Our ceremony will be a blend of our backgrounds as well as things that have influenced us as individuals and as a couple over the years. We are working hard to make this as personal to us as possible while still honoring the traditions and values that we were each raised with and that have remained important to us. We hope to make it an honest and sincere reflection of our thoughts and feelings and are looking forward to sharing it with you!
We also wanted to touch on some of the aspects of the Persian ceremony so that everyone can familiarize themselves with the meaning and symbolism behind the traditions.
The bride and groom will sit together facing a mirror also known as Ayneh-Yeh-Bakht or "mirror of fate". The Ayneh is lit up by 2 candelabras on either side which represents the bride and groom. According to Persian tradition, the mirror and candlesticks symbolize purity and true love. When they sit down together just before sunset, what they see first is each other's reflection in the mirror.
The Sofreh-Yeh-Aghd is a beautiful cloth spread out before the mirror which traditionally contains items associated with marriage. Traditionally the sofreh preparation is taken very seriously because what it contains is believed and hoped to be in the couple's life and marriage. The word sofreh means "spread" like a table or food spread and appears in many Persian celebrations. The spread is typically set on the floor facing the east so that the couple facing the sofreh will face the light. Espand (an herb) is added to give good health and drive negative energies away. A bowl of shelled nuts and decorated eggs are placed to symbolize fertility, and a cup of honey to make the future sweet. Decorative breads are added to bring the couple happiness and prosperity and fresh fragrant flowers are added to express the hope that beauty will forever adorn the couple's life together.
Mr. Javid Shenasi, a dear friend, has been chosen by the couple to perform the Aghd ceremony. As the Aghd ceremony begins, happily married women, relatives and friends will be asked to join around the bride and groom.
They will hold a white fabric over their heads and rub 2 pieces of sugar together to symbolize the raining of sweet joy and happiness down upon them.