Mandana & Ben | Glamorous Florida Wedding at The Breakers
Mandana & Ben | Glamorous Florida Wedding at The Breakers
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It's been far too long since Braedon Flynn was here on Snippet & Ink, but I'll tell you - this stunning wedding was worth the wait! Two gorgeous gowns, a luxe ballroom reception, and a dreamy beach location. Plus, spectacular photos from Braedon!
Credits: Braedon Flynn | Snippet & Ink
Mandana's Monique Lhuillier gown was beautifully timeless, with its lace and long sleeves. Says the bride: "I wanted a very Grace Kelly inspired dress, and an all white bouquet that included lily-of-the-valley and stephanotis. For the reception, I changed into a mermaid style dress with art deco accessories."
The rings were carried in a seashell box.
"I am Persian so we incorporated the Persian tradition of the Sofreh table into our Catholic ceremony. Our priest was so lovely and did such an amazing job explaining how each element on the table was symbolic of a happy life and marriage together. We also had all the happily married Persian women in attendance come up, hold a veil above us and rub together sugar cones above our heads - which represents a sweet life together in the future.""Any moment that Ben and I shared privately that day was so special and filled with so much gratitude at how many people went out of their way to be with us and show us so much love that day."One of the bride's favorite details was the Sylvia Weinstock cake, "a five-tiered white floral dream confection that had all of our guests (including me), speechless. She is a true artist!"
"The cocktail hour took place in the Mediterranean courtyard, and we included a a raw seafood bar, a beautiful ice sculpture, a cigar rolling station and a corn toss game to add a playful vibe."SEE THE FULL GALLERY FOR MORE GORGEOUS PHOTOS FROM THIS GLAMOROUS FLORIDA WEDDING.
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? Ben grew up in New York and I grew up in Southern California. Ever since he was a little boy, his family has had the tradition of spending the Easter holiday in Palm Beach, and every year we look forward to spending quality family time at the beautiful Breakers Hotel. We are also very fortunate that Ben's cousin is the CEO of the Breakers and was gracious enough to host our wedding. It is a magical place for us and because we have a family connection to it, it was the obvious choice for our special day.
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? I wanted a vintage vibe and I decided my colors would be predominantly ivory and yellow gold. The wonderful thing about the Breakers is that it is a magnificent, self-contained oceanfront resort with beautiful beaches, magnificent gardens, shops, restaurants and spa services, so most of our guests did not have to leave the resort all weekend. And although our wedding night flew by, it was so wonderful to be able to spend the entire week with our family and friends.
What was your favorite moment or part of the day? There are so many moments I wish I could freeze in time and bottle up. One thing I have never shared with anyone is that I often speak to my mother when I look out over the ocean on the Breakers. The sunsets and sunrises there are absolutely breathtaking and awe inspiring. That morning, when I woke up I could feel her presence, smile and good energy and my photographer happened to capture that very moment. I loved the quiet breakfast I shared with my two sisters that morning, I loved the look on my father's face when he saw me for the first time. Another great moment was when my tiniest flower girl came down the aisle. My best girlfriend had flown in from London and her daughter was not thrilled about going down the aisle and refused during the rehearsal. The evening of the wedding, we decided to let her go down the aisle in her micro scooter and crossed our fingers and hoped for the best. All I could hear was cheers as she made it down the aisle and it was so hilarious and perfect! I loved walking down the aisle - I actually asked the attendants to wait a few seconds longer before they opened the ceremony doors so I could savor that moment a little while longer. But my absolute most favorite moment was my first look with my husband because it was so emotional and intimate and we were both moved to tears.
What was the best advice you received as a bride? The best advice I received was to have everything done early so you can enjoy the week and day of the wedding, and I did. I really stopped and took it all in.
What advice do you have for other brides? 1) Wear comfortable shoes! 2) Take a moment and step back during your wedding and take it all in. Everyone around you is there celebrating your love and it's such a special feeling.
Is there anything else that helps tell the story of the day? The wedding planning year was an emotional year for me. A week after Ben asked my parents for my hand in marriage, my mother passed away. So while there was much to celebrate in the wedding planning, it has also been an emotionally raw year for me in grieving her loss. When Ben felt it was finally right to propose, he presented me with a gorgeous ring in the middle of Central Park, with her name engraved on the inside so it would always be close to my heart.
