Alice and Ali had a modern wedding celebration that also honored their families and their heritage. Their beautiful outdoor Ceremony at the Women’s Park and Gardens included a Chinese tea ceremony, as well as Persian traditions such as looking into the mirror of their future, and having sugar ground over their heads to symbolize sweetness and happiness. Their equally gorgeous Reception took place at the historic adjacent Glessner House, where everything was entirely outside! Here are some words from the Bride and Groom, along with my favorite photos from the day.
Looking back, what were some of your favorite parts or moments of the Wedding day?
Alice: I really enjoyed exchanging personal vows with Ali in front of our friends and family, many of whom were wearing the fun sunglasses we handed out! I also had a good time listening to our parents and bridal party give their speeches. Overall, I just loved the feeling of happiness that day and celebrating with our guests.
Alice: I really enjoyed exchanging personal vows with Ali in front of our friends and family, many of whom were wearing the fun sunglasses we handed out! I also had a good time listening to our parents and bridal party give their speeches. Overall, I just loved the feeling of happiness that day and celebrating with our guests.
Ali: First of all, we had beautiful weather! We lucked out with a sunny day with temperatures in the low 70s, which was perfect for our outdoor wedding. I also enjoyed staring into Alice’s eyes during the ceremony and watching my dad dance to Persian music!
What was your favorite piece of fashion or accessory, and where did you get it?
Alice: My favorite accessories were my headband and veil, which I got from Etsy. Funny story – I was so excited about how good my headband looked with my hairdo that I completely forgot to put my veil on, and I didn’t realize it until Ali pointed it out to me after the ceremony! I actually didn’t mind though – the pictures looked pretty good!
Alice: My favorite accessories were my headband and veil, which I got from Etsy. Funny story – I was so excited about how good my headband looked with my hairdo that I completely forgot to put my veil on, and I didn’t realize it until Ali pointed it out to me after the ceremony! I actually didn’t mind though – the pictures looked pretty good!
Ali: My favorite accessory was my watch. It’s called the Bradley and it started on Kickstarter. It’s an inclusive watch made for blind people, but also trendy for sighted people. I thought it’d be a great groomsmen gift, especially for my brother, who is an eye surgeon. I decided to get one for myself too, so we’d all match on my wedding day.
What was the inspiration for your decor or styling?
Our goal was to have a Chinese / Persian wedding to celebrate our two cultures. At the same time, since our wedding was outdoors, we wanted to have a colorful summer feel to it as well. Chinese ceremonies typically revolve around the color red and Persian weddings the color gold, which are both very formal. To make things a little bit more casual, we opted for shades of pink and neutral tones. Then we topped it off with decorations like paper lanterns (a nod to Chinese culture) and the sofreh (a Persian wedding display).
Our goal was to have a Chinese / Persian wedding to celebrate our two cultures. At the same time, since our wedding was outdoors, we wanted to have a colorful summer feel to it as well. Chinese ceremonies typically revolve around the color red and Persian weddings the color gold, which are both very formal. To make things a little bit more casual, we opted for shades of pink and neutral tones. Then we topped it off with decorations like paper lanterns (a nod to Chinese culture) and the sofreh (a Persian wedding display).
Mention a funny moment here:
Our ceremony was going pretty smoothly with our officiant giving a humorous introduction and then performing several Persian traditions such as grinding sugar and exchanging honey. When it was time to do the Chinese tea ceremony, the best man brought out the tea cups… but couldn’t find the teapot! We ended up serving our parents empty tea cups instead, and they all pretended to drink their tea – some better than others!
Our ceremony was going pretty smoothly with our officiant giving a humorous introduction and then performing several Persian traditions such as grinding sugar and exchanging honey. When it was time to do the Chinese tea ceremony, the best man brought out the tea cups… but couldn’t find the teapot! We ended up serving our parents empty tea cups instead, and they all pretended to drink their tea – some better than others!
Any advice for future Brides and Grooms?
Pick vendors that you really enjoy working with. They make your wedding day so relaxing and fun!
Pick vendors that you really enjoy working with. They make your wedding day so relaxing and fun!
Tell us about the honeymoon!
We took a mini-moon to Door County the weekend after the wedding and stayed in a refurbished barn at a cute bed and breakfast. We watched sheep graze, played a lot of board games and caught the end of cherry picking season. We are taking a week long honeymoon to sunny Mexico in February next year when it gets really cold in Chicago!
Vendor Credits:
2nd Photographer: Nicoletta R
Ceremony: Women’s Park and Gardens
Preparations and Reception: Glessner House
Makeup Artist: Tracy Pantoja
Cake: Sweet Mandy B’s
Florist: Henry Hampton Floral
Dress Designer: Oleg Cassini
Caterer: J&L
DJ: Toast & Jam, Angie
Cake: Sweet Mandy B’s
Florist: Henry Hampton Floral
Dress Designer: Oleg Cassini
Caterer: J&L
DJ: Toast & Jam, Angie
