Madeeha Jadmani and Fahad Khan were teenagers when they first met at a Pakistani community event with their families. At only 17 and 13, respectively, they clicked as friends right away.
“I thought he was this cute and adorable kid,” Madeeha recalls, “and he was drawn to my comedic side. We were friends for one or two years after that and saw each other every now and then at events, but lost touch for nine or ten years.
We reconnected over Facebook. In 2015, we went on our first official date to a premier party of a show called “The League.” After a few more years, Fahad finally asked me out on a proper date, and here we are.
"He had surprised me with all of my siblings."
By November 2019, Fahad knew he wanted to propose, and was planning to pop the question in March of 2020. He even had a custom ring designed, which was hand delivered by the jeweler on the exact day the first COVID-19 lockdown took place. For three months, Fahad held on to the ring so he could plan an engagement via scavenger hunt around Downtown Los Angeles as soon as lockdowns were lifted. However, with no end in sight for the pandemic, he improvised and took Madeeha on a hike in the Encino Hills mountains.
“His niece Ayla led the hike and ended up being our photographer, capturing the moment I turned around and saw Fahad down on one knee holding the ring,” shares Madeeha. “But the day wasn’t over. He had told me earlier that his sister had reservations at a restaurant that just so happened to have outdoor dining, and that we would get ready at her place, since we were in hiking clothes. When I was ready in my dinner attire, I came downstairs and looked into the backyard with so many feelings that I can’t express. He had surprised me with all of my siblings and all of his siblings, including significant others, in the backyard with a pianist and catered food.”
With Fahad’s mother and sister being Nikki and Madiha of Los Angeles planning and design firm, Exquisite Events, the couple couldn’t have been in better hands when it came to planning their intimate wedding celebration. The design scheme was brought up over dinner with Nikki, when she had the idea of using a color palette of blush, fuchsia, crimson, and gold since it was a Fall wedding.
“Fahad and I were both on board immediately,” says Madeeha. “We wanted our guests to feel safe, so we made sure everyone got covid tested 2-4 days prior. We wanted to provide a close family gathering where both sides of the family could mingle, get loose, and have a great time.”
On the day of the wedding, the bride and her bridal party met at her parents’ house before heading to Sherwood Country Club at 10 a.m. for hair and makeup. The groom had a leisurely morning of photo sessions and getting ready; and neither had any nerves until it was time to see each other at the ceremony.
“My favorite part of the wedding, aside from seeing my gorgeous bride walking down the aisle in her absolutely stunning outfit, was the ceremony prior to the wedding called the Baraat,” says Fahad. This is when the groom’s family is led to the bride’s family by a dhol player while the bride’s family waits to receive them. There are lots of rose petals being tossed up, dancing, and joy to kick off the wedding. Best of all, the venue let us hang up the flag of Pakistan on their flagpole which turned out to be the backdrop of the Baraat.”
“The cocktail area, ceremony staging, and banquet hall were all mesmerizing to look at, each having their own aesthetics and feel,” Madeeha adds. “The speeches were amazing – lots of happy tears. Everyone was mingling, we got to enjoy our food and chat with everyone, and ended the night showing off our moves on the dance floor.”
After the celebrations, the newlyweds enjoyed a relaxing mini-moon in the peaceful Redwood Forests of Santa Cruz.
>Written By: Lauren Malamala
WEDDING TALENT
Location: Sherwood Country Club, Westlake Village, CA; Event Design and Planner: Exquisite Events, Los Angeles, CA; Floral Design: Butterfly Floral & Event Design, Los Angeles, CA; Bride and Groom’s Attire: Shehla Chatoor; Rentals and Lighting: MTB Event Rentals, Glendale, CA; Cake: Roobina’s Cakes, Glendale, CA; Photography: Vinuthna Garidipuri, Houston, TX