The Little Hire Company

It’s a pretty easy claim for The Little Hire Company to own that they are at the most Canterbury weddings out of the hire joints around the region and it’s so easy to see why! Fallon and Tom, the husband and wife team behind the brand have an incredible approach to their business and have grown considerably over the last year especially, with so much more to come in the new year! Fallon and I caught up for a chat recently and I thought I’d share what I got to know about her, TLHC and of course what’s coming and trending!

What’s your background and how did The Little Hire Company come about?

Before The Little Hire Company, I was a marketing manager at a food import company. Very different to what I do now, but I did really enjoy it and I was able to do quite a diverse range of tasks in the eight years I was there, all that has helped many aspects of our business.

I grew up with my parents always having gatherings, and my Mum would plan some great birthday parties for us. I would host themed parties and go all out, I loved coming up with themes and ways to make sure people would have an incredible time.

The actual business itself just evolved, to be honest, it was a natural start. Someone knew I had a stash of paper lanterns and wanted to hire them for their wedding and it all went from there! I never would have imagined it would be as successful as it is today though. It’s incredible looking back and seeing where we started to where we are now. The next phase is a bit more exciting, so I can’t wait for that.

What new stock do you have arriving?

We have some exciting new large marquee lights, including my favourite – the Love script light which is huge! Our new Triangle arch is also one of my loves, along with our huge range of rugs, cushions and other lounging items.

What have you got coming in next year?

Our wish list for next year includes more furniture – wire chairs, modern wooden tables, lounging furniture, as well as some exciting new arches and lighting. We’re also opening our new showroom hopefully around January 2019 which we cannot wait for!

What do you love most about the wedding industry?

There is nothing better than coming up with a concept and then seeing it all come together. Working with so many creative vendors is also pretty amazing, you are constantly learning and meeting likeminded creatives.

Talk to us about your approach?

We work really differently to everyone else – I like to describe us as between a stylist and a typical hire company. We love helping couple’s style their weddings, helping them choose items that will work with their overall style, colour palette and at their venue - which is often overlooked yet I think is key. We set-up the most weddings in Canterbury, so we know the venue’s well and what works and what doesn’t. It’s easy for a hire company to just hire you some festoons for your wedding, but they don’t know how you might logistically install them. Some venue’s you can’t easily hang lighting, some you can’t use real candles… so one of the first things we ask is about your venue so we know what we will be

Christchurch question - What school did you go to?

I didn’t go to school in Christchurch but I hear apparently it’s a big thing here! I went to school on the Coast and then come over to Christchurch to study marketing and psychology at UC.

Where is your top Canterbury hotspot/what do you like to do in your spare time?

We have kids so most revolves around them – so the zoo, Spencer Park and love heading out to Sumner.

Personally I am loving the way the city centre is shaping up and love exploring the new eateries popping up.

What’s going to be trending this season?

Luxury, organic linen and neon lighting.

We’re also seeing large greenery and floral installs as a focal point of the reception, with beautiful hanging lighting.

Describe your style?

I don’t have a particular style that I’m drawn to, I love all different types of styles as long as everything is cohesive and compliments each other.

It’s like asking what my favourite colour is – it totally depends on what context you’re asking me as to my answer!