Confessions of a Real Bride: Tala Batarneh
Tala Batarneh got married to Yaser Rahal in August 2012 in Amman, Jordan. Like many couples separated by geographic boundaries, Tala and Yaser nurtured their love during their engagement period through skype until they finally got married in 2012.
- How did you and Yaser meet?
It was a traditional marriage; we got engaged in November 2010. Yaser then had to leave for Saudi Arabia where he works, so we got to know each other, mostly, through Skype. I felt like I knew him for such a long time. Our engagement lasted for 2 years; we then got married in August 2012.
"I stayed till midnight waiting for my dress to get fixed"
- Did you hire a wedding planner or planned your wedding yourself? How was your experience?
We hired a wedding planner, but everything went under my supervision with the help of my mother and sister, and especially my husband. I believe that our wedding is his big day as well and not just mine. The planning experience was great and everything went as planned.
- What is the biggest advice you can give any bride-to-be when planning for her wedding?
Don’t stress before the wedding, everything will turn out great eventually.Mistakes and surprises happen in every wedding, you need to expect and accept that, so don’t stress and try to enjoy your time.Enjoy planning your wedding, it’s a memory you will always cherish.
- Did you pick a certain theme or color scheme? If so, what was it? Did you use it all through the wedding?
My priority was to have an outdoor wedding, so I picked Exit Club in Amman for the wedding location.
"The hardest moment was when I was leaving the house,
it was very emotional."
I picked white and green as I love the color of white flowers with green stems and leaves. And my wedding invitations were in a silver color and nontraditional.
- Do you recommend specific suppliers you worked with?
Murad Shahqour (Al-Oula) for the overall event planning and Ahmad Al Mohtaseb (Noor Flowers) for the flower arrangements.
And photographer Tarek from Selection Studio
- What was the most difficult and stressful part of wedding planning?
The night before the wedding was the most difficult. I couldn’t sleep nor stop thinking about the wedding, and how I was going to look. I was very nervous when I started thinking about how my life will change and what married life will be like!
The hardest moment was when I was leaving the house, it was very emotional.
- Did you face any surprises? If so, how did you deal with them?
Yes, I went the night before my wedding to pick up my wedding dress as I wanted to add sleeves to it, but it was nothing like I expected, so I stayed till midnight waiting for my dress to get fixed. That is when I started crying but it got fixed eventually. And on my wedding day the florist got me a bouquet which wasn’t what I ordered!
"I loved the Special Deals section,
and I got inspired by some ideas on the website as well,
I still check the website out until now"
- Do you consider yourself as a relaxed bride or more of a bridezilla?
I don’t think so, I did get nervous and stressed a few times, but every bride feels that way before her wedding.
- How can you best describe your wedding and the planning process?
Everyone loved the wedding, and I did as well. And everything went well.
- Did Arabia Weddings help you in your wedding planning? If so, please explain how?
Yes, I used the list of wedding planners in the online directory on Arabia Weddings, I also loved the Special Deals section, and I got inspired by some ideas on the website as well. I still check the website out until now.
