Ayomide Adeotan is a Nigerian wedding planner, founder and Chief Creative Director of Ahmaazon Events. She’s a graduate of European Languages & Integration Studies from the University of Lagos and Ivanova State University Russia.
Borne out of her passion for celebrating love and all things weddings which started from childhood and having worked with a few top industry experts during her undergraduate years, the Nigerian wedding planner took some event management courses at top event planning outfits in Africa and founded Ahmaazon Events in 2018.
She has since gone ahead to create world-class events. She also has a burning passion for educating and advocating for women entrepreneurs, she has trained and mentored several aspiring entrepreneurs.
My alarm goes off at 4:30am
Describe a typical day at work… My business is my full-time gig and while every day looks different, I always start my day with 2 essentials: listening to motivational podcasts and a short meditation. Regardless of what the day ahead looks like, these 2 practices are a must. They allow me to ease into the day and give me the opportunity to focus and get motivated.
I work from home and find that I’m the most productive in the morning hours. This is when I tackle the important items on my to-do list; a list all wedding planners can relate to checking messages, responding to emails, creating budgets to project each event’s unique expenses, negotiating contracts with vendors, following up with vendors, invoicing clients, creating wedding day timelines, and preparing for upcoming meetings and client consultations.
Having office time in the morning works pretty well considering when I do have meetings to attend, afternoon and evenings are typically when they happen as this is the most convenient time for my couples and vendors. I always try my possible best to retire to bed at 12 am.
Your brand in three words… Excellence, Innovative, Sincerity
The part of my job I enjoy the most… There are way too many parts of my job that I enjoy, but the one that stands out for me is seeing each client and their guests having a blast, It stops me right in my tracks and somewhere, the voice inside my head cries out thank you, Jesus! I’m grateful that I get to put smiles on people’s faces for a living.
What’s the most difficult part of your job? Well, that’s a loaded question, I won’t say difficult because I love every bit of what I do.
However, getting clients to pay for the value of service we render is something that has not been fully accepted in this part of the world. For some reason, a lot of people still think paying an event planner to help handle their events is luxury.
My biggest accomplishment to date… My biggest accomplishment so far has to be when Nobel International Business School in conjunction with Swiss Business School found my brand worthy enough to help plan their doctorate graduation dinner.
One quality every wedding vendor must have and why? In a world filled with people trying to cut corners, every wedding vendor should have Integrity; because people find it difficult to part with their hard earn money, every wedding vendor’s goal is to change that narrative.
What’s the best souvenir you’ve gone home with from a wedding you’ve attended/worked at? One of my brides once gifted me her wedding cake, it left me speechless. Not sure if that could pass for a souvenir, I can’t forget the thoughtfulness anytime soon.
Where do you see the wedding industry in 5 years? I see the industry coming back strong. Right now, a lot of things are on hold and where possible, couples are opting for intimate weddings (where its safe to do so) but I think once we get past the pandemic, the industry will bounce back and we’ll have full-blown weddings with all the elements we love.
Your thoughts on social media… It’s no longer news that the world we live in is a global village, and I know it’s a necessity for anyone in business who plans to hang around for long, I’m learning to embrace the many advantages it brings to my business.
Your top wedding planning tip(s) for couples… Wedding planning can be stressful and draining, no couple deserves that much stress before their big day, get you a planner that will interpret your dream wedding and trust them 100%.
An interesting fact about you… Growing up, I used to be a very good dancer. To think I was even a member of a dance group but, I can’t dance to save my life now. Lolz
Most embarrassing/awkward experience… None I can remember.
What makes you laugh? All those random comments you find on social media, the thought of it is making me laugh soo hard right now. Lol
Does anything scare you? Yes, the fear of not utilizing all the talents God invested in me when all is said and done.
In my spare time… When I’m not working and thinking all things wedding, you’ll find me at the beach appreciating nature. That’s if you don’t find me at home listening to good music, or relaxing at the Spa.
Where do you feel most at home? Feeling at home is a state of mind for me, I mostly feel this way when the energy in the room is positive.
Best piece of advice… Finding it hard to figure out this thing called life? Find rest in God.
Your favourite emoji… ❤️
What would we find on your bedside table? My notepad and a pen, just so I don’t lose touch with those life-changing ideas when they come at the wee hours of the day.
What songs are currently on replay?
- BIGGER by Beyonce
- Feeling Good by Michael Buble
- See what the lord has done by Nathaniel Bassey
What was the last book you read? The holy book (The book of Revelation)
Your favourite movie… I don’t have one.
Favourite food… Plantain, I can eat it for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, twelve months a year and never get sick of it.
What’s your favourite item of clothing? Dresses, they never run out of fashion. *winks*
Call or Text? Call please, texting is time-consuming.
Cook or Be Cooked For? Be cooked for, my job hardly afford me that luxury of time to spend in the kitchen.
3 Guests For Dinner, who would they be?
- Beyonce
- Sola Shobowale
- Steve Harvey
