Nice to meet you, Alex

Alex is also a male name, did you know that?

Imagine the scene: I arrive at the first meeting with the new future brides (nb until now we have had only contact by e-mail) and I introduce myself with a “Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Alex.” and I see a strange expression appearing on their faces. Actually it is the same one l’ve already seen when I was approaching them. “Alex? Really? Hmm..”. Actually they were expecting a woman.
By now I smile about the situation, because eight times out of ten it goes like this. They think that Alex is the diminutive of a female name and they believe that organising marriages is a women’s job. So when it comes to the first appointment with my clients, all reactions are more or less the same: amazement, embarrassment, laughter. However I have to say that I got used to it. I even kind of like it now and it got so far that when this misunderstanding doesn’t happen, I’m almost sorry!

Work is never a gender issue: when you do what you like; you do it well regardless of whether you are a woman or a man. I believe – and I have proof of my clients – that as a male wedding planner I can instill a certain tranquility and relaxation to the bride and groom in organizing their marriage. I am a very precise and I am an extremely rational type at work: anxiety and panic do not belong to me. Once I have defined the details during the preliminary meetings with the spouses, I keep in touch by e-mail up till the day before the wedding with everything ready and smooth and -surprise surprise- with the future groom, but above all the future bride, serene and relaxed. Even those who come from farther away…
Besides this, having a Neapolitan father and a German mother makes me a person who is a good and precise organiser and at the same time has a lot of creativity and feeling for improvisation which are indispensable gifts both in a marriage and in its organization, but about this I will tell you next time.