So, picture this: You’re getting married in Lake Freaking Como, and you’ve spent months dreaming about it. The villa? A literal fairytale. The guests? Flying in from all over the world. The dress? So perfect it could make a grown man cry. Everything is set.

Then, five days before the wedding, your planner—your trusted, Pinterest-board-making, “leave it all to me” wedding planner…ghosts you. Like, full-on vanishes into thin Italian air.

No texts. No emails. No refunds. Poof.

At first, we thought, “Maybe she’s just busy?” (Delulu.) Then we started calling the vendors. And that’s when things got real.

Buckle up, because this is the absolute chaos that unfolded.

---

The Wedding Planner Who Sold Us A Dream… And Then Ran Off With Our Euros

If you’ve ever planned a wedding, you know it’s one giant trust fall into the arms of a bunch of strangers who claim they know what they’re doing. And let me tell you, our planner was convincing.

She had flawless vibes. The kind of Italian elegance that makes you feel like you’re in a Netflix rom-com. She talked about weddings like she had personally planned Amal Clooney’s big day. She had the connections, the vision, the assurance that we did not need to stress because she was “handling everything.”

A true professional.

Or so we thought.

---

T-Minus 5 Days: The “Wait… Is She Okay?” Stage

We were five days out from the wedding when the first red flag waved in our faces like a bullfight in Seville.

I messaged our planner just to double-check that everything was set for the big day. No reply.

Okay, cool, maybe she’s just busy being a wedding genius. I tried again. Still nothing.

Cue the group chat:

Me: “Hey, has anyone heard from [Planner’s Name]?”
Bridesmaid #1: “Omg no but she’s probably just swamped.”
Bridesmaid #2: “She’s a professional! Don’t stress.”
Maid of Honor: “Wait… what if she’s dead?”

Worst-case scenario? Dramatic. But also? Not impossible.

So we called the caterer. They had never heard of her.

The florist? No payment had been made.

The villa? No deposit.

At this point, my entire wedding collapsed faster than a bad soufflé.

---

T-Minus 3 Days: The Breakdown Heard ‘Round The World

I was this close to canceling the wedding and starting a new life as a woman who just “took some time off to travel.”

But then: a miracle!

The villa’s event manager (a.k.a. our guardian angel in Gucci loafers) swooped in like Olivia Pope in a crisis.

In 48 hours, this woman:

✔️ Found a replacement caterer (who, fun fact, had originally been booked for a corporate retreat but said, “Eh, I can do a wedding instead.”)
✔️ Begged a florist to throw together some last-minute flowers. (Did they match the original aesthetic? No. But did anyone notice? Also no.)
✔️ Hired a DJ-slash-officiant, because apparently, in Italy, you can legally be married by a guy who also drops house music at the reception.

Was it the wedding I had spent a year planning? Absolutely not.

Was it still iconic? Yes, and here’s why.

---

How The Wedding Turned Out (Against All Odds)

Somehow, against every possible obstacle, the wedding still happened. And honestly? It was chaotic in the best way.

The guests were laughing through their tears. The food was delicious, even if it was originally meant for a bunch of corporate finance bros. The flowers? Fine. The DJ-slash-officiant? Lowkey a legend.

And the planner? Never heard from again. She is probably somewhere in Positano right now, sipping an Aperol Spritz, fully booked for another wedding she won’t show up for.

---

The Moral of the Story (So You Don’t End Up in Wedding Crisis Mode)

✅ If a wedding planner seems too smooth, it’s because they’re a scammer.
✅ Always triple-check that your deposits actually… exist.
✅ Have an emergency contact at the venue, because you never know when you’ll need someone to work actual miracles.
✅ A DJ who can also officiate? Honestly, kinda iconic.

Would I do it all over again? No. Would I still have my wedding in Lake Como? Absolutely. Would I double-check that my planner isn’t a ghost before wiring them thousands of euros? One thousand percent.

So, if you’re getting married in Italy… consider this your warning.