FAQs

Question

What should I bring as a gift?

Answer

While your presence on our special day is the greatest gift of all, should you choose to give a gift, we have selected a number of items for you to choose from that can be found in the "registry" section of this website. We also have a "newlywed fund" in that section if you prefer to simply donate cash. As we get ready to embark on our move to Northern California, we greatly appreciate any contributions that you see fit!

Question

What should I wear?

Answer

The attire at our wedding will be formal. No need for tuxes. Men: dark suits with ties or bowties and dress shoes. Women: floor length gowns or cocktail dresses. The majority of an Iranian reception is made up of dancing and revelry, so we encourage everyone to bring their dancing shoes ;) !

Question

What is an "aghd"?

Answer

The sofreh aghd is a traditional wedding ceremony spread where legal marriage + ceremonial traditions are exchanged. The ceremonial traditions have been practiced for thousands of years. Sofreh aghd spreads are usually very customary at Persian weddings. Like most, Iranians have diverse religious backgrounds and the sofreh aghd is a chosen cultural ceremony commonly practiced regardless of faith. At our sofreh, instead of a religious book, we will have a beautiful book of poems by the Persian poet, Hafiz. There are many symbolic items which make up the sofreh aghd spread, all in which represent an element of the couple’s new life and marriage together. The word “sofreh” means “spread” and “aghd” means “ceremony." While most aim to keep the traditional elements of the sofreh, each sofreh is unique in its own way and designed around the bride and groom's style. We will provide more information on the traditional elements of a sofreh and how we decided to design ours at our wedding.

Question

What language will the ceremony be conducted in?

Answer

The ceremony will be officiated by our dear friends Sheva and Shahbaz Rajaee and will be a mix of Farsi and English. It is very important to us that our ceremony is culturally inclusive and feels accessible to all of our guests.

Question

What kind of music will be played?

Answer

The wedding will have live music performed throughout the evening by Allen G. Orchestra. They will perform a variety of songs ranging from traditional Iranian music to American Top 40. We look forward to seeing you on the dance floor!

Question

What kind of food will there be?

Answer

There will be a cocktail hour after the ceremony where small bites of both American and Iranian food will be served. Traditionally, an Iranian wedding dinner is served slightly on the later side, so we encourage all of our guests to take part in appetizers during cocktail hour. At the reception there will be tables of fruit and small traditional Iranian pastries and tea before dinner. Dinner will consist of a traditional Iranian food buffet made up of kabob (beef, veggie, and chicken), saffron rice with an assortment of "khoreshts" (Iranian stews), and salads. And don't worry, we have made sure that there will be plenty of vegetarian options for our non-meat eating guests!