Getting to know – Meet Gertrude

Meet Gertude. A gorgeous, and lovingly restored mobile bar certain to bring character and charm to any event she visits.

We simply adore the idea of hiring a mobile bar to add to your wedding day styling, and Gertie does it oh-so-well.

See our chat with her fabulous founder, Tara, and learn more about how a mobile bar can bring your event to life.

 

 

How long have you been in business and how did Gertrude come into your lives ?

We built Gertrude in 2014 and started Meet Gertrude at the beginning of 2015. Gertrude was born purely for our wedding in 2014, but she was so amazing we just had to share her with everyone else.

I was planning our wedding early 2014, when I came across the idea of a mobile bar. I searched everywhere for something similar in Victoria and then as desperate brides can be, I searched Australia wide. I found something in Bryon Bay , but it was just to far for them to travel and the cost was going to be incredibly large. So I asked my soon-to-be husband to build me one, he laughed and said “sure, if you find a caravan I will make you a mobile bar”. Well, little did he know I had already found the perfect little van on Gumtree, so that weekend we went down to Bon Beach to pick up Gertrude and the rest is history !

Turns out, I had bought a lemon, so my husband had to rebuild her completely, into the beautiful lady she is today. Her first outing was our wedding in October 2014 at Little Church, Spring Hill. Everyone loved her so much that we just had to share her with the world, so Meet Gertrude was born.

What service does Gertrude offer when it comes to drinks?

This is always such a popular question, and we like to keep it simple. Gertrude works well with bottled beer, wine, sparkling and of course, soft drink. Another popular question asked is cocktails, cocktails and cocktails. We certainly accommodate simple mix drinks that our guests are happy to be served in jam jars, but this is done by request. We always try to accommodate were we can, but like to impress with the simple things .

 

 

Do we need to factor in hiring additional staff to help serve drinks or is that included in the cost?

Gertrude comes with friendly and professional staff members, who know the ins and outs of working Gertrude. Its such a unique environment, which we love and adore, so we like to do all our serving from Gertrude. She is such a feature and guests absolutely love coming to the bar to get a drink. We certainly accommodate periods of ‘black tray’ service by request, but this requires extra staff members so its an additional cost.

Does Gertrude come with glassware?

Absolutely! And we even do all the washing up 🙂 She comes with beautiful stemless white and red wine glasses, champagne flutes and jam jars for everything else in between.

What should people consider when estimating the amount of alcohol/drinks to be served at a wedding ?

When you think you have enough champagne, buy more! There is something about weddings that brings the bubbly out of everyone and we always find that we run out, or come very close to, at every wedding/event. We always try an assist with quantities by what has worked at previous weddings with the same amount of guests, but this is only a guide . We are still drinking white wine from our own wedding years later.

How many hours can we hire Gertrude for at a time – is there a minimum ?

We have a minimum three hour hire, but the sky is the limit beyond that. The usual hire time is 6-7 hours for an event or function.

 

 

What if couples would like to decorate Gertrude to fit into their wedding aesthetic – how flexible are you with styling?

When building Gertrude we made her very versatile because I love how unique and personal styling can be. I love that Gertrude can look so different at every event/function that she attends. We encourage our clients to get creative and make use of the bar top space, using blackboards or drinks menus at the front of Gertrude and displaying beautiful blooms to match. Our only limitations are anything that may damage Gertrude or effect our service space. Gertrude also has a blackboard wall painted on the back wall, so clients can get creative !

What makes a great wedding ?

DIY – we love it when our clients get creative with ideas and push the styling boundaries. We have been to some amazing weddings where the personality of the client is reflected in the styling and I absolutely love that.

Why should people consider having gorgeous Gertrude at their wedding?

Gertrude is so versatile, unique and beautiful. She brings a certain something to your wedding , its indescribable, but you need her. She isn’t just a bar, she is a focal point for your event, she demands attention and is so striking in photographs. She makes a simple outdoor wedding beautiful and tells such a special story

Tell us about some of the exciting ventures Gertrude has been on ?

Oh she has been on so many I actually wouldn’t even know where to start. Every adventure close or far, long or short has been such a pleasure and a joy to be apart of. We love all of our beautiful clients and wish we could do every event over again , especially our wedding ! Oh, I would love to be a bride again !

 

 

Quick Questions

Gertrude’s favourite drink? Champagne, bubbles, sparkling – its the ultimate celebration drink.

Gertrude’s ultimate dance floor anthem? Anything from Taylor Swift. You know it, you want to sing along and shake it off!

Gertrude’s best wedding tip? This one is dedicated to the bride and groom . The day goes oh-so-quickly, so make sure you take a moment together to really soak it all in. Its one of the most special moments in your lives , shared with all your nearest and dearest, and a day you will never forget. Months and even years of planning and its all over within a blink of an eye, so soak up every moment.

See more of Gorgeous Gertie and have her front and centre at your own special event by clicking here.