[STORY] Please, are you the event planner people say can fix anything?

Last month, I got a call that would change how I see event planning and weddings forever.

It was 8:00 a.m. on a Saturday, and I was still in bed scrolling through Pinterest boards for inspiration when my phone buzzed.

“Please, are you the event planner people say can fix anything?” the voice on the other end asked.

I cleared my throat. “Well… that depends. What’s the situation?”

The caller sighed. “We’re two hours away from the wedding ceremony, and the bride’s makeup artist hasn’t shown up. The caterer says the generator won’t start. And—” she lowered her voice, “the groom’s mother is threatening to cancel everything if the hall isn’t decorated before guests arrive.”

I sat up immediately. “Send me the address. I’ll be there in thirty.”

When I arrived, it felt like I had walked into a Nollywood drama.

The wedding hall, which was supposed to be a glamorous white-and-gold fairy tale, still had naked chairs stacked in a corner.

The stage lights were flickering like they belonged in a horror movie. And the bride—oh, the bride—was pacing in a silk robe, mascara running down her cheeks.

“I can’t do this,” she muttered. “Why did I even agree to this wedding?!”

I dropped my bag of emergency supplies, clapped my hands like a coach in a locker room, and said, “Okay, everybody, breathe. I’m your event planner now, and no one is fainting under my watch!”

The makeup artist? I called my friend Amaka, a rising beauty influencer. She arrived in twenty minutes with her ring light and a suitcase full of brushes.

The generator? I slipped the engineer ₦10,000 “motivation fee,” and suddenly, light came back like the second coming.

The groom’s mother? I smiled, held her hand, and whispered, “Mama, today you will look so beautiful on stage that people will ask if you’re the bride’s elder sister.” Her frown melted instantly.

Guests started arriving, snapping selfies by the photo booth I had quickly decorated with flowers I borrowed from the hotel lobby.

Music from the live band filled the hall. The scent of freshly grilled asun from the caterer floated in the air. Everything was coming together.

But then—plot twist.

As I checked on the bride in her suite, I overheard her whispering into the phone:

“Baby, don’t worry. I’ll meet you at the airport tomorrow morning. He thinks I’m marrying him, but you know it’s you I love.”

I froze. My clipboard nearly fell from my hands.

The bride had a whole secret lover.

I knocked softly and entered. She gasped when she saw me, phone still in hand.

“Please… don’t say anything,” she begged. Her eyes were wide, shimmering with tears. “I can’t call this off. Too many people are here. But my heart… my heart belongs to someone else.”

For a moment, I didn’t know whether to scream, laugh, or hug her. Here I was, fighting to save a dream wedding, only to realize the dream wasn’t even real.

The ceremony began.

The groom stood proudly at the altar, smiling like he’d just won the lottery. Guests cheered as the bride walked in, radiant in her lace gown, every detail perfect—the bouquet, the veil, the shimmering lights.

Beside me, one bridesmaid whispered, “This looks like something straight out of a Ghibli movie.” And honestly, it did. The scene was magical, like every Pinterest board had come alive.

But me? I couldn’t stop hearing the bride’s words replaying in my head.

At the “You may now kiss the bride” moment, I swear I saw her hesitate. Just for half a second.

Later at the reception, while guests danced to Burna Boy and clinked glasses, the bride pulled me aside.

“You saved this wedding,” she said, smiling faintly. “But you also know my secret.”

I shrugged. “It’s not my story to tell.”

She gripped my hand. “Thank you… but pray for me. Because tomorrow morning, I’m booking a flight, and I don’t know if I’ll ever come back.”

As I packed up my gear that night, I realized something: event planning isn’t just about flowers, food, or perfect Instagram pictures. It’s about people—their fears, their secrets, their messy hearts.

And sometimes, the biggest surprise at a wedding isn’t the cake flavor or the first dance song. It’s the truth hiding behind a smile.

I drove home whispering to myself, “This Lagos weddings… they’re not just events. They’re soap operas with better lighting.”