Leila & Amr
Zaffa Entourage
Gamal Kotb
Top Zaffar
Known to cigar peddlers in the Bahamas as "The General," We introduce you to the Groom's father, living legend, Gamal Kotb. The patriarch of the Kotb's family is known for his refreshing sense of humor, razor-sharp focus, and unparalleled work ethic. He and Amr have long enjoyed a very close relationship, and when they aren't quoting lines from "What about Bob," you can find them telling and re-telling the same old stories that they havent stopped laughing about for 20 plus years.
Ali Kabalan
Top Zaffar
Father of the Bride, he is known for his knowledge on everything from engineering to Sufi poetry. He has taught Leila everything she knows about Beirut and passed on his long and intense love to the city unto her. If not gathering people over tea in his shop on Hamra street, you will find him attending a play, watching a movie, or finding the latest cultural event in town. He is thoughtful, caring, and has a deep love for knowledge that he instilled in all his children.
Sahar Kotb
Top Zaffaress
The woman once described as the "funniest member as the Kotb's" family, Sahar Kotb, always makes sure to get her comedic plugs heard inbetween The General's ever-flowing stories, anecdotes, and sounds. The matriarch of the Kotb's family is known for her fierce loyalty, never-ending service to loved ones, and her cooking prowess, which has established an unparalleled reputation among all kinds of high school and college students from 2000-2010 that she'll never meet. Like his father, Sahar and Amr enjoy a close relationship, complete with plenty of venting and support.
Afaf Kabalan
Top Zaffaress
Mother of the Bride but also a true hippie at heart. Afaf is a staunch opponent of plastic bags, lover of the Mediterranean, and an awesome self-taught swimmer at the age of 35. She has an unequivocal love for life, her children, and recently her grandchildren. She has always told Leila (and all her siblings) that she does not need to do homework if she does not feel like it and continuously encouraged Leila to go on protests and stand for what is just. She is hilarious, passionate, and the only one who laughs at Amal's jokes.
Summer Kotb
Top Zaffaress
An immediate best friend of the groom's since her birth in 1989, Summer Kotb is Amr's only sibling. Though they started off hanging out in her crib in the early 90's, they eventually moved on to other things, like sharing a car and driving to and from track practice together. Summer is best known for her infectious love of life, deep commitment to her family and close friends, and abnormal obsession with salty, cheesy, nasty junk food oozing in gallons of hot sauce. Amr has always appreciated her ability to calm him down and help him see the big picture when life gets stressful.
Amal Kabalan
Top Zaffaress
Sister of the bride. But also, oldest sibling of four. Amal has known Leila since Leila was 0 and loved her since then. Amal tried to put out a flaming Christmas tree through throwing installments of teacups full of water into the fire. When Leila was in Kindergarten, Amal would sneak in food for her daily from the big kids kiosk. She also took seven year old Leila to watch the Spice Girls movie and then eat at McDonalds; which was one of the best days of Leila's life. Leila has always looked up to Amal for her kindness, calmness, and ability to laugh anything off.
Mahmoud Kabalan
Top Zaffar
Brother of the bride. King of Nutella and sugar highs. Enjoys breaking things and pretending to put them back together. Mahmoud made Leila and Bashar start a huge fire in their backyard and then commanded them to putt it off as he watched the fire getting dangerously closer. Mahmoud is smart, funny, caring, and has a quirk of getting into an occasional concerning zone of endless laughter.
Bashar Kabalan
Top Zaffar
Bashar was born exactly 15 months before Leila and thus spent the first 8 years of their lives simultaneously fighting and being bestfriends. At age 4 and 5, Bashar was found pouring liquid gasoline into Leila's hand as she showered in it. Bashar has the ability to rationalize anything while being the most caring and loving human being. It is hard to meet someone who does not like Bashar and his ability to bring people together. Bashar moved to Paris in 2012 and has become SO FRENCH since then. Whenever Leila is feeling down, Bashar can always make her laugh.
Nada Chidiac
Top Zaffaress
If you know Leila, you know Nada and vice versa. Leila and Nada get asked if they are sister everywhere they go, and they just answer yes. Leila met Nada in an English class taught by a weird British man during college where she was trying to become her friend to help a friend who had a crush on her. (Un)fortunately, they just started talking to each other in British accents, petting every cat, getting in near-death car experiences while listening I'm Riding Solo. They have traveled the world from Taiwan to Paris and once ended up in First Class on a flight to Tehran where Nada was visibly disappointed because no Champagne was going to be served. Nada is the world's most genuine, silly, funny, weird, and caring person and Leila often wonders what she has done to deserve her.
Varun Lal
Zaffa Entourage
They've laughed, they've cried, and they've probably embraced more times than Amr and his own parents have. Varun Lal is a long time close friend who Amr has truly done it all with since 2005. Whether pulling an all nighter before a finance exam while intermittently discussing President Obama's decision to commit 9 million Big Az chickens to Crimea, waiting in line all day to actually meet President Obama, or belting out the angsty lines of a Taking Back Sunday song, Amr has always placed the highest value on Varun's companionship and respected him as a one of the finest humans he can call a friend. As Varun enters fatherhood and Amr has begun his marriage, the two have managed to maintain this unique dynamic that they've always shared.
Jana Chammaa
Zaffa Entourage
Jana and Leila shared an office in what was then their first jobs. Ever since, they have laughed (at the stupidest sh*t), cried (at work bathroom), danced (at Mezyan), and ate way too much T-marboutas together. If not watching Bollywood at 7:00 AM, Jana will probably be ritually making her sacred black French press coffee. Jana and Leila were also behind the controversial Submarine Chronicles work newsletter that was eventually shut down by the authorities. Jana is known for her love for shawarma, kneffe, her family and friends, and SAIDA KOLHA.
Christopher Regan
Zaffa Entourage
Chris Regan is a man hellbent on snagging the human race's superlative for 'most fulfilling life in history'. He and the groom have always connected on a multitude of levels, with the most important ones being their zany senses of humor and their shared desire to make the most of their lives. When they aren't getting goosebumps from an emotional commercial for toothpaste, they're asking and giving each other advice on some of life's greatest conundrums.
Shahrazad Qassem
Zaffa Entourage
Leila and Shahrazad became friends during their study abroad in Paris- where they consumed unearthly amounts of croissant aux amandes and Picard. Whenever Leila is feeling down, (or happy) Shahrazad will show up with countless amounts of food, or order her Hamoudi with pepsi and fries akeed. Shahrazad is also the adult among Nada and Leila, although she is three years younger. Shahrazad once showed up with shredded cheese saying "If we don't use it in the omelette, we can snack on them later like they're nuts". Shahrazad is known for her unparalleled love for reading, sending postcards, deep knowledge on all issues, and criticism of everyone (and everything).
Michael Zanchelli
Zaffa Entourage
Friends since 7th grade, Michael has been a close confidant of the groom for almost two decades. Occupying the role of an honorary older brother, Amr has always relied on Michael as someone who could listen to his trials and tribulations and provide advice. He also proofread most of Amr's college and grad school essays. He is a true friend who's always there when you need him, his influence on Amr probably has something to do with the fact that they went to the same high school, college, and graduate schools.
Tarek Abi Mosleh
Zaffa Entourage
Leila and Tarek met in sophomore year of high school when Tarek was a new student with a huge afro. Tarek is the definition of life of the party and when Tarek and Amr met in a party in Beirut, they left Leila alone carrying their drinks while they became the center of a dancing circle doing synchronized dances. Tarek is know for his infectious love for life, wild sense of adventure, and hard work.
Samer Atawneh
Zaffa Entourage
A dynamic man of myriad stories, hilarious, shocking, and hilariously shocking, Samer Atawneh has been a close friend of the groom's for three years. Known for his refreshing sincerity, ability to entertain whoever is around him, and odd talent for consuming unfathomably large quantities of processed food, Amr has always valued he and Samer's ability to connect and share the truest versions of themselves while interspersing a healthy mix of strange accents, fake personalities, and overall critique of the world around them.
Ray Dargham
Zaffa Entourage
Friends since seventh grade, Leila and Ray first met at their lockers as Ray was decorating his with Eminem and Tupac posters. Ray once told his senior year biology teacher who did not let him leave class early that "he has urgent business that he needs to take care of". Known as the CE....O among friends, Ray is known to pursue his dreams, love anything that is trendy/hip, and deep passion for eating mayo-loaded Barbar San Fransisco at 2:00 AM.
Joshua Kingsbury
Zaffa Entourage
A man whose name has replaced every me/it/we/he/she/him/her/they uttered in every song the groom has heard since 2006, Joshua Kingsbury and the groom have been close friends ever since they wandered the halls of their dorm freshman year. Known for his loyalty to his friends, athleticism, and obsession with tennis, Amr has always appreciated Josh's sincere support and care no matter how far away the two resided from one another and their ability to connect on everything from early 2000's emo jams, to the brain's one-handed pushups, to how to avoid buying Manfred any more drinks.
Sirin Yilmaz
Zaffa Entourage
Sirin is Leila's sister (in law). Known for her love for the microbiome, nature-based solutions to everything, and amazing cooking skills. Sirin is also a fellow lover of cats and the planet. Sirin will go out of her way to help any individual she loves and quick to make friends with anyone
Seth Binder
Zaffa Entourage
A man who's been riding the rails of Middle East policy with Amr since 2013, Seth and Amr became friends in graduate school when they shared a few classes together, rapping about the NBA, passionately debating Middle East policy, and grabbing Chipotle when time permitted. Since then, the two have continued doing plenty of the same, just with nicer eating establishments...kind of. Known for his kindness and accepting nature to all whom he comes into contact with, Amr has always appreciated Seth as a supportive friend, ready to step in and help you out before you even think to ask.
David Heayn
Zaffa Entourage
David is Leila's brother (in law). Knows everything Medieval, sneakily purchases books behind Amal's back, passionately advocates for a Foosball table, and cooks every single big meal for the Kabalans/Heayns. David has known Leila since 2006 when he used to drive Amal from Philadelphia to DC to see Leila. Known for his support, love of a good conversation, and endless commitment in offering a helping hand.
Doug Abbott
Zaffa Entourage
A man who has frequently been called Dough and been forced to throw Mexican barbecue parties, Doug Abbott was key to Amr's ability to survive graduate school. A friend who was truly always ready to do anything, Amr and Doug spent their time in Syracuse, a city they both despised, studying together, spending long nights out on the town, playing soccer, growing moustaches, watching episodes of arrested development, spending Thanksgiving together, and eating wings with those moustaches while overhearing people saying they looked gross. Amr has always appreciated Dough's dancing style, which resembles that of the parachute figures outside used car lots.
Kevin Wenzel
Zaffa Entourage
Once referring to himself as "the weakest one in the herd," Kevin Wenzel is a man of no comparison. Beyond his silky smooth vocal chords that are bound to serenade anyone with ears, are his qualities as a close and reliable friend. He and Amr also met in graduate school, where they spent many late nights effortlessly easing into deep discussions. And although the peeled off beer bottles left him cursing Amr the next day as he cleaned off his porch, it is likely these sessions that cemented their bond as close friends, who continue to do the same now as co-habitants of Washington, DC.
Kevin Dean
Zaffa Entourage
Known to many in Egypt as Karim Waleh El-Din, Kevin William Dean is a friend that Amr was lucky enough to make when he lived in Cairo in 2014. The two worked in the same newsroom together before Kevin was kind enough to offer Amr the empty room in his apartment as an escape from the rat-infested trashmountain he had been living in at the time. Kevin and Amr spent endless long nights wandering the streets of Cairo, discussing their deepest desires and aspirations over shisha, 4am liver sandwiches, and fried cow brains. Amr has always appreciated Kevin's genuineness, readiness to listen to anything on Amr's mind, and shared quirky sense of humor that had them creating a multitude of scenarios only loosely based off the odd characters they encountered on a daily basis.