Thoughtful planning. Calm guidance. Celebrations that feel like you.
Benessamy is a wedding and event planning company founded and led by Val Mattinson.
We plan weddings, private celebrations and events across London, the Midlands and throughout the UK, as well as destination weddings in the Caribbean.
Our approach is simple. We listen carefully, give honest advice, stay on top of the details and make sure you always know what's happening.
Most importantly, we want you to enjoy the experience.
Because while there is a lot that goes into planning a wedding or event, it shouldn't feel like you're doing it all on your own.
I'm Val, founder and Director of Benessamy.
I love bringing people, ideas and all the moving parts of an event together. I love the detail, the problem-solving and the moment when everything we've been working towards finally comes together.
Perhaps more than anything, I love making people feel looked after. That's something that has stayed at the heart of Benessamy since I started the business in 2011.
I know that planning a wedding or event can feel exciting one minute and completely overwhelming the next. There are hundreds of decisions to make, lots of people involved and, inevitably, a few things that don't go quite according to plan. My job is to help you navigate all of that.
I'll listen to what you want, help you work out what matters most, bring in the right people and keep everything moving behind the scenes. And when something unexpected happens, I'll be the person calmly working out what to do next.
Before Benessamy, I worked as a solicitor and in corporate affairs, where I was involved in organising high-profile events, ministerial visits and royal engagements.
It gave me a very good grounding in organisation, attention to detail and managing complicated logistics. It also taught me how important it is to stay calm when there are lots of moving parts and things don't quite go to plan.
But the idea of becoming a wedding planner came from somewhere much more personal.
When my brother and sister-in-law got married in Barbados, a few things didn't go quite according to plan. I stepped in to help coordinate the day and discovered that I loved it. Not just the organising. The people, the atmosphere, the problem-solving and the satisfaction of seeing everything come together. It was the beginning of something I hadn't expected.
I retrained as a wedding planner and launched Benessamy in 2011.
More than 15 years later, I'm still doing what I love.
"I so wish I’d known about Benessamy before I got married! Val was the wedding planner for my sister-in-law's amazing wedding....It was a mind blowing brief for 250 people and she handled it all with such finesse, accuracy and calm. The whole day was just incredible, there was nothing left undone, it was perfect and effortless in every way." - Lucy
Over the years, I've planned hundreds of weddings and events and spent thousands of hours bringing them to life.
I've worked with couples and hosts with very different ideas, priorities and personalities. Some know exactly what they want. Others know how they want their celebration to feel but aren't quite sure how to get there.
Both are absolutely fine.
There is no Benessamy formula.
We start with you.
What matters to you? What do you want your guests to remember? What do you want the day to feel like? And, perhaps just as importantly, what do you really not want to have to worry about?
From there, we build the plans around you.
It's about bringing experience and structure to the process without taking away the personality that makes your celebration yours.
There's a phrase we use to describe how we work: Warm Precision. It means being warm, approachable and genuinely interested in you, while being exceptionally thorough behind the scenes. It's about knowing the detail without losing sight of the bigger picture, knowing when to offer advice and when to step back, and spotting potential problems before they become problems.
Most importantly, it's about being the person you can turn to when you need a second opinion, a bit of reassurance or simply want to ask, “What do you think?”
For us, that's what good planning looks like.
Of course, planning a wedding or event involves spreadsheets, schedules, suppliers, budgets, timings and an awful lot of emails.
But that's only part of the job.
We're also thinking about how people will move through the day, how the room will feel when they arrive, whether your guests have what they need and what happens if something changes at the last minute.
We're thinking about the things you may never notice because they've been handled properly.
That's the part of planning we really enjoy.
Making something complicated feel simple.
Our work has been recognised nationally, including being Highly Commended at the national finals of The Wedding Industry Awards and being named Best Wedding Planner in the East Midlands on multiple occasions. I'm also proud to be a Judge for The Wedding Industry Awards and a Founding Member of the UK Wedding Association.
For me, industry recognition is lovely, but it's not really what motivates me. The feedback I value most is from the couples and clients we've worked with.
Knowing that they felt listened to. Knowing they trusted us and they were able to enjoy their wedding or event rather than worrying about what was happening behind the scenes.
That's what matters.
We plan weddings and events across London, the Midlands and throughout the UK, including London, the Midlands, Yorkshire and beyond.
We also specialise in destination weddings in the Caribbean, working with couples planning celebrations in destinations including Barbados, Saint Lucia, Antigua, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
Whether we're planning a marquee wedding in the English countryside or a destination celebration in the Caribbean, the principles remain the same.
Listen carefully. Plan thoroughly. Be there when it matters.
Planning with Benessamy means having someone in your corner from the first conversation to the final farewell. Someone who listens, knows the right questions to ask, gives honest advice when we think there's a better way, and pays attention to the details that can so easily be missed. And when plans change, as they inevitably sometimes do, we stay calm and work out what needs to happen next.
Ultimately, that's what we're here for. To take care of the planning, the logistics and everything happening behind the scenes, so you can spend less time worrying about what needs to happen next and more time being present for the people and moments that matter.
That’s Benessamy.
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" Thank you so much for the kind card, and most importantly, your wonderful suggestions and judgements on what was needed for my party. It went off brilliantly in every way, and I spent Sunday..reading a flood of gushing messages from my friends who all seemed to have the time of their lives. Everything was perfect: venue, vibe, food, drink and entertainment, with Cassie & Jen being absolute stars. I really cannot thank you enough. "
Anindita
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" Val helped my husband plan a surprise 50th birthday weekend for me - and it was truly amazing in every way and I know he couldn't have done it without her! The sheer scale of the events and the wonderful surprises that just kept on coming were a master class in planning and attention to detail. And the icing on the cake, Val is a warm and lovely person who genuinely did everything she could to make my birthday one I will never forget. Thanks so much Val! "
Sally
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" You can’t put a price on the reassurance of knowing there’s someone there for you on the day doing everything in their power to make sure you have the best possible time and you’re shielded from questions or any hiccups, only exposed to the fun and joy surrounding you. Val’s incredibly thorough approach and calm demeanour worked perfectly and I was so grateful to have complete trust in her that she understood our vision for the day and executed it to perfection. "
Jess & Ben
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" Val and her team were absolutely amazing and were pivotal to the success of the day. Val is super calm, yet focused on the job in hand. She has a lovely manner that motivates everyone and nothing is too much trouble, any issues are overcome without a drama. Val runs the event in the background like clockwork, anticipating every guest’s needs and ensures the perfect day is delivered. She is a true professional and I have no hesitation in recommending Val and her team. "
Lauren and Oliver
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Thoughtful planning. Calm guidance. Celebrations that feel like you.
Whether you have a clear vision already or you're not quite sure where to begin, we would love to hear what you're planning.
Tell us a little about your wedding or event, what matters most to you and where you'd like some help. From there, we'll talk through what you need and whether Benessamy is the right fit.
edit_calendar Book an introductory call
About Benessamy
Val Mattinson
Director and Head Planner
call +44 (0)7787 422451
mail events@benessamy.co.uk
Whether you have a clear vision already or you're not quite sure where to begin, we would love to hear what you're planning.
Tell us a little about your wedding or event, what matters most to you and where you'd like some help. From there, we'll talk through what you need and whether Benessamy is the right fit.
https://www.benessamy.co.uk/about-us.html
Away from weddings and events, you'll usually find me spending time with family, travelling, discovering new places to eat, listening to good music or enjoying a long walk, preferably somewhere near the water. I also love yoga and the occasional spa day.
Travel has always been a big part of my life and a constant source of inspiration, both personally and professionally. I'm always looking forward to discovering somewhere new.
Alongside Benessamy, I also work with business owners through my business coaching and consultancy.