Meet the Team
Meet the professionals who guide, educate and support the Elevate & Connect community
Education for Wedding Professionals | Founder, Penny Zachou Special Events | Co‑Founder, Elevate & Connect
We don’t simply organise events
We create professional experiences
Penny Zachou
Penny Zachou is the founder and creative director of Penny Zachou Special Events, a wedding planning and design studio known for its refined aesthetics and personalised approach to luxury celebrations.
With years of experience in high‑end wedding planning, Penny specialises in concept development and client experience design, guiding couples from the initial vision to the final execution. Her work focuses on storytelling through design, combining elegance, attention to detail and a deep understanding of each couple’s personality and lifestyle.
Beyond event production, Penny is passionate about education and professional development within the wedding industry. Through workshops, collaborations and mentoring, she supports wedding planners in building structured processes, improving client communication and developing a strong creative identity, through her second personal brand Education Wedding Professionals.
At Elevate & Connect, as one of the co-founders, she contributes her expertise in design direction, branding, and the client journey — helping professionals understand not only how a wedding looks, but how it is thoughtfully created.
Available for speaking, collaborations and educational programs.
Founder, Live The Dream | Co‑Founder, Epico Destination Weddings & Events | Co‑Founder, Elevate & Connect
Fotini Gkiniou
Fotini Gkiniou is one of the Co-founders of Elevate & Connect, a professional education and networking platform created to support wedding planners and creative entrepreneurs within the wedding industry.
Alongside the platform, she developed her personal brand Live The Dream, through which she shares industry insight, professional guidance and educational content for wedding professionals seeking clarity and direction in their business journey. Professional event planning services also offered at the island of Santorini for couples who are dreaming their destination wedding or celebration at this magic island.
Through her collaboration with Epico Destination Wedding & Events, Fotini is also actively involved in destination wedding productions, gaining hands‑on experience in real wedding environments and international event coordination. This practical involvement allows her to connect education with real‑world application — a core philosophy behind all Elevate & Connect programs.
Recognising the lack of structured support within the industry, she created Elevate & Connect with Penny, as a space where professionals can learn through experience, build meaningful connections and approach their business with confidence and professionalism.
Her work focuses on combining community, education and practical participation through conferences, workshops and destination experiences designed to help wedding professionals grow both creatively and strategically.
Her vision is to build an international network of wedding professionals connected by collaboration, knowledge‑sharing and mutual support, helping them position themselves within the global wedding market.
Available for speaking, collaborations and educational programs.