Big Light Letters: Eight Years, Two Cities, Australia-Wide Wholesale

How Big Light Letters started - and the problem it solved

Big Light Letters started in 2018 when Chris and Shannon tried to hire number lights for a birthday and found the whole process painful. It was hard to tell the quality companies from the cowboys, agreements were clunky and paper-based, and there was no way to see prices or availability online.

They saw an untapped need - what if hiring light up letters could be as easy as ordering food online?

Chris and Shannon, who started Big Light Letters in 2018, now a full-time family business across two cities.

Built to make hire easy and built to last

So they built it. Their signature 'pick, click, delivered' system lets people check prices and availability, book online instantly, and have everything delivered and set up on the day with all-inclusive pricing and no guesswork. Every piece is designed and made in-house to their own tested specifications, professionally built, and electrically compliant.

For Chris, swapping the 9-to-5 grind to run his own business - and meeting clients from all walks of life - has been one of the best parts of the journey.

From a basement side-hustle to a full-time business

What started as a side-hustle in their basement grew fast. Today Big Light Letters is Chris and Shannon's full-time business, with an employed team and a warehouse in Brisbane's inner suburbs and a hire range that's grown from just letters to light up letters, numbers, symbols and a full suite of backdrop packages.

Through floods and a pandemic, the model held and the business came back stronger each time.

Designed, made and proven since 2018

Customers loved the streamlined approach and demand grew quickly. Through every challenge - the pandemic, the Brisbane floods - the model held, and the business came back stronger each time. The original letters bought in 2018 are still in the hire fleet today, which says everything about how they're built.

For Shannon, it's been a creative outlet - helping people find the right backdrop to make their event.

250+ five-star reviews and 4,000+ events delivered

From proposals and weddings to milestone birthdays, school formals, gala balls and corporate events, Big Light Letters has delivered the wow factor across Melbourne and Brisbane. With 250+ five-star Google reviews and 4,000+ events delivered, they've set a new standard for quality and ease in event hire.

From a basement beginning to a Brisbane warehouse, an employed team and a full delivery fleet.

2026: a connected two-city operation

The biggest development came in late 2025, when Chris and Shannon brought Roy and Cara on board to run Melbourne - Big Light Letters' first franchise partners. The two cities now share stock and coordinate closely, which means national brands like Mitsubishi can book multi-location events through a single, consistent supplier. It's the model working exactly as intended: same quality, same booking system, two cities.

Trusted by venues, schools and national brands

Alongside the hire side, the wholesale arm has grown significantly - supplying custom light up letters to leading universities and schools right across Australia, from NSW to Western Australia to far north Queensland. Many come back year after year, with graduation-week stock selling out every season. In Brisbane, the original location remains the flagship and design hub - a preferred supplier at major venues including The Star Brisbane and Cloudland, and the trusted choice for leading event stylists and corporate clients.

Looking ahead: a national network

The goal has always been bigger than two cities. Big Light Letters is now seeking franchise partners in the locations sending the most enquiries - Sydney and Perth - building toward a national network that can deliver for corporate clients running events and roadshows in every major city. The vision is simple: make Big Light Letters the easiest, most reliable event hire in the country, in every city worth being in - and partner with great people to get there.

If that sounds like you, get in touch today at franchise@biglightletters.com.au or give us a call on 0481250285.

Chris and Shannon

Owners, Big Light Letters