Splash Events -10 Year Journey Nicole Hopkins - Founder, Owner and Managing Director

Splash Events are excited to

announce our 10 year

anniversary in June 2016. It is

hard to imagine, but only 10

years ago Splash Events was just

a hopeful dream and now it is a

successful company with 1000’s

of very happy clients.

The success of Splash Events is all due

to the remarkable talents and

resilience of our owner and creative

director, Nicole Hopkins who has

developed and grown the company

from just a simple idea into one of the

leading event companies on the

Sunshine Coast.

With a bachelor in design and a career spanning 25

years within the design and interior decorating

industry it is no wonder Splash Events creates such

individual and eye catching events.

Starting as a visual merchandiser for Myer in Sydney,

Nicole spent 10 years working her way up to the elite

decorating team concentrating on Myer grand

openings and major events around Australia.

Expanding her knowledge base the last 12 years

have been spent specialising in wedding and special

event styling, interior decorating, home

improvements and lifestyle makeovers.

The foundation years of Splash Events

Moving from the northern beaches in Sydney to settle

with her young family on the idyllic Sunshine Coast,

Nicole wanted to continue her creative career and

make the most of her design experience and

creative ability.

Nicole realised that her experience with decorating

events would be a perfect match for the booming

Wedding industry on the Sunshine Coast. So whilst

formulating plans for her own business, Nicole began

working part time at a local restaurant and booked

six wedding receptions for the restaurant in a very

short time.

The restaurant ended up suddenly closing and Nicole

went into emergency mode working with the clients

to find alternative venues to suit their style and

budget. Thankfully, all worked out beautifully and

that’s when Nicole started living and breathing the

wedding industry.

With two small children at the time under 3 years old,

no business or network connections in Queensland

and not a spare cent to her name, Nicole decided to

borrow $500 to test the waters and see whether

setting up her own event business was a viable option

on the Sunshine Coast.

Initially, Nicole started by partnering with a Brisbane

styling company who had been travelling to the

Sunshine Coast. These leads led to event bookings,

and her fresh and unique style didn’t go unnoticed.

With more and more direct enquiries Nicole decided

to go out on her own, resulting in the launch of Splash

Events in 2006.

Nicole was never motivated by

financial gain and Splash Events has

always been about personal

independence and enjoyment. In the

early years, many people told Nicole

that it couldn’t be done, it wasn’t worth

the risk and that it will never work, but

Nicole had a vision and she was

determined.

The evolution of Splash Events since 2006

Nicole’s vision for Splash Events was big! She wanted

her own event decorating company, creating

weddings and events using her own décor and

designs.

Despite all of the negative naysayers, Nicole worked

hard, quickly finding her feet and very soon realising

that this was where she was meant to be. With her

passion in full flight, Splash Events was launched on

Nicole’s dining room table with just a couple

of clients and few pieces of decor, but the

momentum was set and her business began to grow.

Bit by bit, Nicole reinvested everything

she earnt back into the business,

sourcing and buying unique decor

from around the world and continually

adding to her collection.

As Nicole gained more clients and word spread

around the Sunshine Coast, Splash Events moved

from the dining room table to the backyard shed,

then to a storage shed in Coolum.

Splash Event’s popularity continued to grow, so she

moved to Commerce Court in Noosaville, but that still

wasn’t big enough! With so many moves behind her,

Nicole decided to once again relocate her business

to larger premises and now Splash Events are located

in Industrial Lane at Noosaville.

They have two huge warehouses spanning over 600

square metres, as well as a custom built showroom. It

is no doubt that Nicole’s thirst for new and unique

decor is RELENTLESS!

Key stepping stones in the success of Splash

Events

In the early years, Nicole would travel anywhere, do

anything and take every job available, all to expand

her knowledge and gain experience in the industry.

Over time, Nicole’s popularity and experience

increased and Splash Events began to make a name

for itself on the Sunshine Coast.

Nicole’s success was already assured, but the

business really took off when she connected with Kim,

the owner of ‘Events of Noosa’, at the time. Kim was

impressed with Nicole’s design style and creativity,

which led to Nicole to be the decorator for many of

her high end and celebrity weddings. This is where

Nicole really started to collect key design pieces, and

build and expand her stock range.

Splash Events continued to grow and then in 2008,

Nicole welcomed baby number three into the world,

but she didn’t miss a beat! Barely out of hospital,

Nicole’s family took turns to travel from Sydney to

help with the kids and drive her to events (as she was

unable to drive herself), while beautiful little Koby

tagged along happy as could be.

It was around this time that

Rachelle Marian joined

Splash Events. She very

quickly became a valuable

and key team member and

has been instrumental in the

success and further growth of

Splash Events.

The face of Splash Events today

The Splash team today are made up of Nicole (of

course) who is as hands on as ever, our two senior

event stylists, operations manager, warehouse

manager, finance manager, warehouse assistants,

and our team of casual event assistants, all of who

work alongside us every weekend.

Over the past 10 years, Nicole’s passion

for design and creativity, and her sheer

dedication and hard work, has grown

Splash Events from a simple idea

started on her dining room table, into a

successful event design and

decorating company.

It is no secret that it is Nicole’s drive, passion and

dedication, as well as her natural talents and her

strong customer service ethics that have led to the

success of Splash Events on the Sunshine Coast.

The future of Splash Events

In 2016, Nicole is now a business woman, managing director and owner, creative

director, set up crew, wife and mother of three beautiful children.

Nicole is busy every minute of the day, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Nicole is an action Jackson, a perfectionist and harsh task master. There is no

second best, no half jobs and no “that’ll do!”

With Nicole at the helm of Splash Events, perfection, exquisite

design and high expectations are the norm; Splash Events is

her life, her creation and HER DREAM.

Nicole has worked so hard to get the business here but is no way resting on her laurels. This business is tough,

extremely busy, and increasingly competitive and dam hard work!! But if you love what you do, like Nicole does,

it’s all worth it!

With all of that said, Nicole will continue to grow and develop Splash Events over the coming years. She will

continue to be innovative and creative, always striving to provide her clients with unique and refreshing designs,

as well as perfect outcomes for their events.

Thank you

Nicole is very grateful to her staff (past and present) and industry supporters but first

and foremost would like to thank her family!

Her husband Gavin has been extremely supportive over the years, helping to

arrange their lives, so that Nicole has always had the time and space to build her

business. He has often jumped in on events, building furniture and decor,

constructing showrooms and warehouse additions, all the while juggling his own

busy Building and Construction company and rebuilding their own dream home.

Special thanks to….The wonderful Sunshine Coast vendors and friends

Venues: Bistro C, Sails Restaurant Noosa, Season Noosa, Coolum Surf Club, Café Le Monde, Ebb Waterfront,

Peppers Noosa Resort , RACV Noosa Resort, Rickys River bar and restaurant, Gaston, Peregian Springs Golf Club,

Miss Money Penny’s, Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club, Sheraton Noosa Resort and Spa, The Surf Club Sunshine

Beach, The River Deck Restaurant, Surfair Beach Hotel, Noosa Boathouse, Noosa Waterfront Restaurant, Noosa

Springs Golf & Spa Resort, Novotel Twin Waters, Locale Eatery & Bar, Tides Waterfront Dining, Tipiluxe, AV partners

and Yandina Station!

Caterers: Spoon Fed Catering, The Rolling Dolmade, The Kitchen Shed, Cake Designs, Ideas in Icing,

Florists: Flax Flower Collective, Mondo Floral Designs, Willow Bud, Blooms of Noosa, Ginger Lilly and Rose, Twig and

Grace, Heavenly Blooms, Suncoast flowers

Photographers: Calli B Photography, Greg Gardner, Jennifer Oliphant, Jodi McDonald Photography,

Karen Buckle, Lindy Photography, Tara Lee Photography, Jodie Modric Photography

Planners and stylists: Kim Eibrink Jansen (previous Events of Noosa), Carly Baum, Trudy Croad, Chantel

Gallagher, Emma Oxenbridge, John and Annie O’Conner, Julie- Ann Brown, Bianca Frankling, Anna Pugh and

Janelle Donahoe

Plus the wonderful girls at the The Brides Tree and Sunshine Coast Brides.

Thanks to all those who have worked with us and supported Nicole along the way.

10 YEAR FLASHBACKS

Masquerade Christmas Party Splash return from the dead Splash go tribal

Koby, youngest ever crew

member

The Kids today One of the Splash Vans

The Showroom One half of our new warehouse First Warehouse Noosa

Original team Showroom opening 1st showroom