The Heart of Hospitality  - Your upbringing spanned the coasts of the United States, Hawaii, and Argentina — a layered cultural landscape that reflects the richness often found in Latin American traditions of gathering, warmth, and family. How has this multicultural background influenced your sense of community, your design sensibility, and the way you create experiences that feel emotionally generous and welcoming?
Being exposed to different cultures and growing up in a multigenerational household profoundly shaped who I am and how I care for others. Living so closely with family taught me that nurturing people comes from shared experience, presence, and intention—it’s something that’s difficult to truly offer without having lived it yourself. I was fortunate to be raised in cultures and communities where collectiveness wasn’t just valued, but essential. Because of that, my understanding of luxury looks different. While it’s often assumed that luxury means “more is more” when it comes to tangible elements, I believe true luxury in events comes from something far deeper: feeling genuinely seen, having your needs anticipated before you have to ask, and being able to fully relax and
immerse yourself in the experience that’s been thoughtfully created. Being Argentinean and raised in Hawaiʻi, I grew up immersed in two cultures that are deeply aligned in the way they gather—not just as families, but as entire communities. In both, everyone has a role, and amid the loud music and constant conversation, there’s an unspoken, seamless rhythm at play. It’s a natural flow where connection feels effortless and everyone belongs.

"Whether a design direction is subtle and restrained or bold and maximalist, it ultimately comes down to editing. My favorite way to approach design is by ensuring each event tells a story. Much like how brands establish a narrative as the foundation of their marketing, a clear story helps determine which elements belong and which should be edited out"

From Hotels to Weddings - Before founding your studio, you built a career in luxury hospitality and corporate events. How did that experience — combined with the values of Latin culture, where hosting is an act of love — shape the way, you now approach weddings and celebrations?
Maybe I was subconsciously aware of it at the time, but looking back, I truly believe that every experience I’ve had since stepping into hospitality at 16 was guiding me to where I am today. Training at such a young age in a high-level restaurant gave me invaluable insight into food and beverage programs, while my time working in hotels taught me the behind-the-scenes realities of venues—what to look for, what questions to ask, and how everything truly operates.
Even my role in corporate event sales showed me that elevated hospitality begins at the very first point of communication. It’s about making people feel seen, establishing trust, and setting the tone long before an event ever takes place. All of these
experiences, combined with my natural instinct rooted from Latin culture to show care and love through action, ultimately shaped how I approach planning and design— grounded in intention, thoughtfulness, and genuine hospitality. One of the most
meaningful aspects of both Latin American and Hawaiian culture—and something I deeply value—is the importance of a shared meal. Whether it’s an asado in Argentina or gathering around the imu for a celebration in Hawaiʻi, food has always been at the
heart of the event, serving as an essential part of the experience.

A Mission of Authenticity - Your work feels grounded in truth — to the couple, the place, and the moment. As a creative woman with Latin American roots, how do you balance honoring personal and cultural narratives while creating celebrations that feel elevated, refined, and timeless?
 When I speak with potential clients, I always explain that my design process begins with uncovering what feels truly authentic. That means designing from a place that reflects who the couple genuinely is, what naturally connects to the venue, and how
the surrounding culture and destination can be meaningfully woven in. Many clients also bring their own cultural backgrounds into the process, which opens the door to creating layered, thoughtful experiences that feel personal and exciting for both the
couple and their guests.
One example of this approach was a Night Market experience we created in Morelos, Mexico. During our initial conversations, the client made it clear they were looking for something different—an experience that felt immersive and unexpected. Instead of
traditional hotel welcome bag drops, I proposed transforming the welcome event itself into an experiential moment, complete with gifting and local vendor activations. While many clients gravitate toward a polished interpretation of authenticity, we intentionally leaned into the raw, everyday elements of local markets, including the plastic stools that are so emblematic of Latin American gatherings. Station signage was hand-printed on site, and local vendors prepared the food and curated the gifts, allowing guests to assemble their own bags as part of the experience. To this day, it remains one of my favorite events we’ve created.

Creating Through Collaboration - Collaboration sits at the heart of your process. In many Latin cultures, creativity is communal rather than hierarchical. How does working closely with couples and creative partners shape the final experience, and how do you foster a sense of shared authorship throughout the journey?
My biggest recommendation to clients is to hire a designer you truly trust. That trust makes the process far more seamless and allows your designer to feel empowered to bring forward innovative, thoughtful ideas. From the planner and designer’s side, the
most important responsibility is ensuring clients feel seen and heard throughout the process. Event planning is an emotionally heightened experience, and when trust exists on both ends, it creates a collaborative environment where the experience unfolds naturally and beautifully.

The Shape of the Process - From the first conversation to the moment guests arrive, your work feels intentional and fluid. How would you describe the rhythm of your planning and design process, and what quiet, behind-the-scenes steps are essential to transforming a vision into something tangible and unforgettable?
When working with clients, I always tell them that my top priority is to make the process as efficient and streamlined as possible. The constant back-and-forth between multiple vendors can quickly become overwhelming, so my approach is to shield clients from anything that doesn’t truly require their attention. At the same time, I maintain clear, consistent, and organized communication systems so they always know what to expect, when decisions are needed, and what’s coming next. Building on the importance of flow, this becomes especially critical for multi-day destination events. There’s a delicate balance between thoughtfully filling the
schedule and allowing guests the time and space to truly experience the destination and decompress between events. Through years of experience, I’m able to guide clients through this process—honoring their priorities as the anchor of the celebration while thoughtfully considering the guest experience at every step.

Designing With Subtlety - Your events could be described as thoughtful rather than loud — layered with emotion, texture, and meaning. How do you decide which details deserve focus, and which are best expressed subtly, as emotional undertones rather than visual statements?
Whether a design direction is subtle and restrained or bold and maximalist, it ultimately comes down to editing. My favorite way to approach design is by ensuring each event tells a story. Much like how brands establish a narrative as the foundation of their marketing, a clear story helps determine which elements belong and which should be edited out. Adding more simply for the sake of more can sometimes dilute the impact of the design, rather than strengthen it.

Leadership - As a Latin American woman leading in a high-touch, high-pressure industry, you bring both softness and strength to your work. What does leadership mean to you when it’s rooted in empathy, intuition, and deep human connection?
Growing up in a Latin, matriarch-led family, I was raised by dynamic women who embodied both strength and creativity. They excelled in their careers—as educators, attorneys, social workers, and architects—while also teaching me creative practices like
painting and knitting, all alongside a deep sense of domestic care and generosity. That upbringing continues to inform how I show up in my work, personal life, and how I collaborate with others. I carry that same philosophy into my relationships with vendors. Much like in families and communities gathering together, every role matters, and everyone deserves to feel respected and valued. You have to communicate and collaborate in a way that builds a foundation of trust so we are feel authentically excited to show up for one another. While it can be frustrating when something doesn’t come together as expected, it’s never been my instinct to lead with fear or raised voices. For me, kindness and directness can coexist—and when delivered calmly and with intention,
they are just as powerful in creating alignment and shared excitement.

Sensitivity as Strength - In cultures where emotion and intuition are deeply valued, sensitivity becomes a form of intelligence. How do emotional awareness and intuition shape the way you design, coordinate, and bring people together — and how have these qualities become professional strengths rather than vulnerabilities?
Emotional intelligence is extremely crucial in weddings as we are dealing with such layered and emotional aspects. With clients and guests it is about knowing about the balance of being present for them at all times and knowing when to give space. For design, I find that during the process I can start to second guess decisions or get influenced by external factors but I really try to listen to my intuition and stick to the design that I know deep down feels true to the story being told.

The Evolving Industry - The wedding and events industry continues to evolve, with more space for individuality, cultural expression, and authenticity. What changes feel most meaningful to you, particularly for women — and Latin American women — building creative businesses today?
Clients are really looking to bring unique elements into their events which has allowed us designers to really push ourselves. The best thing about this industry is how it allows so many women to own their own small businesses. I did an event in Mexico and worked with an incredible artist/choreographer Orly Anan. She told me that the event we brought them on for employed (50) artists and it really touched me and put in perspective how even one vendor or element can impact these creative businesses.

Redefining Success - When you first began, what did success feel like to you? And now, after producing weddings around the world, how has your definition of success shifted — personally, creatively, and culturally?
Luckily even early on, I was pretty concrete in knowing that expansion doesn’t mean success for me but I was still including goals of recognition in the beginning. After never making “best of” lists or high end publications, I have learned that those elements are great but not necessary for me to feel successful. Success for me is attracting the right clientele, feeling creatively challenged, working in the destinations I desire, and having a good personal life balance.

What’s Next - Looking ahead, what creative paths are calling to you? Are there new destinations, collaborations, or stories — particularly those rooted in culture and place — that feel aligned with where you are now?
I started reducing the amount of weddings I take on to leave some space for other creative avenues. I started a new creative studio called CED Creative as I realized I wanted the time and outlet to share my creativity and love for marketing for non wedding clients. I am also focused on writing more for different projects in the future. With weddings and events, I would love to work in South America and Asia more. I feel like for international clients, South America is such an untouched but amazing option for destination weddings and I would love to see a higher demand there and be a part of it.