The Face Behind the Fabulous Weddings
Behind every La Key wedding lies a huge helping of love topped with a sprinkle of planning magic. Without the wedding of your dreams in Portugal feeling shrouded in mystery, or feel out of reach.I’m Carina Olim, your dedicated Lisbon wedding planner at La Key, and I’ll show you how.Β
Placing yourΒ wedding in PortugalΒ into the hands of a professional is a huge step towards a stress-free and seamless experience. And while the professional skills absolutely need to be there (there’s so much more to planning weddings than simply loving them!), the personal do too.
So, in this blog post, take a few minutes to get to know me, your Lisbon wedding planner turning the key on weddingsΒ Portugal-wide.
Pick three words to describe yourself
I’m a self-confessed chatterbox, a typical Libra and a hopeless romantic. As your Lisbon wedding planner, that translates into a communicative optimist, an untiring pursuit of perfection and a steadying hand whenever you need one.
You're a guest at a wedding. Where do we find you and why?
I have a confession: it’s actually really hard for me to switch off when I attend a wedding as a guest! It’s a bit of a trade hazard, but my instincts are always telling me to help someone or tidy up. But when I do snap into guest mode, I get my groove on, so you’ll find me at the closest bar to the dance floor busting a move!
You're desert island bound and can only take one thing with you. What is it and why?
That’s easy. I’d take the four-legged love of my life, my dog Maggie Mae. She makes me laugh even when she doesn’t try to. She is a constant source of happiness and fun. I couldn’t imagine life without her, wherever in the world I was.
You're planning your wedding and can only ask one friend or family member for help. Who do you turn to?
I’m blessed, surrounded by amazing friends and family, so this is a tricky choice! It’s a bit like trying to choose your best man or maid of honor, when there are so many people who matter so much. But, if I had to choose, it’d be my friend Rafa. We’ve been friends for over 20 years. He cheered me onΒ as I launchedΒ La Key all those years ago and supported me every step of the way. We’ve worked together so many times that he knows exactly how I like things to be done for my couples. He would put in the same thoughtful commitment and determination I bring to every wedding as a Lisbon wedding planner.
If you werenβt a wedding planner what would you be?
If I had to start my studies all over again, I would train to be aΒ reconstructive plastic surgeon. You know, like Dr. Nassif and Dr. Dubrow from E! Entertainmentβs Botched! This might sound random and a big change from planning weddings, I know, but I just find their ability to help people fascinating. Especially those who need this kind of surgery due to tragic situations that changed their lives in painful ways, and would never have the resources to recover on their own. Beauty comes from within, but, unfortunately, we live in a world where not everybody sees it that way. Life changing surgery can help people recover from trauma and live their best lives. It would be incredible to have the ability to play an active part in that.
It's your day off. Walk us through your day.
I love to be immersed in nature, taking long walks with my dog and my friends. I also love music and will jump at any excuse to rock it on the dance floor. So, if thereβs a festival taking place, Iβll be the first one to suggest a road trip to get there! But my interests donβt all lie outdoors. I love making home improvements and tackling DIY. I also love to host and invite people over. I’m a foodie so I make sure to cook everyone’s favorite things, and then bring out the board games! Itβs an all-day experience of conversation, good food, flowing drinks and lots of laughter!
What is your earliest experience of a wedding?
You could say I got into the business of weddings young! I was five years old when I was flower girl for my uncle’s wedding and at the time, it felt like the best day of my life. There weren’t reallyΒ wedding plannersΒ back then, so the days beforehand were a crazy blur of family bustle with everyone pitching in getting things ready. There was an undercurrent of excitement I couldn’t resist. I think five-year-old me actually felt like a bride too! Looking back at the photos now brings back all those memories…and makes me miss those times allot. Little did I know that would be the first, of many, many weddings.
Let's talk!
Getting to know couples before I become their Lisbon wedding planner, is super important to me. I will always make the time, because connecting as people is equally as important as having the rightΒ planning servicesΒ on paper (although I like to think I check both of those boxes!). So please feel free to get in touch, share your stories and your ideas with me. If you feel like we fit, I’ll throw everything into making that vision reality for your wedding in Portugal. But don’t be afraid if you want to start with baby steps – with a complimentary consultation and my naturally chatty persona, you can get a feel for me and La Key commitment free.
It will be a pleasure to meet you!