Wild Brand Feature // Twelve Tables

We at Wild Hearts are so fortunate to get to work with and alongside the nations top creative businesses in the wedding industry- the amazing companies that work 24/7 to help create their clients dream day. With all the talent behind the scenes, we wanted to put the spotlight onto some of our favourite in the industry and share some insight into the inspiration and day-to-day happenings within a creative business.

We’re so excited to kick this feature off with the incredible husband and wife team, Sara and Jean, the talent behind clear marquee and furniture hire company, Twelve Tables. We loved having them join us recently at Wild Hearts 2018 in Tauranga and Auckland– check out their beautiful set-ups below!

We caught up with Sara and Jean to chat about the back-story to their successful business, Twelve Tables.
(And if you want a peek at the wedding that started it all- their own!- head here.)

Tell us a bit about Twelve Tables, who is behind the business, where did the name come from and how did you get to where you are today?

Twelve Tables is a Premium Clear Marquee and furniture hire business. We offer a luxury and completely customised marquee venue to clients throughout New Zealand.

We started in 2015 as a husband and wife duo, but along the way, we have gathered some of New Zealand’s best. We are a passionate and fun team who takes our client’s weddings far more seriously than our own.

The name Twelve Tables, came about when Jean (Twelve Tables Mechanical engineer and builder) was building tables for our own wedding, when we couldn’t find anything in NZ that tickled our fancy, Jean, a passionate furniture maker decided to build 12 tables, (we originally needed 12), so although we now have approximately 100 tables, the name has stuck.

What sets you apart from the other marquees out there?

We simply provide the best looking clear marquees in NZ, with a service that you cant receive elsewhere. When you’re hiring a clear marquee the “clear” is everything. We thoroughly clean our marquees between every job. There’s never any doubt that we are providing the best clear marquee available.

A Twelve Tables Clear Marquee allows our couples to dine under the stars, with no stress of bad weather, in fact, some of our couples hope for rain, so they can party while they watch the rain of the roof.

You guys travel all over New Zealand, where has been your favourite destination to set up a marquee?

There are so many favourites. We love setting up at family properties, there’s just so much love and excitement and we often get to meet the whole family and create a pretty memorable connect with amazing people.

Talk us through a typical set up day?

Summer/wedding season is very different than our current “off” season. Summer includes approximately 70-80 hours per week, 7 days a week, either setting up marquees and furniture, cleaning marquees or driving. Always together, our number one priority is to always be together. Over winter I (Sara) am in the office, replying to brides, updating catalogues, marketing etc, while Jean is building new furniture and custom pieces for our 2018/19 brides.

We adore your cute couple rituals that you and Jean have together – do you think working together has strengthened your marriage? and any tips for other couples going into business together?

Since the early days (10 years ago) Jean and I always talked about working together, we’re one of those loved-up couples that can’t get enough of spending time with each other. Absolutely, working together has strengthened our marriage and relationship. My big tip is communication. Jean and I talk non-stop, whether we’re happy, sad or stressed, we talk about it. Jean’s tip is “always have fun, make fun your priority”.

This is your second year showcasing at Wild Hearts, and we bloody love having you! Why do you prefer Wild Hearts over any other Wedding Event?

Wild Hearts attracts the best vendors in NZ, which is incredibly unique for our lucky couples to meet their potential vendors. I can’t stress how important it is to hire from “good” people. Wild Hearts allows couples to make those decisions and to choose not only their preferred hire items/service, but they get to meet their vendors and choose a “fit” that is right for them as a couple and that fits their wedding vision.

Whats next in the pipeline for Twelve Tables?

We have quadrupled our hire items.

We want to keep providing the best wedding hire items and service in NZ, so we are continuously adding to our range so that our couples are receiving new and beautiful furniture items and clear marquees that they can’t receive elsewhere, so we are behind the scenes, building new and custom items for our couples and/or their wedding planners.