3 Philly-Area Weddings That Blended Personal Touches and Cultural Traditions
“Seeing everyone in their hanboks dancing together was a scene I’ll never forget,” says bride Elizabeth Kim of her reception.
Ariel Warmflash (left) and Danielle Berkowitz at their ceremony, with florals by Sebesta Design / Photograph by Peach Plum Pear Photo / Event Planning & Design: Olive Street Events
Couples today are honoring their roots in fresh, thoughtful ways, and this trio of newlyweds is among the latest to catch our eyes. (And you can see many more examples in our real wedding section.) There are playful touches and beautiful tributes to their backgrounds, and we hope you find some inspiration for your own festivities. Plus: Stay tuned for full real wedding stories on each of these celebrations in coming months. For now, read on below.
For Bella Vista pair Danielle Berkowitz and Ariel Warmflash, this was what they called their “big fat queer Cuban Jewish wedding” at the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center.
The couple with their dog Winnie / Photograph by Peach Plum Pear Photo
Here, playful decor (a disco ball dangling over the dance floor) mingled with deeply personal elements, like the couple reciting their own vows at the ceremony. “Vows are not part of a traditional Jewish marriage ceremony, but it felt so important to us that if we were making the choice to stand in front of our community and commit to one another, we wanted to do it in our own words,” Dani says.
The sofreh aghd was lined with florals by A Cottage Gardener. / Photograph by Hope Helmuth Photography / Event Planning & Design: Kristina Wittig
Rachel Galvao and Rameen Vafa, who now live in Connecticut, intertwined their Brazilian and Persian backgrounds at their nuptials at the Hotel du Village in New Hope. The pair’s ceremony featured a Persian sofreh aghd, a table of symbolic items meant to grant a happy marriage. To nod to Rachel’s heritage, guests received with their escort cards a bem casado, a confection typically given as favors at Brazilian weddings. “It felt like our cultures and families became one,” says Rameen.
The newlyweds in their custom hanboks / Photograph by Carina Romano of Love Me Do Photography / Event Planning & Design: Jessica Kim
The same was true of the reception of Elizabeth Kim and Benjamin Zajac, an intimate affair at the Bellevue Hotel in Center City. The couple, who have since moved to Brooklyn, kicked off their fete with a paebaek, a Korean unification ceremony in which the couple is formally welcomed into each other’s families. For the occasion, Elizabeth’s side and Ben’s mom wore custom hanbok garments crafted by the bride’s mother. (Elizabeth’s mom and sister Jessica own a Best of Philly hanbok business in Elkins Park called BDK MINT.) “Seeing everyone in their hanboks dancing together was a scene I’ll never forget,” Elizabeth says.
Published as “Something Old, Something New” in the December 2024/January 2025 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
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