A Cultural-Inspired, Traditional Wedding at the Belvedere in Baltimore, Maryland

Omosoigho Osian (29 and a pharmacist) and Roman Kruglyanskiy (28 and a pharmacist) came from different backgrounds, so they wanted to celebrate cultural differences while maintaining a traditional theme. After having separate ceremonies that honored Omosoigho's Nigerian traditions and Roman's Jewish upbringing, they had a Catholic service at the Baltimore Basilica in Baltimore, Maryland. Omosoigho's father walked her down the aisle, as she wore traditional Nigerian attire that incorporated a cultural touch into the service. The scene completely changed at the reception inside the Belvedere, where Omosoigho and Roman created an elegant theme through shades of pink, white and gold. They maintained the traditional ambience with an elegant ballroom reception. Round dining tables had low and high pink flowers arranged inside gold vases, plus scattered votive candles that added a romantic glow. From the first dance to the cake cutting, many Western traditions had a presence during the reception. But one cultural element that Omosoigho and Roman made sure to incorporate was their second entrance—our favorite part of the wedding. They each walked out wearing vibrant Nigerian attire made with materials from Nigeria, dancing and smiling. "The whole wedding and festivities represented us as a couple. We are a blended couple, and every part of the wedding showed our different backgrounds," Omosoigho says. "By honoring our families and backgrounds, it definitely made guests feel special. Many people who had no ideas or had never been to any of these cultural weddings were very happy to have experienced it, just as we were."