There are moments in our industry that go beyond recognition, moments that make you stop, observe, and truly understand where we are heading.
On April 8th, in Naples, at the beautiful Villa Fattorusso, I had one of those moments. Standing on stage, representing Zankyou Portugal as CEO, receiving an international award in front of some of the most influential names in the global wedding industry, I felt not only proud, but deeply aware that something is shifting in our sector.
The WEMA Circle Wedding Awards are not just another awards ceremony. They reflect a new way of looking at the wedding world more global, more strategic, more connected and that becomes even clearer when you understand who is behind them.
WEMA is an international marketing agency dedicated exclusively to the wedding and event industry. Their purpose is to connect wedding and event businesses with their ideal clients - from planners to couples - while opening new commercial and marketing opportunities on a global level. Their work spans hotels, villas, castles, palaces, wedding planners, DMCs, photographers, videographers, tourism boards, ministries of tourism, convention bureaus and many other professionals who are already active in the international market or looking to enter it.
Born out of the challenges of the COVID era, WEMA transformed adversity into opportunity and grew into a dynamic brand that brings together strategy, creativity, visibility and business development for wedding and event professionals worldwide.
At the core of this vision are its two founders: Alexa Skuba and Lana Olifer.
Alexa Skuba, Co-owner and Chief Marketing Officer, is a luxury brand architect and global marketing visionary with more than 18 years of experience in marketing management, strategic planning and brand creation. Her background combines luxury brand development, high-impact campaigns and premium event marketing, with an international path that has taken her through cities such as Kyiv, Paris, Naples and London.
Lana Olifer, Co-owner and Chief Commercial & Operational Officer, is an internationally recognised luxury destination wedding and event planner, founder of Lana Wedding Planner, with an impressive track record creating extraordinary celebrations in some of the world’s most sought-after destinations. With a strong background in business, operations and high-level management, Lana brings the kind of strategic depth that turns creativity into real execution.
After the event, we had the opportunity to interview both Lana and Alexa, and their answers say so much about why this project feels different.
They describe WEMA as a “desirability and connections provider”, and when asked how the WEMA Circle Wedding Awards came to life, they explained that the main idea behind WEMA Global has always been to make the right wedding, event and hospitality businesses well seen and easily found by the right clients.
As they told us, “nowadays it’s very difficult for really good businesses to be seen by the audience.” And that challenge is precisely what led them to create a new generation of awards.
But these awards were never meant to be just about recognising the prettiest wedding or the most beautiful photoshoot. In their words, “we built it as a community-driven and jury-evaluated award with questions to finalists that not only show how they work, grow and bring impact to the industry, but also make them think about their business and force them to change something in a positive meaning.”
To me, that is one of the most interesting aspects of the whole concept. These awards are not only about visibility - they are about reflection, positioning and evolution.
That same intention was present in the gala itself. When asked how the experience was structured, Lana and Alexa shared that choosing the right format and location was actually one of the biggest challenges, because this is an international project and accessibility mattered. After considering at least seven different options, they decided to create something that felt more intimate and more human.
As they put it, “we wanted this evening to feel like a big wedding family gathered together, who know each other for long and no borders in communications exist.”
And that is exactly how it felt.
There was a genuine sense of closeness throughout the evening - a warm, elegant and relaxed atmosphere where people from different countries, backgrounds and areas of expertise could connect naturally. The gala took place in Naples on April 8th, hosted by Villa Fattorusso together with Aloha Eventi, with the sea, the light, the city and the overall mood all aligning perfectly to create a memorable setting. The gala photography was beautifully captured by Mario Orsi, with video by Gianluca De Vito, helping preserve the spirit of the evening with sensitivity and style.
What also gives the WEMA Circle Awards strong credibility is the level of the jury involved in choosing the final winners. This year, the panel was made up of ten respected international figures from across the industry: Anand Punjani from Mandarin Oriental Abu Dhabi, Andrea Guima, Diana from Still Miracle, Jacqueline from WIPA, Jennifer from Destination I Do, Kitzia from IADWP, Meltem from Table Design Exhibition, Myrdith from World Bride Magazine, Parry from Weddings & Honeymoons Media, and Sarah from Sarah Feyling Consultants.
The event was also clearly designed to encourage global participation and cross-border visibility. When asked how WEMA fosters connection and collaboration across such an international industry, their answer was simple and direct: visibility, networking, open voting involving more than 5,000 people, media and press exposure, social media presence, and the inside buzz created across the industry.
And when we asked what kind of impact they hope to create beyond recognition, their vision became even more meaningful. They explained that they want to praise those who bring real impact to the development of the wedding industry, while motivating others to reflect on their own business performance, goals, plans and approaches and perhaps become better versions of themselves.
There was also room for humour. When asked about the most memorable moments of this edition, Lana and Alexa admitted that one of the biggest highlights was the public voting itself, what they described as a “real virtual fight for votes” and the incredibly creative ways in which participants tried to gather as many as possible.
As for the winners, this edition celebrated a remarkable group of professionals and brands from different parts of the world. The WEMA Circle Awards 2025 winners were:
Destination Maestro: Penzi Weddings
Iconic Venue: Bosco de’ Medici
Design Visionary: Rui Mota Pinto - Experiential Wedding Author
Destination Lens: Martina H. Weddings
Editorial Crown: Zankyou Weddings Portugal – zankyou.pt
Wedding World Discovery: Gabby Koya, A Flair to Remember
Destination Maestro: Penzi Weddings
Iconic Venue: Bosco de’ Medici
Design Visionary: Wedding Designer & Planner Rui Mota Pinto
Destination Lens: Martina H. Weddings (Representend here by LookMan Film)
Editorial Crown: Zankyou Weddings Portugal – zankyou.pt
Wedding World Discovery: Gabby Koya, A Flair to Remember
For us in Portugal, this edition was particularly meaningful. Not only was Zankyou Portugal distinguished with the Editorial Crown, but Rui Mota Pinto was also recognised with the Design Visionary award, a beautiful international acknowledgement of Portuguese talent, creativity and vision within the wedding industry.
It is also worth highlighting that Made With Love Eventos was among the participants in the WEMA Destination Maestro category, representing Portugal in that segment and reinforcing the presence of Portuguese professionals within this international platform.
Looking back, this night in Naples was not only about receiving an award. It was about witnessing a global industry in motion, one that is becoming more intentional, more collaborative and more aware of the value of positioning, community and impact.
And perhaps that is exactly what makes WEMA so interesting today. It is not simply creating awards, it is creating conversation, connection and a stronger sense of direction for where our industry is going next.
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