Rachel Galvao and Rameen Vafa’s wedding at Hotel du Village, a French-inspired château in New Hope, combined Brazilian and Persian traditions to celebrate the couple’s cultural heritage, writes Courtney DuChene for Philadelphia Magazine.

The couple also ensured the wedding highlighted their mutual love for sweets.

Guests received traditional Brazilian wedding favors, such as a bem casado, dulce de leche, and a vanilla sponge cake confection, along with their escort cards.

“It was so meaningful to incorporate this tradition into our wedding, and beyond that, we had so much fun designing the display together,” said Galvao, referring to the dessert car, which they covered in vines and had inscribed with the “Love is sweet” message.

The outdoor ceremony featured the couple seated at a sofreh aghd, a traditional element of Persian weddings, decorated with poetry books, fruit representing abundance and joy, and candles symbolizing energy.

Family members recited love poems in Portuguese and Farsi, while their cousins held a veil above the couple and sprinkled sugar over them to “shower our marriage with sweetness,” said Vafa.

As a gift from Rameen’s sister, live wedding painter Steph Morac captured the couple’s first kiss.

Read more about Rachel Galvao and Rameen Vafa’s New Hope wedding at Hotel du Village in Philadelphia Magazine.

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