Sofreh aghd: a wedding guide

Your wishlist

Answer these before you meet anyone.

• Who would you like to assemble the sofreh?

  A family-built sofreh is as much the tradition as a designed one.

• Where would you like the mirror and candlesticks to come from?

  The mirror of fate (ayeneh-ye bakht) and its pair of candlesticks are traditionally the groom's gifts to the bride, and often become the couple's own keepsake.

What to ask each one

• What's on your sofreh?

  Most spreads center on the mirror and candlesticks (aayeneh-o shamdoon), the two sugar cones ground over the cloth at the kaleh ghand, and the honey each feeds the other. The usual rest: a sangak lettered "mobarak bad" with cheese and greens, the tray of seven spices and the esfand against the evil eye, eggs and nuts, noghl and pastries, and an open book — the Qur'an, the Divan of Hafez, or your own scripture. Families vary it freely, and there's no single required list.

• Who assembles the sofreh?

  A sofreh built by mothers, aunts, and grandmothers is as much the tradition as a designed one — a sofreh designer is one path, not the default.

• The mirror and candlesticks

  The aayeneh-o shamdoon are traditionally the groom's gifts to the bride; in many families they are passed down instead, and either way they often become the couple's own keepsake after the aghd — a new set is one path among several.

How it’s usually priced

Usually priced as one flat amount.

Possible extras: Sofreh design & assembly, Purchased spread items.

What you settle once booked

• Where does the sofreh sit?

  The couple sits facing the sofreh, the mirror at its far end, with the guests able to see — a spot out of foot traffic, with room for the seating and for the women who hold the cloth.

• Who holds the cloth for the sugar grinding?

  Two women of the bride's family hold the white cloth over the couple's heads through the reading, and a woman in a good marriage rubs the two sugar cones together over it; a relative or friend of the bride stitches the seven-colored thread meanwhile. Honored roles, worth inviting people into ahead of the day.

• What happens to the sofreh after the aghd?

What to look over

Correct these details as needed.

• When is the sofreh set?

The day-of sheet

Confirm arrival, finish, who to call, access, a meal, and what is due.

Across the whole day

Choose which moments to include.

• Sofreh aghd setup
• Sofreh pack-up