Even when it comes to celebrating Christmas on the family farm in west Clare, Maria Reidy can’t quite resist adding a professional touch to the festivities.

“Last year, I did table settings on luggage tags. My brother was like: “What are you writing all our names for? We all know each other,” she laughs.

Still, attention to detail is almost second nature to Maria since the accountancy graduate left her job in finance in 2008 to pursue her passion for event management; initially with The Butler’s Pantry and now with her own company, with clients ranging from Glanbia to Miele.

Raised on a dairy farm in Kilmihil, run by her parents John and Anne, Maria graduated with a major in accountancy and finance, but, after working for a year in Dublin, realised it was not for her.

What she did have a passion for, however, was Irish food and event management; though her new career came about after a friend dared her to organise a BBQ for his birthday party, with the prize of a Brown Thomas voucher if it was a hit.

“I went overboard,” she recalls. “I even made the ice-cream from scratch!”

Not only did she get the voucher, she also started getting calls from people who had been at the party, looking for her help organising their events.

This, in turn, gave her the confidence to apply for a job in events management and PR with premium Dublin- and Wicklow-based Irish food retailer, The Butler’s Pantry, where commissions ranged from communion and confirmation parties in customers’ homes to feeding 2,500 corporate guests over four days at The Taste of Dublin festival.

Last summer, however, she decided to set up her own company, Maria Reidy Events, offering a full event management service for corporate clients, private house parties and weddings, including those on family farms.

To date, assignments have varied from catering for a Chinese delegation visiting Glanbia headquarters to organising an ’80s-themed birthday party with touches including a full bar with the de rigueur Pope John Paul portrait and props like Rubik’s cubes. She also does wedding planning, whether it’s working with a couple from New York to plan their perfect day in Castle Leslie to organising the catering, staffing, security, parking and portaloos in venues as diverse as marquees, family homes, sheep sheds and castles.

“I provide a full service and take a lot of the stress away,” says Maria. “Sometimes I think when people are planning a wedding, they see an event planner as an unnecessary cost, but anyone I’ve worked with will always say it was the best money they spent.”

Suffice to say, the run up to Christmas is exceptionally busy, but over the next two weeks Maria will be sharing her top tips for festive touches for your home, including wreaths made with foliage from the farm that can double as centre pieces to stylish table settings.But while she is looking forward to winding down on the farm over Christmas, there really will be no rest for the wicked, between organising hot chocolate and treats for the annual Kilmihil Dash in aid of West Clare Cancer on Christmas morning, to helping with preparations at home as one of eight in the family. Including writing those place setting cards.

For further information, visit www.mariareidyevents.com