MODERN MULTICULTURAL WEDDING HONORS PERSIAN AND JEWISH TRADITION AT THE LUXURY ALILA MAREA RESORT ON THE BLUFFS OF THE SAN DIEGO COAST
“Steps from the historic Highway 101 and the coastal town of Encinitas, Alila Marea Beach Resort blends seamlessly into the bluffs in an innovative expression of eco-design. This luxurious yet laid-back hotel embodies the quintessential Southern California lifestyle, mixing relaxation and endless adventures from South Ponto Beach and Batiquitos Lagoon to eclectic cafes and boutiques” (Hyatt) — the perfect venue for this bride and groom’s modern, mulitcultural event honoring family, love, their history, and their cultures. Persian and Jewish symbols, rituals, and traditions decorated this editorial wedding weekend.
1/64
Bride and groom prepare to share their wedding vows at the Alila Marea, a luxury coastal resort in Encinitas, California.
2/64
Helicopters fill the skies and prepare to land at the local helipad by this luxury resort.
3/64
The chic design of this resort on the coastal bluffs of San Diego makes it the perfect location for this luxury, modern wedding.
4/64
Blue skies and perfect weather.
5/64
Wax seals and embossed type on these invitation suites, accentuated by light and shadow.
6/64
Minimalist wedding details: invitation suite — invitation, RSVP, save-the-date, and details — paired with the engagement ring and wedding band, wax seal stamp, and eau de parfum.
7/64
A close up of Black Saffron by BYREDO, rings, and elegant wax seal stamp.
8/64
Tying the laces on his carefully polished dress shoes.
9/64
Friends and family assist with the dress shirt and bowtie.
10/64
An intimate moment with dad before the celebrations begin.
11/64
A candid, laughing moment.
12/64
A toast to the bride and groom. Shots for all.
13/64
All dressed and ready to go — the groom climbs the stairs at this luxury wedding venue and is excited to start the day.
14/64
Crystal spiral stilettos are both fabulous and timeless. Welcome to 2025’s hottest wedding shoe. Rene Caovilla.
15/64
A special moment with the wedding gown in comfy, feathered pajamas.
16/64
A glass of champagne before the outfit change.
17/64
Time for jewelry: earrings and a tennis bracelet complete this modern bridal look.
18/64
So excited to walk down the aisle. Cue the wedding bells! Makeup by Danielle Pavia and hair by Joshua Murphy Hair.
19/64
Finishing touches.
20/64
Ceremony details: rose petals and candles decorate the aisle.
21/64
A beautiful wedding ceremony arch covered in greenery and lush white roses, overlooking the ocean. But this is not any ordinary ceremony arch: "The chuppah has four posts and a roof for the couple to stand under during the exchange of vows. It symbolizes the couple's future home and the life they will build together."
22/64
"The Sofreh Aghd acts as a symbolic representation of blessings, wishes, and prosperity for the newlywed couple. The bride and groom sit facing the table with their guests sitting behind them to represent the community that is supporting their marriage: In other words, the wedding guests 'have their backs.' The table is made up of many elements, some of which are listed below."
23/64
"A Mirror (Ayneh): A mirror is a symbol of purity, light and brightness. The first thing which the Groom sees in the mirror during the Sofreh Aghd ceremony is the reflection of his wife after she removes her veil. It represents bringing light and brightness into the future of the married couple.
Two Candelabras (Shamdan): The candelabras are placed next to the mirror and symbolize energy and clarity in the couple’s life together.
Spice Tray (Sini-Ye Aatel-O-Baatel): A tray of seven herbs and spices to guard the couple against the evil eye."
24/64
"Decorated Eggs, Walnuts, Almonds and Hazelnuts: A symbol of fruitfulness, fertility and abundance. It is the hope to have a marriage as strong as the shells of these nuts.
Decorated Persian Flatbread (Naan Sangak): A decorative display of flatbread symbolises prosperity for the feast and the couple’s life together. It can be accompanied with feta cheese and fresh herbs.
Sweets and Pastries (Shirini): This is for the sweetness of life."
25/64
"Rock candy (Shakheh Nabat): This symbolizes a sweetened life for the newlyweds.
Two Sugar Cones (Ghand): This is to shower the couple with sugar symbolizing sweetness and happiness for a good life together. This is rubbed over the cloth that is placed over their heads.
Honey (Asal): This represents sweetness in the couple’s life and at one point in the ceremony, the bride dips her pinky in the honey to feed her husband and he performs the act back to her — it symbolizes they promise to sweeten each others lives.
Wild Rue (Espand): It is a herb which is burned as part of a ritual for purification. It is believed to keep away the evil eye and bring good health."
26/64
Champagne is served as the wedding guests approach the ceremony space.
27/64
Father and son walk down the aisle together. These are the groom's last steps as a fiancé — soon he will be a husband.
28/64
"At a Persian wedding, the esfand is burned just as the bride walks down the aisle. Esfand (or incense) is a combination of spices and herbs that symbolize the unwelcoming of negative energy. Burning esfand is an important part of the Persian culture that's meant to deter the 'evil eye' from causing any harm, particularly as one is about to embark on a new journey or milestone."
29/64
"The consent tradition is the 'I do' part of the wedding ceremony. First, the officiant asks the groom for consent and he quickly obliges. Next, the officiant asks the bride for her consent. It is customary for the bride to be asked for her consent three times before she answers — this is to symbolize the groom’s journey of earning his wife’s love. The crowd gets involved by yelling reasons why the bride can’t consent yet, such as, 'Aroos rafteh gol behshineh!' or, 'The bride has gone to pick flowers!' The consent tradition creates excitement and anticipation in the audience until the final moment the bride finally agrees by saying, 'With the permission of my parents, I do.'"
30/64
Mom showers the couple in sugar, a Persian tradition symbolizing sweetness and happiness.
31/64
Bride and groom approach the altar, to share their vows under the chuppah.
32
"Under the chuppah, the glass is broken. The bride and groom acknowledge and declare that they will see each other through celebration and difficulty, through life’s happy times and life’s sorrows. Glass has the property of being able to be melted down and re-formed anew' symbolically, breakage need not be permanent and may be restored or transformed to build something new."
33/64
The only thing better than a first kiss is a first hug, surrounded by loved ones and flowers.
34/64
"Persian weddings have a tradition called gol baroon, which translates to raining flowers. The gol baroon signifies beautiful wishes for the bride and groom as they begin their life together. I opted to have this done as we walked back up the aisle together as husband and wife."
35/64
So in love.
36/64
Off to sunset portraits with the wedding party!
37/64
Descending the stairs of the stunning Alila Marea Resort to the bluffs of Encinitas.
38/64
The wedding party smiles for their portrait on the beachside helipad with the sun setting on the ocean horizon.
39/64
A candid, laughing moment for the groom's portrait.
40/64
A nostalgic moment for the bride to soak it all in. A bouquet of gorgeous white roses and all of her wedding dreams come true. Gown from Kyha Studios.
41/64
A romantic kiss between bride and groom on the bluffs.
42/64
Celebrating a quiet moment as newlyweds, soaking in the beauty of the California coast at dusk.
43/64
All smiles. Wedding ring and band from Janet Heller Fine Jewelry.
44/64
Time to return to the reception! Ready to celebrate.
45/64
But first — one more kiss in private.
47/64
Bride and groom enjoy a private walk-through of the reception space; the wedding vision has truly come to life.
48/64
Every detail is immaculate — hand-picked white roses and soft, glowing candles coat the dinner tables in romance and luxury.
49/64
White roses, glass and tableware, acrylic chairs, and linens cooperate for this modern, minimalist, and chic wedding design. The symmetry and attention to detail is unparalleled.
50/64
The lights have dimmed as the hall fills with candlelight.
46/64
A beautiful mirrored seating chart designates seating arrangements for guests. Soon they will find their seats.
51/64
Off to sign the ketubah!
52/64
A candid moment relaxing together before the signing of the Ketubah.
53/64
"The Ketubah lists all the details of the wedding: the date, the name of the to-be-weds, and our commitment to each other. We opted for inter-faith language in ours that highlighted the importance of family and building a home that's welcoming to all and to each other. We had our fathers bear as witnesses and signed the document that is now framed and hung proudly in our home. We display it as a daily reminder of our vows to each other as husband and wife."
54/64
Grand entrance!
55/64
Wedding guests cheer, clap, and welcome the bride and groom to the dance floor for their first dance.
56/64
Sentiments from loved ones — the best man's toast.
57/64
"The knife dance is a popular tradition that begins as soon as the couple want to cut the cake. In order to cut their cake, they must first earn the knife from the dancer — this is usually a bridesmaid, groom's friend, or one of the guests. The dancer must dance with the knife and tease the bride and groom, after which the dancer can choose to keep passing on the knife to someone else. At times, but not always, the groom can bribe the dancer with money, so he can obtain the knife and complete the cake cutting. The dancing continues in good humor, as well as entertainment, until one of the dancers decides to give up the knife or they have been given money."
58/64
The knife has been won and the cake is cut. This gorgeous minimalist wedding cake is just as delicious inside as it is beautiful outside.
59/64
Let the festivities begin!
60/64
In the moment on the dance floor everyone else fades from view.
61/64
The night ends in love and wild celebration.
62/64
One last drink with friends.
63/64
Late night, post-reception details — signs of an evening well spent.
64/64
Guests collect their things; the stunning luxury reception hall slowly empties as guests filter out and make their way home.
A sincere thank you to the loveliest team:
Venue Alila Marea Beach Resort // Coordinating Threshold Events // Gown Kyha Studios // Designer Wedding Shoes Rene Caovilla // Ring & Wedding Bands Janet Heller Fine Jewelry // Hair Joshua Murphy Hair // Makeup Danielle Pavia // Rentals APR Boutique Event Rentals, Enticing Tables // Florals Breathe Visual Creations // Bride Naz Taghavi Lipp // Groom David Lipp //Photography Miranda Tate Photography
Click here to schedule your complimentary discovery call with Miranda Tate today.
