PERFECT Muslim Wedding

The Debut issue

Summer 2014

21 Beautiful

real Brides

How to Pick the Perfect Wedding

Venue

From the Editor’s Doorstep Assalamualikum and Peace be upon you. Welcome to the debut edition of the Perfect Muslim Wedding eMagazine. It is Summer 2014 and the wedding season is in full swing. We wanted to do something very different than other bridal magazines with lots of photos of statuesque models in bridal dresses. We want primarily real weddings. Perfect Muslim Wedding has partnered with some of the best Photographers who have highlighted Muslim Weddings. In this our debut edition, we feature a few of them and we thank them all; Ayesha Khan Photography , Dossani Plus, Syndey Lush Photography, Marcella Treybig Waqas Z, Xyra's Photography and some great Photos from Creative Commons contributors. Cover image courtesy Ayesha Khan Photography. In addition we are cover “How to pick the perfect wedding venue” and the results of the first ever extensive survey of American Muslim Weddings. These are all eye-catching visuals, images that are pure poetry. That’s it. Enjoy!

Marwa Diaf Editor Contact me at editor.perfectmuslimwedding@gmail.com Or subscribe to us out on the site at www.PerfectMuslimWedding.com Social Media Manager, Diaundra Pooler IT Manager and Web Guru, Ahmed Khatib Friend us, follow us on our Social Media Channels

A wedding lasts a day, memories last forever

Images by Waqas-Z

Photo by Tela Chhe available under a Creative Commons Attribution-license licenses by-sa2.0 modified with addition of tagline and logo

Planned to perfection

Imagine the possibilities

Image courtesy Ayesha Khan Photography

A new angle to perfect wedding planning

Image courtesy Dossani Plus Studio

Planned to perfection

Image courtesy Dossani Plus Studio

How to Pick the Perfect Wedding Venue

Photo by Kenny Louie 1 available under a Creative Common Attribution-license

There are many decisions you will be making in the plans for your wedding. Although each is important in its own way nothing is more central and significant than the wedding venue. Your decision to consider places will be based on some major themes and many smaller ones.

The main criteria are your budget, location, number of guests, ambiance/look/feel, and flexibility to work with your preferences and vendors. Popular venues get booked months in advanced.

The detailed questions for you to consider venue are listed in the Perfect Muslim Wedding Planning Kit. However to help you get started and give context here are things to think about.

How to Pick the Perfect Wedding Venue Continued

1.Determine the timing. What season are you looking at? Does it work for you, your spouse, families and key people eg distant relatives, the Imam who will be conducting the wedding etc.

2.What month and day of the week. Most weddings occur around the weekend. As Muslim weddings depending on the culture can be quite elaborate, they may span over a few days.

3.Most venues offer similar rates for Fridays and Sundays, with Saturdays carrying eg a 10-15% premium. There are pros and cons of each day. Friday gets the activities going, Saturday gives everyone a buffer Sunday to recover and or do other wedding related customs. Sundays, besides being lower cost than a Saturday, allow you to get eg the Nikah addressed earlier.

Photo by Grand Velas Riviera Maya available under a Creative Commons Attribution license

Because it's your wedding, all action, no drama

Image courtesy Ayesha Khan Photography

Because it's your wedding, all drums, no drama

Image courtesy Ayesha Khan Photography

A new angle to perfect wedding planning

Images by Waqas-Z

Perfect Wedding, Promise!

Images by Waqas-Z

A wedding lasts a day, memories last forever

Images by Waqas-Z

A Perfect wedding to look up to

Images by Waqas-Z

A fresh approach to wedding planning

Image courtesy Ayesha Khan Photography

Imagine the possibilities

Image courtesy Dossani Plus Studio

Because it's your wedding, all action, no drama

Image courtesy Sydney Lush Photography

Because it's your wedding, all dance, no drama

Photo by Michael Wifall available under a Creative Commons Attribution-license licenses by-sa2.0 modified with addition of tagline and logoc

4.Think about public holidays •New Year’s Day, January 1. •Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in January. •Washington’s Birthday, the third Monday in February. •Memorial Day, the last Monday in May. •Independence Day, July 4. •Labor Day, the first Monday in September. •Columbus Day, the second Monday in October. •Veterans Day, November 11. •Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November. •Christmas Day, December 25. •Think about Muslim holidays and events. Eg Eid ul Fitr at the end of Ramadan and Eid ul Adha on the 10th day Dhul Hajj based upon moon sightings and/or calculations.

How to Pick the Perfect Wedding Venue Continued

Photo by Selmer van Alten available under a Creative Commons Attribution license

Visit potential venue sites if possible around the time and day of your planned reception. This is usually lunch or dinner time. Take notes, bring your digital camera. Note everything of significance. Imagine you are the guest.

• What is it like finding the place? •How is the drive up to the reception hall? •How is the parking? •What is the walk from the parking lot to the reception hall like? Is it easy to find? •Does the entrance look grand? •Does the reception hall feel spacious and with help from the decorator give you the ambience you are looking for? •How are the restrooms? •How comfortable are you with the event manager? If you or your planner will be working with them is the chemistry good? •Consider the logistics. Will they work for you, your guests and vendors?

•As you start visiting venues with key members of your family, you will start being drawn to some as finalists and others will get crossed off your list. You won’t be able to get everything in one visit so allow for follow-ups.

How to Pick the Perfect Wedding Venue Continued

Photo by Sham Hardy available under a Creative Commons Attribution license

Perfect Wedding, Promise!

Photo by Allan Grey available under a Creative Commons Attribution-license licenses by-sa2.0 modified with addition of tagline and logo

Photo by Giorgio Montersino available under a Creative Commons Attribution-license licenses by-sa2.0 modified with addition of tagline and logo

A wedding lasts a day memories last forever

A fresh approach to wedding planning

Image courtesy Dossani Plus Studio

The gift of a lifetime

Photo by Mohamad Fazil available under a Creative Commons Attribution-license licenses by-sa2.0 modified with addition of tagline and logo

Lean on us, Perfect Wedding Planning

Images by Waqas-Z

All the right moves, Perfect Wedding Planning

Images by Waqas-Z

Less Talk, more Perfect Wedding

Image courtesy Dossani Plus Studio

A new angle to perfect wedding planning

Image courtesy Dossani Plus Studio

Framed to perfection

Image courtesy Xyra’s Photography

A creative approach to wedding planning

Image courtesy Xyra’s Photography

Planning the perfect wedding

Image courtesy Dossani Plus Studio

•Besides capacity and availability, your budget and their fees need to be on the same plane. Once you are serious about the finalist venues, see what you can negotiate either in price reduction or getting things included. •It is OK to go non-mainstream with a venue eg museum, golf course, botanical gardens etc. As with any other decision there will be trade offs you will make, eg how much you take on versus the venue. Just be aware of them and make it a conscious choice. •Before you sign on the dotted line read the contract. Understand change and cancellation policies. Pray your Istikharah as with any major decision you want to invoke Allah’s blessings. •Last but not least ask lots of questions. A comprehensive list of questions for venues and vendors is listed in the Perfect Muslim Wedding Planning Kit.

How to Pick the Perfect Wedding Venue Continued

Photo by Epic Fireworks available under a Creative Commons Attribution license

Here are the results of the first comprehensive Muslim Wedding Survey 2014

Perfect Wedding Promise!

Image Courtesy Marcella Treybig