Zehra and Mohammed's Wedding: A magical union of love and heritage

Zehra Abdulla never imagined a blind date would rewrite her life, yet that’s exactly what happened the night a few mischievous friends coaxed her and Mohammed to meet. “Neither of us expected much,” she recalls, “but before the evening was over, we both knew something extraordinary was quietly unfolding between us.”

At the time, both of them were standing at a crossroads. Zehra, an Emirati wedding planner, was steering a major long-term project and juggling personal change. Mohammed, a Yemeni tech consultant based in the UK, was navigating his own career transitions.

On paper, their worlds barely overlapped. Yet something about that evening dissolved every barrier. “I’ve always been more introverted,” Zehra says. “But that night I spoke with a comfort and confidence I had never experienced before.”

Mohammed, usually the loudest voice in any room, felt an unfamiliar calm. “It was like our personalities swapped places,” Zehra laughs. “I was talking nonstop, and he was quietly listening, as if he wanted to hold onto every word.” There were no over-the-top gestures, no cinematic fireworks, only a quiet certainty. “It felt like finding home in someone’s presence,” she says. “That kind of quiet magic you can’t put into words.”

On February 25, 2025, the couple gathered loved ones from across Canada, the UK, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania and the US at Dubai’s Habtoor Grand Resort, Autograph Collection. “It allowed us to draw in our guests from all across the world,” Zehra says.

The pair worked with Arabesqué Weddings & Events, Zehra’s own planning company, to transform the ballroom into an enchanted secret garden that blurred the line between indoors and out.

Guests stepped onto a grassy floor designed to feel like a hidden meadow. At the center, a delicate fountain installation trickled gently, symbolising abundance and eternal love. Mist drifted across the scene while twinkling lights and birdsong wove a dreamlike atmosphere.

The floral palette told its own story: buttercups paid tribute to a playful nickname Mohammed had long held for his bride; lavender sprigs brought a calming essence; white lilies spoke of purity and devotion.

“No detail was without meaning,” Zehra says. Custom monogrammed napkins and keepsake signage whispered the couple’s personality into every corner. One of the night’s most talked-about features was the perfume station, where guests blended their own fragrances to take home, a sensory memory of the evening.

When she looks back at the photographs, Zehra still feels the same wave of emotion. “I get teary every time,” she admits. “I see the love and heartfelt joy captured at the end of the day, when we were saying our final goodbyes. My sisters’ faces as they realised nothing would ever be the same still makes me cry.”

Both bride and groom brought their love of fashion to the forefront.

“We’re particular about our style even in day-to-day life, and we wanted our wedding outfits to reflect that,” Zehra says.

Her gown was a labor of love, designed with her mother. Ivory with a touch of gold, honouring her original dream of wearing all-gold, it shimmered with Swarovski crystals and pearls that swung with every movement. A crystal-dusted veil caught the soft lights of the garden, creating a glow that followed her down the aisle.

Mohammed chose a custom white tuxedo with a handkerchief crafted to echo the details of Zehra’s dress. In true mischievous fashion, he added a pair of “funny” socks, a secret nod to his playful side. Their shared obsession with shoes came through in their footwear choices — her Rene Caovillas, his Christian Louboutins — both selected as carefully as their vows.

When the music swelled and Zehra began her walk down the aisle, it wasn’t the usual bridal march. Instead, the Star Wars romance theme filled the air. “It set the tone,” she says. “This wasn’t just a wedding. It was a celebration of who we are as a couple — our love of stories, of adventure, of creating something unique.”

The couple wanted their wedding to feel personal, intentional and unforgettable, a reflection of both their love story and their roots. The live Arabic entertainer kept hearts swelling and feet moving, while oud burners gifted to each guest carried the scent of Dubai into homes across the world. “It was a small gesture,” Zehra explains, “but one that held the soul of the place that means so much to us.”

Beyond the design, it was the unexpected emotions that lingered. “The teary glances we shared in the middle of it all, the quiet pauses where the world seemed to still,” she says. “Those were the moments that became the true heart of the celebration.”

Now married, Zehra and Mohammed see happily ever after not as a perfect ending but as an ongoing choice. “It’s about building a life where we keep choosing each other every single day,” Zehra says. “Creating a home filled with kindness, patience and laughter. Celebrating the small, ordinary moments as much as the big milestones.”

Their advice to other couples is simple. “Focus on what truly matters to you both,” she says. “The details are beautiful and worth celebrating, but it’s the feeling you create, the love you share, and the memories you make together that will stay with you forever.

Don’t get lost in the rush of perfection, lean into the joy, allow space for real emotions and savour the in-between moments. Your wedding is just the prologue. The real adventure begins the day after, when you start writing your life together.”