Mona Karimpour & Shahab Zahed

Six months after Mona and Shahab had their first date over dinner, a romantic proposal took place on a private gated beach in Corona Del Mar. They would later be saying “I do” a few minutes away, during an intimate wedding ceremony at the home of Mona’s parents.

The ceremony was a blend of Persian culture and western modernity, with a traditional sofreh aghd set against the property’s panoramic ocean view. As a personal touch, the sofreh was decorated with silver family heirlooms and combined with Lalique crystals. “After the ceremony ended, Shahab and I went to take pictures at our private beach while the guests were served Persian appetizers,” describes the bride. “There was also a fruit, dessert and tea station, and an appetizer station as well. Once we came back from the beach, we started dancing; and it continued until three hours later, when dinner was served.”

During the wedding planning process, Jeannie from Details Details was brought on board to bring Mona’s vision for a modern reception to life. “The reason why I chose a modern theme is because, in general, I like simple but elegant,” Mona explains. “I am very minimalist when it comes to design, and the architecture in our house is consistent with that as well. Additionally, I am very visual and enjoy coming up with new innovative designs that have not been created before. I feel like my wedding reception dress is also simple, but has an intricate design and beautiful sequins with lace embroidery, which is not found on most wedding gowns. Also, I love how my dress was form-fitting and the train was an A-line that smoothly flowed to the ground.”

Ever since they started dating, Shahab would call Mona his “Moon.” With his name meaning “shooting star” in Farsi, the bride and groom decided to use a theme of the sun, moon and stars for their wedding décor. A modern ambiance was created with white carpeting, white drapes, and a custom white and silver dance floor. The flowers were designed by Square Root Events, and each table had its own unique style, keeping with the sun, moon and stars theme.

“In general, both of us are very spiritual and believe in positive energy and the power of the universe,” Mona adds. “For our wedding, we wanted everyone to feel the positive energy of our love and the timelessness of it that crosses all wavelengths and vibrations. Our first dance – to “Love” by Frank Sinatra – and father-daughter dance used the same thematic elements as well.”