HANA AHMED & SAMAD ZIA
June 2, 2023 | Clinton Presidential Center | Little Rock | Shalae Byrd Photography
Hana and Samad met through a Muslim dating app called Salams. After chatting over the summer, Samad decided to travel from Tyler, Texas to Little Rock and meet Hana in person. They hit it off over dinner at Big Orange and have refused to say goodbye ever since! Samad proposed to Hana at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens and asked a friend to capture the special moment!
“When he asked me to marry him, I began nervously laughing before loudly exclaiming ‘Yes!’ His friend then brought out monogrammed wine glasses, flowers and sparkling grape juice from his backpack,” Hana said. “We spent the rest of the afternoon taking photos in front of the tulip fields in the garden.”
Hana wanted her guests to feel like they were immersed in nature at her Nikkah (Arabic for a wedding ceremony), and The Clinton Center felt like the perfect venue for her. Inspired by Garvan Woodland Garden tulips in the spring, Hana hired Silks-A-Bloom to bring her vibrant wedding floral dreams to life.
WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE
Photography
Shalae Byrd Photography
Florist
Silks-A-Bloom
MORE VENDORS
Planning: Bella Baxter Special Events; Venue and catering: Clinton Presidential Center; Cake: Sweets by Logan; Invitations: Paperless Post; Guestbook sign: Arooba Ilyas; Wedding dress: HSY Bridal Collection; Rentals: Eventology; Floral garlands and bracelets: Florals by Iffat Khamisha; Vinyl record sign: AmazengThings; Balloons and backdrop: Balloon Blondies; Makeup artist: Francys Patty; Hair stylist: Styles by Yareli; Transportation: Arkansas Destinations; Floral preservation: Alchemy Atelier; Newlywed accommodations: Capital Hotel
Q & A
Q: Did you have a guest dress code?
A: “We asked our guests to wear semi-formal Indian/Pakistani attire on the invitations,” Hana said.
Q: What personalizations did you plan for the wedding day?
A: “We had little butterfly boxes that contained Ferro Rocher chocolates in them at every seat as our favors,” Hana said.
Q: Was there a special detail from your decor that sticks out to you the most?
A: “The fresh floral arch by Silks-A-Bloom was just magical,” Hana said. “Being surrounded by the wonderful aroma of those flowers when I said I do was truly incredible.”
Q: What surprised you about planning a wedding?
A: “It’s super important to provide your planner with as many details and goals as possible,” Hana said. “The more they know your vision, the better they can help you make that a reality! Even if a certain wish is not feasible, they can help you find alternatives that still evoke a similar effect.”
Q: What other cultural wedding ceremonies are you and Samad planning?
A: “Usually, most wedding events occur in the bride’s city with one event taking place in the groom’s hometown,” Hana said. “Since Samad is from Houston, where there are more Indian and Pakistani-specific wedding vendors, we decided to do the wedding ceremony, the Nikkah in Little Rock, and have the Mehndi and wedding reception in Houston. We are excited to celebrate with our friends and family again!”
MULTI-DAY CELEBRATIONS
“Usually, most wedding events occur in the bride’s city with one event taking place in the groom’s hometown,” Hana said. “Since Samad is from Houston, where there are more Indian and Pakistani-specific wedding vendors, we decided to do the Nikkah (ceremony) in Little Rock, and have the Mehndi and wedding reception in Houston.”
SPECIAL MOMENTS
“The first look was really special,” Hana said. “We were long-distance, and I had not seen Samad that weekend until then. It was great to have a moment to ourselves before the event started.”
TWIST ON TRADITION
“Traditionally, Muslim-Indian brides wear red at their wedding reception, green at their Mehndi event and blue at their Walima event, but there is no harsh rule on what to wear for your Nikkah (Arabic for a wedding ceremony),” Hana said. “I noticed on Pinterest and Instagram that other women with similar events were starting to wear white at this event and liked that idea.”
