This post is special for me because I am able to share in the wedding of friends of Zee & I.
We had the good fortune to travel to Ethiopia to celebrate Gideon’s and Selome’s elegant garden nuptials earlier this year. Their families were so welcoming, and we were amazed by their non-stop laughter, dancing, eating, and drinking throughout the entire week.
A lot of shoulder shimmying characterizes Ethiopian dancing, and I think that was my favorite memory of the day. (Apart from watching our two friends get married! Of course!) was when the Groom and his groomsmen rocked up to the bride’s family home to ‘fetch’ the bride from her family and bridesmaids (as per Ethiopian tradition), and they had this incredibly energetic dance/sing/shout/shoulder off!
The serene garden setting (rare in Addis Ababa’s dusty and bustling Addis Ababa) and the crisp, fresh color palette of the glacier, white, green, and gold will make you fall for it. The strapless dress of the stunning bride is light and airy, with a beaded bodice. It also features a thigh-high split. Badgley Mischka’s heels, pearls, and her “something blue” are also featured. Not to forget the dapper Groom with his classic black suit and megawatt smile.
The Inspiration
We wanted to keep our wedding elegant yet simple. This was achieved by holding a tent ceremony in an old villa’s compound. Our wedding colors were Glacier gold.
Selome founded the Pinata Party Shop, a stylish and fun event-planning shop in Addis Ababa.
The Flowers
The darker green carnations were used to differentiate the bouquet from the buttonholes.
The Photography & Videography
Our photographer, Nabil Shish, is also a Toronto friend and is extremely talented. He understood our wants and needs for the day. He captured special moments without being intrusive. Our videographer, Yonas, is not a wedding videographer but a professional videographer who works on commercials and feature films. We chose him because we wanted to create a video that looked like a feature film, not merely spliced together wedding videos.
The Ceremony
Our ceremony was conducted by the uncle of the Groom, who took over when the priest could not make it. We were given five minutes to compose our vows and then discuss them with the Groom’s uncle. The ceremony was made more personal and special.
Decor & Details
We, along with our close friends and family, created the decor, which included paper lanterns, an off-white canvas cloth used as draping, as well as simple table settings. It was a lot of work, but it was all the more meaningful because we were personally involved. The gold table numbers and napkin rings were our main DIY projects.
We gave men small heart-shaped mint candies, and we gave heel stoppers to the women (since the tent was set up on a field). We had a goodie bag filled with coloring books, bubbles, and stamps for the children, as well as rings with lights, paper placemats, and wedding-themed paper placemats. BridalMusings.com has a post about having kids at your wedding that will give you some inspiration.
The Attire
I wore a dress that I designed with YeFikir’s design. I used Ethiopian fabrics for my dress and embellished it with crystal beads. The bride wore an Indochino Suit that was custom-tailored.
Our bridesmaids were dressed in a Glacier-colored long sleeveless Bill Levkoff gown, with nude-colored shoes and peach/gold earrings. Our groomsmen were dressed in classic black suits with a white shirt and black skinny ties.
The Refreshments
The Groom created our signature cocktail, which consisted of dry vermouth and gin with O.J., fresh Basil, and tonic. Champagne was the drink choice for cocktail hour. Our formal 3-course sit-down dinner included a variety of dishes, and we had an open bar the entire night. Ken Willockx, a Belgian chef from Le Grand Reve, created a wedding cake and dessert buffet that was an artistic work.
Thank you for sharing Selome and Gideon’s special day with BridalMusings.com. I’ll repay you later for your sweet compliments! Wink wink and nudge nudge.
Are you planning to have a garden wedding? What about an Ethiopian wedding, either traditional or, in the case of Selome and Gideon’s, less traditional?
