Stephanie Anen, an Event Specialist at Nomad Republic

Photo by Greg Finck

Photo by Mademoiselle Fiona

What do you do and what is your specialty?

For couples dreaming of a European wedding for as long as they can remember, we help them shape their gatherings at gorgeous locations in their favorite European region. We specialize in planning weddings in France & Italy. Should it be a foodie affair in the timeless hills of Tuscany, a glamour soirée in the City of Lights, a family-style wedding in South of France or a romantic and retro elopement in Lake Como, we’ve got them covered. We’re a team of “nomads” and highly committed destination wedding specialists who have experienced each and every of these regions. After years of growing our business, we have developed a network of trusted vendors, both in the US and at our clients’ destination. From venue hunting to concept and design, we’ll make sure that every aspect of their wedding is just how it is meant to be, and more. For US wedding professionals working on an event overseas and needing help making their vision a reality, we connect them with trusted European vendors that are accustomed to the standards of American-style weddings. We assist them navigating cross-cultural etiquette and getting the lay of land while they concentrate on creating a beautiful design for their clients.

Photo by Mademoiselle Fiona

Photo by Greg Finck

Tell us about your path and who you are today?

I am a French native of 35 years old with an innate love of travel. Aside from spending my holidays with family in the US – I grew up in France. As a teenager, all I could think about was getting out of my town and exploring other parts of the world. Thanks to my studies in foreign languages and international marketing I had the opportunity to live in several European capitals and connect with people from all over the world.

 Photo by Mademoiselle Fiona

At the time, I was hoping to get the best of both worlds: a high-paying job and the opportunity to travel a lot, but little did I know the path it would take me today. My journey began in Luxembourg where I met my husband and had the opportunity to work as an international communications and marketing specialist. In all the places I worked, my job always led me to plan, concept, implement and coordinate events all the while dealing with a great amount of international clients whom I had to understand how to work with different languages, and master the cultural nuances and business etiquette. During the peak of my career, I was traveling a lot, both for work and pleasure but something was missing in my life: creativity and giving.

something was missing in my life: creativity and giving

From all the experience I had gained, I knew I loved planning events, but I had to ask the hard questions and figure out what was that void that I was missing. I started to ponder and dabble on the idea that maybe wedding planning could fulfill me. You see, I am a people person and love – need! – working in a fast paced environment. To find out if it was for me, I took a leap and had year long sabbatical from work to intern with a successful California-based wedding planner & designer, Heather of Amorology. I instantly fell in love with what I was doing, always being surrounded by such loving people and traveling to different regions and needless to say, I instantly caught the wedding planning and travel bug. Within 2 years upon my return to Europe in 2012, Heather & I decided to start a wedding business together as international destination wedding planners, which is where I am today. Once I found the bridge between my two loves, people and travel, I soon realized that planning destination weddings was what I was supposed to be doing. I become extremely passionate about it. Troy and Tom, our respective husbands who are both communications and marketing specialists, joined the group and it’s been a beautiful adventure ever since.

Once I found the bridge between my two loves, people and travel, I soon realized that planning destination weddings was what I was supposed to be doing. I become extremely passionate about it.

 Photo by Mademoiselle Fiona

Early on, it’s easy to get rejected and become discouraged. What was your motivation to keep going to figure out what you’re supposed to do?

Traveling is such an innate part of me, so I knew I had to follow this huge urge in my heart. Traveling could be so rewarding but it also opens your eyes to the harsh reality of the world. Experiencing different cultures and worlds, forces you to step out of your comfort zone. It’s life changing when you create relationships and interact with people from all over the world. You can learn so much about yourself when you travel. You become very resourceful, as you have to make things happen for yourself. It also helped me realize who I was, what I was capable of and it gave me the courage to pursue my dreams and the strength to ignore those who didn’t understand why I was turning down a fairly successful career and established life. Once I found what I was passionate about, what I was good at, I knew that with hard work, resilience and determination, I would eventually succeed.

 Photo by Greg Finck

Do you feel finally creatively satisfied?

Absolutely!

When and how did you discover your passion for what you’re doing today? When was our a-ha moment?

I didn’t have an a-ha moment per se. I just loved wedding days so much. The experience from the beginning to the end, is the same feeling of child who awaits Christmas morning.

What would you say sets your events apart from others?

Knowing the regions of France and Italy where our couples will wed on a deep level, not only do we create a wedding concept inspired by their story and personalities, hand-pick their vendors and help create a warm and friendly atmosphere on the day, but we also craft a tailor-made itinerary and assist them in selecting activities, balancing events with adequate down time so they can both explore and relax. For us, it’s all about the experience and we want to make sure our couples and their guests have a memorable one.

 Photo by Mademoiselle Fiona

Has your definition of success evolved over the course of your career?

Absolutely! I grew up equating success with money and respect but now, to me success means spending my time focusing on tasks that are fulfilling while providing the freedom and lifestyle that I desire. Being able to take care of my needs and those of the ones I love while making the world a better place for everyone and the events we create is my new definition of success.

Photo by Greg Finck

Photo by Mademoiselle Fiona

Take us through an average day at work. What does a day in the life of being YOU looks like?

My husband and I have been traveling for the past 12 months, exploring gorgeous regions of France and Italy. Morning always starts with a nice cup of coffee and a soft boiled egg, wherever we are. We then spent 3 hours getting back at emails. We dedicate one hour to marketing, blogging or social networking. Once in a while, we take a 30 min break to have lunch, depending on how swamped we are and then start working on our clients’ weddings or wedding-related projects in the afternoon. We usually escape for two or three hours to visit a new place, meet with new vendors or connect with locals. We often work until late in the evening. And before going to bed, we roll out a mat to do Pilates.

Who are some people that constantly inspire you?

My mom always inspires me. She never gives up.

Photo by Greg Finck

What is your favorite part about running your own business?

Setting my own rules, being able to create my own business model and changing it along the way to keep things interesting is what I like the most.

What is the most challenging part?

Being on top of everything all the time and trying to maintain balance between my personal life and work.

Best moment of your career so far?

The moment I realized I could do the things I’m passionate about for a living.

What advice can you offer to someone who is starting out?

Don’t look at what other people are doing, try to find your own identity and style, work hard and develop a strong work ethic. Ohh, and try not to put your personal life aside. Time flies!

Photo by Mademoiselle Fiona

What kind of legacy do you hope to leave when it’s all said and done?

By imparting some of the things I’ve learned along the way while traveling and living abroad. I’d love to inspire others to explore the world and live their dreams.

Stephanie
the planning talent

Heather
the design expert

Tom
the venue hunter

Troy
the creative eye