Nicusor Stan – The Best Wedding Planner in Romania:
“After the crisis, only stable locations and those that have shown seriousness will survive”
The businessman Nicusor Stan, the President of Ambasad’Or Holdings, started 10 years ago a business that, at that time, was not very developed in Romania – Event and Wedding Planning. Thus, in the summer of 2010 he opened the Ambasad’Or Events complex which required a huge investment, but which soon became the most famous and requested event location in Romania, and Nicusor Stan – one of the best wedding planners in Europe.
In addition to the Ambasad’Or Events complex, it also owns the Ambasad’Or Play children’s playground, as well as the Ambasad’Or Home residential complex, a 100% Romanian investment with 5-star apartments and premium finishes. In the following interview we will find out how the wedding planning industry has developed in Romania, what are the trends and where the industry is heading after the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
➤ 10 years and what was the recipe for the success of Ambasad’Or Events?
It has been 10 years full of work and investment, but also with a lot of innovation and creativity. Wedding Planning is an area in constant motion, in which you must always be alert, to feel what the trend is and what people want. I’ve always been inspired from the outside by the Embassy concepts. London, Dubai, Miami and Beirut were real sources of inspiration for the embassies, concepts and themes of the Embassy Weddings. They all combine in a contrast, from the classic of London, to the avant-garde of Dubai and the opulence of Lebanon.
➤ Are you also inspired by celebrity weddings when you create new concepts?
Of course! For example, with her ecofriendly wedding, Princess Eugenie created a trend in which people seek to reduce the presence of plastic materials in their wedding. Thus, for floral arrangements, couples tend to opt for potted flowers, which they will then offer to their guests as testimonials. Also, paper and cardboard straws will be found more and more often at weddings, and flower petals will replace paper confetti.
➤ In terms of decor, what are the new trends?
Lately, we can talk about two styles at completely opposite poles. On the one hand, we have the minimalist style that wants to highlight the personality of the bride and groom. Opulence gives way to natural details with a fresh, energetic and intimate air. It’s all about the atmosphere, about how the guests present and the bride and groom themselves feel, about the memories they create together on their wedding day. On the other hand we have the opulent style, which combines several elements, making the wedding a real “festival”. We implemented this style last year at Ambasad’Or Events, where we created a concept in 4 colors: green, blue, white and fuchsia. Thus, green represents nature and life, through it wanting to bring nature from the outside right in the middle of the wedding, to attract prosperity and hope, while expressing the spring and the beginning of the couple’s life. Blue represents the sky and serenity, the Divinity that protects the lives of young married people, being the color of the mantle of the Virgin Mary. At the same time, blue symbolizes the much-needed loyalty to communion between two people. Sensuality and extravagance are given by the color fuchsia, a color full of verve that never goes unnoticed, an attractive and very feminine color. At the same time, the purity of white could not be missing from the new concept, especially since white is the predominant color of any wedding. The paradise that any family wants is symbolized by this color.
➤ What are the star elements of weddings in the near future?
Green, magic, inclusive menus, hats, edible floral decorations, paper, cheeses and spirits. These elements have taken a very large scale in foreign weddings and we analyze them to see if we can implement them on the Romanian market.
Nicusor Stan – The Best Wedding Planner in Romania
➤ You said that the wedding planning industry is very alert! What exactly did you mean?
It is a certainty that lately, customers are becoming more and more demanding – in the good sense of the word – they want new, avant-garde things, but also services and event concepts at the highest standard. Basically, here we are very different from the competition: through the integrated service packages that Ambasad’Or offers to its customers and through a very good price-quality ratio.
➤ What exactly does wedding planning entail?
My slogan as a wedding planner is “Be invited to your own wedding!”. I offer advice to couples from signing the contract until the day of the event.
Of course, for everything to turn out perfectly, you need a whole team that has only one goal: the realization of the whole story. A professional wedding planner guides you in the right direction, and does not make decisions for you. He assists in the choices you make and is with you step by step.
➤ What is the “plus” of Ambasad’Or Events compared to other event locations in Bucharest?
For more than 10 years we have established ourselves and we are recognized as the most luxurious event center in the country. In addition to the exceptional decorations, architecture and design of our complex, attention to detail, respect for our customers, professionalism and extensive experience of the Ambasad’Or team add to the ingredients that differentiate between our offer and what the market currently offers. As a confirmation of the high standard of our location, we have successfully organized important events for many public figures. We have successfully claimed the status of the top location for both private events and the corporate segment. For me, as a businessman, I can say that I combine many things at the same time: the useful with the pleasant, the fact that you marry someone, the fact that people come who smile and leave you happy.
➤ Which market segment does Ambasad’Or Events target?
Ambasad’Or Events addresses the Middle segment, but we also have a lot of clients in the High-End field. We want to address all market segments and that is why we have 5 event rooms, so that we can address each client.
➤ What advice would you give to young people who choose to organize their wedding at Ambasad’Or Events?
I recommend the couples to follow their event file on time with the help of a specialized wedding planner, so that things go as expected. Certainly, my involvement in organizing an event is 120%.
Nicusor Stan – The Best Wedding Planner in Romania
➤ Has this crisis affected Ambasad’Or Events? How do you see the post-pandemic period?
It is obvious that the crisis has affected us as well, but not so badly. Romanians will want even more events after this forced break, and this crisis will somehow “sift” the market of event locations. Whoever offered seriousness and has a stable image in the market will only gain, while the “speculators” who before the crisis made a discount on quality only to offer lower prices will find it very difficult to recover or will not return not at all.
➤ Before the crisis, you announced that you want to open the first wedding planning school in Romania. Is this project still viable?
I noticed that in our country there are many courses for organizing events but very few are strictly focused on organizing weddings. As the wedding day is the most important in a couple’s life, the event must turn out perfectly. That’s why I decided to open the first wedding planning school in the future, to teach everything a future specialist in this profession needs to know, from the basics to the smallest details which, although they seem insignificant, are extremely important and must be taken into account.
➤ What does a day in your life look like?
I have a motto that I rely on a lot! “If I don’t do 30 things a day, I don’t feel good!” I try to combine work with a healthy lifestyle. It is very important to always keep the body “engaged” and, in addition to work and relaxation, to do a lot of sports.
Nicusor Stan – The Best Wedding Planner in Romania:
“After the crisis, only stable locations and those that have shown seriousness will survive”
