Location: Ritz-Carlton JBR Dubai
Planner: Clare Ebbs
Cinematography: Denee Motion
Photography: Katarina Borszik
Florist: Wud Flowers Dubai
Make-up: Angelique Turner
Dress: Jenny Packham
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Music track used in this video: Fall at Your Feet by Boy & Bear (Universal Republic), taken from He Will Have His Way, a tribute album to singer-songwriter brothers, Tim and Neil Finn. Please purchase at itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/boy-bear/id331665629
About the wedding, taken from Harper’s Bazaar, Autumn/Winter 2013:
Personal and intimate” was the inspiration for her big day, according to 34-year-old fashion marketing exec, Nathalie Khouri. “We really wanted all parts of the wedding to be memorable, so everything we did stayed with us,” she says of her beach wedding to Omar Diab. The couple became engaged after 12 months of dating as Omar, 35, a satellite communication director, proposed on a sunset beach during a holiday in Crete last year. With just eight months to plan, the bride enlisted wedding planner Clare, from The Perfect Moment, to help orchestrate the 150-guest affair. “My fairy godmother Clare helped me pull it all together. I don’t know what I would have done without her!” After scouting tirelessly for a suitable location, the Dubai-based couple chose the luxurious Ritz-Carlton JBR to have their fairy tale outdoor wedding, known for its stunning beachfront locale and intimate oasis vibe. The pair had their heart set on having a classy yet understated ceremony, asking the guests to commemorate the occasion by wearing smartcasual white ensembles. For her wedding dress, Nathalie found a classic Jenny Packham gown online and had it shipped from London, but her “prized possession” was a beautiful handmade pearl veil, “I had all the pearls delicately sewn on one by one. It took over three weeks to make.” Elegant blue Manolo Blahniks, a blue sapphire and diamond pendant, ring and earrings from Keyrouz gifted by her in-laws completed the look. The groom kept it cool and casual in an off-white custom-made linen suit, in keeping with the vintage and rustic theme of the wedding. A blue hydrangea-lined aisle and her “favourite” song, Boy and Bear’s Fall At Your Feet, guided Nathalie down the aisle, with a GoPro ‘bridal cam’ creatively hidden in her purple hyacinth bouquet to capture every moment. The row of crisp white couches bordering the aisle ended in a cleverly constructed vintage picture frame that served as the backdrop to the sunset as the bride and groom made their vows. “It was truly picture perfect,” Nathalie smiles. Of all the treasured moments that took place during the nuptials, Nathalie says having her father escort her down the aisle was the most “magical” and “seeing everyone dressed in white at sunset on the beach was just surreal.” Post-ceremony, guests headed to the reception dinner where the bride had her first dance with her father to their favourite song Lean on Me, followed by her new husband. Nathalie and Omar’s fun personalities were evident in all the intimate little touches. From cards on the tables describing ‘Five Things To Know About The Bride & Groom’, and hacky sack party favours personalised with hand written notes, to a wedding cake made of 150 cake pops and a Polaroid camera gifted by the Maid of Honour, which provided a brilliant keepsake of photos and messages from loved ones that is now hanging in a frame in their home, along with a set of wooden ‘O’ and ‘N’ initials signed by the guests. Looking back, Nathalie has no regrets, although she wishes she’d spent more time eating, “I didn’t touch the buffet – I was too busy on the dance floor!” she laughs. Having been through it all, she does have some sage advice for future brides: “Don’t stress the small details. No one notices the colour of the table napkins!”…
