Opal and Milad’s Wedding at D’Vine Grace Vineyard

Y’all, I am still not over this absolutely gorgeous wedding! Opal and Milad’s celebration at D’Vine Grace Vineyard in McKinney was a perfect blend of cultural traditions, luxury, and allll the love that had me smiling behind my camera all day.

When couples bring their cultural heritage to their wedding day, it’s always so special to capture. Even though weddings can look similar with a ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, the little elements of your culture make your wedding day stand out. Opal and Milad incorporated both Indian and Persian traditions into their celebration, and I was so honored to document every little detail!

The Best Venue for a Big Wedding in Texas

I have always loved working at D’Vine Grace Vineyard, one of my top wedding venues in the DFW! From the Tuscan-inspired architecture and the stunning vineyard, it was the perfect backdrop for Opal and Milad’s cultural wedding. It’s the perfect venue to help your wedding day vision come to life, and the neutral space will complement any wedding decor you’re thinking about including on your wedding day.

The outdoor ceremony space was perfect for their traditional wedding ceremony, with the gazebo covered in flowers. It was so romantic. I couldn’t stop taking photos of how stunning it looked and how emotional everyone was during the wedding ceremony.

The Best Bridal Look to Honor Your Culture

One of my favorite parts of the day was capturing Opal and her bridesmaids in traditional Indian attire. Opal wore the most stunning gown from @seemagujral that literally took my breath away! Opal’s wedding day look kept all eyes on her throughout the entire day! Not only did it have beautiful details, but she also paired it with some traditional jewelry, which really brought the whole look together! One thing about me as a wedding photographer is I loveeee wedding details and taking photos of them, so when I saw all of the jewelry Opal had to compliment her outfit on her wedding day, I made sure to spend extra time photographing all of the gorgeous details because they were just too beautiful I had to make sure they were highlighted in their wedding gallery.

Opal’s hands had the best Henna designs that was another meaningful element that I made sure to capture, the tradition of sitting to get Henna and then allowing it to dry so it can be bright and vibrant on your wedding day is so unique it’s one of my favorite traditions.

Fun Cultural Traditions They Incorporated at D’Vine Grace Vineyard

Can we talk about how much fun the cultural traditions made this wedding? There were so many unique moments that had everyone laughing and enjoying themselves! One of my favorite moments was when Milad had to “buy back” his shoes from the maid of honor! This playful tradition (called Joota Chupai in Indian weddings) had everyone laughing as negotiations took place to get his shoes back. Everyone laughing and enjoying themselves made my job of taking their picture even easier!

The Persian knife dance during the reception was another highlight I loved photographing! The bridesmaids took turns dancing with the cake knife, and Milad had to offer each of them money to get it back for the cake cutting. What was really special about this is that a lot of the guests had never experienced these traditions before, so getting to take part in something that was special to this couple’s culture was really cool to witness and capture.

After the ceremony and cultural traditions, everyone was on the dance floor for the rest of the night, dancing to music from @aegtxdjs that perfectly blended cultural tunes with all the best modern hits. The reception space at D’Vine Grace looked absolutely magical, with romantic candles lining the tables and florals by @dl_decor creating the most elegant wedding reception space.

Indian & Persian Wedding Traditions

For couples planning to incorporate cultural elements into their own weddings, here’s a little insight into some beautiful Indian and Persian wedding traditions you might consider:

Indian Wedding Traditions:

– Mehndi (Henna): Henna is applied to the bride’s hands and feet in intricate designs along with her bridesmaids and family before the wedding day.

– Joota Chupai (Hiding the Shoes): The bride’s family (or the bridesmaids for Opal and Milad’s wedding) steal the groom’s shoes and demand payment to get them back

– Traditional Wedding Attire: Vibrant colors, especially red, which symbolizes prosperity and fertility

– Jewelry: From earrings to bracelets and even nose rings, the jewelry is elegant and an important part of the bride’s overall wedding day look. To make it even more special, sometimes the bride is gifted with heirloom pieces to wear on her wedding day.

Persian Wedding Traditions:

– Sofreh Aghd: A traditional wedding ceremony moment where the couple sits at a table with a spread of symbolic items representing prosperity, sweetness, and fertility. While Opal and Milad did not partake in this tradition, it is great for a wedding ceremony.

– Knife Dance (Raghseh Chagoo): Before cutting the cake, family members dance with the knife and won’t give it back until paid, like the hiding the shoe tradition.

What made Opal and Milad’s wedding so special was how they blended these traditions with modern traditions. They created a celebration that honored their heritage while still feeling uniquely them.

Words from the bride:

“They’re INSANE omg,” “literally couldn’t be happier with the photos,” and “okay i cant stop looking at these previews you killedddd it.” Nothing makes me happier than knowing my couples love their photos as much as I loved taking them!

Planning Your Own Wedding at D’Vine Grace Vineyard

If you’re planning a wedding that incorporates cultural traditions, I’d absolutely love to chat about capturing all those special elements that make your day uniquely yours. Get in touch here to talk all things tradition and what your wedding day vision looks like!

Wedding Vendors:

Planner/Coordinator: @withallmyheart.planning | Photography: @bayreedphoto | Florals: @dl_decor | Hair & Makeup: @Najahartistry | Dress: @seemagujral from @panachebysharmeen | Videography: @thatsamorefilms | DJ: @aegtxdjs | Cake: @bradfordbakeryco