As well as being a busy mum, Zoe Dent is also playing a very hands-on role at the helm of uber cool gift registry, The Wedding Nest. Zoe talks to us about work, home and what makes her style mantra tick.
Photography: Hannah Blackmore / Styling: Claudia Stephenson / Words: Pip Miller
When you add up all the strings on Zoe’s bow right now, you wonder how she manages doing what she does but the good news is, she doesn’t go it alone. Her friend and business partner, Jacqui Scruby right there with her, sharing the load. They are both mums to two little ones, and built the business partnership on an like-minded style and attitude. It’s a marriage made in heaven.
So how did the Wedding Nest come to be? “After organizing our own weddings we were disappointed that there was no registry that offered the gifts we wanted in our home. Jacqui and I were on maternity leave together which gave us some time to work on the idea and so we set about creating a registry we wish had existed when we got married. It was crazy at first, juggling young babies and a start up – especially when we both returned to our previous jobs – though with lots of late nights and busy weekends we eventually ditched the jobs to follow our passion. Now we can reap the rewards of having jobs we love, with flexible hours to support a young family.”
“...though with lots of late nights and busy weekends we eventually ditched the jobs to follow our passion. Now we can reap the rewards of having jobs we love, with flexible hours to support a young family.”
Zoe loves the flexibility of running her own business and making the most of her beachside home. “We can spend the morning at the beach with our families, miss the peak hour traffic and start work later or work from home. I also love discovering and working with the local creative businesses whose work we support. If we discover gifts we love, we know our brides will as well as we mainly attract creative couples who share our vision in wanting unique pieces for their home, and not cookie cutter mass produced items.”
When it comes to her home life Zoe says both her home and The Wedding Nest are an extension of her style. “My home reflects both my love of nature and the beach. I prefer neutral colours as they are calming, and instead like to play with different tones, textures and textiles to create interest. Our gift range for The Wedding Nest also focuses on authentic, quality pieces. We encourage brides to choose a statement artwork they will cherish forever, beautiful linen bedding that will get better with age, or handmade Mud Ceramics that look as stylish on the kitchen shelves as they do on the dinner table.
You get the feeling that Zoe has perfectly captured the beauty of her natural surroundings in her home. “We moved to Avalon as we were at first attracted by the unspoilt bush that defines the area. My father is a landscape architect so I have grown up surrounded by beautiful rainforest gardens. Bringing the outdoors in through plants enhances the natural surroundings, and provides a wonderfully calming sanctuary to retreat to.”
