Sander Janssen
Wedding

I got a marriage proposal in summer last year and I was so excited. After the excitement settled after a couple of weeks, I was starting to think on how to organize such an event. Going through some guides on the internet, as my generation often does, I found myself overwhelmed by everything that comes with such an event. I felt like I did not want to do this on my own. My fiancé and I needed a partner in crime. I thought about a colleague that used to work for the same company as I did who was in fact a location hunter/event planner. This wonderful person is Brigitte from “Ceci n’est pas une salle”. I started by just asking for a little information, not sure how to ask someone I knew to use her services for one of the most special days in our life. She immediately understood what I wanted to ask: a good organizer only needs half a word to get things done. We met in a well know tapas bar in Mechelen to discuss the first steps. We discussed what we actually like and don’t like, as well as in which region this party was going to take place so she could visit some exquisite locations as it was not around her base of operations. We needed two locations, because we were going to have a party on our day of marriage for our families and a couple of days later for our friends. This did not appear to be any problem! In fact, she came up with the right place for our special day on our second date a couple of weeks later. This location was organizing a Valentine’s dinner. It is not a restaurant, so you cannot just go and eat there. Brigitte introduced us to the owners. Arriving at the place, my fiancé and I were both breath taken by the quiet pastoral style venue and its astonishing garden. I had to complement the chef that it had been in fact a couple of years since I have eaten such exquisite food with daring combinations. It was a sincere complement from my side as I go out eating quite often in very different styles of restaurants across Europe. We received an offer from this venue and agreed the day after to book it through Brigitte’s “Ceci n’est pas une Sale”. On our third date, she offered us a couple of suggestions for our friend’s party. Among the choices were a spirit distillery, a brewery, a boat and a castle in the middle of a quiet park. Again, spot on: we chose the castle to check out. The three of us went to this castle together to try out their food. Delicious. What they had to offer for our second party was also very well thought idea. So our choice was made again from the first visit! Brigitte, my fiancé and me had a couple of following up dates to arrange the decoration for both locations (although she did not really need our input after all), as well as some happy chatting; we used to be colleagues after all. Brigitte was present on both days to make sure we did not have to worry about anything. We were glad to have her there! To summarize her services: to the point, open!