Mariam Shahid married Afzal Ahmed in April 2014. She says: “We met at a wedding-related event near Tottenham Court Road, London. He asked to try on my over-sized glasses and the conversation hasn’t stopped since! We got engaged in November 2013.
Afzal hired the Planetarium and we went on a virtual tour of the solar system, which I found slightly unusal as I’ve never expressed an interest in space. We were going through the planets, and when we arrived at Saturn, digital fireworks exploded and the words “Will you marry” flashed across the ceiling. I was overwhelmed but managed to say yes."
The Venue
“We married in Blenheim Palace. We went to see many venues but nothing quite hit the spot. I wanted something outdoors, where children could run around, but also a space with history and character!
When we visited the Palace, we were both amazed by the stunning views. It was the perfect backdrop for the type of celebration we wanted. The Orangery was perfect as it has high ceilings and an open, airy feel - exactly what we were after.
The Beauty Look
I booked Nina Ubhi for hair and make-up. She made me look perfect – her style is very natural yet dramatic. Everyone commented on how flawless I looked. She has magical hands!
It took three hours to get ready but the time was well-spent as the result was utter perfection. Nina's attention to detail is impeccable, I can't fault her. She did such a great job on my hair that I ended up keeping the hairstyle until the next day.
The Bridal Outfit
“I found my Sabyasachi lehenga and most of my bridal jewellery from Aashni + Co. The team were lovely and my experience was absolutely flawless. I went for a fresh, contemporary look as I’m not particularly traditional and couldn’t picture myself wearing a traditional lehenga at Blenheim Palace.”
Photography
"I think Eye Jogia are, by far, the best photographers around. I was hooked by their unique style. We had an initial meeting and they seemed to completely understand everything I wanted.
They did an absolutely fantastic job and I always recommend them to anyone I know who's getting married. Our wedding images are timeless – I can take them out in 20-years time and will still be proud of them."
Décor
I wanted a classic wedding - no massive stages or an LED-lit dancefloor. I kept it simple with white. White flowers everywhere with a touch of purple. As we did table planning, all the names were written in mini chalkboards in Arabic – this went down a treat as each and every guest took their name home.
The Reception
We didn’t have a DJ. Instead, I wanted our guests to interact with each other, so I had all the tables mingle and work together to do an act to impress Afzal and I - think Wedding X Factor!
One table wrote a bespoke song for us, another did a group dance. The best table won a bouquet of chocolates. My dad sang a beautiful song that had me fighting back the tears.
The entertainment was a highlight as guests didn’t just eat and leave – they felt involved. The entertainment was followed by a few speeches by my uncle, groom’s brother and my dad. It added a personal touch to my day and made me realise how lucky I was to be in a room filled with people who love me so very much."
As seen in Khush Wedding Autumn 2017 KW16. Buy this issue here