Reviews written by DeeGee

We really wanted a Sazandar for our traditional Armenian wedding and knew that we needed to book Vardan. We've heard Vardan perform at Armenian weddings for years and he and his talented crew never cease to amaze. When it came time for our wedding, we had Vardan come just for the grand entrance (because we didn't do the harse haksnel) and they came into the hall with us and performed for about 15-20 minutes! They were amazing and everyone was on the dance floor! Needless to say, my Armenian guests were very impressed. As for the non-Armenian guests, they absolutely loved the festive and talented music played by Vardan and his crew, and the traditional outfits were a huge plus! Absolutely look no further than Vardan for all of your traditional Armenian music needs! My groom and I give him the highest recommendations!

I recently had my Fall 2018 wedding at Noor. I wanted to have a traditional Armenian wedding with Armenian/Mediterranean food, a hall that can cater to Armenian guests and wedding traditions, and I really wanted it to be a beautiful wedding hall in a beautiful location. I looked high and low and visited many Armenian and even non-Armenian wedding halls. After doing all of my research, Noor was my number one choice - it's located in the beautiful Pasadena Paseo (the wedding party and guests actually walk from the designated Noor parking lot straight into the hall via a beautiful bridge) which makes for great outdoor photos, the hall has its own gorgeous entrance, a beautiful lobby/bar area, a gorgeous and very large outdoor terrace, and a large beautiful ballroom. (I should add that there are two event spaces at Noor, but, VERY IMPORTANTLY, they have their own entrances, lobby areas, and bathrooms, so each party host really feels special.) Everything at Noor has an elegant feel to it. I also loved that different alcohol/bar packages and food packages were offered. We chose an Armenian family-style menu and a more American open bar. When it came to the wedding day, we couldn't have been more happier with Noor! Our guests loved the quick service at the bar and enjoyed the spacious bar/lobby and outdoor area during the cocktail hour, they dined on delicious food that was served throughout the night, and they danced in the gorgeous hall past our official cut-off time. Robert (the owner) and his team were all hands-on and completely professional. They made myself and my groom feel very special and welcome throughout the evening! Nearly six months after the wedding and I continue to be complemented on the gorgeous venue and great food! I would absolutely recommend Noor as a wedding or other event space for anyone looking to host a wedding or even a smaller event (I will note that our wedding was in the Sophia ballroom which holds about 220-250 guest, whereas the Ella ballroom holds about 80-100 people and is great for a smaller wedding, bridal shower, baptism, etc.) Thank you Robert and the team for the amazing wedding! Also, I know this is a concern for some Armenian brides, so I want to mention that (in addition to the countless Churches in Glendale) there's St. Sarkis and St. Garabed Armenian Apostolic Churches in Pasadena which are both very close to Noor.

My husband and I got married at St. Sarkis in Pasadena and had our reception at Noor. With the wedding events being indoor, we really wanted an outdoor photo session beforehand. We originally planned to take our photos at another location in Pasadena, when our photographer recommended the LA Arboretum. The Arboretum is managed by a small group of people, but the grounds are spacious and gorgeous. When I called to inquire about wedding photo shoots, they told me about all the options (you can pay a small fee for just the permit, or opt to get a large golf-cart to trek you and your entire bridal party around for 4 hours for only a few hundred dollars). They also told me to come and take a free tour of the arboretum before purchasing the permit. They were just so nice! We are so happy that we chose to have our photos taken at the arboretum! There are so many various landscapes and themes (bamboo forest/desert landscape/lake/mansion/classical rose gardens, etc.), there are not too many people on the grounds (you have space to take your photos without asking others to move out of sight), and the staff was amazingly accomadating. Also, it's very accessible from Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena! I would definitely recommend this location to brides!

As a bride who is obsessed with flowers, I absolutely cannot say enough about Giah. Hong and the other professionals at Giah Events Studio really went above and beyond my expectations and created the most gorgeous romantic garden look for my Fall 2018 wedding at Noor in Pasadena. Hong worked with my requests for the types and colors or flowers and my budget to make my bridal dreams a reality. Also, as an admittedly picky bride when it came to flowers, I love that Hong made me feel comfortable to change my mind on flowers types/colors, etc. on multiple occasions. She was so sweet and accommodating and really made me feel special as a bride. Thank you Hong for your great input, amazing work, and your awesome attitude throughout! I was so amazed by the work and will be using Giah as my go-to florist for years to come! I would absolutely recommend Giah for all brides-to-be or anyone planning a special event!!!

Annie was an absolutely essential part of our wedding and made the entire wedding a seamless hit! We cannot thank her enough for her thoughtful input, hard work, and professionalism both prior to the wedding and during the wedding. She really went above and beyond expectations - helping us find vendors, helping us work out the details of the wedding timelines, giving suggestions on items we weren't sure about (Annie has impeccable taste), meeting us for the final walk-through, and coordinating with our vendors. Most important, Annie dealt with all of the background during the day of the wedding and kept us away from any drama, etc. She was running around on the day of the wedding between the groom's/bride's house, the Church, and Noor hall to make sure there were no hiccups. She was amazing and we will definitely be using her for years to come. Both myself and my husband give Annie the highest of recommendations!

Sevag was amazing! His years of experience were incredibly valuable when it came to planning the evening timeline and the types of music we wanted to play. When time came for the big day, Sevag was a true professional. He kept the entire wedding party and all the guests on the dance floor all night long. We originally were scheduled to stop the wedding at midnight and the party went on until well after 1 a.m. He has impeccable taste in music and knows what kinds of songs different types of Armenian backgrounds and different age groups love! Thank you Sevag for making the wedding such a memorable night! You have our highest recommendations!!!

Cake Studio did an amazing job with our wedding cake! Sonia worked with my groom and I to create a custom cake with a morse-code message, set on five layers of white fondant, and surrounded by gorgeous flowers. The look of the cake itself was a show-stopper. Additionally, our guests and we loved the taste - I was asked for the cake vendor's name and the specific flavor by multiple guests (it's been nearly six months since the wedding and I continue to be asked). We chose rosewater pistachio as the flavor and it was a hit with our Armenian and non-Armenian guests alike. I will definitely be going back to Sonia for future orders and give her the highest recommendations!