A Fusion of Cultures: Sara & Ehsan's Stunning Wedding at Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden

Sara & Ehsan wanted their wedding to be a mixture of the best of Persian, Swedish and European culture - and the end result was stunning. Close to nature and water - they chose to have the ceremony outdoors and served delicious Persian food at the intimate wedding. 

Choosing the venue was a tricky process, Sara and Ehsan had dreams of a Swedish Castle surrounded by nature with the capability to serve Persian food for 120 people, which was not easy to fulfil in Stockholm. They tried over 50 venues they eventually found the perfect place - The Grand Hotel Saltsjobaden, which is just outside Stockholm city.

Sara took inspiration from vintage styles and textures, with jute, lace and natural details seen in the decorations and interior. Simplicity was key; Sara and Ehsan wanted an elegant, beautiful and thoughtful wedding. (We love the hand painted sign (below) with the message "Today two families become one. Please pick a seat not a side".) Making sure their 100 guests were happy was a top priority for Sarah and Ehsan.

Sara and Ehsan ordered a large tent to cover the venue two days before the wedding because forecasts predicted rain. The tents, chairs and carpet were ordered from Frans August. A harpist called Ismahni played traditional Persian melodies and folk music. Each chair had a paper bag filled with rice and rose petals. Old-fashioned candy bags were used for the paper bags they were cut off at the top and folded down. 

The ceremony consisted of a Swedish civil marriage and was thereafter supplemented by traditional, non-religious Persian ceremony called "Sofreh Aghd". The Sofreh Aghd is a traditional wedding ceremony spread where legal marriage and ceremonial traditions are exchanged. 

Sara wanted a simple Sofreh Aghd but couldn't find a supplier who could offer a simple design in Stockholm. So Sara decided to do it herself. She gathered lots of items such as eggs, pomegranates, flowers made of bread, the esfand (wild rue) and nabat (sugar flowers). 

Sara wanted all her guests to understand and feel involved in the ceremony, so small pieces of paper with text in English explained what each item of the Sofreh aghd meant. 

The rings were hand made by Thomas from Sorsand Jewels - a jeweller that Sara has loved since school.

Sara asked a lady called Dali from florist Ros&Rum to arrange the flowers. Dali understood Sara's vintage vision; muted pastel colours were used throughout. Sara put together a booklet with pictures and text so it was clear for Dali. Sara's bridal bouquet consisted of a mixture of pink peonies, astilbe and roses. 

Sara wore our Francesca bridal shoes that she fell in love with while searching online for vintage inspired shoes. To accompany the shoes she bought an Emmy Maya Bridal Hair Comb.

In Sara's words; "Emmy and her colleagues gave me exceptional service and I am so glad I chose them, I'm also really happy that I chose the Francesca style, since the shoes are not pure white or glitter, I have been able to use them on other weddings but also parties."

Emmy and the team would like to say a big thank you to Sara & Ehsan for kindly sharing their beautiful wedding with us.

xx