Uniting across cultures, they planned a wedding that felt like home to them both

Boston Globe

30-04-2025

'Brina came across as very warm … and had a very pleasant, easygoing personality,' Taha says of his first impressions of his future wife. 'But then when we were playing board games, I realized she was secretly a shark,' he recalls. 'I was very impressed by that.'
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As luck would have it, Brina noticed Taha, too — she says she remembers thinking he was 'so sincere and smart' — and the pair soon began spending time together. Within a few weeks of their meeting, Taha asked Brina to dinner at Alcove: one of the city's few outdoor dining options at the time. It was a 'very cold' spring night, Brina recalls, but thanks to the restaurant's water views and the nearby heat lamp keeping them warm, the couple hardly minded. Of course, the company didn't hurt either.
Brina Dillon and Taha Bahktiyar described the dress code for their black tie wedding as "East or West, dress your best."
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'It was just good, easy conversation,' Brina, now 31, says.
The next few months passed just as effortlessly, even though 'on paper,' Brina says, the two of them could not be more different. Their close friends have likened their personalities to their homes of origin: Brina like a 'cool, New England summer breeze,' and Taha with 'the energy of rush hour in Karachi, [Pakistan],' where he grew up.
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The contrast, they agree, is more of a help than a hindrance, particularly when making life decisions. 'We both bring something different to the conversation and have very different perspectives when planning anything,' says Taha. 'Brina can be much more organized. I can sort of be much more rapid-fire, on the go. … I'm somebody who can definitely swing much more work than balance. And Brina brings a lot more balance for me.'
They also felt connected by their shared values. 'Once we got to know each other and we were telling stories about our childhood or the way our parents act … [we realized] the values that we have are surprisingly similar,' says Brina.
As the months passed, Brina brought Taha to her family's Thanksgiving dinner in her hometown of Freeport. Taha soon followed suit by inviting Brina to Houston, where she met Taha's parents and older brother. With every new experience, it became clear to the couple that they were more compatible than they'd imagined, though they were in no rush in their relationship.
For their welcome dinner the night before the wedding, Brina Dillon and Taha Bahktiyar wore traditional Pakistani clothes designed by his mother.
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'I think we both were very happy about hanging out with each other,' says Taha, now 34. 'I don't think we were running toward a timeline.'
A turning point for the pair came in fall 2022, when Taha landed a new job in San Francisco. Brina had a decision to make. Although she had the option to stay in Boston, she chose to relocate to the West Coast the following summer.
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'It was a leap-of-faith move,' she says. 'But at that point, we both were pretty sure that we were moving in a certain direction.'
They were right. Within about six months, the couple found themselves shopping for an engagement ring. ('It was important for me to get her a ring she likes,' Taha says.) Next came Taha's surprise proposal during the pair's visit to the Bahamas in May 2024. Sure, Brina knew her boyfriend of three years had bought a ring. But that didn't stop her fiance-to-be from 'totally throwing [her] off the scent.'
'I just led her to believe the ring hadn't been delivered,' Taha says, adding that the vacation — which was technically also a work trip for the investor — afforded him an extra degree of cover.
It's easy to imagine, then, why Brina was caught off guard when Taha got down on one knee and popped the question on their way to dinner one evening. A photographer, who Taha hired ahead of time, was hiding just out of sight — waiting to capture the romantic moment.
Poppy Floral provided the wedding flowers, and Maryelle Artistry styled the bride's hair.
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'He did actually surprise me in that way,' Brina says with a laugh.
For their wedding, the pair returned to Boston — choosing to exchange vows in the city where they met and fell in love.
'When I first moved to America [for college in 2009] ... I lived in Boston,' says Taha, who finished his degree in New York. 'And Brina's whole family lives here; her extended family is based in the New England area. It made a ton of sense to take it back to where we met and where the journey, in many ways, began for both of us.'
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Taha and Brina married on April 5 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza, where loved ones from across the world gathered for a celebration that reflected elements of their respective New England and Pakistani roots.
After a short ceremony officiated by a close friend, the newlyweds treated guests to cocktail hour with a raw bar featuring both New England oysters and poke — a subtle nod to the couple's new home base in California. Food continued to play a starring role at the ensuing reception, which (among other bites) included traditional Pakistani dishes that speak to Taha's heritage.
The latter was also highlighted at the couple's welcome dinner the night before, where both the bride and groom donned traditional Pakistani garb — custom-made by Taha's mother — while enjoying fish and chips and other classic New England fare. For the wedding itself, the couple set the dress code as: 'East or West, dress your best.'
'We took the wedding planning on ourselves and made sure we were accommodating what family members on both sides expected,' Taha says. 'We wanted to make sure everyone felt like they were kept in mind.'
Dessert Works Bakery provided the wedding cake.
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Late night revelers — who tore it up on the dance floor through Bollywood hits and 'wedding bangers,' Taha says — were treated to a 'curry delight' station, featuring aloo gobi, chicken jalfrezi, and coconut rice.
'Everyone is still talking about how full they were from the wedding, which is great,' Brina says with a laugh. 'That's what we want to hear.'
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Andrea Timpano is a freelance journalist based in upstate New York. She is the former editor of Boston Weddings.
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