Sara Mazzei is an Italian event producer based in Zurich, Switzerland. Since 2006, she has been creating luxury projects under her brand, Sara Mazzei Event Creation AG, alongside her team of 7 experienced event planners and designers, focusing on creativity and attention to her clients’ specific requirements. Here we discuss the need for discretion combined with an emphasis on organisational skills and creativity in the world of event design…
I love creating and managing luxury private events such as weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, and corporate events in Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, Portugal, Marrakech, and Ibiza for international clients, with special attention to fun and entertainment…”
Sara Mazzei, founder, Sara Mazzei Event Creation AG
C&B: “Sara, you’re founder of one of the best known and established events companies in Europe; how long have you been in the business, and what first prompted you to go into this career?”
SM: “When I was a young girl, my mother used to ask me whether I wanted a gift or a party for my birthday, and my choice was always a party! I’ve always been partial to birthdays; they mark the past and are always a new beginning. People who celebrate their 50th or 60th birthday typically honour the crowning of a successful career to be shared with family and friends. And then, there are the surprise birthday parties, the most stimulating, despite being more complex, parties in which everyone feels free to express themselves. Weddings have a format we must comply with, the ceremony followed by cocktails and dinner. Birthday parties instead are free, with no limitations or expectations, allowing our creativity to roam freely…”
C&B: “Creativity is what your brand is best recognised for; did you study or work with another events company to gain your initial experience?”
SM: “After classical studies and a degree in political economy, I spent the first years of my career working as sales manager for design furniture companies and, after a master, as human resources manager in a packaging company. I continued to read and study with curiosity, but, above all, I continued to observe everything beautiful around me. It took years of hard work to develop the skills that I can now share with my collaborators at Sara Mazzei Event Creation Ag, in particular the sense of roundness and fullness that an event must have: the harmony and sense of completeness that emerges when the setup is rich and enhanced by the lighting…”
C&B: “That’s quite a transition in your career. We imagine you find event planning to be very fulfilling in comparison, and your background must help with organization and knowing how to handle privacy and diplomacy. How do you manage potential media interest in your work and your clients?”
SM: “For many years now, Sara Mazzei Event Creation Ag has been handling events for families and international clients who demand a guarantee of their privacy and confidentiality, which is absolutely crucial for us. These are clients who reach us by word of mouth through our other clients, and who are interested in the top quality of our service, so we’ve never overexposed our image with awards, newspapers, and magazines. Protecting the image of our clients is just as important as the success of the event…”
C&B: “Absolutely! Discretion is paramount when you’re working at the level that you are. Besides that, what other qualities would you say attract UHNW clients and VIPs to your service?”
SM: “I’d say my imaginativeness; when asked what inspires me in create my events, I always reply that I love parties and having fun. So, when I plan an event, I always picture myself as a guest. What could make me feel welcomed and taken care of? And that’s when my fantasy takes off: I start planning the lights, the music, the set-up, and then the food and the drinks. The guests’ experience is crucial to me, and I always try to charm them. We all have an inner child who can be amazed and excited. I always make sure this hidden part we hide inside is encouraged to emerge. I also try to convey to my collaborators the sense of roundedness an event must have – in other words, the fullness, harmony, and completeness that emerge when the setup is rich and enhanced by the lighting…”
We’ve developed futuristic setups that are always sustainable and environmentally friendly. Entrusting our brand means finding high-profile technical and organisational expertise, together with innovative creations, great service, and full assistance during the entire process, with always quick responses…”
Sara Mazzei, founder, Sara Mazzei Event Creation AG
C&B: “Destination weddings and events are incredibly popular at the moment – everyone loves to travel! Which are your most popular locations?”
SM: “We design and produce creative and innovative corporate events, weddings, and private events in Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, and Portugal. We welcome international clients who wish to organise luxury events with special attention to fun and entertainment, hence our continuous research of high-end venues where we can bring our creativity to life – for example, castles in France and Spain, haciendas in Spain, luxury hotels in Switzerland and Turkey, historical villas in Italy, and national parks in Portugal…”
C&B: “Many of the locations you’ve just mentioned include the great outdoors in country locations – what’s your biggest challenge to consider when on a project like that?”
SM: “Our primary concerns and focus are then on the cadence of our mission and our signature; each moment of an event, be it a wedding, a birthday party, or an inauguration, must never be too drag on for too long. Continual flow and a sense of rhythm are our goals. A great event is mostly an act of hospitable welcome, wines served at the perfect temperature, impeccable table service, and faultless timing, backed by music at the right volume or adequate temperature in the spaces…”
C&B: “What drives you? Do you find your work a pressure or a stress?”
SM: “This area of events is certainly demanding, and I can only pursue it thanks to my intense passion and motivation to realise and fulfil the dreams of our clients. Seeing these projects come to life is a source of immense satisfaction and gratification that drives me to work even harder.”
C&B: “Incredible! Out of your vast repertoire, what would you say is your biggest accomplishment to date?”
SM: “Our ability so produce complex events in any location, world-wide; we handle extremely detailed projects and major productions where the technical and organisational aspects are paramount. We often work in structures where the study and planning of logistics are key factors; a thorough understanding of the characteristics and peculiarities of structures and suppliers is essential to the planning and production of each of our events. The Sara Mazzei Event Creation Ag team has developed and acquired the tools and skills to organise events of this complexity, in any location and destination in the world…”
WEBSITE: http://www.saramazzeievents.com
