You may have seen some of these extraordinary pictures on our Facebook, but today we have all the amazing details of Shazia and Jeff’s gorgeous and extravagant wedding. Shazia and Jeff’s big day took place earlier this year, and Mani Mela was so thrilled to help them plan the celebration of their dreams!
This magnificent wedding followed traditional Desi (Pakistani/Indian) culture and customs. Shazia and Jeff’s wedding spanned two days, which is customary, but not over the top in terms of Desi weddings – some are celebrated for an entire week! Shazia kept with tradition, and on the day before the start of the wedding celebrations, she had henna placed on her hands up to her elbows, and on her feet up to her shins. The process, done by Khadija Dawn Carryl, took four hours. As you can see, the time was well spent, and the intricate designs looked nothing short of stunning.
Shazia’s hair and makeup were styled by our beauty experts at Mani Mela. Because the wedding was a two day event, we wanted to give Shazia a different look for each day. For the first day, her hair was styled in a simple up-do with soft curls. Her makeup was accented with shades of gold, emerald green on her eyelids, false lashes, bronze cheeks, and a hint of plum on her lips.
The first day of celebrations is called the Mehndi. This begins with the groom entering in a barat, or a procession of the groom’s family, relatives, and friends. The picture above shows Jeff entering in a barat, adorned with a beautiful flower necklace, which was given to him by the bride’s family and friends prior to the procession.
The bride makes her entrance following the groom, walking under a canopy of flowers carried by her family and friends. Above, Shazia is escorted by her brother Tariq, who leads her up to Jeff seated up on a stage in front of the wedding guests.
Once the bride and groom are seated on stage, the ritual of giving blessings, called “Rasms” begin. Rasms consist of the groom’s mother placing floral jewelry on the bride, feeding her sweets, placing henna on her hands, and waving money around the bride’s head as a blessing. These rituals are then performed by all the married women in the groom’s family. Afterward, the married women on the bride’s side bless the groom.
Following the formal ceremony, the young men and women sing songs about each side of the family in a teasing, yet fun manner. Then elaborately choreographed dances, much like those seen in Bollywood films, are performed by family members and friends to end the night.
For the second day of celebrations, our beauty experts gave Shazia an all out glamorous look. The style was a more modern take on traditional Pakistani makeup, which gave Shazia a very dramatic look. On her eyes, a winged eyeliner look accented the dark shades of plum eyeshadow. A bold red lipstick was applied to give her a true “wow” factor. Shazia’s hair was styled in a cascade of gorgeous curls, with some strands left down to accent her face.
Day two featured two events called the Nikkah and the Shahdee, and both of these events had a fun and vibrant peacock theme. Shazia even had her shoes styled to match this gorgeous theme! Shazia’s candy bar, created by Mani Mela, also kept with the theme and featured a beautiful peacock made out of a variety of orchids and feathers!
The Nikkah, or the official Islamic wedding ceremony, started off the second day’s celebrations. Shazia and Jeff were accompanied by their parents on stage as the Imam, or Islamic official, read selections from the Quran. The bride and groom then said “I do!” and signed the official Islamic marriage contract. Following the Nikkah is the Shahdee, or the celebration of marriage. The Shahdee begins with the wedding guests lining up to congratulate the new bride and groom and to get a picture with the happy couple.
Following the congratulations and picture taking, Shazia and Jeff cut their beautiful wedding cake (which was also peacock themed), and the new Mr. and Mrs. danced the night away with all their happy guests.
We would like to say a special thank you to Jennie Sewell of Sewell Photography for capturing these breathtaking photographs.
Mani Mela was so thrilled to be a part of this event. From the makeup and styling, to the flowers, linens, and candy buffet, we designed every aspect of these two special days. Shazia and Jeff provided us with helpful insight and ideas, and we were so thrilled to bring them to life. No event is too extravagant or too unique; we are up to the challenge of making your dream event an absolute reality.
If you are curious how we can make your wildest ideas come to life, get in touch with us by phone at 612.877.0897, or by email at info@manimela.com.
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