Incense and Candles, Laughter and Dance!

Those words all describe my wonderful Arabian themed Bridal Shower! Honestly, I can't believe the day already came & went... it was a wonderful night, which I shared with the people whom are most important in my life! (some of which could not make it but were definitely there in spirit) I chose an Arabian theme because I wanted to be technically correct when incorporating Moroccan traditions, Indian traditions and Pakistani traditions. My mom's boyfriend is from Pakistan and he is such a huge part of our family and my life! He is such a wonderful person and I am sooo thankful GOD brought them together.

I really tried to be as authentic as possible but of course with some modern twists! I worked very hard on every single detail and really hope my guests enjoyed my shower! For favors I wanted to give something nice but useful. I ordered lacquer incense holders and incense from India. The favor tags were custom made and each guest had one personalized with their first name. In order to help my guests learn the culture, I made each table name with a different tradition. I put a picture and a meaning, so they not only could see but also understand what everything meant. We had typical Indian food, which was SUPER yummy! I also had traditional mehndi which is usually done on an Indian bride the night before her wedding. That was a hit! Everyone enjoyed getting the beautiful intricate design on their hands and feet. My dress was a Sari, which I had custom made to fit my style! The games we played, were also done to incorporate the culture. We did belly dancing and an Indian wedding dress design contest. The belly dancing game was my favorite! Instead of having people volunteer to play games, I closed my eyes and chose people from my seating chart. This definitely made things more interesting. I wasn't to sure about getting the Hookah, since most my family and friends don't smoke. I was very glad I did! This was another fun and interactive thing my guests enjoyed and so did I!

Last but not least, I had a very special Belly Dancer perform, Casandra. Marc’s niece! She has been taking classes for a few years & it definitely showed. She was amazing! Thank you so much sweetie for taking the time to choreograph this dance. You did an amazing job!!!

At the end of the evening my super handsome fiancé, showed up wearing a gold Salwar Kurta. He definitely looked like a Prince!!!

I am so happy with the way everything turned out! My cake was fantabulous!!! Rosie from http://www.eleganttemptations.com/ custom designed the cake, inspired from my invitation. It not only looked beautiful but also tasted super yummy!!! THANKS ROSIE! I love the way my make up and hair looked, thanks to Lisa Lee from http://www.alluringfaces.com/ I felt very beautiful! THANKS LISA! Of course, the night could not have been remembered so vividly without the talented Loly from http://www.lolypix.com/ taking so many pictures. THANKS LOLY!!!

Thank you to my family and friends, that help set up the morning of my shower! A VERY special Thank you to my mom for helping me put this all together and running around with me any chance we got!!! (you to Feroz :0 ) !

I can't believe my wedding is around the corner..... IT STILL HAS NOT HIT ME THAT IT'S MY TURN! Hopefully it won't hit me when the church door's open because who knows what will happen... to be cont...... STAY TUNNED!

Dan & Chiara

This was a special wedding for me! Special, because Chiara is a friend of mine. She is such a caring & giving person. She is always on the go but always finds time to help others, including volunteering her time to help the less fortunate. Dan and her love to run marathons and that's how they first met and fell in love.

Their ceremony and reception was at Red Fish Grill at Matheson Hammock Park. Chiara wanted to make her wedding heart felt and very personal. Her save the dates were all personalized with a note as to how your presence would make them happy at their wedding. People came from as far as England to join in such a special day!

On my way to the Red Fish, it was pouring! The skies didn't look as they were going to let up either. Her ceremony was to be outside and with that rain; there was no way it was going happen. We had to make a lot of last minute decisions. Fortunately, everything came together with a few improvisations to the plan. I made some emergency calls and was able to get a tent by the time cocktail hour was finished! Wow, that was stressful :0)

My favorite part of the night was Chiara's speech to all her guests. It was beautiful and very touching. I was holding tissues just in case her or her family me members started crying but at the end, it was I who needed them most!

2nd Favorite: Marble Slab Ice Cream...mmm!

Chiara and Dan, I am soo happy to have been part of the planning process and your wedding day! I wish you both an amazing life together an may God continue to bless you always!

Alex & Paula

Alex and Paula are the couple that I have worked longest with, in terms of when they hired me. They had to change venue about 6 months into planning due to renovations at their original venue and push out their date. That was a crazy week! Needless to say everything worked out at the end.

Their ceremony was at St. Peter & Paul and the reception at Coral Gables Jr. Club. Once you meet Alex and Paula you know from the first moment, they are such a loving & genuine couple. I truly enjoyed working with them & most importantly know that we will keep in touch years to come!!! At the end of the reception, they surprised Olga & myself, with gift certificates to Jurlique spa, as a thank you for our hard work. I CRIED! That was so extremely nice of them & can't thank them enough for such a nice gesture.

My favorite part of the wedding was watching Paula's mom walk her down to aisle. That was such a special moment for the both of them!

The decor was beautiful & everything just flowed so nicely. Melissa & Javier from http://www.simplycaptivating.com/ were there to capture all the amazing emotion in the room as well as the wonderful decor. They are such a pleasure to work with!!! (3 weddings for the month of Feb. together and still 1 more to post about)
Makeup Karla Lola 305.803.8900

Alex & Paula it has been my sincere pleasure to work with you during this special time in your lives. I wish you both an amazing life together & may GOD continue to bless you always!!

"Melissa,
Alex and I cannot thank you enough for all your help. Thank you for the sweet words on your blog. It is always nice to read what others have to say about our loving relationship. Alex and I are extremely happy about our wedding! It was amazing to see all the details we had been discussing for quite some time become reality that day. It was great to not have to worry about anything the morning of our wedding because we knew we were in good hands. Thank you again for the hard work and we hope you and Olga enjoy your gift certificates... very well deserved!
It's nice to know that after the entire planning process and our big day we gained a friend. Can't wait to hear about your big day! We truly wish you and Mark eternal love!!!
With lots of love,Paula & Alex"

Enjoy these wonderful pictures...