Sepi and Kia’s San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center wedding is one we won’t soon forget! These childhood friends attended the same Farsi language class, so they knew they had to pay homage to their Iranian heritage with Persian wedding traditions. The ceremony and reception, which were located in the venue’s stunning Green Room, included a traditional Sofreh Aghd and an assortment of Persian foods. The best part? Their childhood Farsi teacher officiated the ceremony! Because the architecture of the space was exquisite on its own, Desert Child Events helped the couple choose a primarily neutral color palette and added a romantic feel with classic flower arrangements from Lambert Floral Studio and lots of candlelight. We adore how A Fist Full of Bolts captured the couple’s joy and excitement throughout the entire day, especially during their emotional first look at Fort Point!

The Couple:

Sepi and Kia

The Wedding:

San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, San Francisco, California

Kia and I are both Iranian so it was really important for us to share our culture with our guests, especially our friends. As children, we both attended the same Persian language and culture school every Saturday from the age of about eight to fourteen and it filled us to the brim with happiness to have our Farsi class teacher marry us. We had a traditional ceremony, which included a Sofreh that was designed by my aunt and mom. At the reception, we served our guests traditional Persian dishes and desserts. We also hired the best Iranian DJ who had our guests on the dance floor the entire evening — he even worked in a good 30 minutes of dancing before dinner was served!

From the groom: For me, the most memorable part of the day was waiting for our first look. Being at Fort Point by myself wasn’t something I had accounted for and each passing minute waiting for Sep to arrive was a feeling I could only describe as crazy anticipation. Once she finally arrived and squeezed my shoulder from behind, I turned around saw the only thing I ever wanted to see: her. At that point, every nerve flew out of me and I was ready to have the best day of my life!

From the bride: The ceremony was definitely the most memorable part of the day for me. After we said I do, the DJ played Rihanna’s “We Found Love.” Our guests immediately jumped from their seats to cheer and dance as we shared our first kiss. The energy in the room at that moment was electric and set the tone for the rest of the evening. I will never forget it.

Our ceremony was the most personalized and intimate part of our wedding day. Having our Farsi class teacher (someone who knew us and mentored us during some of the most formative years of our lives) officiate our wedding made the ceremony incredibly special. My aunt and mom also worked tirelessly to create the most beautiful Sofreh Aghd for us. To see their work and creative talents come together with the beautiful floral arrangements that Sammy from Lambert Floral Studio had created really blew us both away. It was absolute perfection!

Processional – “So Long Lonesome” by Explosions in the Sky
Recessional – “We Found Love” by Rihanna
First Dance – “All My Life” by KC & JoJo

Congratulations to Sepi and Kia, and a big thanks to Desert Child Events for sharing this gorgeous San Francisco wedding with us! Looking for more Persian wedding inspiration? This UC Botanical Garden wedding is the epitome of laid-back glamour!