Dubai’s celebrity radio presenter Kris Fade of The Kris Fade Show finally tied the knot with his beau Brianna Ramirez, and we love everything about the grand affair! Destination wedding planner Tasneem Alibhai shares all the insider details of the wedding, from the stunning decor inspiration to quotes from the couple. See more pictures from the celebration as we take you through the day in detail.
Tasneem is the planner and founder of TA Weddings and Special Occasions and the brilliant mind behind bringing this magnificent March wedding to life. She and her team are experts in creating luxurious weddings that leave you awestruck, ensuring every detail is polished to perfection.
How They Met
Now this is quite the story! As told by Kris himself, Brianna first followed and then unfollowed him on Instagram before following him again. While Brianna says the unfollowing was an accident, Kris believes she did it to catch his attention! Noticing this, he slid into her DMs to see if his theory was, in fact, true, smoothly following it up with an ‘it worked…’
Their conversation kicked off from this amusing start, and they soon exchanged numbers. Further into their story, Brianna planned to move back to the States after moving on from her job back then, but Kris jokes that taking a chance on love held her back (or, as he otherwise liked to say, he didn’t let her leave).
At the time, Lady Gaga was going to be performing, and in true Fade fashion, he saved two tickets for her, asking her to collect them from his so-called ‘assistant.’ When she asked if he was going to be there, Kris in a nonchalant manner said yes, without telling her he was going to be hosting the show on stage! But as though he hadn’t pranked her enough, when she went to greet him, he pretended as though he needed a second to recollect who she was!
Nonetheless, it is a sweet story unique to them. And as they say, the rest is history!
The Proposal That Went Viral
Most of you already know this special proposal story. During the Summer of 2019, Virgin Radio’s much-loved host Kris Fade popped the question to Brianna in Jordan, where they attended the Middle East premiere of Aladdin. Kris was there to interview the cast, including Will Smith, who played the Genie. The actor distracted Brianna with a selfie while Kris got down on one knee behind her, a small contribution marking a life-changing moment!
The Dress
Brianna describes the silhouette of her Martina Liana dress as a trumpet, explaining she wanted something simple, classy, and fitting. “I’ve had my dress now for about three years.” She says, having initially planned to wed last year. “Even after years, I still love it.” And who wouldn’t! We are still absolutely obsessed with how elegant she looked!
As for the bridesmaids, they were dolled up in blush pink one-shoulder gowns. Kris’ daughters Noushie and Kikki were the ceremony flower girls with matching dresses of the same color, while the groom matched his bride with a white tuxedo and his crew looked dapper in the classic black.
The Venue & Date
Deciding on Dubai as their wedding destination was a no-brainer for the couple. “Dubai has been home for Kris for 14 years and myself for 8. It’s where we met, and it holds a special place in our hearts.” Shares the bride. She further says it was a great reason for their families to visit them and holiday in the city that the pair calls home.
Finalizing The Ritz-Carlton Dubai at JBR as their venue, the couple enjoyed some of the most breathtaking views during their big day. The ceremony and reception were held outdoors on the property’s lawn space, with the beach and the iconic Ain Dubai Ferris wheel providing a uniquely romantic backdrop for captivating photos.
The wedding took place on the 22nd of March this year, among friends, family, and some of Dubai’s most recognizable faces, including Farhana Bodi, Mona Kattan, Caroline Stanbury, Sergio Carrallo, Michelin star chef Vineet Bhatia from Netflix’s The Final Table, former unified boxing world champion Amir Khan, and several sports personalities among others. Kris’ co-hosts and friends Priti Malik and Brent Black were also there to support him as a bridesmaid and groomsman. The entire wedding was live-streamed on the radio presenter’s Instagram, allowing his fans to witness and be part of the special occasion. How wonderful is that!
The Decor & Planning
When Kris & Brianna announced their wedding back in 2019, Tasneem had contacted Brianna to be their wedding planner. Being the one to plan their friends Caroline Stanbury and Sergio Carrallo’s wedding a few months prior, she quickly became the couple’s trusted planner.
“We knew all eyes in Dubai would be on this wedding, and I had to ensure I executed this to perfection.” Shares Tasneem. And she did! Staying true to their promise, she and her team rose to the occasion and gave B & K the best wedding they could have.
When asked about the theme of their wedding, the couple said they opted for something chic and not over the top. Tasneem and her team did a fabulous job decorating the venue with stunning details of plush pink and dark purples for the ceremony, making it look like a dreamy fairytale. The reception, on the other hand, was inspired by the couple’s love for modern aesthetics, incorporating black and white colors with silver accents.
“The wedding exceeded both their expectations, and it was a true testimony when both Kris and Brianna said they have attended so many weddings & receptions, but their own wedding turned out to be the best they have ever seen. It was truly magical and beyond what they imagined.” She adds.
Song Choices
With an already breathtaking venue and setup, it wasn’t difficult to add delicate touches that enhanced the romantic vibes. An instrumental version of Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years played as guests eagerly waited for the ceremony to start, and the bride’s entry was to the tune of Damien Rice’s The Blower’s Daughter.
“Two of the best decisions I made for our wedding were walking mum down the aisle and making dad a groomsman.” Says Kris.
Sweet Vows that Wowed!
“I believe in fate, and I believe that Instagram was only created so we could meet,” Kris’ vows were truly beautiful, leaving no eye dry. “Don’t just look for someone you can live with. Look for someone you can’t live without,” he sweetly adds. Doesn’t that just make you want to go ‘aww!’?
And it only gets lovelier from here! Last year, the hotel gifted B & K a ‘Love Tree’ planted on their grounds. So being back at the same place to officially reaffirm their love in nuptials made it all the more special.
Further to this, Kris had personally worked on an original song for his new wife, which he performed in front of all their guests.
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A Marriage of Two Cultures
Kris is a Lebanese from Australia, and Brianna is a Mexican-American. They wanted to celebrate their cultures in a fun and unique way and incorporated traditional music into their reception entrance. The bride made her way to the dance floor accompanied by a Mariachi Band playing a traditional Mexican song, soon followed by the loud drums of a Zaffe band that announced the groom’s entrance. Both bands then synced up to play a lively blend of Spanish-Arabic music that the crowd danced to. And it turned out fantastic! This definitely has us wanting to see more of such unique and engaging reception entrances.
The bride shares that seeing her vision come to life and experiencing it all was the highlight of her journey to the aisle. Amazed with the way Tasneem and her team at TA Weddings encapsulated each detail and did what they’re best at; rise to the occasion and exceed expectations, the pair took to Instagram to express their gratitude.
“They say the devil is in the details, but I truly think an angel is. Everything came out so heavenly! Tasneem and her team at @bytasneemalibhai were definitely my guardian angels and made my dreams come true! I seriously can’t thank you enough!” – Brianna Fade.
“@bytasneemalibhai @tasneem.alibhai, you are unbelievable in what you do. The wedding planner that made it all come together and look like a movie. Thank You!” – Kris Fade.
Right before the cake cutting ceremony, the magnificent Ain Dubai lit up with a special message for the newly married pair, one of the celebration’s highlights.
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“It was an absolute pleasure working with both Kris and Brianna. They were not just a client, but today, we have developed a true everlasting friendship. They are truly lovely people from both inside and out.” Shares Tasneem, a rewarding feeling special to the world of weddings.
“Feeling loved is a great feeling.” – Kris Fade, the groom.
Vendors:
Planning & Designing: @bytasneemalibhai
Photography & Videography: @tgmediadubai/ @kathleenhoarephoto
Venue: @ritzcarltondubai / @aindxbofficial
Lighting & Audio: @soundkraft_llc
Bride’s Dress: @martinalianabridal
Groom’s Suit: @8thlining
Hair: @hairbysamir
Makeup: @samiraolfat
Cake: @sugaholicbakeshop
Dessert Table: @ladureeuae
Drinks: @mmidubai
Entertainment: @alfarahevents
