Tamara Mosesian and Edward Malek-Ismail met at a Fourth of July event in Chicago back in 2018.
“I had just moved to Chicago to start my Emergency Medicine Residency when I met Ed,” Tamara shares. “It was fireworks from day one! Ed asked for my number that evening.”
A couple of days later, Tamara and Ed went on their first date. Ed chose a sushi restaurant because he knew Tamara was a “California girl,” and assumed she liked sushi. He guessed correctly, but Tamara didn’t realize until later that sushi isn’t one of Ed’s preferred cuisines. However, she thought it was sweet that he was willing to step out of his comfort zone to impress her.
The Perfect Proposal
The engagement took place three years later in 2021. Tamara had a gut feeling that a proposal was coming, so she tried to be “engagement ready” at all times. Her nails were always manicured and her outfits were carefully chosen; but nothing was happening.
One weekend, Ed told her that he made reservations for the Signature Room at the Hancock building in Chicago. Tamara immediately thought to herself, “Oh no, I hope he’s not going to propose to me publicly at a restaurant” – but since she had been waiting anxiously for Ed to pop the question, she went along with his dinner plans.
“We had a beautiful dinner with views but no proposal,” she says. “I thought that my proposal intuition was wrong. We went back to my apartment, and I was making plans on what I would make for dessert. I opened my apartment door and saw that it was lit up with candles, all my furniture was moved, and the apartment was decorated with flowers, candles, and a huge 'Marry Me’ sign. I was shocked and surprised. Ed knew me so well to plan something so intimate and romantic. It was the sweetest proposal that I will never forget.”
Planning a Glamorous Outdoor Wedding at Hummingbird Nest Ranch
Tamara and Ed were always on the same page throughout the wedding planning process. They both wanted a church wedding, followed by a glamorous outdoor wedding reception with their loved ones. After scouting several properties in search of the perfect wedding venue, the couple decided upon the Villa at Hummingbird Nest Ranch.
“The choice did not disappoint, as we still feel like it was a dream,” Tamara adds. “We wanted only our closest family and dearest friends there. Many of our friends and family traveled from afar and we wanted them to have the outdoor California experience.”
To bring their glamorous wedding vision to life, the couple also enlisted the help of some top Southern California wedding professionals.
“When it came to design, we interviewed several wedding planners but felt an instant connection with Edgar Hay Events,” Tamara recalls. “Edgar’s enthusiasm and excitement about giving us our dream wedding was obvious from the beginning. He kept his promise and went above and beyond our expectations.”
Glamorous Wedding Details
The big day was filled with glamorous wedding details. Hummingbird Nest Ranch was transformed with stunning flowers created by Butterfly Floral & Event Design, and the bride wore a wedding dress by Rita Vinieris.
“I was lucky to have my hair done by Aida,” she remarks. “She created an elegant updo for the ceremony and a more relaxed and fun look for the reception. My favorite décor at the reception was the vintage gold mirrored dance floor along with the beautiful florals and the lighting. The atmosphere was fresh, glamorous, and elegant. Ed and I were on top of the world, and you could not get us off the dance floor. We surprised our guests with a choreographed first dance. Our pictures came out so dreamy with fog on the ground and beautiful floral centerpieces in the background. It looked like we were dancing in the clouds.”
Tamara and Ed’s wedding brought several cultures together to celebrate love that night. In honor of their diversity, there was Assyrian, Armenian, Arabic, and American music mixed together throughout the evening, and the gorgeous dance floor was always full.
“DJ Sevag brought everything together for us and we are very grateful,” says Tamara. “We are blessed to have such supportive and loving family and friends. Everyone meshed perfectly together, and they celebrated the night with us. We did not want the night to end, but of course it had to; and now we have the beautiful memories to treasure in our hearts forever.”
After the Wedding
After relocating to California and starting new jobs, the newlyweds couldn’t take much time off for a long honeymoon. So, while they decided upon a European honeymoon for the following summer, they enjoyed a shorter minimoon in Playa Del Carmen after the wedding. Their Playa Del Carmen getaway was an idyllic combination of relaxation and new adventures as husband and wife. The couple tried ziplining for the first time, swam in caves, and enjoyed paddleboarding. They loved ending the month by settling into their new home in Sherman Oaks, California with their puppy, Mila.
WEDDING TALENT
Location: Hummingbird Nest Ranch, Santa Susana, CA; Planner & Event Design: Edgar Hay Events, Los Angeles, CA; Floral Design: Butterfly Floral & Event Design, Los Angeles, CA; Dress: Rita Vinieris; Photography: Moosho Khachikyan Photography, Los Angeles, CA