She was living in Tokyo, working full-time, and coordinating her big day in Australia with guests attending from all over the world.  Let’s just say, she had a lot on her plate.  As her Maid of Honor I was eager to shoulder some of the burden, so I offered to act as the liaison between her and her guests.  I fielded RSVPs, maintained a detailed guest list, answered questions ranging from etiquette to accommodations, and provided her with a weekly update and to-do list.  This was in addition to throwing the requisite bridal shower and rallying the rest of the bridal party to make sure they knew their own duties.  The whole scenario was basically most women’s nightmare, am I right?  Not for me.

I loved it.  I was great at it.  I felt deliciously indispensable.  I finally had a reason to indulge my imagination, my compulsive side, and my mild tendency toward bossiness (I prefer to call it “leadership”).  Everything about the process excited and fulfilled me, from my interaction with the bride and her guests to choosing the floral palette for her shower.  Rather than finding myself overwhelmed by all the responsibility, I relished it, and I realized that everything about the process played to my strengths.

After that initial experience I began coordinating as many events as I could, on the side of my then-career in the entertainment industry.  By the end of the year I realized that nothing else I could do would make me happier than helping to design and plan life-changing events…and the side dish became the main course.  I haven’t looked back since.

I’ve found that for a planner to be successful and love what she does, she must have three crucial personality traits: creativity, an almost lunatic attention to order and detail, and a fundamental desire to make people happy. For better or worse, I have those qualities in spades, and they are the catalyst for creating events that are inspired, unique, and (most importantly!) intensely personal. When I reflect on that first wedding, I believe the reason it was such a success was that my intimate knowledge of my friend allowed me to create the perfect atmosphere for her both during the planning process and at the actual event, and that is something that I strive to bring to all my events today.

As the daughter of a Buddhist Korean mother and a Roman Catholic Italian father, and as someone who’s lived abroad and traveled around the globe, I celebrate diversity and delight in working with clients from all cultures, faiths and orientations. I take care to ensure that a bride and I are a good fit before agreeing to undertake the important task of helping her plan her dream day. I also keep to a strict rule of booking only a select number of weddings a year, and never on the same weekend. This allows me to be 100% confident that my couples will receive the attention they deserve, and that their wedding will be fun, stress-free, and truly one of a kind.

Now that you know a little about me, I hope to get to know you soon and enjoy the honor of helping to turn your night terrors into wedding planning bliss.

Wishing you love, laughter and health,

Camilla Ghedini is the owner and principal planner/designer for Element Weddings.