We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Catalina Rojo Ianetta. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Catalina below.
Catalina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about one of the craziest things you’ve experienced in your journey so far.
Entrepreneurship has a way of throwing you into situations you never imagined, and for me, that moment came with my very first wedding client. It was supposed to be a picture-perfect Cape Cod wedding—sunset on the beach, a tented reception with oyster shell design details, and a steel drum player setting the tone for an unforgettable evening. But Mother Nature had other plans.
The rain started falling the night before during the rehearsal, and I could already see water pooling at the edges of the tent. My stomach dropped. Throughout my career working in nonprofit event planning, I had orchestrated galas, museum openings, and golf tournaments, but this was different—this wasn’t just a donor dinner that could be rescheduled or restructured on the fly. This was someone’s wedding day. There were no do-overs.
We had backup plans—several, in fact—but as the rain intensified, it became clear that none of them would hold up. The tent was flooding, and no amount of last-minute fixes would keep the guests (or the dance floor) dry. I didn’t want to panic the couple, but I knew we needed a brand-new plan, fast.
I started making calls. Every hotel and venue on Cape Cod was booked solid—it was peak wedding season, after all. I was running out of options when I found a restaurant nearby that had a function room *under construction.* It wasn’t finished, but it had a roof, space, and enough potential to work.
By sunrise, we were in full crisis-management mode. I had vendors wading through knee-deep puddles to rescue floral arrangements and catering equipment. We completely reimagined the setup—switching from a three-course plated dinner to a stylish small-plates service, restructuring grand centerpieces into smaller vessels for high-top tables, and moving the ceremony arch from the beach to a structure supported by sand-filled buckets.
By the time guests arrived, they were shocked that the wedding they were experiencing was not the one originally planned. It was intimate, elegant, and imperfectly perfect. The couple was thrilled, and instead of seeing the chaos behind the scenes, all they felt was joy.
That day was exhausting, exhilarating, and absolutely *affirming*- I realized I wasn’t just good at event planning, I thrived in high-pressure situations, where quick thinking and creativity could turn disaster into magic. Word spread about how I handled the crisis, and after a few years, my side-hustle became a full-time business.
That wedding wasn’t just my first client. It was my *proof of concept.* And from that moment on, I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m an event planner & designer based in New England. I studied Public Relations & Art History at Simmons University and later earned my Master’s in Communications Management. While working as an intern at the Alumni Relations office at Simmons, I assisted the team with reunion weekend, alumni dinners, and donor receptions. I quickly fell in love with event planning—seeing how carefully curated experiences could bring people together, create lasting memories, and drive philanthropy.
I spent years in the nonprofit world planning large-scale fundraising galas, museum openings, donor dinners, and sporting tournaments. I loved the challenge of designing events that weren’t just beautiful but also *purposeful*—events that motivated people to take action and created a sense of connection.
Eventually, that love of events led me to weddings. A former colleague—who had seen my ability to plan high-stakes events with precision and grace—referred me to his sister, who was looking for a wedding planner. That first wedding was trial by fire, complete with a last-minute venue change due to flooding, but I handled it seamlessly. That experience solidified what I already knew: I thrive in high-pressure situations, I love creating unforgettable experiences, and I wanted to build a business where I could bring that expertise to couples on one of the most important days of their lives.
Now, I specialize in planning distinctive weddings that balance elegance with an edge—whether it’s a gothic castle wedding with moody, candlelit grandeur or a maximalist New Year’s Eve celebration dripping in glamour. I have a deep appreciation for storytelling, and I bring that to every wedding I design. My approach is rooted in my background—melding the logistics of large-scale event planning with an eye for art, culture, and meaning.
What sets me apart is my ability to adapt, to pivot under pressure without sacrificing the vision. I’m not just here to plan an event; I’m here to craft an experience—one that feels deeply personal, immersive, and intentional.
I’m most proud of the trust my clients place in me. Weddings are deeply emotional, and being the person who can bring their vision to life while making the process seamless is something I don’t take lightly. At the end of the day, my job isn’t just about logistics—it’s about creating a moment in time that feels like pure magic.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
One of the most influential books in shaping my approach to event planning, management, and entrepreneurship is *The Art of Gathering* by Priya Parker. Parker’s philosophy—that gatherings should be intentional, meaningful, and designed with purpose—deeply resonates with the way I plan weddings & events.
She encourages hosts (and planners like myself) to ask: *Why are we bringing people together?* That simple but powerful question has transformed how I approach weddings. Event planning isn’t just about executing a timeline—it’s about crafting an experience that reflects the client’s story, values, and the emotions they want their guests to feel.
This perspective has led me to be more intentional about every detail of an event design, from the flow of a wedding ceremony to the way guests engage with each other around a dinner table. Beyond weddings, *The Art of Gathering* has influenced my overall entrepreneurial philosophy. It’s helped me understand that my role is creating connection and meaning among guests. Whether I’m working with clients, leading vendor teams, or designing an event, I always come back to Parker’s central message: *Gatherings have the power to transform, but only if we approach them with intention.* That belief is at the heart of my business, and it’s what sets my events apart.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I firmly believe that creativity & design isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about problem-solving, storytelling, and emotional intelligence.
People often assume that planning a wedding is just about picking beautiful details—choosing florals, color palettes, and a venue. But the real creative work happens in the moments that require adaptation, innovation, and deep understanding of human connection. It’s in designing an unplugged ceremony that makes guests feel present and engaged. It’s in incorporating culture & tradition in a way that feels authentic rather than performative. It’s in turning a last-minute venue disaster into a seamless, unforgettable wedding experience.
In my industry, creativity at its core is about intention. It’s about seeing constraints—budgets, weather, guest dynamics—not as obstacles, but as opportunities to craft something even more meaningful. My career in nonprofits before taking this work full time certainly instilled that philosophy on me and I have internalized it into my business model. Ultimately, it’s about being able to translate an emotion, a vision, or even just a *feeling* into something tangible that guests will remember long after the night ends.
The next time you attend an event and everything *feels* effortless, know that it wasn’t. I designed it that way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.celebrationsbycatalina.com
- Instagram: @celebrationsbycatalina
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catalina-rojo-ianetta
