Sydnie and Sahar are realists, the groom’s Best Man, Shane Demello explained. Whenever there’s been any sort of conflict over the six years they’ve been together, the pair has always confronted it head on and emerged from the ensuing discussions stronger and more in love than ever.
It’s a story we kept hearing over and over at their wedding — that the emotionally mature couple has found strength in each other ever since they met through a friend back in Arizona.
After spending the day with these two, we have just the moment to put this in perspective.
Sitting some 100 yards below the helipad that served as the ceremony site (yep, we said helipad) is a granite thumb of boulder protruding from the mountain. It’s a pretty majestic spot that juts out from the Malibu Rocky Oak grounds, and overlooks the Malibu valley stretching out to the west below. Sydnie had requested that after the ceremony, they do a brief sunset photo session from the rock, which we were all excited for — who doesn’t love epic sunset photos? When sunset rolled around it was every bit as picturesque as we’d imagined, but what we hadn’t planned for were the chilly, ocean-driven 20 mile-per-hour winds that buffeted the rocky outcrop as the evening fog began to seep off the coast and pour into the valley. Plus, Sydnie and Sahar had to find a way up there. Cue epic music.
Yet here was Sydnie in her wedding gown just an hour after being married, gamely holding onto Sahar’s hand as the determined couple bouldered/hiked/crawled up the side of a mountain for the picture of a lifetime. After some careful treading they were able to scramble to the top of the boulder.
It’s a moment we — and no doubt Sydnie and Sahar — will never forget. Gusty ocean winds were swirling around the just-married couple as the sun sank behind them. And full behind-the-scenes disclosure, Sydnie (ok, everybody) was freezing in the chilly evening breeze. But the pictures and film tell another story: Sydnie and Sahar stood on that freezing rock unfazed, holding onto one other, each made a little bit stronger (or at least, a little less cold) by each other’s presence. They stuck it out on that spot for several minutes before they had enough. And it was totally worth it, as you’ll see.
As always, thanks so much to Alexandra and her entire team at Sterling Engagements who put on such a gorgeous wedding, the incredible Malibu Rocky Oak Vineyard Estates for hosting, Lilla Bello for fantastic floral arrangements, the lovely ladies at Design Visage and Makeup Therapy, Dash Entertainment, Amber Event Productions, The Food Matters, El Canito Cigar Events, Pacific Strings Trio, Cocktail Concierge, Fantasy Frostings, Luxe Linen, Prim and Pixie, Maya Myers Photography who is a blast to work alongside, and of course Sydnie and Sahar for sharing their day, so many laughs and showing off their rock climbing skills in full wedding attire.