Jasmine & Jassem: A Pretty & Intimate Abu Dhabi Wedding
Written by Fairy Bride Mother on August 2, 2018.
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Jasmine & Jassem: A Pretty & Intimate Abu Dhabi Wedding
If you’re looking for pretty, intimate wedding inspiration, then today you’re in for a treat, as we showcase Jasmine and Jassem’s beautiful Abu Dhabi wedding. With images captured by the talented Maria Sundin, this gorgeous occasion took place in January of this year at Yas Links.
Both Jasmine and Jassem have lived in the UAE for a long time. In fact, Jassem is half American and half Emirati, whilst Jasmine grew up in Abu Dhabi and has Canadian and Belgium roots. This wedding, therefore, combined many elements of Emirati tradition. Furthermore, it was planned in less than three months! Read on to learn more in our interview with the bride, Jasmine. Enjoy!
How did he propose?
Jassem proposed during a wildlife Safari. We got out of the Jeep to see the giraffes, and then all of a sudden, he was down on one knee, asking me to spend the rest of my life with him. We had dated for almost ten years and had been talking about marriage for a while, but I was still surprised and just elated to hear him say the words. Our safari guide was briefed beforehand and caught the whole thing on camera. Jassem worked with a jeweler to design the custom two-piece ring with my preferred mix of white and yellow diamonds set in gold. Worth the wait for sure!
We decided soon after our engagement in September, that we wanted to get married in Abu Dhabi during the winter, as we wanted our celebration to be outdoors, and we didn’t want to wait more than a year to have it! We chose a date in January, which gave us less than three months to plan everything.
Did you decide on a wedding theme? If so, talk us through your choice…
Having a clear vision of what I wanted really helped everything come together in such a short time frame (thank you Pinterest). I knew I wanted blue and gold to be our colours, and to somehow bring in a bit of each of our cultures. I’m half Belgian, half Canadian, and the groom half American half Emirati. We served chocolates and Arabic coffee to guests, had little camels in the place setting, and a seating area with Persian rugs and Arabic lanterns completed our romantic theme.
Jassem and I wanted the space to feel really personal and intimate and kept the guest list small, with about 50 people in total. We took dance lessons beforehand, to a song that was special to us, and performed it as I made my entrance to the reception. We were really happy with the choreographer/dance instructor who helped us prepare this in just five classes! It was really special to be able to perform it in front of everyone, especially since we had chosen to keep our vows for a private ceremony; this was a way of expressing ourselves and many guests were in tears afterward.
By far, the best decisions we made early on, were to hire The Purple Chair, Maria Sundin for photos, The Crystal Dance Center to choreograph our dance, and Nada to take our wedding video.
Tell us about your beautiful stationery…
I used my graphic design skills to design both wedding invitations; for the men-only reception (as per Emirati tradition), a gold invitation with gold and silver cards purchased online. For the main event, where we brought together family and friends, a blue card with gold writing and the outline of the reception venue (Yas Links) drawn by my father. It was nice to involve him in the process as it made it more special.
What about the wedding cake?
Chocolate cake with buttercream from Magnolia bakery. It ended up being a bit of a nightmare on the actual day because it turns out Magnolia don’t deliver their cakes within Abu Dhabi… but it made it to the venue in a taxi and it was delicious!
Let’s talk wedding gowns. Where did you buy your dream gown?
My dress was a bit Arabic inspired in champagne and gold. It wasn’t in the wedding dress section of the store, but I knew it was the one.
Most enjoyable part of the planning process…
Making decisions regarding the décor with Jassem, and designing the invitations with my father.
Top three tips for a bride-to-be?
♡ Have fun with it.
♡ Don’t do it if it doesn’t feel right.
♡ Pinterest is really helpful for coming up with a clear vision of what you want to achieve.
Did you use Bride Club ME in the planning process? If so, how?
I found a few vendors through Bride Club ME via other weddings listed on the site.
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