Anyone tasked with organising a work event alongside their usual responsibilities knows that it’s not a simple exercise. Fortunately, there is help available. And if you’re looking for someone with creative energy and industry expertise, Lacuna + Co are the event consultants for you.

Specialising in all things events, music and brands, Lacuna + Co was established in 2019 to utilise the creative, strategic and behind-the-scenes planning skills of owner Kelly Marsden, perfected through her decade of experience in the events industry.

But it would seem Kelly has “unofficially” always been an event planner.

“I have always been the ‘organiser’ amongst friends and family, planning birthdays or trips away… so the move to the Events Industry was almost a no brainer! I’ve done everything from team-building and school balls (definitely not the glam side of events) to weddings, brand activations and festivals.”

Something that’s often a struggle for small businesses is coming up with a worthy and fitting name. Kelly knew the business needed something that would be long-lasting but also one she personally loved and related to.

When she came across the word “Lacuna” (which means ‘the missing piece’), she knew she’d found the perfect way to describe her particular set of skills. And so Lacuna + Co was born – an event consultancy service with the missing piece to solve your puzzle of creating the perfect event for your business or brand.

Known for her attention to detail and love of spreadsheets, Kelly works alongside clients as she would her friends – with a smile, a good sense of humour, and a passion, as if your event were her own.

Part of the ‘secret sauce’ Lacuna + Co offers is strong communication. Kelly sees it as hugely important for planning successful events.

“From how you work and deal with suppliers and venues to being in contact with your client. There is nothing more powerful than having open and honest dialogue throughout the process so that all parties feel involved and up to date.”

She also notes that a good sense of humour is vital as some days are long and events can be manic at times. Possessing a positive outlook and sense of fun is key!

We asked Kelly if there were any particular events that really made her stand back and say “Wow. I did that.” and her reply was quite diplomatic (another key feature of a great event management consultant!).

A night hosted by Hour Glass to celebrate the 2022 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Collection. Held at the Auckland Museum, this event of understated style gave guests the chance to try on the new collection whilst enjoying the ambience provided by the iconic venue.

“I’m not sure there is one stand out event for me, which may sound strange, but every event or activation I have worked on has something special about it. The events I love the most are the ones where I get to be creative and come up with something new for a client.”

When pressed, Kelly named her top three events to be NZ Fashion Week, Rolex launch with Hour Glass at the Auckland Museum and the Kindness Collective’s Christmas Joy Store.

The Kindness Collective ‘Christmas Joy Store’ was created as a safe space for parents and caregivers – a wonderful way to give back to the community. The store offered participants the dignity of choice to shop for toys and food to help their families celebrate the joy of Christmas. 

When asked about the worst thing that’s ever happened at an event, Kelly lets us in on an industry secret – usually something goes wrong at every event, no matter how well organised you are or how well planned the event is! However, in the broader scheme of things, the winner of “worst thing ever” has been Covid, making the past few years a tricky time to navigate.

“That has to take the cake for the worst thing for the industry – although I am sure most industries would say the same!”

Giltrap Group’s prestigious collection of cars provided a stunning backdrop for Umbrellar’s recent event – a creative suggestion from Lacuna + Co that went down very well with the crowd that braved a chilly winter night to attend.

Lacuna + Co helped Umbrellar coordinate a recent event at Giltrap Groups’ stunning new venue at Grey Lynn, proving Kelly’s creative skills at sourcing venues that are still easy to set up, yet disrupt the status quo and entice audiences to attend. It’s no mean feat getting over 100 people out on a chilly winter Thursday night – with some even travelling from Hamilton and Wellington!

While having your finger on the pulse of the hot new venues in town, creativity and a love of spreadsheets are definitely handy, Kelly says the best piece of advice she would give to anyone planning an event would be to ensure you have a reasonable timeline.

“Nothing like trying to get a venue and suppliers locked in, assets and printing done and guests invited within a short timeframe! The more time you give yourself, the better planned the event will be. An eye for detail wouldn’t go amiss either …”

With the end of the year fast approaching and thoughts of Christmas celebrations starting to surface, it could be that you, dear reader, have been allocated the task of organising a shin-dig for the office and you’re wondering how the actual you’re going to pull it off? Wonder no more.

You can find Lacuna + Co on all social media platforms but by far the best way to get in touch is direct to the inbox: kelly@lacunaandco.co.nz

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