What an honor it was to photograph Danial and Golbarg's wedding! This was my first time every photographing a Persian style wedding, and I loved it! The wedding was held at the The Lodge at Mountain Park in Lake Oswego, Oregon on an unusually sunny Spring day in early March.  

I met them at their house that sunny afternoon. They were busy with last minute preparations and getting dressed. I sneaked a few pictures of their cats while they finished getting dressed upstairs. Unlike western weddings where the Bride and Groom wait to see each other till the ceremony or first look, Persians grooms even help pick out the wedding gown. So once they were ready, we headed to the venue to grab some portraits before the ceremony. 

I was so happy to find trees in bloom around every corner! And that sunshine! I told Danial that he had really gambled having an early March wedding in Oregon, but that he had hit the jackpot! 

Since Persian weddings don't include a bridal party, we had lots of time to find lots of beautiful spots for photos and just enjoy the beautiful afternoon. We headed back in time to prepare for the ceremony. The ceremony was so cool and so different than any other wedding I've been to. The bride and groom enter together and take a seat in front of an elaborately adorned table with candles surrounding a ornate mirror and dishes of treats and cookies and rock candy and so many other symbolic pieces. 

Part of the ceremony involved the bride and groom dipping their finger in some honey and feeding it to each other, to symbolize sweetness in their marriage. The mother of the groom adorns the bride with gifts of jewelry as wall. 

Before the couple cut the cake, they first have to get the knife. Golbarg's aunt performed the knife dance, in which she pretends to hand over the knife but then takes it back a few times sort of teasing them and dancing around with it. It was awesome. 

Congratulations Golbarg and Danial! It was an honor to be part of your day!