Everyone who knows me knows that I have a serious weakness when it comes to bright, happy colors and I just can’t resist the delicious shades of red in this wedding that look as sweet as candy next to Unique Floral’s most beautiful of bouquets. Speaking of sweet and delightful, it doesn’t get any more romantic than wedding your beloved while surrounded by a heart-shaped arrangement of flower petals at the Metropolis Ballroom. Every photograph from Dawn E. Roscoe will have you clamoring for more and it’s all right here in the gallery.
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From the Bride… Our wedding was a modern mix of our vintage and organic touches. We wanted our wedding — the ceremony, the food, the colors, every detail — to tell a story about us and who we are. The day started with a reveal. I met my (soon-to-be) husband in front of our wedding venue and nervously tapped him on the back. He turned around with a huge smile, and I felt incredibly excited to start our wedding day. Our photographer, Dawn Roscoe, and her assistant took us to nearby forest preserve, where we took photographs together. This was one of my favorite parts of the day; I loved being able to spend some time with Hosain before everything started. It tried to rain, but our photographer was prepared with an umbrella that we used in some of the shots. When the sun finally arrived, so did our guests — it was time for our ceremony.
The ceremony blended American Christian and Persian traditions with modern music and vows that we wrote. Reverend Casey started the ceremony with a prayer, then my godmother read “The Art of Marriage.” We read our vows sitting down under a Persian cloth while my bridesmaid rubbed sugar bells over our heads to symbolize sweetness in life. After lighting a unity candle, we kissed each other for the first time as husband and wife. The programs matched our invitations, all designed by Mae Mae Paperie. Our ceremony was followed by a cocktail reception in another room within the venue space. We decorated the space with a fabric banner (using the same fabric as the welcome quilt squares that greeted guests when they arrived). We also had photos clipped up on string with gold clothespins. Guests were served a variety of hot and cold appetizers: pesto and goat cheese crostini; caprese skewers with mozzarella, basil and tomato; and cocktails (complete with striped straws!). After the cocktail hour we joined our guests at the reception. Our cake was three tiers with layers of white cake, strawberry preserves and white buttercream frosting. It was decorated with polka dots and topped with a cascade of red flowers and a custom cake topper that looked like us! Next to the cake table, we had a sofreh, an Iranian wedding table, with a variety of symbolic items — painted eggs for fertility, candles for a bright future, Persian coins for prosperity — on display during the reception. My mother-in-law spent hours creating each piece on the table.
Guests were served a house salad and then were invited to partake in the buffet with a beef carving station, a mashed potato bar with piped mashed potatoes in martini glasses and a variety of toppings, a made-to-order pasta bar with different add-ins and sauces, and vegetable and chicken kabobs (a Persian staple). Hot pretzels with cheese and mustard dip were served as the late-night snack. Guests were then invited back into the cocktail room, which was transformed into a dessert room with wedding cake, mini pumpkin, pecan pies and a donut hole bar where guests could dip their donuts into funky toppings (crushed Reese’s Pieces, Cocoa Puffs and Capt’n Crunch cereal) inspired by the famous Voodoo Donuts and our trip to Portland, Oregon, where we got engaged.
Wedding Photography: Dawn E. Roscoe / Wedding Venue: Metropolis Ballroom in Arlington Heights, Illinois / Floral Design: Unique Floral / Wedding Invitations + Signage: MaeMae Paperie / Persian Table: The Groom’s Mother / Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Bride’s Veil: Her Mother’s / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Men’s Suits: Jos. A. Bank / Men’s Ties: Brooks Brothers