Modern Persian Wedding at the Four Seasons Maui

January 6, 2023

Julianne & Jon

This sun-drenched, floral-filled, modern Persian wedding at the Four Seasons Maui couldn’t have been more perfect. Our chic bride chose a warm and vibrant color palette with hues of petal pink, blush, muted apricot, and creamy ivory. The modern, romantic wedding design with organic arrangements was put together beautifully by Kendall of White Orchid Weddings and florist Mandy Grace.  Their ceremony contained a traditional Persian Sofreh Aghd where Julianne and Jonathan exchanged vows. Guests moved to the reception, greeted with a bright floral escort card wall. Above the dance floor hung a stunning floral installation with dried palms, orchids, and rattan lanterns, bringing the whole design together.

From Style me Pretty – “Say “aloha” to island wedding bliss! White Orchid Weddings planned the picture-perfect petal pink and peach day, and Mandy Grace designed the most beautiful of blooms for the Big Day.  The modern Persian island wedding was a beautiful blending of the bride and groom’s cultures, all artfully captured in time in imagery by Dmitri and Sandra Photography. You can see the full day unfold in the full gallery

From the bride… We were so incredibly lucky to have so many of our loved ones with us to celebrate with us in a place that means so much to us. Given everything that has happened in the world before and since the wedding, we cannot overstate how grateful we are that we were able to safely gather and celebrate together. The sofreh aghd was really important to us as a way to honor and celebrate Jon’s Persian heritage. Jon’s mom spent months planning and collecting the items in the tablescape. Each item represented a hope for the marriage, like honey for a sweet life together, and the termeh (handwoven silk) for patience and sensitivity. Many of the items came from friends and family members, making the whole table a beautiful representation of our community and a reminder of all of the support that we have, something we deeply cherish. Having the wedding on Maui was also very important to us. I grew up in  Upcounty and miss the island every day. Jon has also come to love Hawai’i and understands how much it has shaped who I am. It meant so much to finally share it with all of the people we love.

Our cat, Roger, is a very special member of our family, but he was unfortunately not going to make the trip out to Maui. I carried a small figurine of him in my pocket during the ceremony as a way of having him with us. I passed him off to my dear friend, Cindy, who nestled him in the flowers on the cake afterward. We loved all of the florals, but Mandy’s installation above the dance floor was particularly outstanding. Our wedding party was full of major dancers, so we were on board the second she proposed it. My dress was a custom combination of two different Amsale designs. I wanted something simple and modern, but also still in scale with the venue. It almost didn’t make it to Maui in time! Two of our heroic friends, Colin and Trevor drove out to FedEx the moment it arrived (the day before the wedding!) to pick up and hand-deliver.

Overall, Jon is a much better wedding planner than I am; the topiary walls were his idea, as were the fans and parasols that were made available during the ceremony. He’s very good with the little details! And we couldn’t have done any of it without the truly incredible, Kendall Oreta of White Orchid Weddings and the amazing, talented, creative team she assembled for us–Mandy Grace and Dmitri and Sandra Photography in particular were incredible to work with.

From Kendall Oreta of White Orchid Weddings… Julianne and Jonathan were a dream couple to work with. They trusted me with every recommendation, with every conversation, and with every suggestion offered. While creating their wedding day, we really worked to tie in elements that were a representation of “them” and a joining of their families. Originally from Maui, our island bride Julianne wanted to share her beautiful island home with their guests, her husband, and her new family. For Jonathan, it was important to introduce his Persian Heritage into the ceremony for all their family and friends to witness, which included the traditional Persian Aghd Ceremony. Julianne and Jonathan wanted to create a memorable event that showcased their love as a couple and all their desires together in creating a guest experience that was full of luxury, romance, and of course a tropical-modern twist. With full trust from Julianne and Jonathan, we were able to procure an event with the finest event vendors on Maui to bring their vision to life. Every detail was perfectly managed with the only missing piece of the puzzle being Roger their pet cat. See pictured on their wedding cake.