The Graylyn Estate Wedding Photography by Winston-Salem Wedding Photographer AO&JO Photography & Videography
Jeff and Naadia's wedding weekend was one our favorites from 2016 for obvious reasons. Not only was it a gorgeous day from start to finish, but we had the pleasure of working with some great people. Jeff, Naadia and their entire family were just so kind and inviting. We really just had a great time. Jeff and Naadia's wedding ceremony at the Graylyn Estate was the second day of their wedding weekend. The night before they celebrated their Mehndi ceremony which you can see HERE. THeir entire day was filled with white and gold tones in everything from their florals to Naadia's stunning custom HSY gown. They used the classic and clean decor at the Graylyn along with some gorgeous floral to acheive an elegant, romantic, Old-Hollywood look they wanted for their wedding.
Keep reading to hear a little bit more about Jeff and Naadia's wedding day from the couple as well as a few of our favorite images of course!
Venue: THE GRAYLYN ESTATE // Planner & Designer: NOUVEAU EVENTS // Videography: AO&JO PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY // Officiant: ARSHAD ANWAR // Cake Designer: REGI ORIGINALS // Florist: EMBELLISHED BLOOMS // Caterer: THE GRAYLYN ESTATE // Ceremony Music: ELEGANT ENSEMBLES // DJ: DJ HUNGAMA - SOHILl KHARVA // Hair: FIRE SALON // Make-up: MAKE-UP ARTISTRY BY ARMANI // Wedding Dress Designer: HSY (HUSSAN SHEHERYAR YASIN) // Engagement & Wedding Rings: KOGITA JEWELERS // Bridesmaid's Attire: ZARA SHAHJAHAN // Stationary: THE DESKTOP DIVA // Rentals: CE RENTALS & THEMEWORKS // Transportation: FANTASY LIMO
Raleigh Wedding Photography by Raleigh Wedding Photographer AO&JO Photography & Videography
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING VENUE?
The Graylyn Estate – This was the first venue that we looked at and were blown away by not only the house, but the beautiful grounds. It also provided us a perfect location for the ceremony and then a place for the reception. We wanted our wedding to be an experience for our guests, something different in particular that our Pakistani guests had not witnessed in the past, and with a beautiful backdrop and landscape, the Graylyn did that for us.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CEREMONY DÉCOR:
For our wedding ceremony, we were wed in the White Garden which is located on the Southwest lawn of the manor house at the Graylyn. We had heavy rose petals lining the entire aisle and we had 3 tiered large floral arrangements of roses and hydrangea surrounding the alter at the stone gazebo. Since the ceremony was outdoors in the white garden we wanted to play on the background view of the lake and bridge as well as the unique features within the garden including the beautiful gazebo. Our wedding was synonymous with the name of the garden, we wanted everything there to be white and romantic.
DID YOU INCORPORATE RELIGIOUS OR CULTURAL TRADITIONS IN A NEW WAY?
Traditional Muslim weddings are very short and typically over within a couple of minutes. We wanted to make sure we were having a ceremony that would appeal to our multicultural and mutli-religion guests so we incorporated a lot of both cultures into the ceremony. We had a traditional aisle and vows for Jeff’s background and then we incorporated the Muslim marriage ceremony – the nikkah into that. We also had the imam (the officiant presiding over the ceremony) make sure and incorporate aspects and stories from Christian and Jewish faiths as well to show that love and marriage is revered and respected in the same way across all religions even though the ceremonies may differ. It was the one thing from our ceremony that I believe all of our guests appreciated and enjoyed and went away talking about.
WHAT INSPIRED YOUR RECEPTION STYLE?
In traditional Pakistani weddings the bride and groom generally sit on a stage and that is the centerpiece of the reception. We wanted to incorporate that same idea but not be as over the top ostentatious about it, so we had a sweetheart table under a beautiful canopy with flowers and fabric draping the canopy around us and a beautiful Chiffon Pale Blush linen and a gorgeous floral arrangement of greenery, hydrangea, roses, and tulips. After dinner we moved the table and replaced the chairs with a linen settee so we could be comfortable and have easy access to our guests and so our guests could also have easy access to us. We also wanted our family and friends close so they could intermingle and meet with everyone so we made sure the tent was set up to accommodate that. This wedding was as much about family and friends coming together as it was a chance for people in our lives with different backgrounds to meet each other, so we went away with the walls of the tent, since the weather was so beautiful and went with draped ceilings with 3 large art-deco, crystal chandeliers to light the tent and set the ambiance. We also used ghost chairs to reflect off the beautiful grass and landscape of the Graylyn. These chairs also added a modern touch and accentuated the glassware and crystals on the tables.
In addition, we used a seating arrangement made up of long tables intermixed with a few round tables so people could meet across tables. We had a combination of tall floral arrangements on glass trumpets made of roses, hydrangea and orchids mixed in with smaller floral pieces and candles so we could carry out the décor, but also not interrupt the flow of conversation. The greenery was added to add a pop of freshness and to tie in the green lawn of The Graylyn. The gorgeous family tables consisted of suspended floral arrangements with draped greens. Candles, mirrors and low floral arrangements created a runner down the table as well. We went with formal place settings, gold charger plates and champagne dupioni linens to overlay the tables so the picture came off as magical as we hoped.
WHAT WEDDING ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR BEST ENGAGED FRIEND?
Don’t worry so much about all of the little things, if you focus on pinning down the theme of the wedding and big aspects first – food, venue and dress and let the wedding planner take care of the décor and small stuff (that is what they are for) then the day and entire process will be less stressful and more enjoyable for you.
If you would like to learn how you can have a luxury wedding photography experience created by AO&JO Photography & Videography, we encourage you to send us a message today. If you're not sure about all of your weddings plans, it's never too early to check your date. We love to meet a bride-to-be who is excited about and cares deeply about having a gorgeous wedding photography!