Before Arbella and Sargon reached the soaring architecture of the University Club of Chicago, their wedding began somewhere far more personal: Arbella’s family home.
There, the couple’s families gathered for a cherished Assyrian tradition as Sargon’s family arrived to escort the bride to her ceremony. It was a meaningful beginning to a celebration that would move through some of Chicago’s most striking settings while remaining firmly rooted in family, faith, and heritage.
From an intimate gathering at home to a reverent cathedral ceremony and an elegant reception beneath the city’s historic architecture, each setting photographed by Mahaba CA and planned with help from The Wedding Plan Co. revealed a different part of Arbella and Sargon’s story.
An Assyrian tradition brought both families together
The wedding festivities began with both families gathered at Arbella’s home. Sargon’s family arrived to escort Arbella to the ceremony, honoring an Assyrian tradition that placed family at the center of the day from its earliest moments.
Rather than beginning at the venue, the celebration started in a familiar and deeply personal setting, establishing the sense of heritage and connection that would continue throughout the wedding.
A reverent ceremony at Mar Gewargis Cathedral
From Arbella’s family home, the celebration moved to Mar Gewargis Cathedral in Chicago.
Surrounded by family and loved ones, Arbella and Sargon exchanged vows in a ceremony shaped by their faith and the traditions of their Assyrian heritage. The cathedral provided a fittingly reverent setting as the couple honored the customs that had helped shape their families while beginning a new chapter of their own.
Historic Chicago architecture set the stage for the reception
Following the ceremony, guests arrived at the University Club of Chicago, where the atmosphere shifted from the intimacy and tradition of the earlier celebrations to the grandeur of one of the city’s historic settings and florals by Flowers by KH.
Soaring architecture became an integral part of the reception design rather than simply serving as its backdrop. The couple embraced the character of the space, pairing its timeless surroundings with sophisticated details and a restrained, contemporary approach.
The result felt distinctly Chicago while remaining connected to the elegance and significance of everything that had come before it.
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Candlelight brought warmth to the grand setting
Inside the University Club, candlelit tables softened the scale of the historic interiors and created a more intimate atmosphere for dinner and celebration.
Thoughtfully curated details complemented the existing architecture rather than competing with it, allowing the reception to feel elevated without becoming overly formal.
That balance between old and new extended throughout the wedding. Arbella and Sargon honored the traditions of their Assyrian heritage while embracing a modern aesthetic that felt entirely their own.
Fireworks illuminated the Chicago skyline
The evening’s final statement came not from inside the historic venue, but above it.
A fireworks display illuminated the Chicago skyline, giving guests one last unforgettable moment as the celebration reached its conclusion.
It was a spectacular ending to a wedding that had begun quietly at Arbella’s family home hours earlier. From a cherished family tradition and a faith-filled cathedral ceremony to candlelight beneath historic architecture and fireworks over Chicago, Arbella and Sargon’s wedding moved effortlessly between intimate and iconic.
More importantly, every setting served the same story: two people honoring the families, faith, and Assyrian heritage that shaped them while creating traditions and memories for the life they are beginning together.
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