This Wedding Was a Colorful Blend of Cultures

Equal parts culture and color was the recipe for Hailey and Kimia’s brightly hued California wedding.

Hailey and Kimia never would have expected their introduction to one another at a high school theater camp to lead to a gorgeous West Coast wedding at Ranchos Las Lomas, a private estate and botanical garden in Southern California, tucked in the foothills of Orange County. This gem of a day came with no lack of bright jewel tones, beaming moments, and a blend of modern, yet traditional events.

“[It] was, simply put, very us,” recalls Hailey and Kimia of the ceremony, officiated by their best friend, that brought the couple and their 189 guests through a range of emotions, starting with the custom whoopie cushions on chairs to gain a laugh. “We wanted to share ourselves and our love with all of our guests, so everything from the violin songs down to the flowers was chosen to represent how we wanted to share ourselves—not to just do things that happen at weddings because everyone else does them.”

Amongst the botanic setting of the venue, both of their parents escorted them down the cobblestone aisle where vintage rugs lined the way. Hailey wore a Casablanca Bridal gown with a romantic lace overlay and an heirloom veil, paired with bright green heels that were later swapped out for gold Nike Cortez sneakers for dancing. Kimia, however, sported her pink Nike Dunk kicks the entire day, which complemented her modern white jumpsuit.

The Spanish tiles of the venue influenced the floral designs and array of color that event planner and designer Holly Gray of Anything But Gray Events brought into the space. The arched arrangements were the perfect silhouette for them to kiss one another and officially start the next chapter.

Before dinner and dancing, Hailey and Kimia brought in elements from their individual cultures during cocktail hour. A mariachi played as a nod to Hailey's Mexican heritage (“and she loves them!” notes Kimia) and, because Kimia is Persian, the two took part in a traditional Persian sofreh aghd, during which the couple sit in front of a table filled with items that carry meaning. The spread of elements signifies the journey of life and marriage. “So we were technically married twice,” quips the couple.

The reception space was an explosion of color, with tables topped with bright jewel-toned blooms such as peonies, ranunculus, anemones, and delphiniums, alongside fresh fruit and special candles that the couple hauled back from a trip to Mexico City the year prior.

Belly dancers provided the entertainment during the sit-down coursed dinner before Hailey and Kimia shared dances with their fathers and cut into their citrus olive oil cake, topped with a Lego cake topper built by Kimia.

They bopped into the evening and celebrated beneath the night sky as guests embraced the encouraged-sneaker request (“People really pulled through with that one!”) and ending the night with their signature karaoke song, Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors.