The Persian Wedding of Lauren & Vahid Hamzeinejad

Married: November 10, 2018
Hummingbird Nest Ranch
Santa Susana, CA

Bride: Lauren Heath
Groom: Vahid Hamzeinejad
How They Met: Vahid was working in the Bay Area, Lauren went to visit her best friend (and Matron of Honor), who happened to be a friend of Vahid’s. When Lauren locked eyes with Vahid, she knew he was someone special – so they became
Facebook friends and went on with their lives separately
for the next year and a half.
Hashtag LaVaLoVe: Now, every 21st century couple needs a good hashtag name. LaVa is the combination of the first two letters of Lauren and Vahid’s names. What they “love” about it is that the L and the V are in the same spots as “LaVa” and “LoVe!” Lauren also keeps reminding Vahid that L & V are also the initials for Louis Vuitton…*hint-hint-wink-wink* Persian Traditions
The Sofreh Aghd translated is “wedding spread” and is placed in front of the bride and groom when they exchange their wedding vows. The ceremonial tradition has been practiced for thousands of years, and the Sofreh Aghd spread is customary at Persian weddings. Like most ethnicities, Iranians have diverse religious backgrounds and the Sofreh Aghd is a chosen cultural ceremony commonly practiced regardless of faith. There are many symbolic items which make up the sofreh aghd spread, all of which represent an element of the couple’s new life together.
While most aim to keep the traditional elements of the Sofreh design, each Sofreh is unique and is designed around the bride and groom’s style. Every Sofreh Aghd design has traditional must-haves; however, based on the taste and budget of the couple, some Sofreh designs are more elaborate and intricate than others, while others are more simple and understated.
During the wedding ceremony, a Persian ritual, the bride and groom sit in front of the Sofreh Aghd and a veil is held over their heads. One by one the happily married female members of the bride’s family and the groom’s come up and rub the sugar loafs together over the bride and groom’s heads, sprinkling a snowfall of sweetness onto the veil and, by implication, over the couple.

Photos by Taylor Kinzie Photography

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