A Colorful Ghanaian Engagement Ceremony at Zahav

Marilyn Baffoe-Bonnie and Ali Zigami at their Zahav traditional engagement ceremony / Photography by Asya Photography

We’re always here for some restaurant wedding coverage, from an engagement photo session at La Chinesca to a Big Day bash at Suraya. And here we have another celebration — a gathering at Zahav in Society Hill, where the soon-to-be-weds honored their cultural backgrounds in festivities they describe as “cultural, colorful, vibrant, and timeless.”

On their first date at El Vez, Marilyn Baffoe-Bonnie and Ali Zigami went with their servers’ suggestions: goat cheese guac and Micheladas. It wasn’t until later that they discovered neither was a fan of either — so they spent the next seven years finding out their favorite dishes and restaurants in Philly before getting engaged in July 2023.

It was important to the couple to honor their backgrounds through their wedding festivities. (Marilyn is Ghanaian, and Ali is Iranian.) So in June 2024, they held their traditional engagement at Zahav. In Ghanaian culture, the traditional engagement is a formal ceremony where families come together prior to the wedding.

Marilyn and Ali donned custom attire handmade from Kente cloth. (Marilyn and her mother traveled to Ghana in April 2024 to pick up her dresses.) For Ali’s white kaftan, the designer incorporated the Kente fabric from Marilyn’s second look. The attendants’ dresses were also handmade from Kente fabric.

The patio at Zahav was ideal for the day: The seating was arranged in a U-shape, so the 100 guests could see and interact with one another. Ali and Marilyn sat on petal-shaped rattan chairs in front of a custom-built backdrop. Green pillows featured gold embroidered bees — a hint to how they met on Bumble.

The party began when Ali and his groomsmen danced in with gifts such as cloths, suitcases, drinks, and Marilyn’s engagement ring. As part of the ceremony, Ali stated his intent to marry Marilyn, and her father asked for her consent three times (twice in English and once in Twi, the language of Ghana’s Akan people, to which Marilyn’s family belongs) and if he should accept the gifts the groom brought. Of course, Marilyn said yes, then Ali put the ring on Marilyn’s finger. “I knew that Ali would always love and protect me,” says Marilyn.

Later, everyone headed inside Zahav for the rest of the fun. Friends and family were able to sign a sketchbook guestbook, offering well-wishes and advice next to their illustrations — created based on photos they’d submitted prior to the celebration.

The couple also donned their second looks.

Naturally, the cuisine was a highlight. In addition to Zahav classics like pomegranate lamb shoulder, the culinary team created a twist on traditional Ghanaian jollof rice.

A surprise: The video and photo teams spotted fireworks and rallied the couple to capture the moment. “The fireworks were a stroke of serendipity and a full-circle moment because we watch fireworks from the waterfront deck of our apartment every holiday,” says Marilyn.

After all this? The couple held an intimate civil ceremony at the bride’s childhood church in July 2024, followed by their Persian wedding in Dubai in January 2025.

THE DETAILS

Photographer: Asya Photography | Venue, Catering, & Cake: Zahav | Planning/Design: Citrine | Bride’s Gowns: Woven by Terra Bonum; design and sewing by Jem Afrik Creations | Engagement Ring: Elliot Prawda of Prawda Diamonds Inc. | Bridesmaids’ Attire: Terra Bonum | Hair: Tina Baker of T’Anjanette Beauty | Makeup: Paige Achkov of Top Tier Artistry and Makaya Jamillah | Groom’s Attire: Kobby’s House 3 Fashion and Jem Afrik Creations | Entertainment: DJ King | Invitations & Favors: Ashley Yamakawa | Videography: Felix Anaman Films | Nails: W.E. Studio | Groomsmen Gifts: Lush & Lilies

Get more great content from Philadelphia Wedding:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | NEWSLETTER

Getting married? Start and end your wedding planning journey with Philadelphia Weddings' guide to the best wedding vendors in the city.