This Opulent Lebanese Celebration was Filled with Dramatic Moments | Real Weddings: Christy Moukarzel & Rami Haddad
Everything was over-the-top and opulent for Christy and Rami
It was a tumultuous time – right after Lebanon’s 2019 revolution, and just before Covid lockdowns – when Christy Moukarzel and Rami Jean Haddad casually met among mutual friends on New Year’s Eve. This brief initial encounter might have been the end of the story, except just 10 days later they also happened to both be invited to another dinner at Sapa Beirut. The only empty chair for Christy turned out to be alongside 35-year-old entrepreneur Rami – eight hours of intense conversation later, the duo realised they had an electric connection.
The courtship lasted two years before Rami decided to take their relationship to the next stage. During a five-day getaway to Istanbul, he hired a boat and popped the question while cruising on the Bosporus. “It was quite hilarious yet very emotional and memorable,” Christy recalls. “When he got down on one knee, the boat was unstable and the promise ring could have been lost at sea. Thank God it didn’t!” Was she prepared? “There were zero hints from his side.”
The bride-to-be wasn’t going to lose any time. In just seven months, ably assisted by wedding planner Yara Estephan and her father Jean Claude, 600 guests were gathered at “our perfect place – magical, breathtaking and full of history,” the Grand Sofar Hotel for a dramatic affair. Every aspect of the evening – and the 400 person-strong pre-party hosted by the bride’s parents the night before – encapsulated the happy twosome’s personalities. Yes, they had their dreamy, extravagant setting, but with a personalised twist. A subtle burlesque theme permeated proceedings from the start, with performances and dancers in the welcome space scattered with beds for lounging, and set with sumptuous charcuterie and cheese boards. As guests entered they could don Phantom of the Opera masks, customised by artists to create an evocative atmosphere.
Feasting was another priority for the Lebanese-Venezuelan bride. Not only was there a mirrored 60-metre buffet, but there were also live stations dishing out kharouf, succulent duck, Italian stalwarts and sushi. Dessert saw 250 cakes and tarts v alongside fresh knefeh and exotic fruit.
Looking back, the couple wouldn’t change a single thing; “Nothing. Zero. Nada,” Christy emphatically states. Any highlights? “The moment I was walking down the stairs of my family home to reveal my dress to my father. Time stopped, and everything felt surreal.” Another special moment was when bridesmaid Sarah and groomsman James paid surprise tributes. Christy even transitioned from one gown to another in the spotlight, singing along to Christina Aguilera’s Burlesque, with a supporting cast of dancers, her bridesmaids and even her mother!
“We needed time to recover,” laughs Christy, when asked about their American honeymoon which happened months later.
Bride’s Black Book
Dress: Hass Idriss Bridal, hassidriss.com
Make-Up: Mhammad Harb, @mhammadharb
Wedding Rings & Jewellery: Moukarzel Jewellery, moukarzeljewelry.com
Groom’s Suit: Boudi Dib, boudidib.com
Event Planner: Yara Estephan, yaraestephan.com
Photographer & Videographer: Chadi Khalaf by DAZL by Chadi Khalaf, @dazlproduction
Venue: Grand Sofar Hotel, @grandsofarhotel
Caterer & Cake: Le 43 Catering, le43-catering.com
Florist: Roni Bassil at Ikebana, @ronibassil
DJs: Bassili Marc, @bassili.marc, Alan & Kevin
Singers: Pavo, @pavosbannout, Carlos, @carlos.hikri
Inivitations and Thank You Cards: Marli Cards
Furniture & Decorations: PBS Events, Skamlati, @pbs_events
Photography: Chad Khadi At DAZL
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia Bride’s July/August 2023 issue.
