Just a few days ago, Andy + Tala had the most beautiful wedding day we could have ever possibly imagined. Their Westin Mission Hills Persian wedding was our first of its kind, and we’re pretty much obsessed with the traditions behind the sofreh aghd.
What is a sofreh aghd? Well, it’s an Iranian or Persian wedding ceremony steeped in tradition. Rather than having the traditional wedding ceremony that most American weddings have, a sofreh aghd is done at sunset and the bride and groom sit in front of a table of specific spread of items like a mirror, candles, herbs + spices, eggs, nuts, fruits and candy – each representing a specific idea or wish for their marriage. While we didn’t understand the language of the ceremony since it was in Farsi, the heartfelt emotions spoke volumes!
Following their sofreh aghd, we were treated to a fun evening of traditional persian dancing and music at their reception in the Oasis Ballroom. Another rad twist on persian weddings is the knife dance (or the raghseh chadoo) that takes place at the cake cutting. The idea behind the knife dance is that female family members have to coyly keep the knife from the couple – and make them earn it! Everyone had the best time and it was definitely the most fun cake cutting we have ever gotten to photograph!
But of everything we loved, just being with Andy and Tala on their wedding day was more beautiful than words can describe. Tala looked so stunning in her Allure Bridals gown, and Andy could hardly keep his eyes off of her the entire day. We loved spending the day with them at their engagement session in Joshua Tree last year, but their wedding day was even better!
Special thanks to Andy + Tala’s rad creative team!
venue + catering Westin Mission Hills | officiant Shirin Jalali | hair + makeup Beauty Marked by B&C | bridal gown Allure Bridals | groom’s suit Canali | wedding rings XIV Karats LTD | cinematography New Classic Wedding Films | dj Deejay Al | wedding cake Pastry Swan Bakery | invitations Vistaprint
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