SHERATON PALACE HOTEL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 

    Golnar and Brian met through a mutual friend, Brian’s roommate, who had asked several people to go to a hockey game. A few months later, the couple began dating.

     Five years into their relationship, Brian proposed in Golnar’s apartment on December 30, 2005. “Brian had been planning an elaborate outdoor proposal, but torrential rains kept ruining his plans,” says Golnar. So the proposal was brought indoors. Soon after the couple contacted their wedding planner-to-be, Robert Fountain, and began working on the design of their event which included a list of 400 guests.

    Their wedding was a traditional Persian ceremony, or Aghd, which revolves around a sumptuous spread called the Sofreh-ye Aghd. “The Sofreh (offering),” Golar explains, “is covered with items that in modern life have a symbolic representation of plenty and wealth.” The arous (bride), and damad (groom) entered with their parents to traditional congratulatory music, then viewed each other’s reflections in a mirror to ensure that they’ll never lose sight of one another.
    Once the couple was seated under a cloth canopy (held by happily married women who are mothers), some of the women began stitching strands made of seven colors on the cloth. “The seven strands are all the primary colors, for shutting out naysayers,” said Golnar. Then two pieces of crystallized sugar, Kalleh Ghand, were rubbed together over the couple to sweeten their life.
   Next, Brian and Golnar were each asked whether they wished to enter into the marriage contract. Per tradition, Golnar was asked three times and responded after the third time, making the groom wait. She then requested and received her parents’ permission, and the bride and groom exchanged rings and a kiss.
The couple dipped their pinky fingers in honey and offered it to each other, so that the first taste they experienced as a couple was sweet. Esfand (incense) was burned to counter any evil eye.
   Following tradition, the couple asked a respected family friend to officiate. “He created an amazing script based upon his knowledge of us and our families,” Golnar says. “It incorporated poetry and lyrics from both our cultures, both in Farsi and English.”
   Golnar chose a Monique Lhuillier blush-tone gown with lace bustier and satin skirt, and Brian wore a black Ermenegildo Zegna suit.

   Golnar and Brian spent their wedding night at the Sheraton Palace Hotel, then left for the W Retreat & Spa - Maldives