About me
Dayana
I believe in aesthetics that move you, and in planning that truly matters.
For me, weddings are projects. My favourite kind.
But for my couples, they shouldn’t feel like one.
They should feel easy, emotional and natural.
Like everything simply falls into place.
I believe in the power of moments, in that almost intangible feeling that arises when everything comes together in harmony. People, emotions, light, scent, music.
Maybe this belief comes from having experienced it myself and understanding what a wedding can truly hold.
In September 2023, in Tuscany, my husband and I celebrated for three days in a way that felt once in a lifetime. A welcome dinner under olive trees, a ceremony in a historic church in Montalcino, an evening in a villa filled with voices, candlelight and rain.
A storm arrived just as we were about to dance and turned everything into something even more beautiful. Nothing felt accidental, yet everything unfolded with ease.
That experience shaped the way I see weddings today. True beauty happens when emotion meets intention, when every detail carries meaning and atmosphere becomes the heart of it all.
At the time, I could not find a wedding planner who truly combined style with soul. Today, I have become that person.
Essenza by Dayana, The Wedding Atelier, is my response to that longing for authenticity, for depth and for moments that stay.
I am based in Cologne and work between Germany and Italy, creating weddings with a strong sense of atmosphere, detail and quiet elegance.
My roots lie in Ecuador and Italy, two cultures that have shaped my sense of emotion and aesthetics. Bringing people together and creating meaningful experiences has always been part of who I am.
For as long as I can remember, I have hosted. Long tables, shared meals, music and conversations that linger. My friends still talk about these moments years later, not because of the details, but because of how they felt.
That is my essence. Essenza.
I travel to Italy several times a year, often to Tuscany, where I find inspiration in the light, the landscape and the stillness in between. All of this flows into my work.
I am a certified wedding planner because aesthetics alone are not enough. Behind every beautiful moment lies structure, knowledge and experience.
My weddings are not concepts. They are compositions.
A balance of aesthetics, intuition and a quiet elegance that cannot be explained, only felt.
Dayana Banditelli
Founder and Creative Director
Essenza by Dayana, The Wedding Atelier
​
Intuitive.
Authentic.
Empathetic.
Bonny
WHAT INSPIRES ME
Knitting in the evening – when everything slows down.
New experiences.
FOMO, in the best possible way.
Japan.
Long-haul travel.
Dogs. All of them.
Dinner evenings in good company.
Cologne.
Pop girl energy.
A true girls’ girl.
Latin music.
Jazz playing softly in the background.
Bonny – my heart on four paws.
Family evenings shaped by my mother’s South American kitchen – loud, vivid, familiar.
Travel.
Italy.
Tuscany.
Apulia.
Sea. Mountains. Cities.
Vino. Espresso. Cappuccino. Matcha.
Cycling – for a clear mind.
Reading.
Book clubs.
Bossa nova.
Autumn.
Painting ceramics.
Peaches.
Good food.
Morning walks with my husband and Bonny, discovering cafés along the way.
Pilates.
Series and films in their original language.
Cooking for friends – multiple courses, wine, and conversations that linger.
Deep talk