrangements and payment from every vendor

Be very specific in how you communicate expectations with your suppliers, including caterers, entertainment, decorators and your venue. Even if you have contracts in place, double-check the details and send out followup confirmations in the week prior to your wedding. Details such as date, location, start and finish times as well as set up and packdown requirements are all important inclusions. Keep this with their payment receipts, so that you are 100% covered if something goes wrong.

Make sure the documentation for your wedding license is ready to go

In all the fun of wedding planning, it’s easy to forget that there’s a legal ceremony taking place that requires less exciting things like government forms and identification. Make sure your celebrant has received your Notice for Intended Marriage at least one month before your wedding as well as evidence of your date and place of birth, photo ID and proof that a previous marriage has ended. If you’ve forgotten to do this, you can still lodge a form late under special circumstances but the quicker you get onto it, the greater your chances are of getting everything done in time.

Finalise your music playlist 

Supply your DJ or band with a list of songs that mean something special to you and your partner, as well as tunes you know will have your guests up and dancing! A DJ needs time to source tracks and bands need time to practice, so it’s unrealistic to expect them to turn up on the night and have your requests ready to go without adequate warning.

Have an ‘emergency kit’ packed

Pack an emergency kit that includes tissues, stain remover, a stylish umbrella, a needle and thread and anything else that could potentially save the day. If there’s one day where it pays to be overprepared, it’s your wedding day!

Have someone do a walkthrough of your venue before your ceremony

On the morning of your ceremony, have a friend do a walkthrough of your venue to double check that everything is looking good and that all the decorations have arrived. This is also a good time to check-in with the venue staff to ensure that everything is running to plan and schedule.

Double check all printing for spelling errors or misspelt names

The last thing you want to see when you arrive at your wedding venue is a beautiful welcome sign with your name misspelled in the middle of it. When ordering any printing, make sure you leave enough time before the ceremony to double check your guests’ names against their place cards, ensure wedding programs are correct and that all signage is free from mistakes, with enough time to send anything back for a reprint, if needed.

Organise pre-ceremony breakfast and snacks at least the night before

From the moment you wake on your wedding day, things are going to be go, go, go. Fitting in a nutritious breakfast may feel impossible and the nerves and excitement may kill your appetite. Despite this, fuelling up early is essential to how you’ll feel over the day, especially if you plan on sipping champagne or having a few cocktails! Have your breakfast and snacks ordered or prepared the night before so there’s no excuses and you can fit it into your morning routine with minimal fuss.

Check traffic conditions and plan accordingly

While fashionably late is acceptable, keeping your guests waiting for hours because you’re stuck in traffic isn’t the best look and can throw out the schedule for the rest of your day. Have a friend keep an eye on traffic conditions and have alternative routes mapped out in case of emergency.

Practice walking in your shoes

Even if your shoes look harmless, it can’t be stressed enough that you have to practice, practice, practice! Take them with you to any rehearsals, or organise venue walk throughs so that you can practice on the different floor types you’ll be navigating throughout the course of your day.

Have someone deliver your overnight bags to the hotel on the morning of your ceremony

If you’re spending your wedding night somewhere different to where you’re getting ready, have a friend deliver your overnight bags to the hotel before the celebrations kick off. The last thing you want to do is worry about carrying things around with you all day or finding out that someone lost them in all the excitement.

Appoint a designated gift caretaker to pick up your presents from the venue

Choose a trusted loved one to be your designated gift caretaker, and offer to organise appropriate transport for them. This way you don’t have to worry about losing them or incurring any fees for storing them at the venue overnight.

Make sure your hair and makeup artists supply you with products to touch up with throughout the day

Ask your makeup artist to give you a quick lesson on how to touch up your look and purchase the necessary tools and products required to maintain it all day – and well into the night! At the very least, have a stash of bobby pins, hairspray, translucent powder and your lip colour.

Have an itinerary prepared for the pre-ceremony morning

Your pre-ceremony schedule is going to be tight, and requires adequate wriggle room to cover any unsuspected surprises. By preparing an itinerary in advance and sticking to it as much as possible, you can take some of the stress out of your preparation by knowing how much time you have allotted to each task and how much time you have to spare.

Have a reception schedule organised and a Master of Ceremonies running it

Having a reception schedule and Master of Ceremonies helps to give focus to the night and keep everything running smoothly. Between food, toasts, speeches, music and dancing, managing a reception is a full time job for whoever is in charge of it! Make sure whoever takes this on is aware of how much hard work is involved and happy to take on this responsibility.

Have a wedding planner organise all this for you, so you don’t have to!

As you can see, the details that go into making your wedding one of the most magical days of your life is immense. Without the right help, one overlooked task can derail it into a stressful mess – which is the last thing anybody wants. That’s why working with an experienced wedding planner who thrives on organisation and lives for details is essential for couples who want to relax and make the most out of their big day. 

Evviva Events are experts in planning stunning, bespoke and even last-minute weddings, with exceptional results that speak for themselves. We thrive on organisation and taking care of every little detail, so that our couples can truly have fun on their big day.

To organise your free wedding planning consultation, please get in touch with our friendly team, today.

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