A Classic DC Wedding at the Fairmont with Two Ceremonies and a Grand Ballroom Reception
Parnia Zahedi and Zach Singer met during their junior year of college at Georgetown in 2013. Nine years later – spent in a long-distance relationship rotating between New York, DC, and Boston – Zach recreated one of their first dates and proposed in front of the U.S. Capitol during the holidays.
“Just like Zach knew he wanted to come back to DC for the proposal,” Parnia shares, “we knew we also had to get married where our love story began.”
An Unforgettable Destination Engagement
The couple wanted their wedding to symbolize their union, which meant planning two ceremonies to bring their families and traditions together.
“We knew we had to get married where our love story began.”
“Our planner, Patrice (and, my loving aunt), quickly understood our vision for a classic DC wedding filled with modern touches and meaningful moments,” Parnia adds. “We quickly landed on the Fairmont as our venue so that we could use the different spaces for all of our events. The Persian ceremony would be in the Colonnade Room filled with ample natural light; the courtyard gave us an urban oasis for an outdoor cocktail hour; and the party could continue in the grand ballroom, surrounded by glimmering chandeliers and mirrors, with the ballroom next door providing an easy afterparty location.”
Dance Lessons and a Monique Lhuillier Wedding Dress
One of Parnia and Zach’s main goals was to enjoy themselves during the wedding planning process. The couple collected several favorite memories along the way, including dance lessons at Chevy Chase Ballroom followed by sushi dates. There was also an engagement shoot with their photographer at the Met and in Central Park, near their future neighborhood as newlyweds; Zach’s meticulous planning of the playlist and honeymoon; and marathon phone calls with Patrice.
“I also cherish the memories from a special trip to New York City with my mom and aunt to find my wedding dress,” says Parnia. “Monique Lhuillier’s ‘Maeve’ was the fourth dress I tried on. We talked about its lace details and unique ivory color all weekend, and knew it was the one. I decided to add on the delicate keyhole lace topper for a more elegant look during the ceremonies. I loved having my best friends in the city accompany me to dress fittings so that I could involve my loved ones in the special planning moments.”
Two Ceremonies and a Grand Ballroom Reception
When the wedding day arrived, the bride and groom got ready with their respective wedding parties before having a first look.
“Zach’s reaction was one of my favorite parts of the day,” the bride recalls. “He immediately scooped me up, and our photographer captured the pure joy of the moment. Just as our guests started shuttling over to the church, another one my favorite memories of the day unfolded. My cousins (our ringbearers and flower girl) spotted me around the corner and sprinted over to give me the biggest hugs, giggling with happiness.”
The first of the couple’s two ceremonies was a Catholic ceremony, which took place at St. Matthew’s Cathedral – a beautiful church in the bride’s neighborhood at the time, Dupont Circle.
“We were honored to be married by Father Kevin O’Brien, SJ, our former professor and close mentor from our Georgetown days,” she says. “In the months before, Father O’Brien continuously reminded us of what was most important about the day: our marriage. Right before I walked down the aisle with both of my parents, my dad turned to me and said, ‘Remember, everyone here loves you and Zach so much.’”
After a quick recessional, everyone returned to the Fairmont for the Persian ceremony, known as the sofreh aghd. Per tradition, the bride and the groom sat behind a ceremonial table filled with items to symbolize their marriage: a mirror representing an eternal life together; fresh fruit symbolizing the cycle of life; candles to embody light, and so on. Patrice and her team at Exclusively Events designed a beautiful sofreh that showcased these traditions in modern elegance, in a room filled with light and luscious white floral arrangements.
“The bridesmaids held a cloth over us, symbolizing a home,” Parnia describes, “while loved ones rubbed two sugar cones over our heads to shower us with a life of sweetness. In an extra special tradition and moment, my grandmother served us the honey that we would serve one another with our pinkies. But our favorite moment came in sharing our personal vows to one another, which we both used to recap our love story.”
The rest of the wedding day was a magical blur. White florals filled the Fairmont’s grand ballroom, which glittered with candles and crystal chandeliers for a classic reception. As guests entered the reception, they found a personalized card waiting at their seats, as the couple wanted to make sure they expressed their love and gratitude to their loved ones for showing up.
The bride and groom had their favorite foods served throughout the evening, which included a sushi bar during cocktail hour, Persian jeweled rice served in martini glasses – a wedding tradition made with love by the bride’s grandmother – and a gelato bar.
“Our guests joined us on the dance floor at the end of our first dance to Coldplay’s ‘Something Just like This,’” says Parnia. “From then on, the dance floor was never empty. The cake cutting gave us another opportunity to blend our traditions. We used Zach’s family’s heirloom knife to cut the cake, while my relatives did the raghse chaghoo, a Persian tradition where the women dance with the cake knife before giving it to the groom. We carried the night on at the afterparty, surrounded by our best friends from all walks of life.”
A few months later, the newlyweds set off on a honeymoon in South Africa, where they fell in love with Cape Town’s warmth, Stellenbosch’s wine, and the leopards they saw on safari.
WEDDING TALENT
Reception Location, Caterer & Cake: Fairmont Washington, Washington, DC; Planning & Event Design: Exclusively Events by PG; Floral Design: Blue Vanda Designs; Rentals: Select Event Group; Lighting & Entertainment: Exclusively Entertainment; Ceiling Design: Edge Floral Event Designers; Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier; After Party Dress: Alice & Olivia; Hair: Styled by Anna Fazio; Makeup: Muse Studios; Groom’s Attire: Ralph Lauren; Groom’s Watch: Cartier; Invitations: Sterling Stripes; Photography: David Abel Photography