It’s wedding season! Whether you’re trying to buy the perfect dress or tux or planning a big or small ceremony to celebrate your union, there is always someone ready to help you put together the most amazing event to match your dreams.
Amaka caught up with three event planners on the continent who have been working hard to provide their clients with the most memorable of events in spite of COVID-19 restrictions.
She holds a BA in Business Studies and Accounts, a Masters in Business Administration, and Level 7 CIM Accredited Post Graduate Diploma in Event Management. With more than 15 years in the events industry, Yeboah has travelled the globe planning high-end events, been named in top 100 lists, and has received multiple awards.
She’s the founder of Exalt Africa — a conscious lifestyle, travel, and events brand that sheds light on the destinations, experiences, services, and products that exemplify African luxury. She also leads two flagship brands: Love From Mwai Experiences, a travel website that unearths off-the-beaten-path experiences in often overlooked destinations in Africa and around the world; and Love From Mwai, a luxury wedding planning firm that organizes immersive, experience-rich events for selective clientele.
“I’d say I’m a destination wedding planner, advocate for Africa and tourism, author, blogger [and] speaker. These are all the titles that I use in my everyday life. So maybe a serial entrepreneur because I have nine brands. [My] country [would be either] UK or Zambia because I work in between the two countries or continents.”
Described as a “trailblazer”, a “force of nature” and “inspirational” by her industry peers, Yeboah has always had a passion for events from a young age. She reveals she was inspired to pursue a career in the events industry because she is passionate about bringing people together in celebration.“
I just like seeing people happy. Maybe I can say the ethos of ubuntu is what made me work in the events industry. I just feel like there’s nothing that beats people being together. Sharing, laughing, dancing [and] food — that’s what I’d say led me to being in the events industry. And I think one of the other things is I’ve always wanted to give back to people, the community. I’m a true believer that I am where I am today not because of luck but because people believed in me and people gave me a chance, and the community itself. This is why all my brands are built on the same ethos of you give back.
Most of my work is actually done in Africa and every core of my business is about giving back to the community be it weddings. That means giving work to the local vendors and also empowering people, inspiring people. I think this is one thing that led me to being in the events industry, [it was] to make a difference. And I think it’s an industry that is not recognised or given as much credit as the medical industry, the law industry, et cetera, and I think I just wanted to be that voice for this industry, especially for Africa.”
Yeboah’s events are always memorable because she deems bringing her clients dreams and ideas to life as a worthy challenge.
“I had an opportunity to work on one of the most talked about weddings in the world about three years ago of the Ambani family in India which had the likes of Beyonce, Hillary Clinton, etc. And it really pushed me because I had to manage up to 360 vendors under me and it was one of those things that made me realise that if I can pull this off that means I can do anything.”
Working at this event, at a time when India was very hot, she wouldn’t even let catching a UTI deter her from bringing it to life.
“I was part of the planning vendors so my job was to make sure I manage all the vendors and it’s not easy to manage different personalities and some of the vendors I was managing I’ve never worked with them before. They were from other countries, so you know different cultures.
So many friendships were forged and to this day some of those vendors actually travel with me to Africa and some of those vendors have become family to me. I think for me that was the most memorable moment in my career because I sit here to tell that story.”
Zimbabwean event planner Hazvinei Sonnet Mafukidze of Sonnet Inspirations fell in love with events management 12 years ago.
“I would just find myself planning and organizing any event that I was called to. I then realized five years ago that this was my passion and since then I have been trying to build myself up in this industry,” she explains.
Mafukidze’s favourite part of planning events is the diverse cultures in Africa and how each culture has something unique when celebrating.
“For example the makoti's (brides) from the Venda culture will lie on the floor all glammed up to show respect to their in-laws. I saw this [for the] first time when I was in South Africa for a wedding and I was impressed. I also love venue scouting, getting to see the beautiful landscapes and venues that surround us. From someone choosing the plainest piece of land to seeing it being transformed into something magical over a few hours or days just for that special occasion.”
"Maybe I can say the ethos of ubuntu is what made me work in the events industry. I just feel like there’s nothing that beats people being together."
Ashliegh Gwaradzimba is an event planner and decorator at Creation to Completion Events based in South Africa. Established in 2018, the business’ main focus is social events such as weddings, showers, birthday parties, graduations, etc.
“My favourite thing about planning events is the satisfaction I get from the overall event coming together, the smiles I put on people’s faces and it feels incredibly awesome to be a part of someone’s happiness,” she shares.
How do you deal with clients and difficult people?
Having to work with so many different people from different backgrounds usually means having authority, empathy and patience. To combat the challenges that come with people management, Yeboah has developed a full proof plan.
Her services ensure that all the couple has to do is sleep and wake up. Their services span wedding dress shopping, stylists, venue set up, and itineraries, too.
And as with all things, sometimes wedding planning can hit an obstacle because of differing opinions. Yeboah explains that it’s important to be authoritative.
“There’s always going to be that family member that will be problematic and it is what it is. Usually, you find it’s the cousin, it’s the uncle, they want to have some sort of say in things but this [is] where my job is to remind them that I’m not working for them, I’m working for their niece or their cousin, etc. So, I think once I really stand my ground and I am very exact in what my role is I think family members also respect you.”
Speaking of happiness, what are the top wedding destinations on the continent?
“Obviously Zambia first because I think Zambia is underestimated in terms of what it has to offer. So Zambia would be [number] one (home of the Royal Livingstone Hotel which recently made headlines when the wedding of Joan and Maria Solodar went viral), [as well as] South Africa, Rwanda, Mozambique [and] Kenya. It’s these five for me,” Yeboah shares.
Meanwhile, though Sonnet Inspirations hasn’t had the opportunity to work continental yet, Mafukidze’s top three local Zimbabwean venues include Chengeta Safari Lodge which is about an hour’s drive out of Harare.
“It has a vast range of beautiful scenery and landscape. The sunset pictures there are breathtaking, offering the most beautiful memories to the client’s day. I remember at one wedding there, the bride came on an elephant and I remember how the guests whispered how bold and daring she was on her big day,” she shares.
The second is Wild Geese Lodge which boasts beautiful manicured gardens and the third is Imba Matombo Gardens which offers an intimate setup that works really well especially in light of COVID-19 restrictions.
What’s changed about wedding planning post COVID-19?
Weddings and wedding planning can definitely be fun, but as with all businesses, the effects of COVID-19 have not spared the wedding industry. For Yeboah’s business which requires understanding and adhering to rules across more than one country, this has meant paying even more due diligence to the planning process and restrictions.
“It really has affected business. I do destination weddings and all the countries had different rules. So, it was very hard to plan a wedding from Europe to Africa because by the time you get these flights or connecting flights, each country, each border had set rules and it was so hard to keep up with these rules. Do they need a 72-hour Covid certificate? Is it 48 hours? Is it 24? I’m like, ‘oh my goodness!’
It was very hard but it also taught me resilience. It taught me that this is not just a job for me or to me, this is my life. And through COVID, I actually appreciated just how much I love what I do but I appreciated my team even more as well. We were able to come up with the best events and they meant so much more because people were taking the events seriously. It wasn’t just about getting married, it was about ‘You know what? We’re alive, we’re celebrating life, and we’re celebrating family, friendships.’”
Furthermore, Mafukidze details that event planning in the COVID-19 global pandemic has not been an easy time.
“We have had to adapt and quickly change to the new normal that we are living in. One of our biggest challenge[s] has been rescheduling the event dates due to lockdown. Just as you [are] about to think that all is clear and we are ready to go, the restrictions change again. Some clients have ended up cancelling their big day celebrations opting for smaller intimate events as they could no longer keep moving the dates up trying to work with the stipulated lockdown measures.”
Gwaradzimba reiterates that the hardest thing has been the never ending lockdowns and restrictions in gatherings because the industry strives on people coming together and celebrating an occasion.
“Lockdowns meant no work for the wedding planning industry and that in turn meant no income.”
As you prepare to say ‘I do’, don’t forget that Africa is full of beautiful destinations to celebrate your union with plenty of amazing planners ready to give you the event of your dreams even in light of COVID-19. Live, Laugh, Love!