Somer Khouri Bedran and Lisa Costin

Co-Founders of A Charming Fête

Since the birth of A Charming Fête in 2011, Somer and Lisa have worked side-by-side to grow their business into one of the top wedding planning firms in the country. They often refer to themselves as the “yin and yang” as their different personalities and opposite areas of focus have brought a perfect harmony and balance to their partnership and greatly contributed to the success of their brand.

Lisa operates as Creative Director of A Charming Fête, overseeing and directing the design aesthetic and creative quality of every event while maintaining the integrity and polish of the ACF brand. Lisa’s passion and vision for event design and high level aspirations to produce nothing less than perfect are a driving force within the company. With a maximum attention to detail and a carefully trained eye, producing beautiful cohesive environments and refined, highly personal events is what she does best. Lisa has a Marketing degree and an MBA from John Carroll University.

Somer operates as Event Director of A Charming Fête, overseeing the planning, producing and execution of all events as well as client satisfaction. Bringing an exceptional level of client service and management to the firm, Somer’s push to be the best has helped grow the business to new heights. Serving high profile clientele is her specialty. Often referred to by those who know her as “boss lady”, she is a master at crisis aversion. No obstacle is too large as she routinely navigates effectively and efficiently through any challenge. Somer holds a BSBA Marketing degree from John Carroll University and she also studied at Virginia Marti College of Art and Design.

Together, Lisa and Somer find it most rewarding to watch an event come to fruition, to see the vision fully achieved and the overjoyed emotional reaction of clients when their expectations are exceeded. This in itself is why they do what they do. It is truly a dream job to be entrusted with delivering the gift of joy to their clients on one of the most special days of their lives.

May Chelala . Event Planner, Director South Florida

May joins our team with over 20 years of experience in the luxury hospitality and service industry. She is leading our Southern Florida expansion office with “boots on the ground” and partnering with our creative team to create inspired, luxury events for clients throughout the South. Formerly of The Ritz-Carlton Company, May was honored by ‘The Greater Miami and The Beaches Hotel Association” for Hospitality Leadership Award in South of Florida. May leads with a passionate drive for excellence. Her commitment to honesty, integrity, loyalty and eye for detail contribute to her success in producing luxury, high-touch events with impeccable service.

Nikki Fee . Senior Event Planner

Nikki love to help clients create unforgettable moments and often works alongside Somer and Lisa on the most intricate and detailed large scale events. Her love of bringing people together coupled with her warm yet detail oriented personality make her a dream to work with. Nikki graduated from John Carroll University with a Marketing degree and a minor in Peace, Justice and Human Rights and recently completed her MBA. Nikki found her passion for events through multiple years in the non-profit and fundraising sector . In her free time, you can find Nikki spending time at the beach with friends and family or exploring Cleveland, grabbing a warm beverage at one of our city’s best coffee shops.

Chelsea Dettorre . Senior Event Planner and Production Manager

Chelsea has been an integral member of our team for several years and has grown into a successful Senior Event Planner. She is well seasoned on all types of events and can manage the planning process and day-of production with grace and ease. She is a true go-getter, hardworking, loyal, supportive, creative and highly organized. Her energy keeps the momentum flowing forward for flawless event execution. No obstacle is too large. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Cleveland State. When she is not working on events, she loves to read, craft, bowl and do outdoor activities.

Brynn Szorady . Senior Event Designer

Brynn’s distinctive creativity, keen eye for detail and relentless drive to design and produce unforgettable events has led to her role as a senior event planner and designer on the ACF Team. Brynn is dedicated to providing the highest level of service by collaborating with clients on their vision to create that one-of-a-kind event every client dreams of! Brynn’s warm and outgoing personality along with her contagious smile is what makes the client experience much more personable. Event design has always been Brynn’s passion – whether it’s interior decorating, styling, editing, or creating festive holiday décor, Brynn draws inspiration from daily life and uses her unique flair to ensure that each design is set apart from the others. Brynn is also a very talented photographer by hobby and has captured many behind the scenes details from our events. She also contributes as a content creator and editor for social media. Brynn holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Marketing from The University of Akron. Brynn is a lifelong Clevelander, an avid sports fan and dog mom to her sweet golden retriever, Roo.

Erica Moran . Senior Event Planner

Erica is a Cleveland native, wanderluster, sports fanatic and animal lover. She graduated with a business degree from Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama but chose to return home to Ohio to pursue Event Planning as her passion. With a love for people and beautiful events, Erica loves working with clients on a collaborative vision and bringing it to life in the most harmonious fashion. Her organization skills and attention to detail are always on point. 

Kelsey Aller . Event Planner

Kelsey began with the company as an intern and quickly progressed into an Assistant and then Lead Planner role. Client communication and organization are two of her many strengths. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Kent State University. Prior to event planning, Kelsey honed her patient, calm, genuine demeanor, organization skills and ability to multitask in her previous career as an elementary school teacher. Kelsey has a knack for reading the room, and understands how to accurately respond to the client’s needs. She strives to create a smooth communication process and to deliver the highest level of service for clients, internal team and vendor partners. Her kindness shines bright. In her spare time, Kelsey enjoys traveling with family, wanderlusting with friends and crafting up her next great adventure.  

Alyse Butts . Executive Assistant

Alyse joined the team in 2020 as the Executive Assistant to Somer and Lisa. Previously, she held numerous managerial roles in the business community for 30+ years. She approaches all aspects of her role with a positive attitude and hard-working mindset. She is passionate about our clients and the success of our events. She is the friendly voice that will most likely greet you when you call the Fete office! Alyse enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and golfing.

Roula El-Khoury . Assistant Planner

Kendyl Diggins . Assistant Planner + Coordinator

Abbie Palmer . Event Assistant

Hannah Garcia . Event Assistant

Erin Handwork . Event Assistant and Coordinator

Jacqueline DiCillo . Event Assistant

Julie Kaiser . Event Assistant

See a sampling of their press features here and read reviews and client testimonials here.