Andrew & Shireen
Day of info!
No-phones ceremony
A kind request
We understand that we gave you a bit to read here, and we're happy you're interested in learning more about our celebration! Once the ceremony begins, we ask that phones go away, including for photos! We have a lot of trust in our photographer and his art, and we want the subjects of his photos (you!) to be engaged and looking your best, not looking down skimming our website or straining for a photo of us (that's his job!)
Self-uniting marriage
Officiant
Washington, DC is one of the few places in the country where self-officiated weddings are legally recognized. Since 2014, the District of Columbia has allowed couples to choose the option of self-officiating on their marriage license. Our original intention was for Andrew's father to officiate our marriage, but after his homegoing, there was no replacing his role, and we decided to soleminze our marriage ourselves.
Ghand Sabi (sugar rubbing)
Persian Ceremony Tradition
For the sugar rubbing ceremony, the couple will be seated, and Shireen's bridesmaids will hold a Cloth of Unity over their heads. All ladies attending the ceremony are welcome to come up and take turns rubbing together large cones made of hard sugar to sprinkle sweetness onto the marriage.
Jumping the Broom
Black American Ceremony Tradition
The practice of jumping the broom has become customary to descendants of enslaved Africans in the Americas who were largely forbidden from wedding ceremonies recognized by the religious or governing bodies of their enslavers. Some associate the broom with symbolism of a bridge between two people, others describe the meaning as standing for unity, protection, cleansing, fertility, and resilience for the couple and their future.
Arrive Early?
Exhibits at the Library
Feel free to explore DC's favorite "third place" with ample free community gatherings and resources. The fourth floor boasts several local history, music, and activism exhibits, and the first and fifth floors host rotating art and storytelling pieces. The basement houses workshops and a maker-space with 3D printers, sewing machines, Cricut devices, and other tools for community members to express their creativity!