Our Story
The heart behind every celebration.
Founded in Dubai in 2020 by a designer and strategist who planned her own wedding and couldn't find the planner she deserved. For her, weddings aren't a business, but rather a celebration of love and family, and a personal passion.
Photo 1 of 6: A Weddings by Zoya celebration
How we came to be.
In 2020, amid the pandemic, creative strategist and designer Zoya Shaban found herself planning her own wedding in Dubai, as a bride who lived in Toronto, and quickly discovered the wedding industry felt transactional, opaque and overwhelmingly impersonal. Vendors spoke in fixed packages, timelines were vague and budgets had gaps no one explained.
So she created the team and became the planner she wished she'd had. Weddings by Zoya was founded on a single conviction: planning your wedding should feel as beautiful and effortless as the day itself — with full transparency, a trusted partner and team in your corner, and genuine care for every detail.
Since then, Weddings by Zoya has served over 20 families across the UAE and internationally. Unlike other planners across the globe, Weddings by Zoya works very selectively, often taking on no more than 8 weddings a year, in order to fully devote their time to providing a 360 experience to brides and families.
A Message from our Founder
A letter of gratitude
“Hi families and brides and grooms, I am so touched you have taken time to visit our website and learn more about Weddings by Zoya. This year, our business and my marriage turn 5, and as the years go by and I meet more and more incredible families, I am moved by the immense honour my team and I are given daily, to take part in the most special moments of your life!
You deserve a planner and a support team who treat your occasion as if it were their own, who listen first, design second and never lose sight of what the day is actually about.
I’m so proud to say that we have built and cultivated just that - our team are a group of some of the most skilled and accomplished planners and designers from across the globe and I can’t wait for you to meet them and love them, just as I do!
Speak soon!”
Born and raised in Dubai
Bachelor of Design in Art and Fashion
Ivy House UK Leadership Grant
2x Award Winner of the Middle East PR Awards
30 Under 30 Recipient for Communicate Magazine
10+ years in the creative industry working with brands like Hermès, Tom Ford and KENZO
Why Work With Us
What sets us apart.
Intentionally boutique
We deliberately limit how many weddings we take each year, for us, its never about volume, it’s about the relationships and how your weddings deserves and will reserve our full attention.
Design-educated perspective
Our founder Zoya’s robust and extensive background in design and communications means every aesthetic and functional designer, from invitations to florals and flow, is considered with a trained and experienced eye.
Complete financial transparency
Our in-house accountant shares a live tracking document that showcases your budget and our total costs at all points during planning. We are flexible and able to showcase all ranges of options to our clients, no mark-ups, no hidden fees.
Your advocate, not a vendor
We have navigated weddings plans through a global pandemic and ongoing war, we sit on your side of the table, and support you every step of the way.
Begin Your Journey
Ready to begin?
Every extraordinary wedding begins with a conversation. Tell us about your vision and we'll show you what's possible.
Reach Out