Anu and Sunny’s Hotel Del Coronado Wedding

This wedding was gorgeous down to every last detail! The couple hosted a reception dinner the night before the wedding, getting all of the guests ready for the incredible wedding to come!  The Sikh ceremony was full of bright reds, oranges, silvers and golds and had so many beautiful details incorporated.  The couple’s traditional ceremony and reception was held at Hotel Del Coronado, with the ceremony being outdoors on the lawn and the reception indoors in a beautiful decorated ballroom.

Splendid Senteiments did an incredible job with the floral design throughout each part of the wedding, adding bright, bold colors to the Sikh ceremony and keeping it neutral with light touches of color throughout the traditional ceremony and reception.  Monsoon Group outdid themselves with the delicious spread of food at the reception, not to mention the desserts by Cupcakes Squared!  And, thanks to Fusion Sounds, the evening never seemed to end with dancing and partying late into the night!

We had so much fun planning with this special couple! Thank you to Studio Merima for capturing each part of Anu and Sunny’s wedding weekend, the photo’s are gorgeous and we are thrilled to share!

Venue: Hotel Del Coronado
Photography: Studio Merima
Ceremony & Reception Musician: Fusion Sounds
Bakery: Cupcakes Squared
Florist: Splendid Senteiments
Caterer: Monsoon Group
Videography: Jerry C. Visuals
Lighting: Fusion Sounds
Coordination: Wedding Elegance by Nahid

A Shabby Chic Vintage Rose Wedding

This rustic wedding, as featured on Maharani Weddings, was the perfect mix of romantic and shabby chic. The wedding ceremony was held at the breathtaking Jain Center of Southern California and was full of deep reds, golds and white.  The Orange County Vintage Rose was the perfect reception venue for this couple’s style and we cannot get enough of the stunning photos captured by Nicoletta Daskalakis Photography.  The mix of the deep colors and Indian design with the vintage venue made this wedding so uniquely beautiful.  From the gorgeous floral decor designed by Kumba Entertainment to the turquoise mason jars, this wedding was nothing short of rustic glam!

Planning & Design: Wedding Elegance by Nahid
Hair & Makeup: Nicoletta Daskalakis Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist
Photography: Nicoletta Daskalakis Photography
Ceremony Venue: The Jain Center of Southern California
Reception Venue: The Vintage Rose
Cinematography: Digital Eye Studio
Floral & Decor: Kumba Entertainment
Catering: Jay Bharat
DJs & Entertainment: Indisax

Persian Jewish Wedding Customs: After the Ceremony

Welcome to our third and final installment of the Persian Jewish Wedding Customs blog series! If you missed out on our past entries, then make your way over to Before the Wedding, and The Ceremony.

So after the initial vows are done, here are some options for you and your groom to embrace.

The “yichud” is a pretty cool tradition where the groom and bride are given 8 minutes of alone time together! Yichud in Hebrew means “togetherness” or “seclusion” and it is during this time that the couple spends some time enjoying being married. It’s almost like a “first look” where the bride and groom can take a breather away from the excitement and guests. After yichud, the couple enters the reception as Mr. and Mrs.!

The Hora! Probably one of the most recognized wedding traditions, the Hora is a chair dance where the bride and groom sit on chairs that are hoisted up by their guests. Friends and family dance around the couple in a joyous celebration. As seen in the picture above, you don’t always need to sit in a chair to do the Hora. The cardinal rule when it comes to planning your fusion Persian Jewish wedding: do what feels right for the both of you! Your wedding is a reflection of who you are, and the love you and your groom have cultivated!

Unusual honeymoon destinations

The experience of being a newlywed is always an exciting one for couples, especially in the first few weeks right after the wedding but before the structure and habits of daily life set in. The honeymoon period is usually spent away from home, often at an exotic destination. For many couples, however, the usual exotic locales in the Caribbean, Mexico or Hawaii have been set aside and newer, more unusual destinations have moved to the top of the list.

Top unusual honeymoon destinations

Disney-World

For a little slice of Europe in North America, newlyweds could purchase Disney tickets or visit Williamsburg in Virginia. Or they could explore a bit of the French Alps just across the Canadian border.  The province of Quebec in Eastern Canada offers plenty of beautiful countryside and powdery ski slopes. Montreal is the quintessential Old World city with beautiful architecture, luxurious casinos and plenty of French-speaking locals.

If a chilly honeymoon destination is to taste, Finland may be an excellent and unusual direction to go. Filled with natural beauty, picturesque lakes and unspoiled wilderness, Finland also offers plenty of history and culture (the Olavinlinna Castle is located in the lake area). Turku is a lovely city located west of Helsinki and Rauma is noteworthy for being constructed of wood, the largest such town among the Nordic countries. For the truly unusual, couples can choose to stay in an igloo hotel, sleeping on beds made from ice and bedding of reindeer pelts and fur, all with the Northern Lights dancing above.

Intriguing, breath-taking India has a variety of locales and activities to offer eager honeymooners. Climbing enthusiasts will find the Himalayas cool and inviting, while romantics will enjoy Rakasthan and, of course, Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. From the busy and crowded Mumbai to the peace and grandeur (and tigers!) of Rajanpur, India has it all. Late fall is also a good time to visit India; the days are hot but bearable and the monsoon season has ended.

Combining nature and culture, Oman guarantees a sunny honeymoon, even during the winter months. This jewel of the Arabian Peninsula has rugged mountains, miles of desert and sand dunes, crystal blue waters and pristine coastal beaches.  The capital of Muscat offers plenty of city life and culture, from fascinating museums and exotic architecture to adrenalin-rich water sports and even guided safaris. Sail on a dhow, one of Oman’s traditional boats, in the company of dolphins or watch giant sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs under the moonlight.

Exotic and fascinating, Vietnam has increased in popularity as a honeymoon destination because it has the beautiful weather and stretches of beaches carpeted with warm, soft sand, all without the touristy feel and attractions of similar exotic locales. Here are coral reefs ready to be explored, ancient cities and relics of bygone empires; and plenty of jungles to trek through and wildlife to see. Even large cities such as Hanoi and Saigon have avoided the tourist influx so far and offer serious shopping and streets begging to be strolled.

Calligraphy and Signage Inspiration

Seaside Wedding Inspiration perfect details for a gift table or well wish table.
Courtesy Laura Hooper Calligraphy, www.lhcalligraphy.com

Great signage to end the night, on your dream wedding day.
Signage courtesy of Sweet Wedding Details www.etsy.com/shop/SweetWeddingDetails on Etsy.com

Display your menu, drinks/wine list on a large chalk board with Calligraphy. Calligraphy courtesy of Wendy Ware Designer, www.wendywaredesigner.com; Chalk board rental by Flowers Annette Gomez, www.flowersannettegomez.com; Wedding Planner and Creative Designer Nahid Farhound, weddingelegancesd.com