Hotel ZaZa | Houston Wedding Blog

Elegant Ivory, White and Black Persian-American Wedding at Hotel ZaZa

We admit it: We’ve got a soft spot for love stories that begin, “We met when we were 16 years old, at the mall.” Especially when they involve years of long-distance, on-again-off-again dating that culminates, finally, with the realization that you can’t and won’t live without your true love by your side. Such is the nature of Elly and Ryan’s relationship, sealed with heartfelt vows in a ceremony inside Hotel ZaZa’s Phantom Ballroom that combined Persian and traditional Western rites and rituals. Following the ceremony, guests gathered in the ballroom’s foyer area where they enjoyed more than 10 different types of passed hors d’oeuvre while Hotel ZaZa’s expert staff, along with design pros from florist and decorator Plants N’ Petals, transformed the ceremony space for the reception. “Each of the 13 nooks in the Phantom ballroom was used differently,” bride Elly explains. “The center nook held the Persian sofreh while other nooks contained bars, couches and seats with cocktail tables, guest dinner tables, the six-piece band, and the two DJ’s.” Centerpieces of roses, peonies, hydrangeas and crystal candelabras topped the tables, where guests convened to rest and refuel when not dancing the night away. “Our wedding went even better than I could have imagined,” Elly says. “We had such a wonderful time!” And we’ve had a wonderful time sharing your day with you and Ryan. Thanks so much to John Ly Photography for the pretty pix—and congratulations to the lovely couple.

Elegant Black and White Persian-American Wedding at Hotel ZaZa

Photos: John Ly Photography ~ Videography: A&A Video Productions ~ Bride’s Dress: Melissa Sweet by Priscilla of Boston ~ Jewelry: Markle Luxury Jewelers & Zadok Jewelers ~ Shoes: Jimmy Choo ~ Hair & Makeup: Blush & Co. ~ Flowers & Decor: Plants N’ Petals ~ Persian Sofreh: Sofreh Chic ~ Coordinator: Belle of the Ball ~ Officiants: Minister Brian Engle (Weddings Performed); Lillie Taat~ Venue: Hotel ZaZa

White, Silver and Purple Wedding at Hotel ZaZa

“From the beginning, I knew I wanted our wedding to truly reflect Ryan and I as a couple,” says Houston bride Lindsy. “As high-school sweethearts, we had been together for eight years when we began planning our wedding, and we had truly grown up together and with each other’s families. We wanted our wedding to be a night to celebrate our love as well as our family and friends who have supported us for so many years. I envisioned an all-white wedding with a mix of soft textured elements and strong architectural design. The ceremony, like my dress,”—a gorgeous Monique Lhuillier creation from Joan Pillow Bridal Salon, btw— “had an ethereal quality, with floating orchid petals and candles. The reception had a lot of clean lines with structured arrangements of white flowers. Fun-fact napkins, signature drinks and advice cards personalized our event and made our guests a part of our love story. The textured linens, mirrored table tops and white linen menus added texture and interest to a monochrome palette. An all-white stage, dance floor and lounge furniture created the perfect environment to dance the night away for our friends and family. After dinner the chandeliers changed to purple lighting and the music continued until early the next morning. We ended the evening with a salty-and-sweet treat of French fries and milkshake shots for our guests before a confetti exit to our hotel suite. The most special part of our wedding was a painting of our sweet dogs (who could not be at the wedding) by my cousin Jennifer. We made sure to display it under the chuppah so they could watch over our ceremony.” And if that’s not the picture of personal, meaningful wedding perfection, we don’t know what is. Congratulations, Lindsy and Ryan, and great thanks to Morgan Lynn Photography for the lovely photos!

White, Silver and Purple Wedding at Hotel ZaZa

Photos: Morgan Lynn Photography ~ Bride’s Dress: Monique Lhuillier from Joan Pillow Bridal Salon ~ Bride’s Shoes: Vera Wang Lavender ~ Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Monique Lhuillier from Nordstrom Wedding Suite ~ Flowers & Decor: Darryl & Co. ~ Cake: Susie’s Cakes & Confections ~ Coordinator: Belle of the Ball ~ Venue: Hotel ZaZa ~ Rehearsal Dinner: Maggiano’s Little Italy

High-Glamour Black-and-Silver Hotel ZaZa Wedding With Canine Friend

We’re just so tickled to be able to show y’all the wedding of Andrea and Alessandro—such a beautiful couple, such a magnificent celebration. The two met a Sunday Funday brunch…and ended up chatting ’til midnight that day. It wasn’t long until the pair realized they were madly in love, and eventually Alessandro proposed to his lovely bride on a trip to San Francisco. “On our second day, after an afternoon biking around Sausalito, he took me to an amazing mountain top for the sunset,” Andrea recounts. “Just as the sun was setting, he got down on one knee and proposed with the spectacular view of San Francisco behind him. It truly was the most amazing day!” Though perhaps not quite as amazing as the day the two tied the knot, with a church ceremony followed by a dazzling black-white-and-silver celebration at downtown Houston’s Hotel ZaZa. The silver-and-crystal candelabra, the dramatic feather accents, the sleek white dance floor—everything about this wedding exuded glamour and drama. Everything, that is, except for the awesome photo-booth fun that was a highlight of the wedding for guests and newlyweds alike, which exuded sheer joy and whimsy. If you’re wondering how Andrea put together such a spectacular wedding, she says she found “90%” of her vendors on her one-day visit to the I Do! Bridal Soiree at the Royal Sonesta (where, incidentally, she was also the lucky winner of our Kindle Fire giveaway—BONUS!). We’re so thankful to Andrea and Alessandro for sharing their special day—big thanks too to photographer Rachel Robinson for sharing her terrific pix.

High-Glamour Black-and-Silver Hotel ZaZa Wedding

Photos: Rachel Robinson Photography ~ Bride’s Dress: Monique Lhuillier ~ Bride’s Hair & Makeup: The Perfect Face ~ Bridesmaid ~ Dresses: Vera Wang for David’s Bridal ~ Floral & Decor: Plants ’n Petals ~ Venue: Hotel ZaZa ~ Videography: Sculpting with Time

Valentine’s Day Spa, Sparkle and Sweetness

Valentines-Day-Brennans-restaurant-Hotel-ZaZa-spa-houston Valentines-Day-Zadok-pink-diamond-Nothing-Bundt-Cales-Valentine-houston

Credits (left to right, top to bottom): Brennan’s Houston ~ Hotel ZaZa Houston ~ Zadok Jewelers ~ Nothing Bundt Cakes

You’re head over heels, you’re blissfully betrothed, you’re getting all ready to get hitched—let’s face it: You, love, are pretty much exactly the kind of girl Valentine’s Day was made for.

And here, love, are just a handful of our favorite Valentine’s Day gifts, goodies and indulgences, courtesy a few great Weddings in Houston partners—for you, for him, for the two of you together. Enjoy!

Here’s an idea: Knock off work early and meet your man for a romantic spa escape, courtesy Hotel ZaZa Houston’s decadent ZaSpa. Try a 50- or 80-minute Swedish-style his-n-hers massage with warm scented oils in the luxury of the spa’s exclusive couple’s room. Top things off with a private 45-minute soak in a deep tub for two. Reservations are required!

Next, slip into something sexy…like a stunning piece from one of Zadok Jewelers’ spectacular collections. Not sure what kind of jewelry you might fancy? Check out Zadok’s Valentine’s Day gift recommendations, courtesy CultureMap.

Dressed to the nines, and sporting your new bit of Valentine’s Day sparkle, make your way to Brennan’s Houston, for a sumptuous prix-fixe dinner of Louisiana-blue-crab-and-caviar crepes, Creole-mustard-crusted lamb chops and—what else?—your favorite French bubbly. Again, rezzies are a must…so make ‘em!

But you may want to skip dessert—that will come a little later, when you head home to snuggle up and hunker down with a to-die-for red velvet or white-chocolate-raspberry Nothing Bundt Cakes Valentine’s Day cake. Let him feed it to you (great practice for your upcoming wedding reception!), and let that ridiculously delicious butter-cream-cheese frosting make your toes curl with pleasure.

The rest of the evening, love, is up to you…

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Gray, Pink & Cream Hotel ZaZa Wedding by Serendipity Photography

Imagine discovering that your boyfriend’s mother had known your mother before either of you were born—and had even babysat for you while you were itty-bitty! It’s the sort of small-world coincidence that makes you think some things—Emily and Brian’s true love, for instance—are just fated to be. For the couple’s spring wedding, Emily wanted to honor tradition…but she also wanted some super-chic modern flare, to go along with Hotel ZaZa’s hot new 11^th-floor Grapevine Room. “Sticking with that I choose charcoal gray as our main color and accented it with pale pinks and creams for a romantic touch,” she tells us. There’s so much we love about this effortlessly elegant wedding, from the bride’s handmade “Mr.” and “Mrs.” chair signs (“I highly recommend doing this if you’re crafty and want something unique…and it was fun!”), to the subtly metallic linens, to the fresh and feminine Blooming Gallery floral arrangements, to the ridiculously pretty pink-bow wedding cake from Edible Designs by Jessie. Check out Serendipity Photography’s fine photos of this delightful Houston wedding. And if you’re hunting for a mid-size venue with amazing style and views for miles, definitely check out ZaZa’s 11^th-floor space—it’s an absolute gem. Congratulations, Emily and Brian!

Gray, Pink & Cream Hotel ZaZa Wedding by Serendipity Photography

Photos: Serendipitiy Photography ~ Bride’s Dress: Reem Acra ~ Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik & Valentino ~ Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Monique Lhuillier ~ Cakes: Edible Designs by Jessie ~ Flowers: Blooming Gallery ~ Invitations: Bering’s ~ Venue: Hotel ZaZa