Every company reaches a point in their annual operations or project milestones that calls for a celebration. Whether your corporate event serves to celebrate the end of a good financial year or launch a new product, defining the type that perfectly suits your purpose is a key element of the planning process.

Seminars and conferences can serve a multitude of purposes.Seminars and conferences can focus on internal operations and be limited only to your organisation, or they can be used as vehicles for company promotion. A conference often leans itself towards promoting good business practices within a specific industry or niche and often the exhibition space proves most popular. This type of corporate event takes up a few days, attracts a wide range of attendees and runs concurrent sessions. When selecting to host a conference for your corporate event, it is imperative that you have a solid planning schedule and professional event co-ordination team. Seminars, on the other hand, are usually smaller in terms of audience size and short in terms of time. Seminars can last from a few hours to a full day, and as a corporate event, include a targeted audience. Seminars and conferences are generally larger corporate events, which entail a detailed planning schedule and bigger budget.

Team building events or company retreats are generally internal corporate events.
Team building events are a useful tool for improving communication within your organisation, promoting company cohesion and improving productivity. Team building events can be used to reward staff for achieving a particular goal or outline a new company strategy, enabling brainstorming and the definition of team roles. This type of corporate event works very well at the implementation stage of a new project, as it provides your team with an opportunity to participate in a new experience together. Executive retreats have a more casual ambience, and are usually more focused on rewarding staff and stakeholders. Both team building events and executive retreats serve to bring together important members of your team in casual settings, away from the office.

A formal dinner, awards ceremony or customer appreciation event is usually a more stylish and elegant corporate event.
These corporate events are sophisticated functions focus on promoting your company or celebrating a particular success. Awards ceremonies can be held to honour team members who have gone beyond the call of duty, or to laud the achievements of people within your industry. A customer appreciation event allows you to show your gratitude to clients for their unwavering support. As far as corporate events go, formal occasions usually entail bigger budgets, detailed planning and a firm schedule of tasks. A corporate event planning team could be employed to handle the administration of these larger events. This type of corporate event could also be used to launch a new product or unveil a new service offered by your company.

Selecting the perfect type of corporate event for your company's purpose is a critical step in planning the perfect occasion.

Event Stylist to corporates bigwigs and now service provider to the municipality of the city of Durban – Marge B – has just launched a brand new facet to her business. Her company, Event Styling™, is the premier provider of eventing services to the cream of corporate entities in and around Kwa Zulu Natal. After being wooed to do personal events by many a corporate high flyer, and after thoroughly enjoying the Royal Dinner the company put together for Zulu monarch King Goodwill Zwelithini earlier this year, Marge has finally buckled to the demand for her expertise in personal events.


The company recently undertook their first wedding for a beautiful couple – Mickey and Kate. Things kicked off with Marge B helping the bride decide on her theme and Kate settled on ruby red as her colour of choice. Once the choice was made, everything else flowed graciously into place. Marge personally assisted the florist in creating the awe-inspiring Orchid wedding bouquet, using ice-white orchids adorned with crystals, ruby red satin, and a sprinkling of diamanté pins.

Welcome drinks at the wedding was the Marge B-inspired “strawberry champagne”, which is bubbly with fresh strawberries, and was served in elegant flutes with scarlet ribbons attached. Cuisine for the wedding was scrumptious roast beef with roasted potatoes tossed in butter, topped with a hearty gravy and an assortment of oven baked seasonal veggies. This was accompanied by curried chicken, saffron rice and vegetarian lasagne. Dessert included malva pudding topped with vanilla-infused ice cream and bar one cake for those that needed some sweetening up.

The wedding – an intimate but joyous affair, had female guests thronging to catch the bouquet, which was eventually caught by Marge’s assistant Claire, and was indeed interpreted as a good omen!

The highlights of Mickey and Kate’s wedding comprised of several embellishments:
The first was the bride – Kate – who was the epitome of stunning on the day. Kate looked ravishingly beautiful on her wedding day, and rightfully so, as this was a day she will always remember and cherish. The second was the “wish tree”, draped with fruit-sized crystals and bedecked with bespoke cards on which guests wrote their well wishes for the young wedding couple. The third was the Cinderella-style glass slippers that adorned every table and was a much talked about item among guests at the wedding. Names of the bridal couple and a single red rose remained suspended inside a solidly frozen ice sculpture of a dainty swan, while Vodka shots which were dispensed by the fabulous Claire from a “ski-slope” luge made of solid ice, created another talking point at this trendy wedding.

This first wedding by Event Styling™ Umhlanga is now over, but is still a much talked about affair among those that attended and the bridal couple alike. In addition to this being a great business to be in, it was also an excellent time for bonding and nurturing, and as a result, a relationship as solid as the ice swan has now been cemented between Marge B and the bridal couple.

Here’s to celebrating the good life and more weddings -in style.

Event Stylist to the cream of Durban’s social and corporate high flyers – Marge B – has done it again.

One of her clients recently took over a private box at the Kingsmead Cricket stadium in Durban and as with all things, the venue needed to be brought into alignment with the brand ethos of them that will frequent it during cricket season. That task required the visionary skill and creative prowess of a true stylista – in this case Marge B leading her team at Event Styling™ Umhlanga.

The revamp included replacing pieces of furniture with more contemporary elements, a complete visual make-over of the bar area and enhancing the room’s wooden feel by changing it to white with touches of silver. What was unoccupied open space is now occupied by a green carpet made of astroturf and a white coffee table, rounded off beautifully with ottomans topped with cushions that match the carpet.The back of the door now sports a South African flag, turning even that into something to look at.


The room has been liberated of its old school television set and enhanced with a newer, larger flat screen TV mounted on the wall, opposite the new lily white leather sofa that completes the embellishments and the splashes of colour around the room beautifully.

Marge B has done it once again, proving that Durban's premier style emporium remains her company - Event Styling™.

Whether you're planning your wedding or your company's next conference, hiring a professional event styling team will benefit you in wonderful ways.

We've put together our top five reason why hiring an event styling team will turn your event into a pleasure rather than a chore.

One. Hiring an event styling team can seem costly at first but, in truth, the team can save you oodles of money! Because event styling providers build solid relationships with good suppliers, they’re more likely to obtain discounts or be able to negotiate lower costs for supplies. Your chosen event styling team members are also magicians when it comes to sticking to your budget, and will be able to make your event dreams a reality without breaking the bank.


Two. Money is not the only thing you’ll save when hiring a professional event styling service provider. Time is an essential commodity for you as a business owner and your event styling team will save you more of it than ever before. After firming up your event strategy with the team, they will handle all the event-related administration tasks. That means you won’t need to meet with suppliers or spend time finding the best deal on décor – your event styling team will do it all for you, whilst you focus on your life.

Three. Everyone wants their event to be unique and a professional team makes that happen. Due to their experience, drive and big network of vendors, your event styling team will be able to create a fabulous event. With a keen eye on all elements of your event proceedings, your event styling service provider will ensure that your event shines.

Four. Even the most well-organised and managed event has unforeseen obstacles. This is when your event styling team is most essential, as they are efficient troubleshooters and can remedy almost any situation with style and speed. So when your décor falls down, the seating arrangements go awry or the caterers don’t arrive on time, your event styling team can handle it with grace and confidence.

Five. Lastly, hiring an event styling team will let you relax during your important occasion. It won’t be necessary for you to run around checking on food and entertainment because it’ll be in the hands of the professionals. Instead of worrying about what time dinner will be served, you’ll be able to sit down, relax and enjoy your event without worrying about the details.

Hiring an experienced and professional event styling team holds big benefits, for both the running of your event and your stress levels.

No matter the reason for your event, precise event planning will ensure success. Accomplishments and achievements are cause for celebration.

Celebratory events focus on a specific achievement or milestone. If it’s a corporate event, you would be unveiling a new product or acknowledging a team’s outstanding efforts. If it’s personal, you might be celebrating the recent graduation of your child from tertiary education.

Before you plan your event, ensure that the reason for your celebration remains the focus.

The next step in ensuring your event is successful is to pin down the true nature of your event. Will you have a gala awards ceremony to thank staff for their outstanding efforts, or will you enjoy an intimate dinner with friends to celebrate your son’s academic success? By framing the purpose of your event, you will be able to clearly specify what it is you’ll be hosting. If you’ve employed an event stylist, make sure you clearly communicate preferences in terms of venue size, menu, attendees and agenda.

Timing an event is critical, both in terms of attendance and intinerary.

Make sure your invited guests are able to attend by hosting your event at a time and on a date that is convenient to them. Investigate other events that are scheduled for a similar time and date, and make sure you’re not creating clashes in your guests’ diaries. Keep in mind too, that like-minded people or members of similar industries often attend the same events. By timing your event correctly, you will achieve a good attendance rate for your event.

Considering your budget is a critical element of event planning. No matter the purpose, size or programme, budgetary constraints can make or break your event. Set a budget and keep to it as best you can, whilst sharing the information clearly with your event stylist and planner. One of the best ways to keep clear track of your event budget is to setup a spreadsheet and keep it updated as expenses are laid out for your event.

Lastly, set the agenda for your special event. If you’re inviting a guest speaker, make sure that they know the amount of time you’ve allocated to them and when you need them to arrive at the venue. If you’ve opted for musical, comedy or other entertainment, make sure they have a clear itinerary and required appearance times.

By carefully following these basic principles of event planning, you’ll be well on your way to making your special event spectacular.

It’s September in the city of Durban and in Durban the month of September is usually just the month of “First of Spring”, Heritage Day and the month in which Durban hosts its annual small business exhibition. This year however, September is very special on the KZN calendar. It’s the month in which His Royal Highness King Goodwill Zwelithini hosted his annual royal dinner at the Durban ICC.

Hosted in the Durban International Convention Centre and themed very strictly according to the king’s royal protocol colours – gold, burgundy and cream – the event oozed bling and was absolutely drenched in style and pizazz. With only 3 days to put the whole thing together and simultaneously capture the exact essence of what the Zulu monarch wanted to project, Marge B and her team at Event Styling™ Umhlanga was called upon as the company that had the chutzpah as well as the sense of style to pull this one off.


Only the absolute cream of Durban’s citizenry and the upper echelon of the city’s business community were invited to attend, clad in the best European couture that money can buy – all fit for a king. Then there was of course the king himself , his queen and his guest of honour – Dr. Kenneth Kaunda. Tables were beautifully laid with an ensemble of burgundy velvet roses and embellishments that tied the three royal colours together in gracious harmony. The smallest, and seemingly most insignificant aspect of the event was Event Styling™ Umhlanga providing an imported ultra-soft faux fur blanket for the Zulu queen. The luxurious blanket was easily the most talked about thing on the night next to the king himself.

When asked what the king’s entourage thought of how the evening’s proceedings transpired, Marge B was quick to reply that the chief royal aide explicitly communicated the Royal Household Trust’s satisfaction with every facet of the event. Marge further added that the events team at the ICC was an absolute pleasure to work with.

Could this be the beginning of doing business with the Zulu Royal family on an ongoing basis? Who knows. However, what we do know now, is that Event Styling™ Umhlanga managed an event for royalty, had only 3 days in which to do it and pulled it off spectacularly.