In 2015, Polina and Ibrahim Shaker were set up by a mutual friend in London. The two boldly chose Valentine’s Day for their first—and blind—date. It was a good gamble. “Within three months we moved in together and have stayed that way ever since,” says Polina.
Seven years later, Ibrahim proposed to Polina on her birthday at her family home in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone, except Polina: “All my family knew but didn’t give me any clues.”
After a small civil wedding in Gstaad, the two planned a grander celebration with help from Lanza and Baucina Creative in St. Moritz, where Polina’s family has skied for many years. They opted for the unconventional wedding month of February. “With summer being the generally preferred wedding season, I wanted to create a different, out-of-a-fairy-tale experience that felt like a real winter wonderland,” she says.
Their wedding weekend began with a welcome dinner at Paradiso Mountain Club atop Corviglia. After taking bullshots at the base, guests arrived via chairlift to the cozy slopeside chalet for a traditional Alpine-style meal.
The next day, Polina and Ibrahim wed on the ice rink of Badrutt’s Palace. Their ceremony began with a 15-person figure-skating routine, written and produced by Olympic medalist ice dancer Ilya Averbukh, that told the story of their romance. For the finale, Polina was escorted by her father out onto the ice while the waltz from Sleeping Beauty played. The bride wore a caped gown designed by her mother: “She is a designer, and I thought that no one would ever put as much love, care, and attention into the process as my mother,” the bride says. “I told her that I would like to feel and look serene, and a little bit ethereal. The dress we created was exactly that.” Ibrahim, in a Tom Ford tuxedo, waited for her under a blazing heart-shaped arch lit with sparklers. As the snow fell, the couple kissed in front of their family and friends.
Afterwards, guests headed into the hotel for a black-and-white Winter Wonderland-themed dinner. Polina changed into a ballet-core corset dress by Ulyana Sergeenko Couture. “We added black beaded gloves with personal symbols on them: my initials, the date of the wedding, a bird, the nickname my husband calls me, and an ancient pattern which represents a family union,” says Polina. Guests were surprised by a performance of tango dancers.
Then, it was time for the after-party, for which the couple turned the hotel’s cinema into a moody red nightclub. To match the decor, Paulina changed into her third look of the evening: a velvet minidress by Nicole + Felicia Couture with white hand-made flowers on the skirt. “The guests danced all night immersed into the atmosphere of folk motives, red velvet couches, wooden bar, and cascades of flowers,” says Polina.
Now that a few months have passed since their wedding, Polina says that she can still remember every moment of the day. “The memories will stay with us forever, but I am happy it is over because I am excited for what’s to come,” she says.
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