1. Real Weddings

A Multicultural Garden Wedding at East Ivy Mansion in Nashville, Tennessee

Fellow Tennessee State Tigers Saida Binhazim (28 and a graduate student) and Kenny Hickson (29 and a business owner) met through common friends, but t

Fellow Tennessee State Tigers Saida Binhazim (28 and a graduate student) and Kenny Hickson (29 and a business owner) met through common friends, but their paths didn't cross until after graduation. The couple hosted a multicultural garden wedding fusing Saida's Swahili culture with Kenny’s American culture. During the traditional Muslim ceremony, Saida wore a custom-made Indian gown in a simple A-line silhouette with extravagant gold embroidery. “Traditionally in my culture, a bride must have henna. I would not have felt like a bride without it,” she says. For the reception, Saida slipped into an American lace bridal gown paired with a custom-made birdcage veil worn in reverse. Focusing on a royal palette of gold and purple, gold-painted vases, gold branches and purple-painted hydrangeas were used to transform the enclosed gardens of the estate into an exotic soiree. The duo made sure their DJ played music representing Arab, African and American cultures throughout the night. “Being able to bring our two cultures together and share that with our family and friends was extremely special,” Saida says. To give their guests a sentimental favor, Saida and Kenny distributed custom African-patterned reusable bags made by a family friend in Kenya. —Juliette Cheatham

For their traditional Muslim ceremony, Saida wore a dress typical of her Islamic upbringing, then changed into an all-lace American wedding gown for the reception. “It was important for me to share my Swahili culture and Kenny's American culture through my wedding attire,” Saida says.
Kenny blew Saida away when he proposed with a Henri Daussi halo cushion-cut ring. In addition to her ring, Saida added several gold bangles to complete her exotic Swahili-inspired bridal look.
To complete her traditional Muslim wedding, Saida had extravagant henna drawn across the surfaces of her skin. With hand-drawn henna from her fingers all the way down to her toes, Sadia’s bridal look was beautifully authentic.
The bouquets consisted mostly of purple hydrangeas to match the floral centerpieces; however, bright, rich pops of red were added in for a fall aesthetic. “I wanted to use hydrangeas because I loved how full they looked in flower arrangements,” Saida says.
The focus for Saida and Kenny was to bring their two cultures and share them with family and friends. “As beautiful as our wedding was, it wasn't stuffy," Saida says. "We could tell our guests were having just has much fun as were.”
Saida and Kenny were married on a small stage that faced guests during the ceremony, so everyone had a view. Three gold-cushioned chairs sat on a gold-cushioned stage with regal streams of purple fabric draped elegantly in the background.
For Saida and Kenny’s traditional Muslim ceremony, decor was kept minimal to allow guests to focus on the lush garden setting. Gold chairs, a purple rose petal aisle and a small backdrop with billowing purple fabric was the extent of the decorations.
For her veil, Saida knew she was going to have to get something custom-made because she wanted it to be unique. Because she's obsessed with birdcage veils, Saida collaborated with her designer to create a traditional shoulder-length veil with a birdcage worn in reverse.
Tucked behind the enclosed garden walls and situated around a pool, dining tables were set up for guests to dine alfresco. To glam up the garden venue, Saida and Kenny installed large areas with draping purple and gold fabric to create an elegant backdrop and added a crystal chandelier for extra glitz.
Centerpieces included gold-painted vases of flower arrangements accompanied by rustic yet chic gold branches. Saida had white hydrangeas sprayed the perfect shade of purple to match the rest of the elegant plum decor.
Lavish gold chargers were placed at each setting with a rich purple napkin matching the color of the satin tablecloths. Lush garlands of greenery ran down the center of the table to tie in the garden motif.