Wagahta A.
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My name is Wagahta, I am a 29, Eritrean and currently resides in Seattle. I currently work as a contractor for healthcare IT, and love to surround myself with positive people. I met my husband through his younger brother. I went to undergraduate school with him, and he thought I would be a good fit for his brother. We were introduced to each in March 2006, and have been together ever since. My husband popped the question on Valentine’s Day 2010 on an evening date with another couple. I was completely surprised, and will forever cherish that moment. I was still in complete shock the rest of the evening. I was happy, nervous, and blessed all at the same time.

When I woke up on my wedding day I remember feeling rested and overjoyed. Everything was happening just as we planned, and the weather was beautiful! Having my girls with me that morning made me feel lucky and comfortable as I had all the support I need to get through the day. When it came to the wedding gown I had tried on many many dresses, and I could not find I was totally in love with. With some minor changes, I essentially created my own dress and could not have had it any other way.

Walking down the aisle made me feel blessed and full of love with our closest family and friends there to celebrate with us. For my wedding colors I wanted a summer/spring feel for my wedding, so I decided to go with coral as my main color, with a yellow and cream offset. I wanted the entire theme to be simple and elegant. Our reception was about 105 attendees and the venue was small, so we wanted to keep it personal and unique. When we made our grand entrance I thought “this is exactly what we had imagined and more!” Our first dance was to “All My Life” by KCI and Jojo. It was a special song both my husband and I knew, and although not planned, we ended up serenading each other. The most memorable moment of the night was when we took a group picture with all of our guests outside the venue. It’s a picture that speaks volumes. If I could change one thing it would have been spacing out the days of festivities. With some last minute schedule changes, some things felt rushed in the middle of the day.

One thing I wish a Habesha Bride would have told me is all the time and details it takes to plan a Habesha wedding. You really have no idea until you start planning how much goes into it! For the Melsi I picked this zuria because it showcased beautiful colors and the true traditions of my culture. For my bridesmaids I picked out those zurias because the colors and style of the dress showcased the beauty of my beautiful bridesmaids. What I wanted the most from the Melsi was tradition, tradition, and tradition. We wanted to ensure the tradition and beauty of our cultural was showcased throughout our melsi. My favorite song that was played was “Ahoye.” It is a traditional song played at weddings when the bride’s family greets the groom’s family. It symbolizes the families becoming one, which I enjoyed witnessing from the stage.

My favorite part of the Melsi was when my brother in law told the story of how my husband and I met. It was as if we relived the moment all over again. If I could change one thing about the Melsi it would be to change our habesha food caterer.  The caterer for the food was running late, which caused us to walk in late. Without the food, not much can be done. One piece of advice that I would give to a current bride planning would be to learn as much as you can about the traditional events that happen at the Melsi. It  is all about tradition, showcasing the beauty of your culture. No matter if you plan to showcase a little or a lot, make sure you do it how you want. Good luck 🙂

Vendor List

Wedding Gown Vendor Name Alfred Angelo, Tukwila, WA
Ceremony Location Name Roche Harbor Resort, Friday Harbor, WA. Part of San Juan Islands in WA State. We would recommend this location to anyone looking for a small outside venue in WA State.
Florist Vendor Name Robin’s Nest, Friday Harbor, WA. I would use this vendor again.
Bridal party Attire Vendor(s) Name(s) Weddingdressbee.com, online site based out of China. I would definitely use this vendor again.
Stationary Vendor Name Citlali Creativo, Kent, WA. We would use this vendor again.
Photographer Vendor Name Victor Zerga, Seattle, WA. And yes we would use this vendor again.
Videographer Vendor Name Amanuel. And yes we would use him again.
Reception Venue Name Roche Harbor, Friday Harbor, WA. And we would definitely recommend this location.
Habeshalibs/Zuria Vendor Name Yewendenish, Seattle, WA. I would recommend brides ordering dresses from her.
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