REAL WEDDING

  • Photography By:

    HONG PHOTOGRAPHY

    SHIRIN SHARIFIKHAH AND RONNIE JAGDAY

    APRIL 18-19, 2015 IN CANCUN, MEXICO

    Shirin and Ronnie met in 2011, when they were both on vacation with friends in Las Vegas. After a night of dancing and laughter, they parted ways. Unbeknownst to Shirin, however, Ronnie was keeping in touch with her cousin, and the three of them met up again later that year. They began communicating on a daily basis, and Ronnie soon invited her to visit him in California, where he had been living for the past ten years. 

    It was during her weekend trip to California that Shirin realized how special Ronnie was. “I looked at him with admiration for his love of family and friends, life and success–I knew at that moment that I wanted to be part of that love,” she shares. During their long-distance relationship, it became clear that Ronnie was also someone who Shirin could always depend on. “He never made empty promises; rather, he always stuck to his word, no matter what it was.”

    “I LOOKED AT HIM WITH ADMIRATION FOR HIS LOVE OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS, LIFE AND SUCCESS–I KNEW AT THAT MOMENT THAT I WANTED TO BE PART OF THAT LOVE”

    After a 17-day trip visiting New York, Paris, Barcelona, Venice, and Florence, the couple found themselves in London, where Ronnie popped the question by the River Thames. For their nuptials, Shirin and Ronnie decided to have a destination wedding in Mexico. They both fell in love with the Moon Palace Golf & Resort, with its luxurious hotel feel and its universal appeal.


    The wedding planning process included partnering with Melba Lapham-Jensen from Mi Tierra Holidays, whom Shirin refers to as “an ace and star of the planning portion” of the event. “She coordinated 100 international flights from all over the world and accommodation–each family with different needs–and she took care of each and every one of them.”

    Ronnie is Sikh and Shirin is Persian, so their destination wedding in Mexico consisted of two separate ceremonies. On Thursday, a beautiful welcome dinner was held, during which gifts were handed out to the guests. On Friday, it was time for the Manya–a cleansing and beautification ceremony that took place the night before the Sikh ceremony, complete with dinner and dancing. 

    Ronnie is Sikh and Shirin is Persian, so their destination wedding in Mexico consisted of two separate ceremonies. On Thursday, a beautiful welcome dinner was held, during which gifts were handed out to the guests. On Friday, it was time for the Manya–a cleansing and beautification ceremony that took place the night before the Sikh ceremony, complete with dinner and dancing. 


    The bride and groom’s Sikh ceremony began at 11am and took place in one of the resort’s gazebos. It was spoken in both English and Punjabi, which was a new and different concept for most, yet allowed everyone to enjoy and understand what was being said. “For Ronnie and me, the ceremony was euphoria,” says the bride. “We looked at each other and knew how lucky we both were.”

    For Shirin, she was particularly excited for the Persian wedding–something she had been looking forward to her whole life. It ended up being a very personal, touching experience that turned out even more perfect than she imagined. Arriving in a horse and carriage, she was met by a teary-eyed groom, and the couple was married by her grandfather.

    After the Iranian ceremony, guests relaxed with a cocktail hour and live violinist. Everyone then proceeded to the beach, where a spectacular fireworks display provided entertainment. For the reception, the bride and groom served all of their favorite foods including various salads, corn on the cob, and lamb lollipops. Tall centerpieces of white roses and shorter vases of floating orchids also graced the tabletops.

    The night was a wonderful celebration filled with dancing and dining, with the sound of the waves in the background. “I could not have imagined a more perfect week,” says Shirin. “The memories we made are ones I will treasure for a lifetime.”


    WEDDING TALENT

    Location: Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort, Cancun, Mexico; Floral and Event Design, Rentals: Latin Asia, Cancun, Mexico; Photography: Hong Photography, Vancouver, BC, Canada

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