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Zuriana’s Elegant Occasions serves the Maryland, DC, and Virginia areas.  We are available for travel worldwide.

We provide full service special event planning for:
 
Engagement Parties, Bridal Showers, Bachelorette Parties, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Quinceañeras, Anniversaries, Birthday Parties, Family Reunions, Baby Showers, Holiday and Themed Parties.

We also provide a number of wedding planning services such as: 

The Orchid

'Your Dream Planning'. Your wedding date has been set. You need a professional to guide you through the entire wedding planning process.  We assist you with planning your ideal event from your engagement to ‘I Do’. 

The Tea Rose

'Your Personal Signature Planning'. Many details of your wedding day have your personality woven throughout the design. We are here to enhance your day and make it truly unique by assisting you with finalizing all of the important details. Services begin 6 to 8 weeks prior to your event.

The Lily of the Valley

'Your Wedding Day Planning.'  You have finalized every detail to make your special day complete. We will orchestrate your vendors and your event while ensuring everything runs smoothly on your wedding day. Services begin one month prior to your event.

The Orange Blossom

'Your Custom Wedding Planning.'  We provide assistance and guidance in select areas. You choose the planning services that best suit your needs.  Services are offered on an hourly basis. Allow us to assist you during your wedding planning process.

Whatever your wedding planning needs, we would be honored to assist you with your special day. Your complimentary consultation begins with a phone call to Zuriana's Elegant Occasions,  (301) 358-1818.

Invitations

Choose from our extraordinary selection of invitations to set the tone for your upcoming event. Personalize your invitations to complement your style. Enjoy a selection of traditional and contemporary designs, destination and seasonal themes, and luxurious papers with hand-crafted embellishments. For the discerning bride, we will work one-on-one to create a custom invitation for your wedding.

DIY brides, view our Carlson Craft , eInvite, or our Birchcraft Studios online store for incredible inspirational invitations that you can personalize thus creating excitement for your wedding.

For the discerning bride, we will work one-on-one to create a custom invitation that sets the tone for your wedding.  Contact us to set up your invitation design appointment.

Favors and Gifts

Your guests will be ecstatic at your gift choices when you choose from our distinctive selection of favors and gifts for your wedding. Enjoy our personalized gift selection service and select favors and gifts that match your wedding theme and style.  Contact us for more details.

Honeymoons, Destination Wedding, and Vacation Planning!

Zuriana’s Elegant Occasions is pleased to offer destination wedding, honeymoon, and vacation planning services through Sandals and Beaches Resorts. Sandals is a luxury included® vacation offering romance, unsurpassed service, gourmet cuisine, watersports, off-shore island adventures, amazing beaches, as well as breathtaking sunsets in exotic locales such as the Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, Turks and Caicos, and St. Lucia.

Include your family and friends when you plan a family reunion, anniversary, girlfriend getaway, golf tournament, dive trip, or other themed events.  Plan your Sandals or Beaches vacation today!   I recently returned from touring several gorgeous Sandals Resorts in Ocho Rios,  Jamaica. 

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Free Personalized Napkins!   Posted By: Zuriana's Elegant Occasions Details and personal touches are what helps your wedding stand out. Personalized napkins are the perfect way to add ... (more) Expires: Dec 31, 2009 Applies to Invitations

Win a gift basket with a free autographed copy of Vegan Scoop!   Posted By: Zuriana's Elegant Occasions Win a gift basket with an autographed copy of Vegan Scoop! This dairy free ice cream is fabulous and contains less c... (more) Applies to Unique Services

Save 10% on Your Wedding Invitations and Accessories   Posted By: Zuriana's Elegant Occasions Save 10% on your wedding announcements, save-the-date cards, invitations, programs, and ceremony essentials when you ... (more) Applies to Invitations

Balance Wedding Photography	Holly is a top knotch wedding planner and coordinator. Her events run smoothly, on time and everyone has a great time. Her brides don't experience any worry and all the other vendors love her too! Working with Holly is always great ~ we know that every detail will be attended to. Very highly recommended!!!
Haute Cocoa	Holly is terrific! Her blog is so fun and informative. You can trust your wedding day to her.
Chapel of Love Ceremonies	The first wedding I watched Holly plan was at Glenview Manison. And I was quite impressed with her. She is knowledgeable, hard working, dedicated, resourceful, flexible, and she has a calm demeanor. Holly possesses all the attributes needed for a great wedding planner. Each of my brides, who have used her services, came back with rave reviews. Therefore, I recommend her to others; and I enjoy working with her.

Tips on Choosing Your Wedding Photographer

by Zuriana’s Elegant Occasions

Should you choose an independent photographer or a large photography studio for your wedding photography needs? As with any business there is a benefit to working with a smaller company as opposed to working with a larger company. This philosophy applies to the wedding industry as well. I personally recommend that my clients work with independent photographers. There are a number of benefits to working with independent photographers:

• you receive personal attention and assistance
• independent photographers have time for you and will spend time with you 

You should take your time when choosing your photographer and choose wisely. You’re investing a lot of time and money for your wedding. Don’t you want the right photographer to capture memories of your special day?

I call the following a mini horror story. I have a client that I worked with last year. They were married late April at Glenview Mansion in Rockville, MD. Glenview is a gorgeous mansion. The wedding was beautiful and the weather was perfect for an outdoor wedding. Guess what, the bride hasn’t chosen her pictures yet and she will pay dearly for them if she decides she still wants them.

Unfortunately my client chose a large photography studio to take photos and videos of her wedding. She chose the studio by herself and before I met her. Because the bride and the groom did not place their order and/or pay their final balance within the time frame specified in the photography agreement they are accruing weekly late fees. You read that correctly. They are accruing weekly late fees on their wedding pictures. At this point they owe about $400 extra for just photography. No telling what late fees they may owe for their video. I am so upset for them. They are a fabulous couple and were terrific to work with. Chances are if they had an independent photographer they would not be paying late fees for not rushing to get their wedding pictures.

As a Wedding Planner I personally like working with independent photographers because:

• They are great to work with
• They provide personalized attention
• Some offer packages tailored to the clients needs
• They provide images to me which help showcase all of my hard work
• They are flexible  

 

I hope these tips will help you choose the right photographer for your wedding.  Be sure to read your agreements carefully.

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How to Select a Professional Wedding Planner

by Zuriana’s Elegant Occasions

Why should you hire a Wedding Planner for your upcoming wedding? Professional Wedding Planners are an invaluable resource. They can help save you time and ultimately money. Planners allow you and your fiancé the time to enjoy your engagement and help reduce some of the stress of planning your wedding.

I am an advocate for professional Wedding Planners because I know how involved planning a wedding can be. There are so many options to consider, so many vendors to choose from, so many details to think about. Yes those details… I have had many a client say how exciting yet overwhelming the wedding planning process can be.

I had a Day of Coordinator for my wedding. I don’t know what I would have done without her. In hindsight a Wedding Planner would have been a godsend to me, however I did not think we could afford one. I assumed that Wedding Planners were only for those that are “well off”. No way could my fiancé and I afford a planner with only $10,000 to spend on our entire wedding and with us footing the bill. Guess what, any wedding planner worth their salt will ultimately pay for themselves in the long run. Think of all of the time you’ll save, the great vendor referrals you’ll receive, and the peace of mind you will have from knowing your wedding will run smoothly. That’s money well spent.

So how do you go about choosing a wedding planner? Search for a planner the same way you would search for your photographer, videographer or even your caterer. Do not choose strictly based on price alone. Ultimately you get what you pay for. Would you trust just any photographer to capture images of your special day? You want a professional planner to guide you through the maze of planning an amazing wedding. After all, you are investing a whole lot of time and money on your wedding.

Interview two or three planners and choose the best fit for you. Some things to look for when choosing an ideal wedding planner:

• Look for a Wedding Planner that has experience.
• Find out how long he or she has been in the industry.
• Has the planner had any formal education?
• Does the planner have any professional affiliations such as but not limited to: Weddings Beautiful, June Weddings, Association of Bridal Consultants, Maryland Wedding Professionals Association, National Association of Catering Executives, or International Special Events Society?
• Does the planner attend any professional conferences?
• Do you like the planner as a person?
• Does the planner’s personality and your personality mesh? 
• Does the planner appear to love what he or she does? You’ll be spending a lot of time with the planner depending on the level of service you desire.
• Does the planner present themselves in a professional manner? 
• Does the planner have a business license? 
• Does the planner have proof of liability insurance?
• Can the planner provide you with any referrals?

Following these guidelines will help you find a professional Wedding Planner that is best suited for you and will allow you to be a guest at your own wedding.