Azadeh (Ashley) Behinfar and Luis Sanchez knew from the beginning of their engagement that they wanted a wedding that celebrated their cultural heritage. “Luis is a Mexican-American and I am a Persian-American,” Ashley explains. “We wanted to make our wedding very special and memorable for his family and mine, and also for our friends.”

“Combining three different cultures and coming up with one event that satisfies each and every group, especially the two of us, turned out to be our biggest challenge. We decided to have two separate events!”

Once they made that decision, Ashley quickly concluded she would need help. After doing her research with Weddings in Houston, she found Karen Brown, master wedding coordinator and founder of Karen For Your Memories. “Everything felt just right, and I decided to make an appointment with her,” Ashley says. “I must admit that was the best decision I made throughout the months of wedding preparation. Karen and her team were wonderful.”

The couple married on Feb. 29 before 100 guests on the grounds of The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa. “We couldn’t choose a more unique wedding day than one that only exists during the leap year,” Ashley notes.

The newlyweds held their reception that evening in The Houstonian’s Forest Ballroom, which displayed decor and rentals from Darryl & Co. Guests enjoyed a buffet dinner and Tejano and Latin music. “A chocolate fountain was a sweet touch for our younger guests,” Ashley adds. In addition to the fountain by Edible Designs by Jessie, guests nibbled on sumptuous creations by Susie’s Cakes & Confections.

Ashley particularly recalls the vibrant red, orange and yellow roses with gold accents from Darryl & Co. The flowers’ colors, echoed in Ashley’s bridal gown’s gold sash and her bouquet, represented Luis’ culture and heritage.

One evening later, Ashley and Luis reunited with friends and loved ones at The Houstonian’s Juniper Room for a second wedding celebration. The color theme was silver, pink, light green and white. A video showed highlights of Ashley and Luis’ wedding ceremony from the day before while guests enjoyed dinner by The Houstonian’s catering staff. Persian ice cream complemented the cake from Susie’s Cakes & Confections. A steady flow of Persian music enhanced the evening’s festivities.

“The memories of these two days are so beautiful and fresh in our minds, as if they happened yesterday,” Ashley says.