Sara & Zain had a beautiful cultural wedding, captured by White Wren Collaborative member Apsari of Java Rose Photography. The details here are so gorgeous, the emotions captured genuine, and the couple stunning. Let’s dive in!
“Zain and I met through Twitter! He was living in Dallas and I in Raleigh, when he asked a friend (who was originally from Raleigh) about me. He later added me on Instagram where he dmâd me and the rest is history!” – Sara
Cultural aspects in the wedding: The talat il aroos- which translates to âthe leaving of the brideâ and it occurs at the brides home which is essentially her final exit from her familyâs home on her wedding day.
Some Arabs have a tradition of giving gold to the bride on the wedding day. when the gold is given from the groom this could be representative of the brides mahr (dowry). When itâs given from the brides family this is simply a wedding gift. The bride can choose to wear it, sell it, use it as investment or whatever she chooses. This is by no means a religious requirement for a marriage to happen and can be done in private rather than at the actual wedding ceremony.
The olive branches in the decor are to represent Palestine where the bride is from.
What did you envision your wedding being prior to planning? Prior to planning – I envisioned having a huge royal like wedding. Since I was a child I always thought about what my wedding would be like and wanted a very Cinderella-esque vibe. As I got older this quickly changed and wanted a more intimate wedding with everything being decorated so simple.
What was your color palette and your style vision? My color palette was emerald green, gold, and white. Our wedding was in October so I wanted those fall colors incorporated but I also wanted a fresh feel while the decor remained overall simple.
What unique elements or DIY details did you include? Iâm so not that type of person to do any DIY stuff (lack that creative touch, ya know) I included disposable film cameras on every guest table. It was something interactive for the guests  and get those candid shots. I developed the pictures and created a photo album that I look back on often because the pictures came out GREAT!
What was your favorite moment? Your favorite crafted detail? I donât think I have one exact favorite moment since the whole night was wonderful. But, I think the zaffeh was definitely a highlight of the night. In Arab culture, a zaffeh is part of the traditional Arab wedding entrance â it entails a musical pageant of bendir drums, bagpipes, and horns. I had the honor of exiting from my brothers home surrounded by lots of family and friends.
Tell us about your flowers, your gown, your favors, your cake, etc.
–Â I am not well versed at all in the world that is flowers. I sent my florist who was also my decorator a bunch of random bouquets I thought were pretty and she worked her magic and took different parts of all those pictures I sent and combined it into something that I never could have put together if I tried. Same for the floral decor in the venue. I told her my colors and budget and she worked her magic (per usual).
– my wedding dress was something that I wanted to be a timeless piece. I think itâs super easy to get caught up in whatâs trendy and look back later with lots of regrets. I didnât try on many dresses but definitely knew when I found the one.
– Iâm very anti wedding favors. I think theyâre costly and often times forgotten by guests. We decided to make a donation to PCRF in lieu of party favors.
– I love all that is wedding cake related. I remember good wedding cakes and wanted to make sure ours was memorable and delicious. I chose a very simple design and ordered a cake topper from Etsy to give it a little razzle dazzle. Wedding cakes are super costly so I ordered it from Publix! I got vanilla with cookies and cream filling and chocolate with cannoli cream filling. It was a hit!!
What is one piece of advice that you could give brides-to-be?
– my advice would be: rank whatâs most important to you and then set a budget. Itâs very very easy to get carried away with wedding planning and spend crazy amounts on things that arenât even really a need. My husband and I had different wedding needs and we were able to compromise. Also if your budget allows get a day of coordinator!! They are huge life savers and as a bride on the day of your wedding you shouldnât have to think of anything other than having a night to remember!
Photographer: Apsari Gulbeden / Java Rose Photography
Venue: The Distillery
Stylist / Planner / Designer: Katie Clark of Chad Big Events
Floral Designer: Hannah Mohammed
Dress Boutique: Anjolique Bridal
Dress Designer: Calla Blanch
Cake Designer: Publix
Makeup Artist: Makeup Artistry by Amani
Stationery: minted
Publisher at The White Wren and Bajan Wed, Award Winning Photography + Videographer at Live View Studios, Dad, 80s music lover, crunchy health advocate
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