Holly, I'm so glad you're here. For those discovering your world for the first time, tell us a little about yourself and what you do.

I'm Holly, the founder of Wonderlust Events, a destination wedding planning studio specialising in bespoke weddings across the UK, Europe and beyond. We create celebrations that feel deeply personal, effortlessly beautiful and completely reflective of each couple.

At Wonderlust, we take the time to truly understand who our couples are, how they want people to feel and the memories they want to create. I've always believed a wedding should tell a story, and I feel incredibly lucky that I get to help people celebrate one of the biggest moments of their lives in some of the world's most extraordinary places.

You began your career planning corporate events before founding Wonderlust Events. At what point did you realise you could combine your love of travel, design and meaningful celebrations into the business you have today?

Corporate events gave me an incredible foundation in organisation, logistics and delivering experiences on a large scale, but I was always drawn to the more personal side of events. I realised that what truly excited me wasn't just creating something beautiful, it was creating something meaningful.

I've always loved travelling, discovering different cultures and experiencing how food, architecture, landscapes and traditions shape a place. It suddenly felt obvious that I could bring those passions together through thoughtful design and storytelling, helping couples celebrate in destinations that genuinely meant something to them. Wonderlust grew from that idea and has evolved into a business that feels completely aligned with who we are.

Every Wonderlust wedding feels truly unique to the couple and the destination. What inspires your creativity as you bring each couple's story to life?

For me, creativity always begins with people.

We spend a lot of time getting to know our couples beyond the wedding itself, how they met, where they love to travel, the meals they still talk about, the cocktails they always order, the music they put on at home and how they want their guests to feel. Those conversations become the starting point for everything we create.

The destination then becomes another character in the story. We never want a wedding to feel as though it could have happened anywhere else. Whether that's serving local dishes family-style in a vineyard, bringing in musicians from the area or drawing inspiration from the colours and textures of the landscape, the best weddings feel completely rooted in their surroundings.

You've planned celebrations in some of the world's most beautiful places. Do you think travel allows us to experience life's biggest moments differently?

Absolutely.

There's something incredibly special about stepping away from everyday life. When people travel for a wedding, they become fully immersed in the experience. Time slows down, guests are more present and there's a real sense of shared adventure.

Destination weddings aren't just about the wedding day, they're about creating several days of memories together. Watching families who have never met sharing long dinners, swimming in the sea together or dancing under the stars creates a feeling that's incredibly difficult to replicate anywhere else.

At Atelier Noitē, we're fascinated by the way scent anchors memories. Are there particular scents or flowers that instantly transport you back to a specific celebration?

Without question.

Rosemary and olive trees instantly transport me to long, sun-drenched dinners overlooking the Mediterranean. The scent of burning copal immediately takes me back to unforgettable evenings in Mexico, sitting beneath the trees in an open-air restaurant. Then there's the comforting smell of burning logs mixed with winter spices, which always reminds me of cosy festive evenings filled with family, warmth and that unmistakable feeling of Christmas.

That's the magic of scent. A single fragrance has the power to transport you straight back to a place, a feeling or a moment in time.

You create experiences that guests remember for years afterwards. In your view, what transforms a beautiful wedding into an unforgettable one?

For me, it's never just about how a wedding looks, it's about how it feels.

Of course, people appreciate beautiful flowers and thoughtful design but the things they will really remember are laughing over an incredible meal, dancing barefoot under the stars to an amazing band, discovering a cocktail they still order today or meeting friends they'll keep for life.

When every decision is made with intention, guests leave feeling like they've been part of something rather than simply attended something. That's what makes a celebration unforgettable.

You've been part of one of the most intimate days in so many people's lives. What have weddings taught you about love, connection or the things that truly matter?

They've taught me that, at the end of the day, people are all that really matter.

It's a parent catching their child's eye as they walk down the aisle, friends laughing so hard around the dinner table they can't catch their breath, or a couple stealing five quiet minutes together before the party begins.

As planners we're invited into one of the biggest chapters of someone's life, and that's something I'll never take for granted. Weddings are a beautiful reminder that life's greatest luxury isn't perfection, it's connection.

If you could give every couple one piece of advice before their wedding day, what would it be?

Be present.

You've spent months, sometimes years, planning every detail. When the day arrives, trust the people around you and allow yourself to experience it rather than manage it.

The tiny imperfections won't be remembered, but the feeling of being completely present with the people you love will stay with you forever.

Do you have rituals that help you return to yourself creatively when you feel overstimulated or disconnected?

Definitely.

Music is probably the biggest one. At the moment I'm listening to a lot of Olivia Dean. I'll make a fresh coffee, light a candle and just give myself ten quiet minutes before jumping back into work.

Movement is equally important. Whether it's reformer Pilates or a spin class, I always feel more like myself afterwards.

One of the best things I can do creatively is put my phone down. So much inspiration comes from the real world, from people-watching in cafés, wandering through a local market or discovering somewhere new. I always come back with far more ideas than I do after scrolling Instagram.

The nights you save for yourself—how do you spend them?

Very simply.

My favourite evenings are either spent at home with my husband and little boy or discovering an independent restaurant with incredible food, whether that's with my husband or a group of girlfriends.

Food has always been one of the ways I experience a place, so a long dinner, a glass of blush rosé in the summer (or a Primitivo in the winter) and good conversation is pretty much my perfect evening.

If it's just me at home, you'll usually find me lighting a candle, putting on an easy series, cooking something comforting and enjoying a quiet evening on the sofa once my little boy is asleep. After spending so much of my career surrounded by celebrations, I've really learnt to appreciate those slower moments.

What scent note feels most like you?

I'm definitely drawn to warm, fresh scents rather than anything too sweet. Sandalwood and amber are favourites because they feel comforting and grounding, while neroli brings that fresh, sunny feeling I always associate with holidays.

I also love coastal notes. Anything that smells of salty sea air instantly transports me somewhere by the water on a hot summer evening.

What is your favourite Atelier Noitē scent?

Nuit d'Hiver is my favourite because it feels exactly as it's described—a night dusted in starlight, where everything becomes a little quieter and you have space to pause and reconnect with yourself.

I've been burning it at home recently, and every single person who's come through the door has commented on it and asked what it is. It's one of those fragrances that instantly changes the atmosphere without ever feeling overpowering.

For me, it makes my home feel warm and inviting.