Natalie and Slava both live in Baltimore, Maryland. I met them (and Natalie’s parents) on one of their wedding planning trips to California. They were putting together a cross-country, very international wedding. Natalie is Lebanese, and Slava is Ukrainian. The guests would be from all over the US, as well as the world. They wanted to mix classic American formalities with Arabic traditions to give their guests (especially the non-Arabic ones) a truly unique experience. I absolutely loved the idea of being a part of such a culturally diverse event with more moving parts than a Swiss watch! They immediately felt I was the best fit for their wedding.
The first experience their guests got to see was a traditional Lebanese Zaffat. A burst of fireworks excited the crowd while a saxophonist wailed out a tune. Then a parade of drummers and musicians led Natalie and Slava out the door and to the dance floor. There, they danced as the crowd cheered. Slava then took the microphone and welcomed their guests. Soon, they dazzled the crowd with a choreographed “American” first dance. Later in the evening, a three-piece Arabic band played and packed the dance floor with guests from every culture and background. When it was my turn to play the American music, I kept the energy going while bouncing around between some of Natalie and Slava’s favorite musical genres.
Their perfect wedding was not without its challenges though. Since Natalie and Slava were both from Maryland, Natalie’s parents (especially her mom Farida) were rock stars helping with every detail their kids could not handle themselves. (Word on the street is Farida looked at about 75 venues before showing the best to the kids.) Together, along with the fabulous event manager Melissa from the San Gabriel Country Club and their wedding coordinator Tammy (who came in all the way from Maryland), we put our heads together to conquer two specific challenges. One was the room layout. The Country Club’s California Ballroom was only big enough to accommodate about 75% of the guests (without a dance floor). By placing the dance floor outside on the terrace and surrounding it with tables, they were able to fit all of the guests. I designed a sound system that would accommodate the dancing outside, as well as the music and speeches inside. The second challenge was the timeline. Natalie and Slava wanted to give the guests a Arabic experience with the band, but they also wanted the night to flow smoothly. We worked very hard to create a smooth flowing reception that was able to keep the guests happy and relaxed throughout dinner and ready to party the night away once the music started. I’m happy to say, the fantastic staff at the San Gabriel Country Club, the team Tammy put together, and even myself, were able to pull this feat off despite the unusually hot weather, as well as the sudden and very unexpected rain.
Yes, that’s right…heat AND rain! Most weddings would be devastated by rain when half the guests and all of the dancing was outside. But it didn’t even slow the party down. If anything, it was a welcome and refreshing shower. I know a party has hit a peak in the energy when rain falls and no one cares. They just kept dancing, singing, and partying. During the last dance, with arms around each other, the guests all sang “Can’t Help Falling In Love” to Natalie and Slava. It was a spectacular sight to behold and the perfect ending to an amazing wedding.
Dave’s recommended vendors for this wedding are:
- San Gabriel Country Club (Melissa Ramos – Event Manager) – www.sangabrielcc.com – This venue is truly breathtaking and the staff is absolutely amazing and a pleasure to work with!
- Taylor Made Event Planning (Tamnika “Tammy” Taylor) – www.taylormade-eventplanning.co – I know it’s unusual to recommend an out of state wedding planner, but she and her staff travel across the country to bring brides and grooms their perfect wedding.