I’ve planned weddings on mountains and seen million-dollar gowns, but that’s not what young couples are spending more on [Video]

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lelian Chew, a luxury wedding planner in Asia. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I launched my events planning business, The Atelier & Co, in 2013, planning luxury events and weddings for some of the biggest families in Asia.

As the scale of our weddings grew, they became more than just about the bride and groom, but also about the entire family and their social circles.

It’s almost like marrying two conglomerates. We only get one shot at perfecting it, and the stakes are incredibly high.

Transforming spaces

Many think that when planning million-dollar weddings, the expenses are all about luxury items like gowns or over-the-top decorations, although we do get those occasionally.

For example, we once planned a wedding in which a bride wore a gown that cost over a million dollars. The dress was encrusted with jewels, making it akin to a piece of jewelry.

However, the decorations …