At Wine & Dine'm, many of the people responsible for delivering our events are women. Across leadership, business development, operations, marketing, front of house and the kitchen, these are the people making decisions, solving problems and keeping everything moving behind the scenes.
Events may only last a few hours, but the work behind them starts weeks, months, sometimes years in advance.
So rather than focusing on one day, we wanted to share a broader look at the people and the perspectives that drive our events forward every day.
To give a more honest look at what goes into delivering a seamless event, we asked members of our team to share their perspective from across the business.
Ammie Watts - Director
What do you think great leadership in the events industry looks like today?
Leadership in the events industry today is not just about ticking boxes or talking about values, it’s about genuinely living them and leading by example. Strong leaders take the time to understand every part of their business and the roles within it, from the kitchen and service teams through to logistics, sales and operations. When you understand what each department faces day to day, you can support your teams more effectively and build a culture of respect across the whole organisation. Hospitality is a demanding industry, so leadership today also means thinking about sustainability in a broader way. While environmental sustainability remains important, we place just as much focus on the sustainability of our teams, limiting burnout, creating opportunities for regular staff engagement, and supporting people to grow and develop not only within their current roles but also in pursuit of their longer-term career goals.
Of course, the fundamentals remain the same. Events are fast-paced and constantly evolving, so strong leaders are those who can adapt quickly, collaborate openly and lead with both creativity and resilience. The best leaders empower their teams, encourage new ideas and maintain a calm, solutions-focused mindset under pressure because great events are always the result of talented people working together
Sara Fagerlund - Sales Manager
When clients first come to you with an event idea, what is the most important thing you try to understand?
I think it is important to understand what the client is trying to achieve through their idea and how we can deliver this. Eg. a themed event, we need to understand the reasons behind the theme and what experience do they want to give their delegates / guests. Is it related to a memory, a favourite item, the time of the year? This helps with venue selection, menu selection and activations.
Another example, a product launch - what is being showcased, what message do they want their attendees to receive. Is this through their presentation, the catering, the branding or styling. When you find out this through curiosity and conversation it also breaks down barriers, helps find common ground with clients and strengthens that client to event planner relationship.
Erica Pickford - Business Development Manager
What makes a venue or event partnership truly work well?
A strong venue or event partnership really comes down to trust. The best collaborations happen when everyone is honest, transparent, and communicates openly from the beginning. It’s about listening carefully to what the client actually needs rather than pushing a hard sell or trying to force something that doesn’t fit. When you take the time to understand the vision and work together to achieve it, the result is always better for everyone involved. Authenticity goes a long way in this industry, and clients can tell when you’re genuinely focused on creating a great experience rather than just closing a deal.
Elle Clifton - Operations Manager
What is one thing people might not realise about the operational planning behind events?
The one thing that people may not realise about the operational side of event planning and catering is that everything has a flow on effect! Planning an event may seem as easy as a checklist (menu, beverages, staff, equipment, timings) but operationally, back at the warehouse and in the office, every decision you make, is dependent on something else happening in the correct order. From my experience, a big part of my role is constantly anticipating change and being ready to reassess and adapt as details evolve, to ensure all events and deliveries happen on time, with all the right equipment, and in the correct order.
Even seemingly small changes like pushing guest arrival to 1hr earlier or realising the buildings loading dock has a height restriction of 2 metres, causes a ripple effect throughout each of our departments, and operations has to bring that flow back together (while also realigning with all the other events and catering deliveries happening in the same day) A well-run event looks seamless on the day because that flow has already been pressure-tested behind the scenes, with contingencies built in for any kind of spanner that gets thrown in the works, and so that any changes made, look like an effortless adjustment. Being an Operations Manager in events & catering often feels like being an air traffic controller, quietly coordinating dozens of moving parts so everything lands safely, on time, and without anyone noticing all the turbulence we dodged on the way!
Emily Taylor - Marketing Manager
From a marketing perspective, what makes an event memorable beyond the day itself?
I would say it’s all about taking people back to that day or making an audience feel like they were there, through content. With photos and especially videography, people will sell themselves most of the way there on using your services for their next event, based on content they resonate with. And if a business can consistently align themselves with content that is memorable, it will naturally make them a first choice when that person needs catering.
For marketing tools like blogs, it’s about reflecting on the success of the event from a business capacity perspective, instances where problems were solved, memorable features were added (pulled off) and convinces the reader that we know what we’re talking about and that they can trust your business to provide the same positive outcomes for their event.
Cristalla Pippos - Front of House Manager
From the service floor, what makes the difference between a good event and a great one?
The difference between a good event and a great one is when the client and catering team work together seamlessly. From a FOH perspective, the most successful events are those where the client shares a clear vision and schedule while trusting the catering team to guide the pacing of food and beverage service. As we often say within our team, “great events happen when clients trust their catering team and we work together to guide the flow of service.” That trust allows us to respond to the energy of the room, adjust timing where needed, and ensure guests feel looked after throughout the event. It also allows the service team to read the room, anticipate guest needs, and maintain a natural rhythm to the event rather than forcing service to follow a rigid timeline. When there is strong communication and collaboration between the client and the service team, the event flows naturally and creates a more memorable experience for everyone involved.
While these women represent key leadership roles within Wine & Dine’m, they are supported by a wider team of talented chefs, event supervisors and front-of-house professionals who help deliver events across Brisbane and South-East Queensland.
From corporate conferences and awards nights to weddings and large-scale celebrations, events rely on careful coordination between many moving parts. When everything works seamlessly, it is the result of planning, communication and a team that understands how to work together under pressure.
At Wine & Dine’m, we are proud to work alongside a group of talented women across leadership, service, marketing and the kitchen who bring professionalism, creativity and calm to every event.
Because while events may only last a few hours, the teams behind them are what make them memorable.
Great events are never the result of one person. They are built by teams who understand how to work together, adapt under pressure and deliver consistently, every time.
Our team works closely with venues, suppliers and clients to ensure every event runs smoothly from first enquiry through to event day.
Contact the Wine & Dine’m team to start planning your next event
