Stories from our Brides

Elida Maalouf

This blog post is part of a new series titled Stories from our Brides whereby we ask brides who were dressed by Noiva’s on their wedding day to share with us their love story, from when they first met their significant other up until their wedding day.

Elida was first approached by her now-husband Ziad at none but her hometown church. “At the beginning, I refused his advances but he still didn't give up. He followed me on every social media platform and even searched everywhere till he got my number and this is where our story begins,” she told Noiva’s.

From Romantic Gestures to a Full-blown Love Story

Romantic gestures were a highlight of Elida and Ziad’s relationship, notably due to the latter’s innate talent for cute surprises. “I received a lot of flowers, romantic cards and surprises until I finally let go of my pride (or ‘prestige’ as the Lebanese would say) and accepted to meet him,” Elida said.

As the days went by, Ziad was persistent in making her fall for him even more and their love story translated well into a surprise proposal in July 2015. “I was having a girls’ dinner at a friend's garden and suddenly music started playing out loud and I heard Ziad saying my name on a microphone,” she explained. “We ran out to see what’s going on and there was the big surprise…”

He had surprised her by having all her friends come over with their cars decorated with colorful balloons and a big banner with “From the first moment I met you I knew you would be my princess forever. Elida day by day I’m loving you more, will you marry me ? " written on it.

“I was so shocked by how everything was perfectly prepared at a time when I wasn't expecting a proposal at all, and everything was caught on cam by a photographer so this beautiful and romantic memory will remain forever,” she added.

The Wedding: From Patient Preps to The Big Day

Elida learned from the preparation phase of her wedding that every couple should display tremendous patience during initial planning as this tends to be the most stressful stage of any wedding in the making. Choosing the wedding theme came easy: it was an all-white bride's theme. “I’ve chosen all things white: flowers, bride-themed chocolate decorations and a large bride silhouette at the center of every table,” she noted.

The view and quality of service were the most important factors in choosing the wedding venue, especially that the couple sought to capture picturesque memories, which is why they ultimately went for Chtaura Park Hotel. “I didn’t wish for anything to be done differently, everything seemed breathtaking to me, it was a fairytale wedding,” Elida explained.

“I had a great experience dealing with Noiva’s. Everything was arranged perfectly. They have amazingly friendly service and I was very satisfied with the dress I’ve chosen! I recommend Noiva’s for future brides because it's a boutique that offers you peace of mind in the midst of all your stressful wedding preparations with their beautiful quality dresses.”

Elida was looking for a heart-shaped princess dress, and after trying on four different dresses from Noivas’s extensive bridal collection, she settled for the last dress she tried, with the help of the sales assistant Josephine. “Given how huge and rich with dresses Noiva’s is, once the bridal consultant understands the style you like, they will instantly help you find it.”

Ziad and Elida tied the knot on [date] at Saydet Zahle Church. The ceremony was followed by a dinner at Chtaura Park Hotel, where the 320 invitees enjoyed a mix of traditional zaffe, Spanish-themed bride entrance show, upbeat groom parade and Valse when it came down to cutting the cake.

Wedding Details:

·         Makeup & Hair: Rachel Tabbah and Hanane Kassouf

·         Photography : Harika Productions

·         Number of Guests : 320

·         Weddding Theme: All-White Bride's Theme

·         Catering: Chtaura Park Hotel

·         Sound & Lighting: Khalil Sarah

·         Florist: Sawaya

·         Honeymoon Destination: Mykonos/Santorini