Keeping With Tradition at The Resort at Pelican Hill

ust as new wedding concepts are embraced at Pelican Hill,® so too are celebrations infused with ritual. While nuptials at the Resort range from small, private ceremonies to grand and lavish ones, they all incorporate and reflect the rich cultural heritage of the bridal party.

lvina Ahmedova and Mohhammad Jassim selected the Resort for their summer nuptials and shared the day with 130 guests. Their sofreh, an ornate fabric spread that serves as the setting and symbolic cornerstone for the exchange of vows, was adorned with the traditional mirror, candelabras, foods and threads meant to ensure a successful, happy and everlasting union.

As visually engaging as these events are, the food often takes center stage, and Pelican Hill® has honed its skills in cuisines including Persian, Indian, Asian and Mediterranean. “We frequently invite international chefs to work side by side with our chefs to ensure that the food is absolutely authentic,” said Jaime.

“We’re proud to host these cultural ceremonies at the Resort.” —Fernanda Jaime

Cultural weddings seem to foster a particularly close working relationship between the Pelican Hill wedding team and the families. “Every time you meet,” she said, “you meet with the couple, the aunts, the uncles, the grandmothers. I remember the first time we hosted a Hindu Poojas ceremony, when parents renew their vows as they give their children away. I fell in love with it and knew that the experience would remain with me forever.”

maloman-studios-5 — Photographed by Maloman Studios

Payal Kadakia and Nick Pujji’s Indian wedding was a vision to behold, with festivities lasting for days. “The Pujji wedding was a joy,” said Jaime, director of weddings and social events.

“Payal had been dancing all her life, and she’d dreamed of dancing for her husband at their wedding. The performance was stunning, as was her gown—all of her gowns, in fact; she changed more than five times throughout the weekend!”

Thanks to Jaime’s creative use of spaces on the property, The Resort at Pelican Hill® is hosting more multicultural weddings than ever. From elegant ballrooms to the epic Rotunda to alfresco dining, virtually nothing is off-limit. The Pujji wedding flowed from a reception on the Pacific Terrace to the fairy tale exchange of vows in the Rotunda. It continued with an elaborate buffet dinner in the Pacific Ballroom, celebrations on the Event Lawn, a farewell breakfast on the upper patio and light desserts on the lower one.

“We’re proud to host these cultural ceremonies at the Resort,” said Jaime. “Payal and Nick’s began with the Sangeet, a traditional Indian welcome by the families. On the wedding day, the groom arrived on horseback—though we often use elephants—and this was followed by a traditional Sikh ceremony.”

Persian couples wishing to incorporate the 3,000-year-old Sofreh Aghd ceremony also are welcomed warmly by the Resort’s wedding team.

The Dream Team: meet Pelican Hill® event planners (from left) Pam Wolter, Director of Weddings and Social Events Fernanda Jaime, and Eryin Choi. To contact the wedding team at The Resort at Pelican Hill, please call 877.624.6035.