Ophélia and Dimitri, the wedding planner duo who chose Valencia

She grew up in Biarritz, he in Gustavia, on the island of Saint-Barthélemy. After years in high-end events, from New York to the Middle East via Paris and Spain, Ophélia and Dimitri set up the headquarters of ODE Events, their wedding and events agency, in Valencia. A portrait of a wedding planner duo for whom hospitality is second nature.

Who are Ophélia and Dimitri?

Dimitri is from Gustavia, in Saint-Barthélemy. His island gave him an early taste for hospitality and fine addresses. He spent ten years in event organisation and luxury hospitality, in France, the United States and then the Middle East, before founding his own agency. His projects later took him to the Iberian Peninsula and Greece.

Ophélia comes from Biarritz, on the Basque coast. Her career began in Spain, in event hospitality, in Barcelona and then Tenerife, where she specialised in luxury weddings and celebrations bringing together families from different cultures. She then moved to New York, before joining a high-end Parisian agency to organise events in France and Italy.

Two different paths, the same culture of hospitality, which they trace back to their roots. "Our respective backgrounds no doubt helped shape our sensibility," they say.

How was ODE Events born?

They met professionally, while working for the same luxury concierge service. Each already had their own events company, and they quickly realised they shared the same world and the same standards. "The idea of working together came about quite naturally," they recall. Their networks complement each other: he knows the Middle East, the Iberian Peninsula and Greece, she knows France, Italy and Spain.

ODE Events was born from this wish to combine their strengths. Ophélia and Dimitri organise weddings and family celebrations, often for international, binational or expat couples whose guests arrive from several countries. They work in French, English and Spanish.

Why did they choose Valencia?

For Dimitri, Valencia was first linked to his husband's work, who runs his company there. The city quickly became much more than a professional anchor: its architecture, its way of life and its energy won him over. The couple is now building their house in Es Cubells, on Ibiza, to split their life between the Balearics and Valencia.

Ophélia, for her part, lives between Valencia and Biarritz. She was won over by the climate, the cultural richness and the balance between urban energy and Mediterranean ease. Valencia has become the place where she spends much of her time.

It is here, then, that they set up ODE Events' headquarters, with the ambition of growing mainly across Europe.

Which wedding has marked them the most?

Not one particular wedding, but moments. "What marks us most are often the moments that appear in no plan," they explain.

They think of weddings where, after months of preparation, families arriving from all four corners of the world come together around the newlyweds. Differences of language, culture and generation fade away, and everyone shares the same emotion.

The unexpected, meanwhile, sometimes creates the best memories: a last-minute change of weather, a ceremony hastily reorganised, an improvised speech. The job, then, is to keep smiling and find solutions, so the newlyweds remember only the magic of the moment, without guessing what happened behind the scenes.

What are their favourite addresses in Valencia?

For weddings, they have a soft spot for Campo Aníbal, whose charm suits elegant celebrations, and for the Jardín de l'Albarda, near Dénia, with its Mediterranean gardens and exceptional vegetation.

In the city, they recommend La Salita, chef Begoña Rodrigo's restaurant, for a refined dinner, and the terraces of the Only YOU hotel for a drink right in the city centre. For more ideas, see our selection of Valencia's great restaurants.

They advise their guests to take the time to discover historic Valencia: the lanes of the Carmen district, the Lonja de la Seda, the Mercado Central and the Turia gardens, not to mention the City of Arts and Sciences. And then the sea, long walks and good food, that very Valencian way of enjoying life. To get your bearings, our guide to Valencia's 8 neighbourhoods.

What advice do they give future newlyweds?

For Ophélia and Dimitri, the most common mistake is starting with flowers, colours and inspiration found online. Instead, they advise asking three questions:

1. First, what truly matters to us?
2. Second, what experience do we want to offer our guests?
3. Third, which priorities do we refuse to compromise on?

"From there, every decision becomes more coherent," they sum up. Their detailed advice, from paperwork to budget, can be found in our guide getting married in Valencia as a foreigner.

What do they love about their work?

"The deeply human side of our work," they answer: creating unique experiences, supporting people through moments that truly matter to them, and seeing, at the end of a celebration, the memories come to life thanks to all the work done behind the scenes.

Their addresses in practice

• Campo Aníbal: reception venue (Google Maps)
• Jardín de l'Albarda, near Dénia: Mediterranean gardens (Google Maps)
• La Salita, Begoña Rodrigo's restaurant (Google Maps)
• Only YOU Hotel Valencia, terraces (Google Maps)

Frequently asked questions

Who founded ODE Events?

ODE Events was founded by Ophélia, from Biarritz, and Dimitri, from Saint-Barthélemy. Both already had their own events company before joining forces.

Where is ODE Events based?

The agency is headquartered in Valencia, Spain, and is growing mainly across Europe.

What languages do Ophélia and Dimitri work in?

French, English and Spanish.

Which wedding venues do they recommend around Valencia?

Campo Aníbal and the Jardín de l'Albarda, near Dénia.