Wedding planning is such an interesting vocation – how did you get into this field?

Michelle: I have always loved the idea of running events. It seems like such a fun job and besides, I am really not one to sit infront of a laptop for years on end. I also had quite a bit of experience in the wedding industry, from my previous role in the hotel industry, where I was doing wedding sales. I loved seeing couples so happy on their wedding day. 

Denise:  For me, this has been a long time coming! I have wanted to be a wedding planner since I was in Primary school. Now that I am in the industry, I love the energy that being a wedding planner gives me. 

How long have you been in the industry and what has been the biggest lesson that you have learnt so far?

M: I have been in the industry nearly five years and I would say that the biggest lesson I have learnt so far is that, no matter how much you have prepared, things will not always go to plan. You need to be 101% alert on the actual day so that any small problems which might arise need to be resolved quickly, before they get any bigger. 

D: This is my seventh year. Over the years, I have learnt that there is no such thing as a template wedding. Each wedding is unique because each couple is unique.

What does it take to be a wedding planner?

M : It takes lots of patience and hard work, but most importantly you have to have the passion for the job. 

D: On a professional level, you really need excellent people skills and patience. You also need to understand the importance of this day to the couple. On a personal level, you need to understand that there are no official working hours in this business. 

What three pieces of advice do you give to brides to be?

M : Stay calm, be happy and let the wedding flow. Dont think too much about the details on the actual day, just enjoy yourself.

D: Firstly, I tell them to trust the vendors you’ve hired will do their job perfectly. Secondly, I always tell brides to have a really good rest the day before the wedding. Lastly and most importantly, stay calm and enjoy the wedding day. A happy couple creates a happy wedding. 

With brides looking for a wedding planner, what should they be looking out for? Any top questions they could ask prospective wedding planners?

M : I always say that they must be as comfortable with the wedding planner as they would be with their best friend. This relationship should start from the beginning of the planning until the wedding day, and for us, we are still good friends with some couples even now. An idea of good questions to ask would be whether they have handled weddings of the same capacity as theirs and have they had other weddings at the same venue that their wedding is going to be held.

D: Being comfortable with your wedding planner is very important because they would be the person you work side by side with for months before your wedding. You could ask potential planners about their experience in running weddings, if they have done one to your scale before. It is also good to highlight what is important to your planner as early as possible so they can make sure that this is delivered. 

What sort of bridal and wedding trends are you seeing or imagining for the year ahead?

M : Lace will still be the hot favourite for most brides, I’m sure most of us haven’t got over the Duchess of Cambridge’s stunning wedding. I think this year, couples will be a bit bolder in their wedding concepts, I think that they will look to be as different as possible, which is good news for us as we love trying new themes.

D: I have noticed that Kate Spade inspired, boho chic and papel picado are some the new trends for weddings. 

Could you share with us the best wedding you have ever helped plan and why it was such a success?

 M and D: A starry starry night themed wedding at The Capella Hotel that we had just under two months to plan. With a time frame that small, so many details were left on our hands to be settled. Everything from stage décor, table centerpieces, lighting, menu, band, entertainer, dessert tables, and even an art gallery concept display at cocktail reception had to be done in that short time frame. As if that wasn’t enough, to make things even more intense, we also needed to plan their customary in the morning and church ceremony in the afternoon. At the end, we managed to make it happen despite of the shortage of time. Thankfully, the couple was really happy with the outcome. What was also lovely about this wedding is that all of our vendors we have worked with over the years chipped in and put in so much extra effor to make this happen, and this really touched our hearts.