< Previous Real WEDDINGS The couple are the fi rst to hold a wedding celebration on the terrace of the Club Lounge at Address Downtown Carousel Events ensured the bride’s fl oral dreams came true The bride’s beauty look featured a winged eye and glamorous red lip The bride with best friend and wedding planner, Zainab Alsalih 50 HarpersBazaarArabia.com Bride Spring / Summer 2021 After offi cially tying the knot at a civil ceremony, a small and intimate wedding celebration was written in the stars for Iranian founder and director of The Other Agency, Zahra Lyla Khalil, and her long-term love, British-born Tristan McGarrigle. “I really didn’t want a huge wedding of 200 or more guests, so we decided on a destination wedding to keep it small with a guest list of around 50 people,” Zahra Lyla tells Bazaar Bride. But when COVID-19 travel restrictions were imposed in 2020, the couple had to make other plans. “My amazing best friend, Zainab, who also happens to be the Middle East’s best wedding planner suggested we have a local celebration instead, and it was her idea for us to host a wedding dinner with just 25 of our nearest and dearest on the private terrace of the Club Lounge, at the Address Downtown in Dubai. That way we could keep it small and intimate – just as we’d always wanted. We held it on the anniversary of our engagement.” The couple met in Dubai in 2008 when Tristan was visiting from London, for work. “We were introduced at a music festival by mutual friends. To be honest, we didn’t really ‘click’ at fi rst, plus Tristan was in a relationship at the time, but we kept in touch via social media and the following year, I moved to London to participate in a summer course at university and he helped me settle in.” Upon returning to Dubai, Zahra Lyla spent the next year speaking to Tristan over the phone every day, with Tristan fl ying to the Middle East every few months until the couple were reunited in London once again, when the bride- to-be embarked on a three-year master’s degree. Following this, the couple then spent another year cementing their relationship via long-distance again, until Tristan permanently moved to Dubai in 2015, proposing to Zahra Lyla shortly after. “Tristan wanted to propose two years into our relationship but in my culture, there was a traditional process to go through with my parents fi rst. I come from a conservative family and being the youngest and only daughter, my father has always been very strict about me getting married. Tristan ticked all the right boxes for my dad so he had no reason to say no. I am so proud and honoured that Tristan went through the process of converting to Islam and really studying the religion and understanding his future wife’s beliefs and practices. Also moving his life to Dubai was not easy but he made so many sacrifi ces to be with me, that I’m eternally grateful for.” Never before had a wedding celebration taken place on the terrace of the Club Lounge at the Address Downtown, but thanks to event planner extraordinaire, Zainab Alsalih and her team at Carousel Events, on December 7, 2020, the couple had the celebration of their dreams under the starlit sky beside the famed Burj Khalifa, in the city they fi rst met. “We wanted an elegant yet cosy atmosphere – with a dreamy and romantic feel. Zainab took care of every little detail and really brought my vision to life.” Opting for incredible displays of dried fl owers in pastel hues, the fl oral cascades added a sense of whimsical drama to the outdoor setting, where the couple enjoyed a culinary feast of family-style sharing dishes with their guests. The bride wore two exquisite gowns, “I wanted a princess moment for the photographs and something modern and simplistic for my second look. I was actually supposed to wear a white suit à la Bianca Jagger for look two, but it got stuck in customs, so two hours before the wedding I was running around The Dubai Mall, and luckily found a gorgeous Solace London dress in Bloomingdale’s in my size!” Zahra Lyla’s fi rst look was a chic Esposa Privé off-shoulder belted gown, with a long train that featured a subtle sparkle to match her veil, complemented by a pair of purple Amina Muaddi heels. Four months on, the bride looks back on her wedding celebration with fond memories, “By keeping it intimate, I can remember every single detail of the evening, and I’m so blessed to have been able to spend time with each and every person there – it was the best feeling ever.” ■ HBBR_019_048to051_RealWedding_Zahra_11642862.indd 5028/04/2021 11:56:20 AM51 HarpersBazaarArabia.com Bride Spring / Summer 2021 Zahra Lyla slipped into a Solace London dress for her second look Dinner was served with the sparkling Burj Khalifa as the backdrop BRIDE’S BLACK BOOK DRESS ONE: Esposa Privé, Esposagroup.com DRESS TWO: Solace London at Bloomingdale’s, Bloomingdales.ae SHOES : Amina Muaddi at Level Shoes, Levelshoes.com ENGAGEMENT RING & WEDDING JEWELLERY: Al Mansour Jewelers, The Dubai Mall, Thedubaimall.com HAIR AND NAILS: Snob Salon, Snob.ae MAKE-UP: Manuel Losada, Instagram.com/manulosadagomez GROOM’S WEDDING RING: Cartier, Cartier.com GROOM’S SUIT & SHOES: Paul Smith, Paulsmith.com EVENT PLANNER & FLOWERS: Carousel Events, Carousel.ae PHOTOGRAPHER & VIDEOGRAPHER: Daniella Baptista Productions, Daniellabaptista.com VENUE & CATERER: Address Downtown, Dubai, Addresshotels.com The happy couple with some of their guests HBBR_019_048to051_RealWedding_Zahra_11642862.indd 5128/04/2021 11:56:40 AM52 HarpersBazaarArabia.com Bride Spring / Summer 2021 52 HarpersBazaarArabia.com Bride Spring/Summer 2020 It was an out-of-this-world extravaganza for this imaginative bride and groom TA L A AR AK JI Words by NINA CATT Photography by PULSE PRODUCTION HBBR_019_052to055_RealWedding_Tala_11650442.indd 5228/04/2021 11:59:19 AM53 HarpersBazaarArabia.com Bride Spring / Summer 2021 53 HarpersBazaarArabia.com Bride Spring/Summer 2021 Tala Arakji and Yazan Aburaqabeh HBBR_019_052to055_RealWedding_Tala_11650442.indd 5328/04/2021 11:59:45 AM Real WEDDINGS “I always knew we were going to get married from the moment Yazan made it clear that he wanted us to be exclusive when he said, ‘Tala, I only have eyes for you’. That’s the thing about relationships – when you know, you know,” Lebanese-American advertising strategist, Tala Arakji recalls of the moment she realised her Palestinian-Canadian beau was the one. The couple met at a food festival in Dubai in the spring of 2016, through mutual friends. “Later that evening, we went out and I found myself dancing with this awkwardly tall man named Yazan Aburaqabeh. I thought he was cute and that my friend should date him, but thankfully he wasn’t her type and the two of us chatted over social media until we started dating.” Two years later, Tala and Yazan began planning the wedding of their dreams, enlisting the expertise of wedding planner, Jessy Karam and her team at Strawberries & Champagne to turn their vision into a reality following an intimate religious ceremony, held in Beirut. “We chose The Marmara Esma Sultan in Istanbul to hold our wedding celebration. Although the outside space is stunning, we found the inside to be so unique, and perfect for the vibe we wanted. To be honest, the moment I saw the venue online I knew it was the one. It has an unmatched element of grandeur and old-world beauty,” Tala tells Bazaar Bride. On July 13, 2019 with the iconic Bosphorus Bridge as the backdrop, the bride made her grand entrance via boat to an instrumental version of Michael Jackson’s Stranger in Moscow. Dressed in a bespoke Fadwa Baalbaki gown and accompanied by her father, the pair were jubilantly greeted by Yazan and 280 guests. “Our brief for the décor was ‘out of this world’. We wanted a galaxy-inspired wedding with a subtle nod to the Hogwarts dining hall – from our favourite movie series, Harry Potter,” Tala explains. Expertly curated by the team at Strawberries & Champagne, a celestial fairy tale was created inside the walls of the Marmara Esma Sultan, based on a quote once spoken by the groom, ‘a star for every time you brighten my eyes’. Encircled by thousands of candles and stars embellishing every surface, including the ceiling, the bride and groom along with their guests dined on a delectable menu that included dishes from around the globe such as slow-cooked octopus carpaccio, beef tenderloin, and pan-roasted black sea bass served with grilled vegetables and a creamy mousseline sauce. For dessert, chocolate mousse with buffalo vanilla ice cream sprinkled with gold leaf was a hit with the guests before the party got started, and the newlyweds made their dancefl oor debut to a mashup of Genuine’s My Whole Life Was Changed and Big Wild’s Aftergold. The evening then turned into a glitter party of gold confetti and sparkling blue fairy dust. Custom-made head pieces were gifted to the guests, and the bride and groom danced into the early hours of the morning until the sun came up. Once the celebrations were over, the newlyweds embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. “We honeymooned in Colombia – visiting Bogota, Cartagena and Medellín, and we then made our way to Turks and Caicos. We wanted to explore a brand new side of the world together and totally disconnect from our busy lives. It was the perfect mix of city sightseeing, party vibes and luxurious relaxation time.” ■ The bride and groom with their guests Yazan looked dapper in Tom Ford The party continued into the early hours of the morning Tala made her grand entrance via boat The bride wore a hand- made headpiece inspired by the one worn by Blake Lively at the Met Gala 2018 HBBR_019_052to055_RealWedding_Tala_11650442.indd 5428/04/2021 11:59:55 AMThe newlyweds in front of the iconic Bosphorus Bridge BRIDE’S BLACK BOOK DRESS: Fadwa Baalbaki, Fadwabaalbaki.com SHOES: Pretty Shoes, Instagram.com/prettyshoeslebanon HAIR & MAKE-UP: Jonat’s Hair & Make-up Couture, Instagram.com/jonatscoutureoffi cial ENGAGEMENT RING: Cartier, Cartier.com WEDDING RINGS & JEWELLERY: De Beers, Debeers.com HEAD PIECE: B Bloomed Headpieces, Instagram.com/ bbloomed.lb GROOM’S SUIT: Tom Ford, Tomford.com GROOM’S SHOES: Dolce and Gabbana, Dolcegabbana.com EVENT PLANNER: Strawberries and Champagne, Strawberries-and-champagne.com DESTINATION MANAGEMENT: BG Events, Bg-events.org PHOTOGRAPHER: Pulse Production, Pulse-prod.com VENUE & CATERER: The Marmara Esma Sultan, Istanbul, Turkey, Themarmarahotels.com FLORIST: Vesaire, Vesaire.online MUSIC: Dj Jana Saleh, Instagram.com/ usernamewiththatusername (DJ) and Nedime Girisken, Instagram.com/nedime.girisken (band) FAVOURS: Mellow, Instagram.com/lovmellow Custom-made headpieces were gifted to guests 55 HarpersBazaarArabia.com Bride Spring / Summer 2021 HBBR_019_052to055_RealWedding_Tala_11650442.indd 5528/04/2021 12:00:15 PM Real WEDDINGS 56 HarpersBazaarArabia.com Bride Spring / Summer 2021 A passion for the great outdoors brought this adventurous bride and groom together in what turned out to be a lockdown love story they will cherish forever GH I DA AR N AOUT Words by NINA CATT Photography by NATALY J PHOTOGRAPHY HBBR_019_056to059_RealWedding_Ghida_11651045.indd 5628/04/2021 12:02:46 PMCREDIT HERE Real WEDDINGS 57 HarpersBazaarArabia.com Bride Spring / Summer 2021 Ghida Arnaout and Rami Rasamny HBBR_019_056to059_RealWedding_Ghida_11651045.indd 5728/04/2021 12:03:32 PM Real WEDDINGS 58 HarpersBazaarArabia.com Bride Spring / Summer 2021 Founder of The Wholesome Self, Ghida Arnaout met her groom-to- be, British-born Rami Rasamny on Instagram in 2014, when a mutual friend suggested the couple connect because of their shared love for adventure and mountain climbing. “We followed each other for about a year before I reached out and messaged him to ask about great spots to climb – but Rami didn’t get back to me for four months! We then ended up chatting non-stop for the next few weeks until Rami fl ew out to Dubai from London so we could meet in person. I immediately felt something I have never felt before. It was like I had always known him,” Ghida tells Bazaar Bride. In the year that followed, Ghida and Rami fl ew back and forth between the UAE and the UK to visit each other as often as possible, with Rami making the permanent move to Dubai in April of 2016. Fast forward to the summer of 2019. The couple had founded adventure travel company, Life Happens Outdoors, and were leading a climb at Mont Blanc. “I will never forget the day Rami proposed. It was on the day that we reached Tête Rousse Hut which stands at 3,167 metres, and was the last stop before we started to attempt the summit of Mont Blanc the next morning. It was almost sunset and Rami and I were sitting in a magical corner of the hut with a breathtaking view of the pink sunset. I told Rami that I was going to accompany one of the girls from the group, back down the mountain and he would have to lead the rest of the summit. According to him he just knew at that very moment that he wanted to pop the question. He didn’t have a ring so he took the string that was attached to the zipper of his trousers and asked me to marry him. I thought he was joking. He assured me he wasn’t and he put the string on my fi nger.” Having never been a fan of huge weddings, little did Ghida know that her big day would, in fact, be very small. The couple had planned their wedding for May of 2020, surrounded by family and close friends at Old Marylebone Town Hall in London, following in the footsteps of Rami’s parents and the many celebrities that have held their nuptials in the Grade II listed building. But then the world was hit by a pandemic, and their plans had to change, more than once. “We went into lockdown one so we postponed to September. Then another lockdown was enforced so we switched to January. But then our wedding was cancelled until further notice and we were offered a refund – which really hurt because our plans had now changed three times and we felt there wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel. We just wanted to get married,” Ghida shares. That light at the end of the tunnel came via a telephone call from the registrar informing the couple they could hold their wedding in March, but under the UK’s strict guidelines of only four guests in attendance. “Our parents couldn’t come because of travel restrictions. We had Rami’s aunt and uncle who live in London, and two of our closest friends. We set up a Zoom link so that our family and friends could attend the ceremony from all over the world. This meant a lot to us.” On March 31, 2021 just two weeks after receiving that telephone call, Rami and Ghida fi nally became husband and wife. “I remember feeling really nervous before the offi ciant began, but once she started we were both overwhelmed with emotion. It was one of the most intimate and meaningful moments I have ever experienced,” Lebanese-born Ghida explains. The couple affectionately exchanged bespoke wedding bands that represented their mutual passion for the great outdoors. “It’s one of the biggest reasons we’re together so I suggested to Rami that we should have mountains engraved on our rings. Mine has three small diamond stones between the mountains that represent the sun, the moon and the stars.” ■ Based on the UK’s COVID-19 restrictions, only four guests were allowed to attend The bride wore an Elisabetta Franchi gown The couple had mountains engraved in their wedding bands Friends and family watched the ceremony via Zoom HBBR_019_056to059_RealWedding_Ghida_11651045.indd 5828/04/2021 12:04:07 PMCREDIT HERE 59 HarpersBazaarArabia.com Bride Spring / Summer 2021 After the ceremony, the newlyweds went to a local park to take photographs The happy couple outside Old Marylebone Town Hall The bride’s sister gifted the newlyweds with a cake BRIDE’S BLACK BOOK DRESS: Elisabetta Franchi, Elisabettafranchi.com SHOES: Amina Muaddi, Aminamuaddi.com ENGAGEMENT & WEDDING RINGS: Antoine Walid Salamoun, Antoinewalidsalamoun.com JEWELLERY: Lynyer, Lynyer.com HAIR & MAKE-UP: Sophie Higginson, Bridebysophiehigginson.co.uk GROOM’S SUIT: Boggi Milano, Boggi.com GROOM’S SHOES: Geox, Geox.com PHOTOGRAPHER: Nataly J Photography, Natalyjphotography.com VENUE: Soho Room at Old Marylebone Town Hall, London, Adaytoremember.london/old-marylebone-town-hall FLORIST: Sara’s Events, Sarasevents.co.uk CAKE: My Baker, Mybaker.co Ghida and Rami left the ceremony in a traditional black cab HBBR_019_056to059_RealWedding_Ghida_11651045.indd 5928/04/2021 12:04:45 PMNext >