1) Could you tell us a bit about how you started your business?

–  I started Enchanted in 2011. It began as a passion and as a means to focus my energy into something productive that would take my mind of a calamity I had faced just a few months back. I had suffered a dangerous physical ailment, and to divert my attention i wanted to focus on something I enjoyed. I used decorate my children’s parties and people started appreciating and noticing how detailed they were, a result of which many requests and suggestions started to pour in. As soon as I landed with my 1st event professionally, there was no looking back, before I knew it I was completely booked beyond my capacity!
I started with no investment at all, just my grandfather in law’s 8×10 feet shared store room, and my cook Milon turned into a multitasking, store keeper, body guard and even my event coordinator! A year later my partner Shaiza Moyeen Mazumdar joined, who now resides in America but she is always here to handle the pressure during peak season. The rest is history.
Recently my cousin Sk. Rafat Morshed has taken over as the COO (Chief operating officer) and we have never been stronger.

2) How many events have you hosted so far? Which one would you say was/is your favourite venue?

– By the Grace of God, Enchanted has done over 2000 personally curated and customized events in the last 9 years. And we proudly claim to have not repeated a single one of our events.
There are no particular venue that takes precedence over most, thankfully we have covered almost all of Dhaka’s venues and each one holds a special place in our heart. In most events we don’t even need floor plans, because we have the venues by heart. This was the reason I introduced ambience boxes, or small enclosed reception areas in venues which we completely transformed, using built solution like changes in floor, ceiling and building temporary side walls; to give an idea of what comes ahead for the guests- who couldn’t believe they were walking into the same hall they have been going for years! And the most intriguing part is, most of these halls were actually transformed overnight!

3) Have you ever planned multiple events at the same time?

– We always plan multiple events on the same day. Our company is designed and equipped to handle multiple events per day. Maximum events per day we do is 2; that too in multiple cities; however, occasionally we’ve had to take on 3 due to sudden unavoidable changes in dates.

4) How many events have been cancelled lately and how are you dealing with it?

– We have faced a lot of cancellations or had to deal with events which have been postponed until further notice. It was difficult, but with the given situation, this was the right thing to do.
At the moment we are thinking of ways to sustain our staff, just hoping for things to normalize again.

5) We know social distancing is mandatory now but still some people are not cancelling their events. If someone wants you to plan their event during the pandemic, would you take that offer?

– This Pandemic is here to stay- or at least until a vaccination comes out; even though it sounds terrible, the sooner we accept it the better. Life must go on, economy needs to move, we have our employees and their families whose livelihood is derived from these events. The lockdown was helpful, but we cannot lock ourselves down for months- if we manage to survive the disease, we will for sure not be able to survive the hunger or poverty.
95% of event management work force come from the most needy backgrounds.
We have to evolve somehow and people have to somehow work around this pandemic and normalize everything as much as possible.
We are planning to install disinfectant tunnels at entry way at event venues, reduce number of guests, and in the long run maybe even have social distancing on the tables so each chair has a gap of 3 feet between them.
We can get all the vendor unify and sign on a legal ‘safe events’ form where all vendors like catering, lighting, security etc will maintain hospital grade sanitization.

6) Do you have any plan B to resort to if the pandemic goes on for too long?

–  Currently we are also thinking of coming up with small packages which will enable clients having small homely events with their families with a nice background so that the pictures come out nice- at the end of the day, no bride or groom should feel less special- pandemic or not!

7) You usually spend so much time at events. How does it feel to be spending more time at home? What do you do to pass your time?

– I have been an extremely busy person for the last 8/9 years, I sometimes felt immense guilt and sadness over not giving myself a much deserved break. This year I was supposed to take 2 months off to focus on my health. The pandemic worked out right around that time. I’m spending as much time with my children as possible. I’m finding time to cook again, which I always enjoyed. My second concern O’Play’s delivery operations are still on, so virtually overseeing that keeps me busy. I am also helping my mother in law digitalize her clothing store.
Besides all that I am still taking online meetings with my clients who have events in winter or late summer. We are keeping everything prepared for things to normalize again.

8) Which type of event is the most fun to plan for you? What do you love most about planning events?

– I still get butterflies and goosebumps when I design my events. I really enjoy the fact that my clients believe me enough to give me the reign of designs. Of course I hear them out, I try to reflect their stories, which is always different, always interesting- it’s never a boring day at work!

9) Could you tell us about how you dealt with your biggest last-minute changes?

– Oh so many! There are always last minute changes, but at Enchanted we value and ‘no’ is something we barely say.

10) How do you measure the success of the event?

– People’s reactions are so different than others- each have their own ways to describe their feelings. We’ve had brides in tears of joy and some jumping in delight albeit their heavy outfits! There was one event when a 7 year old baked a thank you cake and sent me, endless flowers, gifts, even airplane tickets! Alhamdulillah have been extremely lucky with our clients. Then there is the most beautiful of them all; the bride’s parents, when they walk in and have grateful tears in their eyes out of sheer satisfaction and happiness- that’s the biggest success to us.

11) Did you have any celebrity as a client? Is there any celebrity that you would like to work for?

– We have worked with many celebrities in the past-one such client is Sakib Al Hasan and his wife, we have done many events with them and become more of friends now than associates, it’s always an honor working with renowned people.

12) Which event planning agency do you consider to be your biggest competition?

– I have been inspired by a lot of international designers, in Bangladesh I really look up to Tootli Rahman aunty and Shayera Khan aunty. They have really been pioneers in this industry and paved the path for the next generation to follow.

13) Do you plan events for your friends and family as well?

– I love getting appreciation and love from my family and friends and feel honored when they ask me to take on their events.

14) How should people contact you if they want you as their event planner?

– People can contact Enchanted through our official Facebook page. www.facebook.com/Enchantedbd, can email at [email protected] or call or Whatsapp at +8801971663800.
The quickest and most effective medium would be to call or WhatsApp as it gets instant replies.