1. A brief introduction about your company?
Founded in 2020, our company recently celebrated its fourth anniversary. We aspired to create something unique in the event planning industry from the beginning. While our initial focus was on various events, including corporate gatherings, weddings, and birthdays, we always harbored a desire to venture into new and uncharted territory.
We recognized a significant gap in the market for surprise proposals and romantic moments, areas that are well-established in global and European markets but relatively untapped in Sri Lanka. This realization inspired us to shift our focus and specialize in creating memorable romantic experiences.
Under the banner of “Special Moments” or “Surprise Proposals,” we now dedicate ourselves to planning and executing a wide array of romantic events. From intimate dinners and dream honeymoons to any occasion celebrating love, we ensure every moment is thoughtfully crafted and unforgettable. Our evolution from a comprehensive event planning service to a niche provider of romantic experiences marks a significant milestone in our journey, and we are committed to bringing joy and surprise to every special moment.
2. How did you start your business?
We launched our project in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when the event planning industry faced significant challenges due to widespread restrictions and curfews. The essence of event planning lies in bringing people together to celebrate, but with the pandemic, such gatherings became severely limited, leading to a substantial decline in the industry.
While many businesses struggled to adapt, we saw this crisis as an opportunity. We recognized that despite the restrictions, the desire for social connection and celebration remained strong. People were confined to their homes, yearning for a way to gather and celebrate, even if only virtually. Our goal was to meet this need by leveraging our expertise in technology to create virtual event experiences.
Our background with AIESEC provided us with valuable experience in organizing virtual meetings and live streams. We knew how to bring people together in innovative ways, and we applied this knowledge to host virtual events that allowed people to connect and celebrate safely from their homes.
Our initial foray into virtual events quickly gained traction, leading us to expand into physical events once it was feasible to do so safely. One of our first significant opportunities was organizing a large corporate gathering in Kurunegala, meticulously adhering to COVID-19 protocols. The success of this event and the positive word-of-mouth it generated opened doors to further opportunities.
During the pandemic, traditional event planning faced numerous challenges, including the inability of clients to meet with vendors in person. To address this, we organized a virtual musical show and subsequently launched Sri Lanka’s first online wedding exhibition, “Mangalabhisheka.” This event brought together vendors and clients in a virtual space, providing a much-needed platform for planning weddings and other events during a time when physical meetings were impossible.
Through these efforts, we not only survived the challenges of the pandemic but also emerged stronger, equipped with innovative solutions for both virtual and physical events. Our journey from virtual events to physical gatherings is a testament to our resilience and commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our clients.
3. What are the challenges and experiences you faced in Event Planning?
Virtual events were a relatively new concept for many when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Despite the existing event planning industry, virtual event planning was unfamiliar territory, posing a significant challenge for us. However, we saw this as an opportunity to innovate and adapt.
Our approach to event planning is not about the quantity of events we organize but the quality we deliver. We are committed to maintaining an international standard of excellence, regardless of the number of events we host each year. Even when faced with budget constraints from clients, we prioritize quality, sometimes absorbing additional costs ourselves to ensure our standards are upheld.
In the realm of event planning, collaboration with various vendors is essential. From the outset, we have carefully vetted vendors, prioritizing those who share our commitment to quality. Over time, we have resolved numerous challenges and established seamless working relationships with diverse vendors, ensuring that we can confidently manage any aspect of an event.
By overcoming these initial hurdles, we have refined our processes and now operate with precision and care, delivering exceptional virtual and physical events that meet the highest standards.
4. How many Romantic moments have you planned till now, and what is the most important romantic moment you planned?
Our primary vision is to cater to international clients, and we focus significantly on this goal. For instance, destinations like the Maldives attract many international visitors for honeymoons, while places like the Eiffel Tower are popular for proposals. We aim to elevate Sri Lanka’s tourism industry by promoting beautiful local destinations for foreign clients’ proposal ideas.
To date, we have successfully orchestrated 35 international proposals across 20 different countries and collaborated with over 50 international clients. Within Sri Lanka, we have completed 150 proposals and organized more than 250 romantic events. Our work is dedicated to creating unforgettable experiences and showcasing the allure of Sri Lanka to the world.
5. How much does your organization contribute to the success of a couple’s Romantic moments?
When it comes to supporting our clients, we take care of everything beyond their initial vision. Most of our clients are boys, as, according to Sri Lankan culture, it is typically the boys who plan proposals for the girls. Often, they come to us without a clear idea of how to create a memorable proposal. Our first step is to guide them through the process, ensuring that every detail reflects the girl’s dream day.
We start by asking the client about the girl’s favourite colour and preferred type of location, whether it’s a beach, an indoor setting, or a mountainous area. We then select a location that matches her preferences and coordinate the colours of the setting accordingly. We also provide music that complements the ambience, with options such as live performances featuring guitar, violin, or saxophone, adding a unique vibe to the experience.
Beyond that, we arrange additional elements such as a flower bouquet, cake, or fireworks. If the proposal is planned for a beach and the client wants a romantic dinner, we prepare everything, including stunning sunset views and various decoration options. We strive to create unique concepts like flashmob proposals or arriving in a helicopter, aiming to elevate the proposal experience to an international standard in Sri Lanka.
We guide the client from A to Z, addressing every detail until the process is complete. A common question is whether the girl will be genuinely surprised when she arrives dressed beautifully for the proposal. Our answer is always yes, as we meticulously plan every moment to ensure a magical experience. We provide comprehensive plans for the client, including advice on how to bring the girl to the location and what colours she should wear. We know how to create the perfect backdrop to evoke the romantic feeling she desires.
When a boy comes to us, his main goal is to surprise and delight the girl, making her happy. We take into account all his requirements and often go beyond by offering photography, videography, and even drone footage to capture the special moments. We aim to create unforgettable, magical proposals that reflect the couple’s unique story and leave a lasting impression. After that, we think that those memories should be there even after that moment because we think that the couple should be happy and not only at that moment, but they should enjoy them as beautiful memories. We focus on all those things. It’s not unusual; we always try to do something different, we try to put some kind of dancing team in the flashmob proposals mentioned before, because this proposal is something that comes with the European culture. There are different types of proposals, which means some people come with the girl in the helicopter and propose on land after landing. Some people propose in parachutes, others propose in football, cricket matches, and cinema halls. Like that, we try to touch every aspect, because things like this happen once in a lifetime, so we want to do it properly as a beautiful memory that they will remember for the rest of their lives. Our main goal is to make clients happy, not 100%, but 200%.
6. What is your opinion on the Poruwa.lk marriage proposal service?
In today’s world, Poruwa.lk is becoming an essential service for everyone. Opportunities to meet a potential partner randomly have become scarce due to the increasing complexity of our connectivity. When searching for the right person, numerous issues and trust concerns can arise, especially when using social media. Poruwa.lk offers an online marriage proposal service that prioritizes privacy and security, addressing these concerns effectively.
Poruwa.lk is particularly valuable for women, who often face trust-related issues in matters of marriage. The platform’s robust filtering system ensures that it meets the specific needs of the Sri Lankan market, providing a secure and trustworthy environment for finding a life partner.
7. How to contact you to plan Romantic Moments?
There are several ways to contact us, our website is www.Devent.lk, our WhatsApp number, and all our social media are devent.event planners. Our contact number is 070 123 7326. You can contact us anytime by calling or calling us on WhatsApp. Our office is still under construction. The construction work will be completed soon, and then you can come to the office and work with us in the future.
8. A brief description of your offer to Poruwa.lk customers?
We have partnered with Poruwa.lk to offer an exclusive 50% discount on our service charges for a limited time of 2 months. If you make a booking with us within the next 2 months, you will be eligible to receive this discount anytime within the following year.
9. Who are the people in your life for whom you are thankful?
Our team has evolved significantly since we first began, and I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to those who have been with us from the start. In particular, I’d like to thank the members who joined us through the AIESEC organization. When we started, there were 8 of us in total. I want to acknowledge and appreciate all those 8 individuals. Although only 3 of us remain as directors now, the contributions and sacrifices made by the other 5 have been instrumental in getting us to where we are today. Thank you for your dedication and hard work.The company to this state. We would like to thank all our friends and clients who have been with us since the beginning, even though we have not mentioned them by name, and poruwa.lk for contacting us.
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