Somewhere in Metro Vancouver on a wedding Saturday, before the guests arrive, someone is kneeling on the grass setting a Sofreh Aghd: candles in tall glass, sheaves of wheat, walnuts and almonds built into tall shapes, armfuls of flowers, and a mirror.
If a friend asked us who could set that table, or bring two families' traditions into one wedding, we'd send them to Viva Events & Decor. What drew us to Viva is how Mariya talks about it: the meaning behind the table, and the families around it.
Viva is Mariya's business in North Vancouver. She's a certified wedding planning professional, and Viva does wedding décor, rentals, floral arrangements and setup, the Sofreh Aghd among them, for couples and organizations from many backgrounds across Greater Vancouver.
It started with everything under one roof
Mariya is Persian, and North Vancouver has been her home for many years. It's also, as she puts it, home to "one of the largest and most active Persian communities in Metro Vancouver."
When Mariya started Viva, she noticed North Vancouver didn't have many local businesses offering a complete range of event décor and rentals under one roof, and couples often had to contact several businesses to find everything they needed. She set Viva up so décor, rentals, floral arrangements and setup could all come from one place.
Her Persian background played a big part in starting it. But the vision, she says, "was always bigger than serving just one community," and today the couples and organizations Viva works with come from many cultural backgrounds.
Couples ask about the mirror and the flowers
Ask Mariya about the Sofreh Aghd and she starts with what it means. "Almost every item has a meaning," she told us. "It's not simply a beautiful table. Each element represents a wish for the couple's future together."
The mirror, or Ayeneh, is "usually one of the most important pieces," in her words. "It symbolizes light, clarity, honesty, and a bright future. Traditionally, the couple sees their reflection together in the mirror during the ceremony, which is a very meaningful moment."
"The candelabras represent light and warmth in their married life," she explains, "while the honey ceremony symbolizes the sweetness the couple hopes to share throughout their marriage."
In her experience, couples are often most interested in the mirror and the floral arrangements, "because these are usually the main visual features of the Sofreh." Those can go in very different directions. Some couples, she says, love a very traditional Persian setting with silver pieces, mirrors and classic arrangements; others want white flowers, glass, candles and a more minimalist look. Mariya fits the traditional elements to each couple's own style.
The design can be modern or traditional, but we always try to preserve the meaning behind the Sofreh.
When two families bring two traditions
Viva has worked on many weddings that bring two cultures together, and sometimes two faiths. A fusion wedding, as Mariya sees it, is about more than combining two decorating styles: "It's about respecting two families, their traditions, and sometimes their religious beliefs."
"Our first step is always to listen," Mariya told us. She asks the couple which traditions are important to them, which elements their families would like included, and how they imagine the celebration.
Sometimes that means a Persian Sofreh Aghd in a wedding that also has a Western-style ceremony. Other times it may involve combining cultural colours, traditional floral arrangements, ceremony elements or different styles of table décor. "We try to find a design that feels connected," she says, "rather than having two completely separate themes competing with each other."
Nothing is final until she has gone over her suggestions with the couple, and with the families where it's appropriate. For her, "the most important thing is that both sides feel respected and represented, while the wedding still feels like one celebration belonging to the couple."
From a décor inquiry to the baby shower
Much of Viva's work happens long before the day. "We don't see our work as simply delivering decorations, setting everything up, and leaving," Mariya says. Wedding planning can be stressful, so she spends a lot of time talking with couples, understanding their families, listening to their concerns and helping them make decisions.
What makes Viva different, she believes, is the personal attention couples get both before and after they hire Viva. She's proud of the more than 150 five-star reviews Viva has received in the past four years. Viva makes it a priority to answer emails and inquiries within 24 hours, weekends and holidays included, and its rental inventory gives couples room to mix and match pieces, make changes and find alternatives that suit their budget. "Our goal isn't simply to create a beautiful setup," she says. "It's to make the entire experience comfortable, reliable, and enjoyable for the couple."
On budget, she encourages couples to focus on what matters most to them rather than copy someone else's wedding. "Every couple has a different story, personality, culture, and budget," she says. "Their wedding should reflect that." She usually recommends starting with a few priorities — the ceremony backdrop, the head table, the guest tables — and once she knows where a couple wants the biggest visual impact, she can suggest ways to make the most of the budget. On timing, she suggests starting décor planning about a year before the wedding.
By the time the wedding arrives, she told us, "we often feel we've known them for much longer." Some of Viva's couples have become personal friends: Mariya has stayed connected, seen them welcome children, and been invited to baby showers, anniversaries and their children's birthday celebrations.
What stays with us isn't necessarily the biggest or most expensive wedding. It's the relationships we build along the way.
This winter Viva is dressing corporate celebrations and holiday parties across Greater Vancouver. As spring approaches, Mariya is looking forward to "Nowruz, the Persian New Year in March." "As Persians ourselves, it's a celebration that's very meaningful to us," she says, "and we love creating traditional Haft-Sin displays and helping families and organizations celebrate the occasion." In between, in January or February, the quieter months, she hopes to "take a little vacation."
And somewhere in Metro Vancouver, on another Saturday, someone is kneeling on the grass again, setting candles into their glass, and another couple is about to see the table for the first time.
Photos: Viva Events & Decor.
The Spotlight is where the Journal writes about the Vancouver Event Pros we'd send a friend to, like Mariya.
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