From the moment we arrived at the Fairmont Olympic hotel in Seattle, WA, we knew that Mahdieh and Armand’s wedding was going to be special.
The air felt extra crisp, our coffees extra strong, and our spirits extra high as we were working with our brilliant sister company, Wedding Photo House, ready to forge ahead into the great adventure of a same-day edit and BTS documentary of the day that lay before us. As we carouselled the revolving door and took those first steps into the Fairmont, we were transported to another world as if we entered the wardrobe and stepped into Narnia. What befell us was a modernized Italian Renaissance playground ready to be transformed into a majestic wedding. We set out to scout and capture every inch of that hotel. From checking in with the couple to filming their details, getting some scene-setting exterior shots, capturing the behind-the-scenes footage, and starting the editing process, our team, was laser-focused and loved every minute of it.
Mahdieh and Armand met in high school,their love story like a rom-com. He was the popular jock, she was a nerd. She liked him but he didn’t like her at all. They graduate, go their separate ways, but reconnect in college. He realizes that she’s always been there, they fall in love, and he asks her to marry him. And while their engagement may have lasted three years, their love for each other just grew deeper and more mature. As deep and expansive as the years they have known each other…maybe even longer as Mahdieh puts it.
“People called our engagement long as if I have been waiting 3 years to say ‘I do’ to you but little do they know, I’ve actually waited my entire life for you.”
During their first look, we really saw his Armand’s love for Mahdieh. With hands covering his eyes and a grin stretching from ear to ear, he waited for her to arrive. When he finally uncovered his eyes, his jaw dropped and sheer awe and amazement. “Babe, you’re so pretty. You’re so pretty!” he said, taking in ever last ounce of her that he could. And what a sight she was to behold. Her strapless, satin gown with fitted bodice perfectly accentuated her figure will giving her a regal yet romantic air to her. Her ornately-detailed pearl veil, hand stitched by her mom, perfectly fell around her face; framing it with the touch of glam that understatedly declared, “Here I am; I have arrived”.
As the ceremony arrived, the guests faced these beautifully oversized windows and the Seattle skyline. Tash from Wedding Theory Co. turned Fairmont’s Spanish ballroom and Foyer adorned with palladian windows and crystal chandeliers into a regal yet romantic garden of flowers. Lush white floral arrangements, accented with blush, lined the aisle, leading to the voluminous arch. Mahdieh and Armand’s grandmas, who flew in from other countries, began the ceremony arm-in-arm. They walked down the aisle together, uniting the two families, both knowing that this was their last trip to America. The weight of this moment fell thick in the air until Mahdieh made her entrance. The light of the matriarchs’ next generation was ushering in hope, joy, and most of all, love.
With the approach of nightfall, the families both eagerly awaited the moment for the festivities to really begin. The newlyweds made their debut to a precessional of Persian drummers, dancing and grooving to the beat of the drums. Before the dancing could really get underway, Mahdieh and Armand wanted to show the same-day edit film we had been working on.
Misty eyes interspersed with sniffles filled the room. We don’t usually get to see the reactions of our couples when they watch their film for the first time, and theirs made every moment of that day worth it. Not long after, the room erupted in music, dancing, and the long-awaited celebration of Mahdieh and Armand.
We hope this short film gives you a taste of their Beauty and the Beast (minus the beast) vibe day.
Venue: @fairmontolympic
Planner: @weddingtheory.co
Makeup: @glambyrayna
Photo: @weddingphotohouse
Florist: @seattlefloraldesign
Catering: @fairmontolympic
DJ: @mixplode
Dabke Team (Drummers): @seattledabke
Quartet: @seattlestringquartet
Lighting/Projection: @crimson_haze_lighting
