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> feature wedding: “We were so grateful that we were able to create cherished memories and celebrate such a big moment.”

MAHEEN KIBRIYA AND TURHAN JESRAI DECEMBER 20, ‘15 BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA

Maheen Kibriya and Turhan Jesrai first met at a mutual friend’s wedding, which eventually led to a romantic proposal via a “message in a bottle” during a Newport Harbor gon-dola ride.

Piecing together a full itinerary of different wedding festivities is no easy feat; but with the help of their wedding planner, the bride and groom-to-be were able to enjoy them-selves along the way. “The entire planning experience was very positive,” says Turhan.

Having an appreciation for classic Holly-wood movies—award-winning films, in par-

ticular—Maheen and Turhan chose “vintage Hollywood glamour” as the inspiration be-hind the wedding décor. All of the festivities leading up to the big day consisted of vibrant and traditional themes, so the wedding itself had to be the perfect finale after the preced-ing events. “The Beverly Wilshire Hotel actu-ally sparked inspiration for our theme—opu-lence, sophistication and glamour,” Maheen describes. “We wanted to end our wedding festivities with a bang!”

When the wedding day arrived, the bride and groom celebrated their nuptials with 400 guests in attendance. Keeping with the theme of vintage Hollywood, instru-mental versions of classic movie theme songs played during the recessional. For the reception, the newlyweds and their guests were surrounded by an event space that brought the luxurious ambiance of old-world Hollywood to life. The ceil-ing dripped with crystal chandeliers, and a combination of round and long tables filled the room. Cream colored floral ar-rangements were accented by white feather plumes, creating gorgeous volume and tex-tures, and graced the tabletops along with vintage-inspired lamps. A live band and DJ provided entertainment for the evening, and the couple shared their first dance to a

popular boy band song from the year 2000: “This I Promise You” by NSYNC.

“Our favorite parts of the evening were the grand entrances, speeches and the dancing,” Turhan says. “The cherry on top was spotting the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team around the hotel throughout the day, and personally meeting Kevin Durant right before Maheen and I made our grand entrance.” Turhan also adds that it was a great feeling to spend time and interact with their wedding guests.

“At the end of the night, we just couldn’t believe it was over,” says Maheen. “See-ing months of planning culminating in such a fun evening made it all worth it. We were so grateful that we were able to create cherished memories and celebrate such a big moment in our lives with all our dear ones.”

Maheen offers some advice for future brides as well: “Start planning as early as possible and be sure to do lots of research on coordinators and vendors,” she says.

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thank you for sharing your story GRACE ORMONDE WEDDING STYLE

Mehndi Location: Vibiana Los Angeles, CA; Reception Location: Beverly Wilshire Beverly Hills (A Four Seasons Hotel) Beverly Hills, CA; Event Design and Planner: Exquisite Events Los Angeles, CA; Floral Design: Square Root Designs Los Angeles, CA; Linen: Wildflower Linen Los Angeles, CA; Mehndi Tent and Rentals: Raj Tents Los Angeles, CA; Reception Rentals and Lighting: Luna Party Rentals Special Events Décor Los Angeles, CA; Wedding Dress: Misha Lakhani Couture; Bride’s Shoes: Miu Miu; Bride’s Necklace: Mikimoto; Groom’s Attire: Dave Welch Bespoke; Photography: John Solano Photography Los Angeles, CA

“Make sure everybody involved in the planning is on the same page to avoid mis-communication. Most importantly, enjoy the process!”For their honeymoon, Maheen and Turhan traveled to Costa Rica to see the country for the first time and hone their Spanish-speaking skills.> Written by Lauren MalamalaFor more feature weddings and resources visitWeddingStyleMagazine.com

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