7:18 am -- Issue: The Mother
The second shot of espresso prepares me for the chaos on this island. An unexpected storm last week caused air travel delays so now everything is rushed at the last minute. The day of the wedding. I'm wearing a flowing sundress with my long hair tamed by a loose braid, holding a tablet on my forearm to remain up-to-date on everything.
Early in the morning I check the venue to make sure everything will be ready for the wedding at noon. Then I check the vendors to make sure the services will be ready before, during, and after the wedding. With over 70 guests in attendance from different parts of the world, top notch service is a must. I go to the kitchen to ensure that the hors d'oeuvres are being prepared, along with the steak and lobster for lunch.
This may sound tedious, but I can assure you this is my dream job. I've always been a people pleaser and creating someone's dream wedding is the peak. Happy couples, happy families, extravagant parties with an array of flowers. It's life at its best. Plus I love the chaos. It gives me an adrenaline rush like nothing else.
Before leaving the kitchen, Mrs. Habsburg comes into the scene with her trademark air of sophistication. She's the woman bankrolling this entire event (including my fee) and she acts like it. In the build-up to the wedding, it's often the mothers who are the fussiest, but she takes it to the extreme. In the last week I saw her tearing people down for the flimsiest of reasons. A few employees even cried in private.
We make small talk and exchange pleasantries, hers being passive aggressive. She acts like she's checking on the kitchen staff, but really she's checking on me. A part of me thinks Mrs. Habsburg is motivated to upstage her future in-laws, using this wedding as a show of force. It's one of the many games that can happen on wedding days.
As our banter ends, she holds out a finger to stop me from leaving.
"Oh, and another thing. I have other children who may get married in the near future. Do a fabulous job today and perhaps we can keep doing business."
"I appreciate that, Mrs. Habsburg, and rest assured, today will be marvelous."
"Good, because the opposite is also true. Anything less than stellar and everyone will know."
Dealing with veiled threats of career destruction is part of any job, but from Mrs. Habsburg, it feels real. The threat of her ruining my career is thinly veiled between her pleasant smile and aristocratic behavior. As a professional, I smile back, matching that same energy.
Truth be told, I've only been running my event planning business for a year. I previously worked as an assistant for the legendary Jacques Pierre, and before he retired, he recommended me for this wedding. He never explained why I'd be a good fit for this gig. But he told the Habsburg family, "This is the best option for your daughter and the bridesmaids. End of discussion."
And just like that I netted the biggest payday of my budding career. I was trained by the best. I'm potentially the next go-to person for big events amongst certain crowds.
I remember Jacques Pierre telling me during his retirement party, "Don't fuck up, darling."
8:46 am -- Issue: The Bridesmaid
The exclusive spa area offers special amenities and privacy for VIP guests. The bride and the bridesmaids are wearing silk robes and they're being served by different employees. Everything from foot massages to manicures to facials. They'd already had their bath treatments and the area smells like fragrance.
Is it normal for the bride and bridesmaids to be getting detailed spa treatments on the morning of a wedding? Not really. But again, the storm last week made it impossible for all of them to be together. Two of the bridesmaids had just arrived last night.
"Everyone having a good time?" I ask.
They express their overwhelming agreement and nervous excitement for the day, partly fueled by the multiple rounds of espresso they'd had earlier. The women look eager for the next step of the process. As expected, if I don't offer a reminder, they'll be late.
"Great, great. Quick update, babes. Now we swap the robes for the gowns. Hair and makeup maestros are ready to work their magic at 9 o'clock sharp in the bridal suite, so we can be dazzling by 11:30. The day is only getting started."
Nicole Habsburg, the woman of the hour, encourages the gang to leave at their own pace because her facial mask is being removed and she needs moisturizing. The women getting manicures are getting final touch-ups. The women getting foot massages are the first to be able to leave.
I stand around in the back to make sure they're moving at a fast enough pace. I check my tablet and see incoming texts for things I need to handle soon.
A bridesmaid named Ling catches my eye after she stands and downs a mimosa. There's another empty glass on the table next to her. There's a frowning expression on her face and she hurries out of the spa area. Her body language suggests trouble is brewing, and when you factor in alcohol, it's a bad sign.
I send fast texts to my assistant while also following Ling out of the spa area.
"Do you have a moment?"
Ling stops and turns to me, her lips are borderline pouty and her eyes are on the brink of tears. I saw her earlier this morning and she was nothing like this.
"Yes?" she replies.
I take her inside a private sauna and close the door. Everything is dry and hasn't been used today. Ling sits on the bench and hangs her head, her silk robe opening and I can see the center of her bare chest, which she doesn't bother to cover.
"What's going on?" I ask. "Something is clearly an issue. I'd like to help."
"This is so embarrassing."
"It's okay. I'm here for you."
"After the wedding, Nicole is moving to the east coast. Forget it. It's embarrassing. You wouldn't understand."
At first I struggle to understand why this would be so heartbreaking. Best friends are supposed to cry tears of joy during a wedding, not tears of... whatever this is.
Then the subtext of the situation hits me and everything becomes clear. Ling's eyes remain looking down at her feet, the side of her robe threatening to fall off her left shoulder, which she still doesn't bother to cover.
"You and her?" I ask.
"Lovers. Well, obviously not. She's getting married. I guess you can call me the occasional fling. My parents would disown me if they knew. It's all over now."
"You'll find someone, I promise."