Sofreh Aghd Ceremony in A Nineteenth Century Villa

Weddings

Mar 7

Saghar and Ben got married on a beautiful sunny day at the end of the spring in the stunning Villa Cora, in Florence, Italy. They invited all their closest families and friends to join them on 8th June 2019 to celebrate their love.

They had met in Law School in New York City in August of 2012 and after a few wonderful years spent together, Ben proposed to Saghar on February 14, 2018 on Valentine’s Day at their favorite restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn – Walter Foods.

They chose Florence to make their wedding dream come true because they fell in love on their first trip to Italy together in August of 2015. They weren’t engaged at the time but they talked about what an amazing city it would be in which to host a wedding. So, when The Tuscan Wedding showed them Villa Cora they knew they had to get married there. It was elegant but not stuffy, charming, the staff and management really understood and cared about delivering top-level hospitality.

Their vision for the wedding was a timeless and elegant celebration. An evening of food, drink, fun and surprises that would create an unforgettable night. The color palette can be resumed as an ode to the Duomo di Firenze, with blush, muted greens, and off-white.

The ceremony décor incorporated the elements of a classic Persian Sofreh, which includes various symbolic items. The Sofreh items were designed/selected by the bride’s mother and Aunt Afsaneh (and brought all the way from Los Angeles! – a true labor of love), or provided by Flowers Living. The ceremony also included: flower petals down the aisle, eucalyptus garland on the final row of chairs, gold and glass lanterns, ceramic urns with flowers, and a custom golden mirror welcome sign. Saghar walked down the aisle escorted by her mum and dad and wearing a fabulous Oscar De La Renta: custom lace, long sleeve, plunging neckline, open back. She has known forever that she wanted a long sleeves lace wedding dress – and Oscar De La Renta lace is absolute perfection.

The reception took place in Villa Cora’s mirror room, which has a stunning original alfresco from the 19th century – the room speaks for itself and therefore the décor was minimal. They incorporated the floral color palette, and Villa Cora’s very own plating and linens. The lighting included a myriad of smaller candles. The name cards were something they spent time thinking about – champagne flutes with hand calligraphy scrolls.

The wedding week and day were intentionally filled with small touches reflecting Saghar & Ben’s relationship and their love for each other. For example, while their senior black Otter could not make it from the USA to Florence, he was there in spirit via the groom’s cufflinks, and also napkins/cocktail stirrers that included a custom hand-drawn portrait of Otter and the punny phrase – I’ll Have an-Otter! Additionally, the wedding was truly an international affair reflecting their diverse relationship and loved ones – the ceremony was conducted in English and Farsi (the bride is an Iranian-American immigrant) and guests came from all over the United States, Iran, and Turkey.