“And We made you in pairs...”
Aisha and Sal, it would seem, had the cards stacked against them when planning a wedding ceremony this year. On top of the Covid crisis which ruined so many celebration plans for so many, the week of their ceremony was marked by historic wildfires here in Oregon, which covered Portland in a thick blanket of brown, suffocating smoke. Lesser humans might have absolutely freaked out, but Aisha and Sal were absolutely calm, kind, and adaptable. What might easily have felt like a day of panic and discomfort instead felt joyful and fun, and that was such a lovely respite from the hardships we have all felt this year.
We spent a few minutes out braving the smoke taking photos at their gorgeous venue Lakeside Gardens, but ultimately decided to schedule another session a couple weeks later at Cathedral Park when we could breathe safely again.
Aisha and Sal incorporated many beautiful traditions from her Afghan and his Pakistani roots into their two ceremonies, one in which they were brought golden trays of henna and gifts from the families, and one in which the license was signed and passages were read from the Qu’ran. The garments they both wore were incredible…. the women in attendance wore the most gorgeous, colorful gowns and jewelry (I ended up editing the entire event differently than normal so as not to ruin the color!) Aisha had two different insanely beautiful gowns and did her own makeup (she’s seriously talented!) Family was a big part of this day, and Aisha and Sal were shown so much love by their guests. It was an honor to learn more about their cultural wedding practices, and to get to know these two kind people.
Thank you, Aisha and Sal! I wish you the happiest life together in San Francisco.
