Interview Conducted by Pronto Pro Magazine:
Neena Davis Davis, born in Sierra Leone (Africa), has been on the fantastic island of Gran Canaria for 34 years, where she has always felt very welcome. Thanks to the efforts of her family, she was able to study the career she wanted: administration and business management, hence her vocation to undertake. She has always liked to organize parties since she was a teenager, and her friends laughed saying that she was always organizing something.
Years later, she continues with that passion and after graduating she started working in the family business, and there she was in various departments, the last position was in business management for several years. After working in the family business, she decided to start a new professional career, first in a hotel, being able to organize and manage different types of events, weddings, wedding anniversaries, birthdays and others of various kinds.
This is a job that you are passionate about, it makes you creative and happy. This was one of the reasons that prompted her to create her own company, her company is called Neena Davis Weddings & Events, but behind this name there is a great human team. All the suppliers you work with, such as the designer, photographer, videographer, catering, florist, hairdresser, makeup artist, image and sound and all the team involved in a wedding or any other event that they organize, are great professionals and care a lot about their clients, since they are like a big family.
They are also part of her team, although they do not work in her company, her friends and her partner, who is her unconditional support. Neena explains that her employment has been subject to changes such as the type of weddings, since now there are fewer traditional weddings , fewer links around the church and more symbolic celebrations in which couples use their imagination and wedding planners help develop that creativity by contributing their experience. The latest change has come due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as many grooms have postponed their weddings to the years 2021 or 2022 and wedding professionals have put all their understanding at the disposal of those grooms who have been forced to change the date of the most important day of their lives. There is no doubt in addition to the losses that all those in her sector have suffered, although all agree that the health of couples and their families is paramount. The reason that pushes her to fulfill her day-to-day job is because she loves her job, even if it sounds cliché. Every day she wakes up with a new idea and dream.
What types of problems can be avoided when hiring a Wedding Planner?
Organizing a wedding is a task that can be very stressful for some bride and groom, especially if both are working and do not have time. There are couples who, being so stressed by the organization of the wedding, argue a lot, and there are others who love to organize the wedding together and live that moment with sweetness. For both cases, the help of a wedding planner (WP) is recommended since, being a professional in this sector, we know where to start, we advise and help you choose the providers that fit your wedding style and thus They avoid wasting time and money As for money, a WP recommends professional providers that fit your budget and over time this will prevent couples from going around meaningless looking for suppliers or wedding details because they know where you have to find everything, without the bride and groom having to move, the WPs put everything in your hand.
Planning a wedding is a problem-solving process, and one of the jobs of a Wedding Planner is to prevent and solve problems that may occur. Many times the bride and groom do not even know that there has been a problem, since the WP prevents the bride and groom from having that stress. The wedding day is a very stressful day for the bride and groom. On that day the wedding planners are there to give them support, pamper them, make them feel like royalty, reassure them so that that day everything goes well, so that the bride and groom can enjoy their wedding day.
The wedding day usually appears many problems: it has not Arrived at the florist, the hairdresser, the makeup artist, all of this is avoided by hiring a wedding planner. A Wedding Planner is the director of the orchestra, since prior to the wedding she has made a timing with all the suppliers and she makes sure that on the wedding day they are all on time. And so everything flows and there is no mistake.
Manage the time of each moment of the wedding, ceremony, banquet and party together with all the providers. By hiring a wedding planner you can enjoy your wedding more, because you know that you have a person who directs you, making you feel safe and that all the guests have a pleasant and enjoyable evening. Having a wedding planner makes everything seem easier.
What is your professional experience as a wedding planner?
My professional experience as a wedding planner is really very positive. I have had partners with different tastes, from different countries and different cultures. I have learned and continue to learn a lot with each of my clients. In fact, I still keep in touch with almost all of them. I have had couples with very clear ideas about what they wanted and others who did not know how to approach their wedding and working together we have done wonderful things.
I have organized weddings of couples who live outside of Spain via email, calls, video calls and whatsapps and, Although it is a lot of work and not easy, in the end everything works out very well. Also, it should be said that I have had to live this situation of Covid-19. In many cases this has implied having to make the decision together with the couple to change the date of their wedding for another year, previously speaking with all the providers to find the best solution for all. But it is a moment that helps the couple to strengthen their relationship and spend more time together. We are reinventing ourselves in the sector and adapting to new circumstances.
When is the ideal time to hire a wedding planner?
The ideal time to hire an event planner is after clients know they are getting married. Many brides, from the moment of the request, already know how they would like the big day to be and a wedding planner helps us make that idea come true.
You tell us your idea and we make it come true. It is not an easy task to organize a wedding and we wedding planners know all the tips, new trends, suppliers, places for ceremonies and banquets. By having internal knowledge of the local market, they can facilitate you which are the best places and we take a lot of weight off your shoulders, leaving them time to enjoy the process.
What activities does the wedding planner generally do?
Advising the bride and groom: wedding planners have a lot of experience in organizing weddings. How many wedding preparations are, they know perfectly where to start, after a personal interview with the couple to get to know their tastes well, you can advise on the places, style and which are the most urgent suppliers to hire. Create the wedding design: this means that the couple, once they decide to get married and hire a wedding planner, tell them how they want their wedding to be, if they want a traditional, themed, picnic wedding … planner, together with the bride and groom, we create the setting for their wedding.
Management with suppliers: knowing the wedding sector, we know which suppliers are reliable and we help to achieve the best result from each of them, always adjusting to your needs. We wedding planners help make the best decision. It helps to make the budget profitable. Why is the figure of a wedding planner important? It helps select the best suppliers that fit the bride and groom’s taste and fit the budget. How do we do it? We negotiate with them for you until we get a price that suits your budget … Who doesn’t want to save money? We all want that. Personal assistance The objective of a wedding planner is to accompany you at all times during the wedding planning, and on the wedding day for any questions or concerns you may have. You will have someone by your side who will be of your utmost confidence throughout the process, someone who will look after your interests. Creativity: a wedding planner will help you with the choice of decoration and details according to the market trend and your tastes. It will provide you with a dose of creativity so that your wedding is unique and chic.
Coordination on the wedding day: on day B, the wedding planners are aware of everything the bride and groom need from the morning. It is normal for unforeseen events to arise on the wedding day, but a wedding planner will always be there to solve them. Assembly and disassembly of the decoration: after so many months thinking about the wedding decoration, it is essential that everything is assembled and ready at the right time (many times we even have to move corners of the ceremony to the banquet without the guests seeing us ). And, of course, the next day it is important to go and disassemble all the decoration so that the banquet place can clean and prepare the room for future events. Coordinate the wedding so that it goes as you want: after a year hand in hand Hand in hand with you, a wedding planner will ensure that everything you have thought and detailed for your wedding is fulfilled.
Manage the timing of the wedding with all providers and coordinate that the ceremony, banquet and open bar flow harmoniously and at the scheduled time so that everything goes smoothly that day, so that the bride and groom and guests enjoy the most without worries.
