For years, Aja Zylberberg has been the one behind the scenes, shaping weddings with a level of precision that’s made DUET Events one of the most sought-after planning studios in the country. She built her career guiding other people’s decisions, quietly steering everything from tone to timing with a practiced hand.
Now, she’s making those decisions for herself, and what matters has a way of coming into focus. Here, she shares the guidance she gives every client.
Start With the Right People
If there’s one decision Aja approaches without hesitation, it’s this one. “The right planner or vendor does more than execute,” she says. “They shape the entire experience.” It’s less about hiring help, and more about alignment of taste, communication, and instinct. The same holds true across the board: photographers, florists, caterers. On paper, many will appear similar. In practice, the difference between good and exceptional is immediate and lasting.
Decide How You're Spending Before You Start Spending
Budgets, she’s quick to point out, are rarely the issue. Lack of clarity is. Before booking anything, she encourages couples to define what actually matters to them and build from there. Not everything can be a priority, and trying to make it so is often where the process begins to unravel. “The couples who enjoy it most,” she says, “are the ones who make fewer, more deliberate decisions early on.”
Register Earlier Than You Think
Most couples leave this too late, treating it as a final task rather than an early consideration. But in Aja’s view, the registry is not an afterthought. It is foundational, and one of the few parts of the process that extends beyond the wedding itself. “It’s a moment to think about how you want to live,” she says. Her advice is simple: include a range of price points, think beyond the obvious, and choose pieces you will actually use. The process becomes less about assembling a list and more about curating a home.
>The Venue Sets Everything in Motion
More than any other decision, the venue defines the tone. It shapes how guests move through the space, how the evening unfolds, and how the atmosphere is built and sustained. It is where the practical and the aesthetic meet. Aja’s approach is measured: see multiple spaces, ask more questions than you think you need to, and pay close attention to how each one feels.
Have a Plan for What You Can Control
Weather is the obvious variable, but rarely the only one. “The best weddings feel seamless,” she says. “But that only happens when there’s a plan behind the scenes.” Backup spaces, tents, contingencies. None of it is particularly glamorous. But it is what allows everything else to appear effortless.
Make the Ceremony Yours
The ceremony is often the most overlooked part of the day. Couples will spend months refining the reception and only a fraction of that time considering the ceremony itself, despite the fact that it is the reason everyone has gathered. Aja encourages a shift in focus. “Your ceremony should feel like you,” she says. Write your own vows, if you can. Choose readings and music that carry meaning. Work with an officiant who understands the tone you are trying to create. Because in the end, it is not the details people remember. It is the feeling.
When it comes to her own registry, Aja applies the same thinking: considered, practical, and built for how you actually live.
Looking for a wedding planner? Get in touch with DUET: https://thisisduet.com @thisisduet
