Jacqui from the Local Rag chats to Ciara Faber, owner of the White Wedding Club based in Raglan.
When did you acquire the White Wedding Club and what was appealing about this kind of business?
In March this year I had the opportunity to purchase The White Wedding Club from Raglan local Bridget. Having worked alongside Bridget for several wedding seasons, I was familiar with the business’s operations and shared a similar style, ensuring a seamless transition. At that time, I was also running my own events business, Curated by Ciara. Buying into TWWC felt like a natural progression, allowing me to build on its established reputation and strong brand.
Describe TWWC and what you offer.
The White Wedding Club is a boutique wedding hire, styling and planning company based in Raglan. We offer a range of styling and planning services to help couples prepare for one of the biggest days of their lives. As a planner, you often become a couple’s best friend as the wedding planning process can be stressful and overwhelming. We aim to take some of that stress away so a couple can enjoy the lead up to their wedding.
What are some new developments within the business?
TWWC used to focus mainly on styling, but we have now incorporated several planning packages including On the Day Coordination. This is great for couples that want to do everything themselves, but they need someone to help tie in all the last minute details and execute it on the day. We manage a wedding day from set up, liaising with vendors, to pack down, so couples can relax and enjoy their day with friends and family, knowing everything is taken care of.
What is your skill set and how does it help you?
I toured the world as a professional dancer for 12 years, so events are kind of in my blood! After that I was a Chief Stewardess on superyachts, so planning all kinds of events, creating table settings and flower arranging was a part of my daily job. Managing the logistical challenges of event planning on yachts and in remote locations gave me a valuable skill set that is incredibly useful as a wedding planner.
What are some of the challenges that you face and how do you mitigate them?
As a wedding planner in NZ, especially the West Coast, dealing with the sometimes unpredictable nature of the weather can be a challenge! You can be glued to the weather forecast the week of a wedding, but on the day it can be doing something completely different! You just always have to expect the unexpected, and have a solid wet weather plan.
Why does Raglan work so well for weddings?
Raglan may not have a vast number of wedding venues, but those we have are exceptionally beautiful. People fall in love with Raglan’s natural beauty, and our stunning landscape and beaches provide perfect backdrops for photographs. Despite being a small town, we boast an impressive list of vendors, including florists, photographers, and makeup artists. Raglan truly offers everything needed for a magical wedding day.
Are you seasonal and therefore get to enjoy some downtime in winter?
Weddings are very much seasonal, but in saying that, the winter time is when all the planning and admin happens to prepare for the next wedding season. I am currently based in Mallorca, Spain for the winter with my husband and baby as we have a house over here. I am working on my New Zealand weddings for the 24/25 season, and also working on some European weddings over here which is very exciting!
What is your vision for the business?
I would love to see The White Wedding Club grow both within New Zealand and overseas. I’ve expanded our wedding services to all across the North Island, and I am continuing to work on ways in which I can promote Raglan as a premier wedding destination. My goal is to grow my team and offer a wider range of events – not just weddings – in Raglan and beyond.
