Bazaar Bride: Yara & Talal’s Blissful Wedding At The Four Seasons
The New York-based power couple exchanged vows in the blissful setting of Dubai with a dazzling white wedding
It was the first time I met someone that instantly felt like home,” says Yara Bishara when talking about her first date with now-husband Talal Alyan. “We felt so comfortable with each other and it just immediately clicked. We were inseparable from that moment on and I couldn’t imagine a life without him in it.” It was exactly seven years later that Talal, a Palestinian/Lebanese-American business operations manager and NYC-based stand-up comedian, got down on one knee against the backdrop of an enchanting sunset at Bab Al Shams Desert Resort. “It was the most beautiful moment of my life,” gushes Yara. “Following the proposal, Talal guided me to a private dinner he had planned in the desert. The sun was setting, and there were beautiful carpets, candles and flowers everywhere. It started to drizzle while the sun was still out. It felt like I was dreaming.”
Just shy of a year later, on 3 February, 2024, the couple made it official surrounded by 160 of their closest family and friends at the Four Seasons Resort Jumeirah Beach. Stefanie Heller from Jam Wedding Planner was enlisted to help them plan their dream day from the Big Apple. “She raised it to a level I didn’t know was possible,” says Palestinian- American Yara. She adds, “Stefanie and her team managed everything from venue co-ordination, design, florals, hair and make-up, DJ and everything else you could think of.”
Opting for a ‘romantic garden’ theme, the blooms were of primary importance for both Yara and Talal, with the couple saying their vows in front of an all-white floral gazebo approached by a long white aisle. “We really wanted it to feel like you were walking on a cloud,” explains Yara, who was escorted down the aisle by both her mother and father wearing the Antoinette dress by Vera Wang.
The ceremony took place at sunset in the resort’s beautiful outdoor garden, officiated by Yara’s brother and Talal’s two sisters. “We knew we wanted the ceremony to feel personal and intimate, and it was so special hearing our siblings share anecdotes about us individually together and as a couple,” Yara notes.
Inside the ballroom, the couple had a dreamy foliage filled stage with a sea of blooms at the head table, as well as a ceiling full of flowers and crystal chandeliers that really created a fairy-tale ambiance. Guests were seated on vintage wooden tables covered with lavish bouquets and candelabras and dined on corn fed chicken roulade, slow cooked lamb shank and seared salmon fillet against a backdrop of candlelight and the scent of fresh flowers.
Four Seasons’ senior executive pastry chef Nicolas Lambert was the man behind the execution of the stunning five-tier wedding cake, which boasted both classic vanilla and salted caramel flavours. Guests were also treated to a perfume bar, where they could make their very own scent bottled in unique packaging that included the couple’s names in traditional Arabic calligraphy. “Each bottle came with a little personalised note from Talal and I as well,” adds Yara. “We really wanted to make our guests feel special.”
While the wedding was a thoroughly international affair, Yara, Talal and their families were keen to give a nod to their Palestinian and Lebanese heritage, entering the ballroom as husband and wife with a traditional zaffeh that saw them ushered in by a group of dancers and drummers dressed in traditional clothing.
“Then it was time for our first dance, which we wanted to be a mix of emotional but also fun, light and silly,” continues Yara. “We started out with a slow dance to The Book of Love by the Magnetic Fields and then the DJ did a fun transition to Say a Little Prayer by Aretha Franklin. It definitely put a smile on everyone’s faces!” Lebanese singer Nader Al Atat performed for guests at the reception, followed by Dubai-based DJ Ron who fired up the room with some Western crowd pleasers. “It was so magical seeing all of our friends and families come together in one city under one roof,” she continues. “We both recognise how rare this is given our background – our guests made their way from around the globe including the US, Middle East and Europe – to be with us and celebrate our union, and we are eternally grateful for them.”
In need of a well-deserved break, the couple jetted off to Thailand for their honeymoon, staying at Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, which sits pretty on the Andaman Sea, making it the perfect place to decompress, relax and reflect on the most special day of their lives.
“Honestly, I wish I didn’t stress so much in the months leading up to the wedding,” admits Yara. “I’m someone who can sometimes be overly consumed with what other people think of me, but a few days before the wedding when we landed in Dubai, my mum sat me down for a talk. She told me to soak in the moment because I will never live it again, laugh, smile, cry and, most importantly, dance. My favourite line that she ended with was ‘don’t be so uptight’. It was the best piece of advice I’ve received, not only for my wedding but for my life. A reminder to live and sink your teeth in the moment.”
Bride’s Black Book
Dress: Vera Wang, verawangbride.com
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik, manoloblahnik.com
Jewellery: Dior, dior.com
Groom’s Suit: Suitsupply, suitsupply.com
Bridesmaid Dress: Azazie, azazie.com
Venue: Four Seasons Resort Dubai, Jumeirah Beach, fourseasons.com
Floral Design: Jam Wedding Planner, jamweddingplanner.com
Cake: Senior Executive Pastry Chef Nicolas Lambert, Four Seasons Dubai at Jumeirah Beach Music: DJ Ron, @dj.ron.official, Nader Al Atat, @naderalatat
Invitations: The Knot, theknot.com
Photographer: Violet Studio, violetstudio.ae
Videographer: Violet Studio, violetstudio.ae
Wedding Favours: The Perfume Bar, theperfumebar.com
Calligraphy: Nabila Amedioune @missndesign
Make Up: Elena Zhosan, elenazhosan.net
Hair: Iryna Soltaninia, @hairmakeupbyira
Photography By: Violet Studio
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s Bride Spring/Summer 2024 issue.