Weddings truly put the Wed in Wednesdays! After Anam, Zahra, Sharn and Roli’s beautiful celebrations, we’ve got a special sweet treat in store for you lovelies. Today’s Blogger Week Spectacular piece features the stunning reception of Ferouk and Jowairiyya of Dulce Vita by J. They say that love is sweet, but our hearts truly melted looking at this gorgeous couple’s wedding album (mashaAllah!)
This picture reminds us of what the acclaimed writer Gabriel García Márquez once said, “A true friend is the one who holds your hand and touches your heart.”
Who is Dulce Vita by J?
1. If you could describe yourself in three words, then what would they be?
Genuine, Colourful, Shy
2. What was the inspiration for your blog?
I used to do outfit posts on social media, in particular Instagram, and started to get a lot of sweet comments and questions, so I decided to start my blog.
Wedding Deets:
Jowairiyya (aka Riyya) and Ferouk were nikkahfied on July 18, 2010. They celebrated with their friends and family with a simple reception the following day in Ottawa, Canada. Their Muslim wedding reception was an intimate affair that served as a joint Shaadi and Valima at the gorgeous Orchard View Wedding and Conference Centre. Read more about the wedding details from Riyya below!
“Both my husband and I are quite simple, so we had both decided early on that we wouldn’t be doing everything by the book. As you know, most traditional Indian/Pakistani weddings are extremely over the top with many different events. I guess I never pictured myself having a big wedding, but I do enjoy attending them! We decided that instead of having separate Shaadi and Valima functions, as is customary, we would combine them into one elegant reception which took place the day after our Nikkah. Our Nikkah and Registry took place at my home in Canada and it was an intimate affair with only close friends and family present. This also worked out well as we didn’t have to run around on the reception day and we were able to enjoy both occasions separately.
Our reception was also small and intimate and elegant. We had about a total of 160 guests and we both found that was a perfect number as we were able to talk to everyone and not constantly be greeting people that we barely knew.
I had spent a lot of time finding the perfect venue for our reception. I didn’t want to do it in any generic Conference centre or Hotel, as it was so intimate, I felt it needed to be somewhere elegant and different. I was extremely happy when I found the Orchard View Wedding and Conference Centre, as it was exactly what I had envisioned. It’s set in a beautiful idyllic setting with a scenic lake and plenty of ambiance provided by bridges and waterfalls.
The location ended up being perfect for our wedding shoot as well, and our photographer got some amazing shots of us. They were so good that Orchard View even used them to promote their venue!”
3. As a fashion blogger with amazing, daily, high quality pictures, how did you choose your wedding photographer and/or videographer?
I was recommended my wedding photographer by a mutual friend and after seeing his work I was more than happy to hire him. He did a great job with our photos.
*Yes, he did!
4. What did shopping for your wedding entail? Did you have any absolute musts in your quest for outfits, décor, and jewelry?
I know most bride-to-be’s can be very specific about their wedding outfits and accessories, but to be honest I was quite laid back about the process. I got my wedding dress made by a very close family friend in Islamabad, Pakistan. I just sent her my exact measurements with some ideas and colours that I wanted and she got it made and sent it to me in Canada. I really liked it and it didn’t need any alterations! For my jewellery, I had a tiny bit of a disaster. I had ordered a custom made set from Kyles Collection, from London, and it was stunning. However, when I got it, it didn’t go with the dress that well and it was a bit too blingy for my taste. My mom then saved the day by finding another set for me in Dubai that went with my dress perfectly.
5. What was your inspiration for your outfits? How did you find “the one” for your wedding day? Was your husband particular about his wedding attire?
As laid back as I was about my wedding outfit, my husband was very specific with what he wanted. I actually really liked that because most guys just wear whatever their fiancés or moms suggest. Ferouk got his sherwani custom made from a boutique specializing in menswear here in London.
*We giggled #whenthetablesturn #groomzillas.
6. Would you like to share the story of how you and your husband met?
I met my husband while I was on a 1 week holiday in London in the summer of 2008. I was visiting some old friends and we met randomly and here we are 6 years later!
7. What was your inspiration for the colors or themes in your events?
Well my favourite colour is green, so my dress’s main colour was green and so of course the rest of the décor had to be green accented as well.
8. Were there any distinctly cultural elements in your wedding traditions? How did you fuse these traditions with your ideas for style/decor of the wedding?
At our reception we tried to incorporate some traditional customs such as the Joota Chupai, where the bride’s sister/friends hide the grooms shoe and demand a ransom. That was really fun! Apart from that, most other traditional aspects were covered in the Mehndi event and the Nikkah event.
9. What was your favorite/most memorable part of the wedding? And what was your least favorite part?
My favorite part- hmm, it’s hard to pick one, the whole wedding was so memorable! My friends and family made such sweet speeches, and my brother and his friends did a choreographed dance. It was all very memorable.
My least favorite part was when the DJ we had hired turned up really late. I was freaking out and needless to say, I was not very happy with him.
10. If you could go back and re-do one part of your wedding, what would it be and why? (or did you love everything as is)
No, to be honest, I don’t think I would change a thing, our wedding was exactly how we had planned it and it represented who we are really well.
11. What was it like seeing your husband for the first time on your wedding day?
Exciting because I was so ready to begin the next chapter of our lives together 🙂
12. How did you plan your wedding without going insane about details?
I couldn’t have done it without my mom’s help! She took charge of the venue and catering and coordinated all of that. I really didn’t have a lot to worry about. I was actually very relaxed on the run-up to the wedding.
13. What is your advice for other brides-to-be?
Don’t stress out over little things and try to enjoy the experience because it’s something you do once in a lifetime (hopefully!).
14. Would you like to offer any advice to newlyweds, based on your four years of experience?
Try to compromise on the small things.
Follow Riyya on Social Media:
Blog: http://www.dulcevitabyj.com/
Facebook: Dulce Vita by J
Twitter: @Jriyya
Instagram: @jriyya
Vendors:
Venue: Orchard View
Catering: Tandoori Fusion
Photography: John Down Photography
Décor: Simply Covered
Stay tuned for more of our Blogger Week Spectacular!