On June 18, 2022, we got Nikah-ed (our Islamic marriage) in a small intimate ceremony. Since, we are a multi-cultural couple (my hubby, Greg, is Thai and I am Pakistani) this is the first of our wedding festivities. We will be honoring both our traditions in March 2023 and heading to Thailand with our friends and family for our "big" wedding.
An important part of Kahani's foundation when I started my small business back in 2020 is building an ecosystem of support within our own communities, fellow small business owners, and creatives. Our Nikah was the perfect setting to highlight some of the amazing women-owned small businesses I've gotten to know over the years. It was an especially real “treat” to be able to cater a few of my favorite sweets on this occasion.
We had our cake made by Ruj Bakes, a small baking business with a mission to fill other homes with sweetness and joy. The owner, Aruj, did such a beautiful job making our cake vision come to life. It really was rather more of a art piece with delicate detailing in the silver edged ruffles and the gorgeous pairing of baby's breath flowers. And so tasty too! For inquires you can reach out to her via email that is listed on her Instagram and website.
The macaroons were made by Dominique at Pretty and Tasty Macaroons. I met Dominique at a pop up I did in Keyport and knew I had book her for our Nikah. It was so easy to share our vision with Dominque and she offers and assortment of flavors. She nailed our color theme too. To place an order you can send her a DM Instagram.
The cake pops were made by Loriana at Choco Sweets by Lolo. I met Loriana at a pop up I did in South Orange. She made the cutest treats for her Valentine's Pop Up and I've been following her journey since. To place an order you can send her a DM on her Instagram.
These delicious cookies were actually a gift from my best friend who had a order made by Meryl at Bungalow Baked, a local business down in Jacksonville, FL. They were perfectly packed to make the trip up to New Jersey flawlessly. Right now, she only offers local pick up in Jacksonville, but interacting with a small business' social media is a great way to support too. If you are in the Jacksonville area, you can send orders/inquiries via DM on her Instagram or place on order online.
For our Nikah favors, as you may know already, reducing waste is a integral pillar of Kahani's mission statement and lifestyle, so we opted for an eco-friendly option, succulents. We headed over to our local plant nursery and friends at Terrace Plant Shop in Metuchen. They hooked us up with a great affordable price on these cute baby succulents. I put them in a mini Kraft box, wrapped with natural twine, and added a label that read, "Let Love Grow" (so cute right). This is so on brand for Kahani and made for a perfect favor eco-friendly to our guests. Back in April, we hosted our first Candle Making Workshop at Terrace. It was a whole vibe and so much fun to enjoy in their lush green atmosphere. So, stay tuned for our next collaborative event. You can visit Terrace at 416 Main St, Metuchen, NJ 08840 or shop online.
Lastly, we want to highlight and thank Muslims for Progressive Values. Without them we would not be Nikahified. Our officiant, Jamal, did such an amazing Nikah ceremony before a mixed cultural and religious audience. MPV, is a non-profit organization that advocates for human rights, social justice and inclusion and envisions a world that reflects Islam as a source of dignity, justice, compassion, and love for all. They offer a number of services including marriage, spiritual counseling, lectures, curriculums, and more. I wish a group like this existed when I was younger that shares my own school of thought on justice and equality for all in its truest sense. Let’s continue to invest in our future generations, so that they can continue to have this amazing advocate and support for all Muslims. You can support MPV online and on their social media (@mpvusa).
Through Kahani, I hope to continue to build an ecosystem of comradery amongst the small business community. When you support Kahani, you not only support our mission to bring beautiful positive energy into your own homes, but for us all.
Be sure to like, follow, and share these amazing small businesses that made our special day so much more meaningful. Thank you!
Cake: @rujbakes
Macaroons: @prettyandtastymacarons
Cake Pops: @chocosweetsbylolo
Cookies: @bungalowbaked
Succulents: @terraceplantshop
Marriage Services: @mpvusa
Photography: @jimvllaz
P.S. Shout out to our amazing photographer, Jim. We took a chance on a friend of a friend and he did NOT disappoint. He was all up in THERE to get THE shot. He's been a videographer for a long time, but is building his photography book. So, let's water his growth on social media and see him thrive too.
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