The Story Behind The Big Day: Michelle and Jad Mansour
One year. 151 photos. One epic proposal…
The love story of Michelle and Jad Mansour reads like something from a romance novel, complete with the proposal of dreams that’s has us swooning in the Bazaar office. “It turned out that Jad had been proposing to me for over a year. He carried a small piece of paper with him that stated: “Will you marry me?” and took 151 photos over the course of the year holding it up with me in the background. I was completely oblivious in each picture” explained bride, Michelle. “The day of the actual proposal, he had a video made with all the times he’d proposed along with print outs of each occasion all put together in a beautiful setting.”
Orthopaedic Surgeon Jad wins the prize for most original proposal ever. But epic romances call for epic proposals, and these two had been a decade in the making.
Most people don’t expect to meet their soulmate at 18, but that’s exactly what happened to our Lebanese doctorduo, Jad and Michelle. Attending the same university followed by the same post-grad school, what started out as BlackBerry Messenger exchanges turned into a decade-long friendship. Something shifted in 2019 though as the friendship turned into more and after one and a half years of dating, Jad knew Michelle was the one. He then spent a year planning the perfect way to pop the question. But how do you follow the most romantic proposal ever? With a fairy-tale wedding of course.
Surrounded by greenery, 420 guests were in attendance as the duo married in a walnut orchard just 13 months later. “The minute you enter the venue you feel like you’ve entered a fairy-tale location. The trees, the colours and the sounds of birds,” Michelle told Bazaar.
Karm el Joz is a space made for celebrations and with the help of her sister Yara – a wedding planner extraordinaire – the whole thing was a breeze. “Planning the wedding was easy because of my sister. She knew me, she knew exactly what I wanted. She asked the right questions and perfectly executed what we imagined, only better,” Yara smiles.
Split into four sections, the day ran like clockwork, with thoughtful details peppered throughout. Welcome drinks in the orchard were complemented with a scent station to keep guests entertained. “We wanted something that the guests would enjoy and use later on. Our selection included scented candles, home sprays, and diffusers, all custommade with scents of our choosing. The response was fantastic, and it’s heartening to see our guests happily using these favours in their homes even now.”
With the perfect setting in place, what of the ceremony? “It took place between the long trees of the orchard. Throughout the whole time the leaves were shimmering in the sunlight which gave a beautiful, romantic effect to it. We were actually distracted by its beauty at some points during the ceremony,” said the couple. Simple flower selections of anthuriums and hydrangeas complemented the setting while readings by their siblings made this huge affair feel intimate and special.
The bride wore a custom gown by Lebanese haute couture designer Nicolas Gebran following an long search. “I went to many stores but the more I tried on the more I changed my mind. When I met Nicolas, all he had to do was have a conversation with me and without hesitation drew exactly what I imagined myself wearing. The dress was everything I needed without even knowing it,” gushed Michelle, who teamed the dress with custom shoes from Scarbina. Accompanied by her three bridesmaids – who also donned Nicholas Gebran – the bride walked down the aisle as a live choir led by Philipe Bachour serenaded guests with uplifting hymns.
Transformed into an entertainment area complete with vintage arcade games, strategic lighting and mirrors, Yara and her team of event planners were able to turn the ceremony location into a striking and contemporary afterparty. There was even a hot-dog van to fuel the all-night dancing from the band. It’s Always Been You by Phil Whickam was the couple’s first dance. “If you listen to the words of the song, it perfectly describes the life Jad and I have and the way we see each other,” explains the bride.
A honeymoon in Mexico for a bit of relaxation and adventure rounded off the nuptials.
Given everything passed off seamlessly, what advice does Michelle have for the rest of our budding brides? “The day of the wedding is the most beautiful day of your life. You will feel so much love from everyone around you. It is actually overwhelming. So, if you can and want to, work with a planner – they make life easy and fun. Be involved with the things you believe in and let other things be taken care of.” Sound advice indeed.
Bride’s Black Book
- Wedding Planner: Yara Estephan Weddings & Events @yaraestephan
- Videographer: Shades Production @shadesproduction
- Wedding Favours: Under the Scented Spell @underthescentedspell
- Make Up: Yvonne Hatem @yvonnehatem
- Hair: Fadia El Mendelek @fadiaelmendelek
- Flowers: Ivy Lane @ivylane
- Furniture: Ghorayeb Technotel @ghorayeb_technotel
- Lighting: Bacchus Production @bacchus_production
- Catering: Saveur Plus @saveurpluscatering
- Bar Catering: Double Shake @double.shake
- Cake: Cuisine D’Amour @cuisinedamour VENUE: Karm el Joz @karmeljoz
Photography By Shades By Hisham Saba
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s Bride Spring/Summer 2024 issue