Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandria Oscar.
Alexandria, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember, event planning was always a part of my life. When I was younger, my family would host cookouts and birthday parties. After college, I interned at a record label, and the executives would have me organize private dinners and promotional events. Years later, while working full-time in retail, and then in education, I planned all kinds of events for my family and friends. Anything from baby showers to fun getaways, and even a divorce party. At the time, I didn’t think of event planning as a passion or a career path. It was just something I did when asked. It wasn’t until planning my own wedding that I realized I was passionate about it.
Before I was even engaged, I was obsessed with Say Yes to the Dress and David Tutera’s My Fair Wedding. Being a huge fan, I really wanted David to plan our wedding. However, knowing the show didn’t tape anywhere near Florida, and we couldn’t afford him, we decided to look for planners in our budget. Once we got engaged, we met with planners, but I didn’t feel a connection with anyone. I was having a hard time trusting anyone to plan our day the way we wanted it. So, we decided to plan it ourselves. It soon became one of the best and worst decisions I’ve ever made. The best part about it was I had finally realized that this was my purpose. I loved everything about the process! Calling and meeting new vendors, researching and touring venues to see who worked well for us, were just a few of my favorite things. It just felt so natural to me. However, the worst part was it was a very stressful and emotional time. We were on a limited budget, and I placed this expectation on myself to have the perfect wedding. Needless to say, our wedding day was anything but perfect. There was so much going on that I didn’t eat or get to just fully be in the moment. It was a beautiful day that I’ll cherish forever, but in the end, I could have used the help of a planner.
The bright side of my experience (aside from marrying my husband) was it made me realize that planning events, especially weddings, wasn’t as easy as it seemed. So, I made it my mission to learn more. I learned more about the industry as a whole, and got certified in Wedding Planning. My journey has taught me that an event may be a moment in time, but the experiences you create for others will stay with them for a lifetime. That’s why my focus isn’t just about creating a beautiful, stress-free event. It’s also about understanding my clients’ lives, helping them attain their hopes, while not sacrificing their needs. We’re in the business of making memories, and so far, they’ve been doing pretty good.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As the saying goes, “Nothing worth having, comes easy.” The life of an entrepreneur is a perfect example. Many people, including myself, want to be their own boss, have the flexibility to travel, or have “financial freedom”. However, you’re not guaranteed any of these things when you’re self-employed. For instance, when you’re an employee, your career path is laid out for you. You know what skills are required of you, how many hours you need to work, how much and how often you’ll get paid and what you need to do to be promoted to the next level. It’s not that simple as an entrepreneur. There are tons of books, videos, and courses you can take to learn how to succeed, but going through the experience is the best teacher. You’ll have victories, but you’ll also have failures. How you learn and grow from your experiences, will determine how successful you will become.
For me, one of the biggest struggles I’ve faced has been transitioning. Recently, my husband and I quit our 9 to 5, sold our house, moved our family to a new city, and all while raising a toddler and starting our full-time business. If that sounds like a lot, just imagine living it. We always knew we wanted something different for our lives and our family. So, though it hasn’t been easy, it’s been worth the risk.
However, we still have rough days. When things aren’t going great, I have a few things that help keep me going, and one is my support system. It’s not just made up of my loved ones, but it’s also mentors and colleagues who have been where I am and understand how to get past the low points to the other side. I believe it’s important to have great mentors to help you navigate your path. One of the best things they taught me was to make time for myself and my family. Though most of us believe we need to work nonstop when you’re starting your business (and you do to a certain extent), if you don’t remember your WHY (the reason you’re doing this in the first place), you’ll burn out. You have to enjoy the journey while working towards the destination.
Jacqueline Anne Occasions – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Jacqueline Anne Occasions, formerly known as Special Occasions by Alexandria Oscar is a boutique event and wedding planning company that specializes in customer experiences. See, we don’t just want to help you create a beautiful event, we want to get to know you, help you with your life goals and help you enjoy the process. We know that there are many options for clients to choose from, but what sets us apart is our core beliefs. Once we’ve agreed we’re a good fit for each other, you become a part of our family. We not only help you plan your vision for your event but your future goals. Whether it’s expanding your business, raising money for a good cause, saving for a house, or starting a family, we’re invested in you as person, not a transaction.
Another value that sets us apart, are the services we offer. For weddings, we offer Full Wedding Planning, Wedding Management, Blueprint Planning, and Proposal services. For those planning events outside of weddings, we give you the option of Event Planning, Event Design or both. With all our services, we’re able to tailor it to fit your needs and budget. We do this because we understand that hiring a planner is an investment, and you should get the best results for that investment. That’s why we do not offer Day of/Month of Coordination under our wedding services. Instead, we offer Wedding Management. By not attaching a time constraint to our time together, we can start assisting you earlier in the process and make it that much easier for you to have all your personal goals met.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Choosing just one proud moment is really hard, so I’ll share three. Lol, the first moment is when I met the legends, David Tutera and Preston Bailey, and booked my first wedding clients. What’s special about it is it all happened on the same day, at the same Bridal Expo. The second moment was my husband and I being able to quit our 9 to 5 to pursue this dream full-time. I know everyone doesn’t get the opportunity to go after their dreams. So, I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity. Last, but certainly not least, every time a client says that we’ve exceeded their expectations, I feel like a proud parent. I think of each event like my baby, and seeing them grow into something that brings happiness to others makes me feel amazing!
Pricing:
- Event Planning and Event Design services starts at $500.00. However, they are custom quoted based on type of event, number of guests, and theme/concept.
- Blueprinting Planning starts at $1,500.00.
- Wedding Management starts at $3,000.00.
- Full Wedding Planning starts at $4,500.00.
- For information on our Proposal Planning services, please contact us.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jaoccasions.com
- Phone: (754) 300-7803
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jaoccasions
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/JAOccasions
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/jaoccasions/
Image Credit:
Courtesy of Let’s Plan Conference, Lyarks Films, Visual Culture Photography and MsRyot Photography, Lori Sevener Photography,
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