For 800 years the ancient Castle of Farnham, in the South of England, was home to the highest bishops in the land. Over the centuries, its noble turrets and towering ramparts have borne silent witness to the machinations and interplay between church and state.  Built in 1138 by a grandson of William the Conqueror, it has hosted generations of royalty from King John to Queen Victoria.
But hark — what is that sound? The sweet music of the mandolin, harp or lute? Perchance a madrigal or some wandering minstrels come to entertain a visiting King or Queen? But nay — listen again — what is this? Under the stern gaze of Cardinal Wolsey’s portrait, that all-powerful adviser to King Henry VIII, appears a band of men in flowing robes with music from another land — unaccustomed medley of drums, bagpipes and horns.
This is Zaffa! Here come the happy bride and groom with family and guests, to dance with joy at the wedding feast!
This is the spectacle that unfurled at the wedding party of an Iraqi couple, who chose the richly atmospheric castle as the venue for their celebrations.
What was notable was how the Zaffa musicians brought the whole party to life. They coaxed the shy bride to dance, and soon the newlyweds, accompanied by both sets of parents, in-laws and guests, young and old, were twirling about the dance floor to the mesmerizing beat of the bendir drums.
As the great bard, William Shakespeare, put it, “If music be the food of love, play on!”
Smiling upon this happy scene was the man who made it happen. Step forward Mario Arafat Doniz, managing director of Zaffa, the company that can pull together all the key elements of a wedding. Whether it is for music, catering, flowers, cake, decor, limousine, photography, video, or even assisting with finding the all-important wedding dress, he has built a reputation for providing a first class service.
His customers are predominantly Iraqi and Lebanese, but he also sees many Egyptians, Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians, Yemenis and Moroccans. He has organized weddings in the UK for couples from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Dubai.
Prices range from £15,000 to £2 million (SR90,000 — SR12 million) and upward, depending on what the couple wishes to spend. Venues for the most luxurious weddings could be top hotels such as the Dorchester, or castles outside London.      
His musicians have been flown out to Miami, all expenses paid by the groom, and also to Paris to play at the wedding of an Iraqi couple.
Mario, who is himself a musician, has led a much traveled life. He is half Palestinian, half Spanish. He was born in the Canary Islands and raised in Jordan. He lived in Spain and Chicago, before settling in London in 2001. Here he saw a business opportunity. “I created a Zaffa Group in London because I couldn’t find anyone doing it,” he explained. He has grown the company to embrace all aspects of wedding planning, and today has 40 musicians, belly dancers, stick dancers (from the ancient Egyptian tradition), and a trusted network of business partners.
For Mario, every wedding presents its own challenges and he seems to delight in making the day truly special.
“I love the wedding atmosphere — the decor, flowers and music. When the Zaffa musicians bring in the happy couple, mothers of the bride and groom always cry because of the emotion. It’s something you never forget. When you look back at the pictures after 50 years, you will remember this moment — it’s so special,” he said.
Some couples are looking for Zaffa with an unusual twist. One couple asked for a ‘Mariachi Zaffa’, so Mario organized six musicians in sombreros. He has also been asked to provide a flamenco theme; no problem, he has played in a flamenco band and is always happy to indulge the wishes of the couple.
His company is also turning to putting on special international Arabic dance shows, which are proving very popular.
He’s bursting with ideas and energy, and seems to shower goodwill on all like confetti. Business is going well and bookings are flooding in. “It makes me proud — it’s nice to carry on the Arabic traditions,” he concluded.