WRITTEN BY FRED ALBERT ONYANGO
Over the past decade, Fatema Bhaiji has established herself as the region’s go-to event planner. Along the way, she has discovered the essential ingredient that makes a wedding truly memorable — transforming personal stories into unforgettable occasions. She also shares the common mistakes couples make when planning their big day, and her vision for what Aura could become by 2030.
Fatema Bhaiji discovered the craft of wedding planning in 2013. Her ambition was never to appear in Vogue, Brides, or on Kenya’s coveted lists of top wedding planners — all accolades that Aura now proudly holds. It began, quite simply, with a good eye. At first, she channelled it into make-up artistry. Within two years, she was curating wedding stationery.
“Then one day, a client told me her planner had backed out at the last minute,” Fatema recalls. “She said, ‘I feel like you have a keen eye — you’re going to plan this wedding, and you’re going to do everything.’” Fatema never looked back. Even she, renowned for her meticulous touch, admits that she ultimately had to yield to the greatest planner of all: fate.
Her first attempt was a success — one that not only gave her the confidence to pursue this new calling but also provided the crucial references she needed to build upon it. In 2014, she decided to register for the Samantha Bridal Fair, where her ideas simply could not be ignored in the open market. From the very start, she secured a full year’s worth of bookings.
These days, Aura can even secure the popular Indian band Twin Strings for a wedding in Dar es Salaam — the very one that went on to feature in Vogue India. It’s not that Aura can move mountains, exactly; it’s that the team cares deeply about each couple’s story — whether the groom prefers a particular sound or the bride favours a certain floral arrangement. At Aura, the guiding philosophy is simple: everything begins with the first meeting. “There are two ways to do a wedding,” Fatema explains keenly. “One is the client’s way — you deliver what they want. The other is the family way — where someone becomes part of our Aura family. When that happens, we can go beyond what they want and uncover what they truly need.”
Fatema recalls one occasion when she planned a wedding at the Fairmont, which proved to be among the grandest events Aura has ever handled. At first, though, the location was far from certain. With her clients by her side, she travelled from India to Zanzibar in search of the perfect setting. In the end, the couple achieved the international feel they had envisioned — right here in Kenya — complete with musicians, vendors, photographers and all the intricate details that make a celebration unforgettable. As demanding as that sounds, I asked Fatema what drives her to take on such work time and again. She smiled and said simply, “Just the gratitude we get from our clients.”
When you step into the Aura offices, the first thing you notice is the pearl-white interior and a conference room whose walls are lined with certificates and awards. Fatema believes that how you greet a client matters. From the moment they walk in, she wants them to feel as though they are experiencing luxury.
For Fatema, her work is all about creating a sense of specialness. “Aura will listen to you, rather than you listening to Aura,” she says. Her starting point is always the client’s vision — and from there, she finds a way to fall in love with their ideas. Once a client signs on, the team immediately begins preparing a mock set-up, refining and adjusting every detail right up until the very last day, if necessary.
One instance of last-minute adaptation came when a couple from the United States organised a wedding at Giraffe Manor. Frequent Aura collaborator Himanshu Patel of Epic Stories — who recently shot the Ambani wedding — flew in. The stage was set. But the unpredictability of August weather had other plans: sunshine was expected, yet the day brought gloom and drizzle. Everything had to be moved indoors.
Aura took over the largest room and created a floral arrangement that became the wedding’s defining feature. To achieve the exact look, the team went through six different iterations — and even the final choice wasn’t believed to be the right choice until the very day of the wedding.
Fatema wants the bride and groom to arrive on the day feeling relaxed, focused on nothing but each other. And that, she believes, requires an unwavering sense of availability. Aura’s distinguished clientele value, above all, the assurance that the team is always within reach. “Personally, I believe luxury is simply time,” Fatema says. “That’s what I ultimately want — and what my clients want too.”
It’s About Your Story
Weddings, Fatema says, exist within a Venn diagram of three circles: scale, story and emotion. The goal, naturally, is to hit the sweet spot at the centre. When I asked which circle Aura explores first as it listens to a couple’s wishes, Fatema answered thoughtfully: “It has to be story.”
Aura aims to understand what truly matters to its clients — where they met, what they share, even the dreams they held as children about their wedding day. Then comes the delicate question of emotion. Weddings are rarely private affairs, but some couples still crave a moment that feels entirely their own, however small.
In recent years, Aura has hosted high-profile weddings featuring political families, where the scale can be immense. I asked Fatema whether those couples ever get a moment alone. She explained that Aura always carves out time — a brief photoshoot, a rehearsal dinner, a quiet bachelorette — whatever pockets of stillness can be found. The most reliable method, she adds, is ensuring that at key points, discussions are held with the couple alone.
Photographed by Feisal Sumra. Planning and decor by AURA by Fatema Bhaiji.
Photographed by Epic Stories. Planning and decor by AURA by Fatema Bhaiji.
Authenticity Is the Most Reliable Curator
Listening closely to clients’ wishes is what enabled Aura to bring to life the wedding of famed destination photographer Valorie Darling and Brian Jones in Lamu, fulfilling every detail to her exacting standards. Valorie, a highly regarded figure in wedding planning circles, knew precisely what she wanted — and, serendipitously, it aligned perfectly with Aura’s eco-conscious ethos.
Her wedding used only materials naturally available in Lamu, avoiding plastic entirely. The décor featured bamboo, sisal chandeliers and an altar framed by a traditional Lamu door. Kenya, already one of the world’s leading flower sources, provided the blooms — and Aura transformed Peponi Hotel’s private rooftop into a bougainvillea garden. Fatema smiles: “Floral arrangements have become a high-level sport. People expect a garden that tells a story.”
Valorie wanted an authentic Kenyan wedding — and she got one. But sometimes authenticity isn’t a look; it’s a dynamic. Hali Oduor’s wedding to Nathan Mixon was a perfect example — an intimate affair that somehow captured the world’s attention. Updates about why the couple chose such a small ceremony spread across social media, reaching nearly every corner of the internet. It marked a new chapter for Aura, establishing it as a major international player while proving that intimacy and scale are not opposites. Fatema hopes to host more of these weddings — something Kenyan couples, she notes, are increasingly beginning to embrace.
Food Is Non-Negotiable
When Fatema is at work, she’s the listener. But when it was her turn to talk, I asked what advice she would give couples planning their wedding. Her reply was immediate: “Budget.” Fatema explains that Aura has no hierarchy among its clients — every couple receives the same premier treatment. Yet she’s noticed a common pattern: clients arrive full of excitement and ideas, only to have an unplanned budget pull them back to earth. Aura provides a list of what can be compromised — and what cannot. Food, entertainment and décor are non-negotiable. What about fancy venues? I ask. Fatema smiles. “If we come on board, we can even make a garage look like a ballroom.”
The Future
Fatema has a three-pronged vision for Aura’s future. First, she hopes to host weddings outside of Africa. Then, she aims to expand the brand, with distinct leadership teams in different regions. And finally, her dream project: a collection of boutique hotels offering clients high-end experiences in food and hospitality. “When you look at our textiles, our jewellery, our fashion — everything in Kenya is one of a kind,” she says. “We’re among the top five globally when it comes to what we offer culturally, and I see a place for Aura in that equation.” When I asked if that’s how she envisions Aura offering luxury weddings on a global scale, she nodded. “Luxury is no longer about money,” Fatema says. “Luxury is about experience.”
Photographed by Brandon Kidd., and co- decorated by AURA by Fatema Bhaiji.
