Words: Sophie Tanner

I am delighted to be featuring Amy Ford, Creative Director, Lead Planner & Founder of Attabara Studio as my Shero. Having worked with Amy as part of the Attabara team assisting to help bring the vision to life at these beautiful weddings, she is incredible at what she does and an inspiration. The thoughtfulness and attention to detail that goes into her work is like no other.

Sophie Tanner: Give me a snapshot of you, your career, and Attabara

Amy Ford: I’m Amy, founder and creative director of a luxury wedding planning & design studio, Attabara Studio.

Following a degree in Theatre Design, I interned for several creative event studios and for the London Olympic ceremonies before working for one of London’s leading event agencies where I worked my way up from events assistant to lead creative producer. Through this I had the most incredible foundation and training in experiential event planning, eventually designing stages graced by Bryan Adams & Katherine Jenkins, launching products for Zoella and Kim Kardashian and transforming a derelict London church into a haunted forest. Seeking a change, I worked for an NGO, consulting & delivering philanthropic events for HNWI to create immersive spaces and experiences that truly brought their international work to life and inspired generosity. Before, tiptoeing my way into the wedding world, through planning weddings for friends and I have never looked back.

I officially launched Attabara in 2020 and through the studio we curate elevated wedding experiences, imbued with atmosphere & enchantment, as experiential design is entwined with impeccable planning to curate truly unforgettable weddings that encapsulate the essence of our clients.

ST: You’re at the 4-year mark for Attabara now, what have been the highlights?

AF: My favourite moment of any event is when my clients get to see their vision become a reality in front of their very eyes. The candles are lit, the musicians ready to play, everything is perfectly composed and then the guests enter. The space is filled with life, with joy and it’s so glorious! Months, sometimes a whole year of planning becomes a reality, all of the details that have been agonized over and the vision that has been layered with so much love is now a fully immersive experience and for me that is true magic!

ST: As my Shero, I am inspired by so much you do. Who inspires you, inside or outside the industry, and why?

AF: I am so honoured to be a Shero! For me, I always love to take as much inspiration as possible from outside of the industry. I’m forever inspired by interiors, the layering of design influences, pattern, texture and tone, that create spaces that make us feel, I love nothing more than weekends away in the countryside, exploring the UK’s breathtaking boutique hotels or dining experiences, with seasonal countryside locations & elevated hospitality which always inspire my design and vision.

I love to visit exhibitions, to look at art, watch live music, and spend time in nature to fuel creativity. Alongside that, I love learning about other female entrepreneurs, especially through

podcasts, listening to their own journeys, experiences and challenges they face to inspire my own business ventures.

The American wedding industry is also hugely impressive and inspirational, operating on a much bigger scale to that of the UK. I’m obsessed with their marquee transformations and chic cocktail hours, so love to learn from their incredible portfolios.

ST: Can you pinpoint a moment in your career where you doubted yourself; how did you motivate yourself to push through?

AF: For me, there have been many moments when I have doubted myself, and I truly recognise that mindset is so important as an event planner and a business owner. So often, and especially in such an aesthetically driven industry, it can be easy to compare yourselves to others, to allow the imposter syndrome to creep in and generally feel as if you are not good enough. Unfortunately, I have found that this overwhelm is also worth too much energy! So, for me, the antidote is very much focused on really routing into my own personal vision and redirecting these feelings of doubt into realigning into opportunity of what I want to create.

ST: What advice would you give to someone just starting their career in the events industry?

AF: I would always advise wholeheartedly diving in and getting as much experience as you can. So many leading event companies and wedding planners need extra freelancers for their delivery teams, and it’s so beneficial to soak up any exposure to live events that you can. Both in my agency and wedding industry experience, being willing to assist & learn have been instrumental to my growth, my network and my understanding of the event planner I want to be!

From interning with agencies when I first began my venture into the event world to assisting other wedding planners at the beginning of my experience of weddings. Through this I made so many great supplier connections on site, experienced venues I hadn’t yet worked at and learnt through being immersed in the behind the scenes of the luxury event world which has provided an incredible foundation and made me a better planner.

ST: What is up next for Attabara?

AF: We are so excited to be entering into our wedding season and delivering some of our biggest, most style driven and logistically complex celebrations yet. I can’t wait to bring our clients’ visions into fruition and through that work at venues and with suppliers we have always dreamed of.

Next year marks five years in business, and it’s already looking to be so beautiful. I’m so excited for the plans we are already working on and the plans to come! We are continuing to dream big, to expand the team and to continue to curate truly unforgettable celebrations for our clients.