Handmade Multicultural Wedding: Samia + Tad
Handmade Multicultural Wedding: Samia + Tad
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Today’s gorgeous wedding is a great example of how to blend two different backgrounds into one totally unique day, and do so on a limited budget! Samia + Tad’s handmade, late-Summer wedding was a multicultural two-night affair, with a traditional Indian ceremony on Friday night and a fun American wedding and reception that Saturday. With lots of creativity + by choosing elements that could be used at both celebrations, they were able to create a wedding filled with romantic nostalgia, playful details + lots of personal touches without breaking the bank.
From the bride, We scavenged all over to come up with cost-cutting solutions and unique ideas: the garden and garment district in New York; Indian boutiques in Jackson Heights, NY and Houston, TX; suburban craft-supply and bulk-warehouse chains; Etsy; Amazon; flea markets. Some cost-cutting was purposefully sentimental: on Friday, I wore my mother’s dress that she had worn more than 40-years ago on her wedding night.
We also incorporated details that spoke to who we are and our sense of fun and adventure. An arcade-style basketball game at the wedding — which we set up next to the DIY photobooth (a camera on self timer) and Bourbon tasting bar. We had Earl Grey and Strawberries + Cream snowcones to greet guests mingling before the ceremony, and cotton candy to amuse them during the cocktail hour. We incorporated our love of games — Jenga blocks and Scrabble tiles — in the guest book and guest favors. We love hiking and visiting national and state parks so a trail mix bar replaced a candy bar…
For my dress, I wanted something with a lot of texture that would stand out in pictures for years to come. Beading and embroidery aren’t my style, often cost more, and tends to get washed out in pictures. Truthfully, a blush pink dress was not in my vision either. I was skeptical until I tried it on and fell in love. And thanks to his amazing tailor, Tad’s wedding suit was customized so that his jacket lining matched my dress as a surprise. Our wedding party wore solid black dresses and suits of their own choosing. It was classic, showed off their personalities, and, most importantly, saved them lots of money and hassle.
I’m crazy about these romantic portraits Alec Vanderboom captured of Samia + Tad!
It was important to the couple to show their love of their home states throughout the design. One fun way they incorporated this element was by having their cake maker top their henna-inspired wedding cake with adorable, handmade fondant cut-outs of Kansas + Texas!
There were so many little favorite moments that night: Tad choking back tears during our vows; an eerily spectacular halo around the harvest moon (which our photographer managed to capture); seeing my mother dance for the first time ever, Tad’s grandfather’s singing a song he dedicated to us. The most perfect thing of all is the love you realize everyone has for the two of YOU. People must REALLY love us, we thought. Tad's grandfather officiated our wedding beautifully and brought everyone to tears. My bridesmaids were always reading my mind and helping cut my prepping in half by taking tasks and orders on Friday. A friend jumped in and took video of the ceremony and more. Our friends and families helped set up everything: centerpieces, the trail mix bar, lanterns, shepherds hooks etc. and made sure it was just perfect on Saturday morning. My mom fended off arthritis to painstakingly do the henna for many of my bridesmaids and girlfriends. The cheesemakers I have worked with sent wheels upon wheels of my favorite cheeses, allowing me to curate a cheese plate for the cocktail hour. Our dear friends performed our ceremony music and first dance song after months of rehearsing – including learning the violin a few months prior just so they could play it at the ceremony to make my processional song sound better.
photography: Alec Vanderboom // venue + catering: Circle S Ranch Lawrence, Kansas // florals: Bittersweet Floral // boutonnieres: Sparkle & Posy // paper goods: Paper Bloom Studio // Indian dress + jewelery: heirloom // groom’s Indian suit: Rani Boutique // wedding shoes: Nine West // wedding dress: Watters from Wedding Atelier // earrings: Lillianes Jewelry //groom’s suit: Zohreh NYC Custom Tailors // groom’s wedding ring: Brent & Jess Williams // bride’s engagement ring: Tiffany & Co // hair: Static Hair Salon // makeup: Makeup Artistry by Heather // wedding party dresses + suits: self-selected // groomsmen neckties: Cheap Neckties // bridesmaids necklaces: DIY // dj: All Ears Mobile DJ // cake: Sweet Pea Cakes // cheese sculpture: Sarah the Cheese Lady // Indian food: Swagat Fine Indian Cuisine on Friday // local craft beer: Freestate Brewing Co. // snow cone syrup: Handsome Dan’s Snocone & Candy Stand // music: Ambyr D’Amato
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