One Of Harper's Bazaar's Top Wedding Planners, Chenai Bukutu, On Planning Unforgettable Weddings
Discover the secrets of planning a luxury bespoke wedding with renowned wedding planner Chenai Bukutu. Learn about her unique approach and expert planning advice, and get a peek into the most unforgettable weddings she's designed.
Read time:
5 minutes
Chenai Bukutu is a wedding planning expert, and the founder of By Chenai, a boutique wedding and event design company based in London. She's been featured in some of our favourite publications, such as Tatler, Love My Dress, and Sheerluxe, and she was recognised by Harper's Bazaar as one of the top wedding planners in the world in 2020. In 2022 she also won The UK's Wedding Planner of The Year at The Wedding Industry Awards. Chenai has cultivated an enviable reputation for helping couples create weddings that authentically reflect their unique style and love story – making her the perfect person to share a glimpse into what's important in the world of bespoke wedding planning.
Credit: Zeal Photography
Prioritising the emotion of the day over its aesthetics is key, Chenai tells us. ‘The wedding should make an impact, tell a story, and represent you as a couple. It is never just about the way a wedding looks. It’s about how the wedding feels and how it is enjoyed.' In this interview we ask for tips on achieving this, how she got started in the business, and what the most challenging aspects of her job are. We also find out what her go-to wedding present recommendations are, and get a peek at some of the exquisite weddings she's organised.
Credit: Rebecca Goddard Photography
Why did you decide to become a luxury wedding planner — was this always your career aspiration?
I have a business degree and initially went down the corporate route. I have always loved throwing parties though. I inherited my love for entertaining and joyful celebrations from my mom, and I knew one day I would pursue a line of work that would allow me to do what I love. I set up ByChenai Events in 2017 with no event experience. I threw myself into learning everything I could about running an event planning business that specialised in luxury weddings and parties.
Tell us about your typical day as a wedding planner?
It begins with reviewing our workflow. I lead the wedding planning across all client weddings, so I start the day by checking in on the progress of each event. From following up with suppliers to attending wedding catering tastings, designing mood boards, reviewing details such as floorplans and marquee designs, and attending site visits — it’s very involved!
Credit: Rebecca Searle Photography
What kind of couples do you typically work with — is there a way to tell if you’re the right fit for each other?
We work with a diverse range of people and personalities, and some well-known figures. Our couples are stylish, well-travelled professionals who want to create a truly bespoke wedding experience for themselves and their guests.
Credit: Emilie White
At By Chenai, we know we're the right fit when engaged couples see the wedding planning process as a collaborative one, and have connected with our vision, whether they've come through our website or word-of-mouth referrals. They don't have to be the most creative people; in fact, most of our clients are in professions that are not traditionally creative. As a wedding planner and designer, I am here to tease out those details and create a wedding day that is in line with the experience they want to have. Clients who want high-end wedding experiences with luxurious and opulent details without ostentation are truly the best fit.
Credit: Mo Davis Photography
Which part of the wedding do you enjoy the most?
The wedding ceremony — it’s the soul of the wedding, in my opinion, and always gets me emotional. We take great care in curating both the styling and wedding music and in advising our couples on making it as personal as possible. Followed by the evening party — I love seeing wedding guests have a great time on the dancefloor!
And what's the most challenging part of planning a wedding?
Some of our weddings can take place over multiple days, so they are logistically complex, particularly with ensuring wedding guests are well looked after at each point. On occasions like this, things like travel arrangments can get very tricky. Having a wedding planner can make the process smoother for everyone involved. We will undertake the travel logistics for a large number of wedding guests, getting them from their hotels or accommodations to the wedding and associated events, such as welcome parties and next-day brunches. For complex destination weddings, we also have a dedicated travel partner who will also help us with wedding guest accommodation — especially if the clients want to cover the accommodation for their guests. This then involves almost a full concierge service on our side — welcome gifting in rooms, managing the room list and allocations, liaising closely with the hotel, and ensuring the guests stay is pleasurable throughout.
Credit: Rachel Takes Pictures
What's the most unforgettable wedding you've organised?
I have been fortunate enough to plan weddings in some of the most magical locations — castles, private homes, on a tiny Scottish island, and abroad. Each one has been sensational in its way, so picking a favourite would be like picking a favourite child!
One of my most memorable moments was pulling off a surprise rave in the woods on a client's property and taking wedding guests over at midnight after the reception. It was incredibly well received, and they literally partied till dawn. We love surprising and delighting guests — I'm all about a good reveal.
Credit: By Chenai
I'll also never forget helping one of our grooms orchestrate a surprise performance with the band for his bride. He lived in New York and was able to rehearse with our band manager remotely, it was so well received.
We recently planned a wedding that featured a cute detail — cocktail napkins with fun games such as '2 Truths and Lies' that guests played during the cocktail reception. A reminder that when planning your bespoke wedding, even the smallest details can make a big impact and can turn the wedding moment into a memory you’ll remember for years to come.
“My advice to couples who’re planning their wedding would be to make decisions based on what they want to do and how they want to feel on their special day – not what they think they should do. It’s your special day; you should do it your way.
What's the most popular wedding decor theme people go for?
No two ByChenai weddings look the same. Our couples aren’t necessarily trend-driven — it’s very much about planning bespoke weddings that reflect their style and story.
Credit: Rebecca Goddard Photography
What emerging wedding trends have you noticed among your couples?
Most of our couples still follow the wedding traditions, but we noticed that brides and grooms are moving towards working with celebrants to officiate their weddings more than just having a registrar — often doing the 'legal bit' before with just witnesses and close family, then having a more bespoke ceremony conducted by a friend or celebrant.
Credit: By Chenai
The way people plan their seating plans has also changed. We are currently organising a wedding where the couple doesn't want a traditional wedding seating plan — the food service style will honour their cultural heritages (Chinese and French ) and this will work with a small guest count (I wouldn't recommend it for large weddings). I think there is definitely a shift for couples to mirror the way they entertain at home with how they host their weddings to some degree — whether it's in their food choices, or serving choices. Gone are the days of boring chicken for wedding food; wedding catering options are endless now, from sharing menus to international cuisine and more.
Do you ever find yourself getting sentimental at the weddings you plan?
100%. I pour so much of myself into my work, that it would be impossible not to. I've had the honour of planning many beautiful weddings that made me sentimental, but one particular wedding will forever hold a special place in my heart. I planned a wedding in 2021 for a couple who I adored. Unfortunately just 5 months after the bride passed away. Experiences like this and other wedding moments constantly remind me how the connections I can form with my couples go beyond the work — I am responsible for delivering one of the biggest milestone events of their lives.
What are the most magical locations or venues you've planned weddings in?
I particularly recall weddings at exclusive-use wedding venues such as the Natural History Museum in London or Hampton Court Palace. Typically, exclusive-venues are very popular with our couples, as a lot of weddings are based outside of the UK, so the couple wants a private location that can host their guests over a weekend. Somewhere that ticks all the boxes in terms of flexibility to create bespoke design, that offers great accommodation options for their guests, but also somewhere that is easy to get to from major airports.
Credit: Rachel Takes Pictures
What can couples do that will make their wedding planning experience and wedding day more enjoyable?
You should be clear on your wedding budget from the beginning of your wedding planning timeline, then lean into and prioritise the things most important to you as a couple, such as music, venue, or wedding decor. Then my advice would also be to always have the guest experience in mind – make it easy for guests to attend (and enjoy) your wedding. And don’t be afraid to get help! Whether through a professional wedding planning service or a trusted family or friend, having someone to sense-check or even just talk to about your plans can be a massive help, especially as most couples lead very busy lives.
My advice would also be to avoid these four common wedding planning mistakes so your special day is not memorable for the wrong reasons. First, create a well-thought-out timeline to keep the wedding day flowing smoothly. Avoid long pauses without entertainment, as they can make guests feel restless. Second — and I can’t stress this enough — make sure you have ample food and beverage options, especially on hot days. Third, I’d recommend limiting speeches to keep the dinner service on track and maximize your party time. Finally, if you're planning a destination wedding, choose a venue that's easily accessible or arrange transportation for your guests.
Credit: Mo Davis Photography
What is your advice for couples who are creating their wedding registry?
When making your wedding registry, couples should choose wedding present ideas at a range of price points to ensure the gift list is accessible to all wedding guests and their budgets. Also, I’d advise you to choose gifts that are a balance of functional but also stylish — I love the idea of walking past a beautiful object that serves as a reminder of your special day, but also the love and support you received from your family and friends.
"I love hosting dinners on a well-laid table so I always tend to give homeware wedding presents or contribute to the couple’s honeymoon fund."
Credit: Lucy Watson Photography
As a wedding guest, what’s your go-to wedding gift?
I love hosting dinners on a well-laid table so I always tend to give homeware wedding presents or contribute to the couple’s honeymoon fund.
Chennai Bukutu is a founder of the luxury wedding and event planning company By Chenai. To learn more about their bespoke wedding design service visit the website at bychenai.com. You can also follow Chenai on Instagram at @bychenai. All photos provided courtesy of By Chenai.
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