Some of our favorite weddings are those that so perfectly capture a couple’s personality; who they are and what they love. And a wedding that embodies all of this along with stunning cultural elements woven throughout; well that’s like having our cake and eating it too. This is a wildly elegant Egyptian celebration with photography that speaks to the beauty of the day whether that be an image of a pair of gorgeous heels or the Bride and Groom exchanging many a smooch. It’s an affair through the lens of Marta Locklear like you’ve never seen and it’s all sitting pretty in the full gallery. Check it out right here.
From the Bride… Robert and I met at one of our church’s social events. It didn’t take too long (seven months!) before we both felt ready to start preparing for a marriage. Robert proposed, and we began planning for our future together. Our Coptic Orthodox faith, our Egyptian-American culture and our big, close families describe us best, so we wanted all those things reflected in the start of our lives together.
The Atrium at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens was the first venue we visited, and after a few minutes, both of us knew it was perfect and the search was done. My wedding dress was the fourth dress I tried on. I felt truly bridal in it, not to mention it resembled Grace Kelly’s gown (and my mother’s), so that was an easy decision. I wore my mom’s veil and my cousin’s bridal jewelry. The rest of the wedding preparation was a team effort. Many weekends were spent running to Michael’s, painting our centerpiece boxes, making our burlap table runners, sewing napkins, putting together invitations, and stuffing traditional Egyptian favor bags (Jordanian almonds and chocolates).
We had the time of our lives during the wedding weekend. With family and friends flying from all over the country and the world, it was a true celebration. We kicked off the weekend with a henna party with amazing home-cooked food and a special henna-inspired cake. Henna is the traditional decorative dye used to paint the hands of the bride and other women of the family. I choose my bridal henna design off Pinterest! The wedding day was beautiful in every way, even though it was a “monsoon wedding” (one of my favorites movies). We enjoyed every minute of the ceremony and reception, and best of all, my husband and I remember it all as if it was just yesterday.
Wedding Photography: Marta Locklear / Ceremony: St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church of Washington DC in Fairfax, Virginia / Reception: The Atrium at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, Virginia / Floral Design: Maryam Flowers / Wedding Cinematography: Soulmate Films / Catering: Great Blue Heron (703-255-3631) / Wedding Cake: Connie’s Cake Creations / Wedding Stationery: Beacon Lane / Decor: DIY / DJ: Deejay Velocity Irani (202-556-8643) / Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander via Love Couture Bridal Boutique / Bride’s Jewelry: From the Bride’s Cousin / Bride’s Shoes: BHLDN / Hair: Nadia of Bubbles for Hair in Fairfax Corner, Virginia / Makeup: The Bride’s Aunt / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Sung / Getting Ready Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar