Bride and groom exiting their ceremony walking down the aisle to crowd cheers at Kimpton Sawyer Hotel Wedding

A Beautiful Kimpton Sawyer Hotel Wedding in Sacramento

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May 5, 2024

Atiya and Paiyum’s Kimpton Sawyer Hotel wedding was dreamy from start to finish. Nestled in Downtown Sacramento, California the Kimpton is located in Downtown Commons, aka DOCO, adjacent to the Golden One Center where the Sacramento Kings play. An aesthetically beautiful and modern, bringing a exclusivity and luxurious hospitality including Revival, a chic restaurant and cocktail bar, and the large rooftop-pool deck. Weddings at the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel bring a new level of sophistication, providing both indoor and outdoor spaces and the capacity to hold 300 guests. It is one of my favorite ballroom and modern venues in Sacramento! Pro tip: make sure to avoid picking a date when a Kings Game is scheduled. Sometimes the valet will reach capacity if that is an perk you want to offer your guests.

Also, if you’d like to see Atiya and Paiyum’s engagement gallery at Mission San Juan Capistrano check it out here.

Rehearsal Dinner

The previous night before their Kimpton Sawyer Hotel wedding, Atiya and Paiyum had their rehearsal dinner. The dinner was held on the groom’s parent’s estate in Fair Oaks, CA. First of all – their home is STUNNING for any occasion. Overall the atmosphere was relaxed and chic. Kicking off the weekend, the guests danced the night away. First, closest family members gifted the bride jewelry – a Persian custom. As guests arrived, drinks, woodfire pizza, and Middle-Eastern food kept the crowd going. Second, the grooms father gave a welcome speech. Finally they danced the night away.

Getting Ready at Kimpton Sawyer Hotel

First Atiya and Paiyum got ready with their respective wedding party members in hotel rooms at the Kimpton. The bridesmaids were dressed in mismatched blue and floral satin chic PJ’s while the bride wore a beautiful, white satin set. Then the girls popped a champagne and posed with a personalized newspaper with all the juicy details of A&P’s love story and the exciting events that will unfold later that day. Then Atiya changed into her off-shoulder, floral-laced wedding gown from Galia Lahav with the help of her mother. She looked absolutely elegant! My favorite detail was the portrait of her late-father that was attached to her wedding bouquet. Some tears were definitely shed.

First Look and Portraits

Afterwards the bride and groom shared a first look on the upper lobby. The floor-to-ceiling windows provided plenty natural light to capture a multitude of portraits. Additionally, the bottom staircase in the lobby also provided a wonderful backdrop for Atiya and her bridesmaids. Afterwards, we transitioned into immediate family portraits before hiding the couple for their ceremony.

Sofreh Aghd Ceremony at Kimpton Sawyer Hotel

Honoring their heritage, Atiya and Paiyum had a Persian wedding ceremony. The ceremony is usually led by closest family members. In this case Paiyum chose his twin brother and Atiya chose her brother. The wedding aisle was long, and Atiya walked towards her groom alongside her mother. It was a beautiful sight! She was backlit and the lighting through her veil was ethereal.

Aghd refers to the ceremony and situated at the front is a Sofreh, a symbolic wedding spread. Sofrehs contain sweets and candies, mirrors, candles, flowers, decorated eggs, silver, gold, fruit, sugar cones, a holy book, and honey. Each has a symbolic meaning. Traditionally, the Sofreh is set facing the sunlight; the wedding couple sits on a bench facing the Sofreh and their guests. One tradition of a Aghd ceremony is when the female relatives holds a fine cloth over the couples head and they grind the sugar cones above it. This is to symbolize adding sweetness for their marital life. Another sweet aspect is they dip their fingers into honey and feed it to their partner. Of course, like many ceremonies their marriage is sealed with a kiss! Lastly, the Sofreh was used for extended family and friend portraits during cocktail hour.

The Reception at Kimpton Sawyer Hotel

This Kimpton Sawyer Hotel wedding reception was kicked off in the ballroom. The tables were decorated with candles and an assortment of colorful florals. Persians know how to throw a party and DANCE! Before the newlyweds were announced the dance floor already had guests busting some moves. The couple made their grand entrance accompanied by floor sparklers as they transitioned to their first dance. The room was energetic. Certainly my favorite part was the knife dance. It is a tradition where a bridesmaid, grooms friend or guest dances and teases the couple with their cake cutting knife. Typically the groom will have to offer money in exchange for the knife. Definitely snuck in a few bridal portraits during sunset. Lastly, Atiya and Paiyum ended the night by cutting their floral-decorated cake and dancing the night away.