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A BHLDN Bride for a DIY Jewish Wedding Weekend at River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA

02/03/2026 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Shoshana and Mark, River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA

We love a DIY Jewish wedding, and Shoshana and Mark’s is SO packed with wonderful personal touches. The couple planned every detail of their glamping wedding weekend getaway at River Mountain themselves, from the invitations to the music playlists for every event.

We’re obsessed with Shoshana and Mark’s gorgeous outdoor ceremony, officiated by a humanistic rabbi and attended by no fewer than four family dogs! The bespoke ceremony blended Shoshana’s Jewish upbringing and Mark’s non-religious background and featured a blessing over wine and another over beer, egalitarian circling, and humanistic versions of the seven blessings. And how fun is it that the duo included a crossword puzzle on details and traditions from the ceremony in their wedding program?! Don’t miss all the special details in the wonderful photography by Mariah Fisher!

Shoshana and Mark went for a beautiful custom  ketubah designed and hand-painted by Elena Berlo of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Once Upon a Paper. The art captures the pair’s love of nature, with two trees intertwined and two golden birds sitting amid colored circles representing the changing seasons.

There’s so much more to say about this ultra-personal wedding, but we’ll hand you over to Shoshana for the rest…

Shoshana and Mark, River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA Shoshana and Mark, River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA Shoshana and Mark, River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA Shoshana and Mark, River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA

How We Met

Shoshana, the bride: We met by chance at a beer garden in Washington, DC, while out and about for Halloween celebrations. We were engaged nearly 5 years later and married the following June.

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8 Smart Tips to Make Your Jewish Wedding RSVPs Stress-Free {with Gather}

25/02/2026 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Photo by Photoguns via Adobe Stock

RSVPs may seem like they should be no big deal, but time and time again couples tell us chasing guests and managing responses was THE hardest and most annoying part of their wedding planning experience. 

And for Jewish weddings, the complexity only increases. With multiple events, different guest lists, dietary requirements, and guests travelling from around the world, managing responses can quickly become overwhelming.

They don’t have to be, though. With some strategic planning, a few helpful hacks, and the right tools, RSVPs can be a breeze.

1. Make Your Deadline Earlier Than You Actually Need

First rule: set your RSVP deadline at least a fortnight before you truly need your final headcount.

Caterers, venues, and planners will all ask for numbers – and giving yourself buffer time means you’re not going to be chasing guests the day before you owe final figures.

If you’re using Gather (our personal favourite way to handle RSVPs – highly recommend you check it out!), you’ll be able to see responses in real time (and gently nudge guests who haven’t replied) without manually tracking everything in a spreadsheet

2. Don’t Just Write “RSVP”

Believe it or not, the first trick is to make sure your RSVP cards don’t actually say “RSVP.” Some people mistakenly believe that means they should only say if they are supposed to attend.

Instead of simply writing “RSVP by August 9,” try:

“Kindly respond by August 9.”

“The favour of a reply is requested by August 9.”

“Please respond by August 9.”

And if you’re directing guests online, be sure to keep it frictionless. With Gather, guests simply tap a link or scan a QR code (no app required) and respond in seconds.

3. Keep the Response Window Tight

 Give guests a maximum of 14 days to respond. If you give guests more time than that, it’s likely the invitation will get put aside in the “things to deal with later” pile.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

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A Hindu-Jewish Wedding Weekend To Remember in Stiges, Spain

23/02/2026 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Chhaya and Harry, ME Sitges Terramar Hotel, Barcelona, Spain

We love  a good wedding weekend – and this is one for the books! Chhaya and Harry, both doctors, live in the UK, but they knew they wanted a destination where their loved ones could get together for some serious quality time around their interfaith “HinJew” wedding – and they found the perfect setting in a seaside town called Stiges, near Barcelona.

The couple’s planner, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Elegante by Michelle J, helped them plan a series of three events over three days, each with its own distinct personality while still feeling part of one cohesive story.

They got things started with a joyful, sun-drenched welcome fiesta/haldi ceremony, which they hosted poolside at the ME Sitges Terramar Hotel, the main wedding hotel where most of the couple’s guests stayed.

Day two was Chhaya and Harry’s Hindu wedding under the mandap at neighboring hotel Sunway Playa Golf & Spa – we’re obsessed with the fun, romantic, pastel-colored vibes, and you absolutely cannot miss Chhaya’s stunning outfit by Aisha Rao. Be sure to catch it in the wonderful photos by photographer Dmitry Komarenko!

The third and final day was reserved for the duo’s elegant black-tie Jewish ceremony at a gorgeous winery, Caves Codorniu. The woodland-inspired chuppah took place outdoors, and then for the reception everyone moved into the underground caves!

Read on for all the wonderful details in Chhaya’s own words…

Chhaya and Harry, ME Sitges Terramar Hotel, Barcelona, SpainChhaya and Harry, ME Sitges Terramar Hotel, Barcelona, SpainChhaya and Harry, ME Sitges Terramar Hotel, Barcelona, Spain Chhaya and Harry, ME Sitges Terramar Hotel, Barcelona, Spain

How We Met

Chhaya, the bride: Harry and I are both doctors and we met in 2019. Through the challenges of the pandemic we built our own little bubble – and from that a love story that continues to grow!

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The Top 10 Questions Jewish Couples Ask About Planning a Kosher Wedding in Greece {with Sirtaki Events}

18/02/2026 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Photo by Zuzanna Panaretou

More and more Jewish couples are choosing Greece for their wedding, and honestly, it makes complete sense. Greece has a natural warmth that feels instantly familiar: the sunlight, the hospitality, the rhythm of the islands, the closeness to Israel, and a Jewish history that stretches back thousands of years.

It offers the kind of beauty that transforms a wedding into an unforgettable experience, with ceremonies on cliffs overlooking endless blue, Shabbat dinners by the sea, private estates surrounded by olive trees, and long summer evenings spent celebrating with your favorite people. It’s a place where tradition and modern elegance come together naturally. 

And with the right guidance, Greece is wonderfully accommodating for Jewish and kosher weddings of every level of observance.

Photo by Orestis Zoumpos Photography

But as with any international destination wedding – especially one in a country where you may not speak the language – planning can be a little overwhelming. That’s why we sat down with the team from Sirtaki Events, founded by Israeli couple Anat and Yonathan – who loved their own destination wedding in Greece so much they moved to sunny Chalkida to help other couples make the day of their dreams come true – and got the downlow on what it takes to plan a kosher wedding in Greece.

As Jewish event planners, Anat and Yonathan have a deep understanding of Jewish wedding traditions, and their entire team is knowledgeable about the customs and nuances of Jewish weddings. They handle everything from arranging a rabbi to kosher-certified (or kosher-style) catering, managing the legal aspects of the day to arranging walkable accommodations for guests who observe Shabbat. They’re all about making the planning process as smooth and stress-free as possible for their couples – and they’ve shared some great nuggets of wisdom with us, so do read on!

Photo by Bendosa Photography

Where do we even start?

According to Anat and Yonathan, almost every couple asks this first. They like to start with a conversation about your traditions, your level of observance, and the type of celebration you imagine. From there, they guide their couples through locations, venues, kosher needs, rabbinical options and timelines, turning the entire journey into something clear and structured right from the start.

Photo by Bendosa Photography

What kosher options are available in Greece?

This is another top question. The answer? Much more than most couples expect.

Though you might not think of Greece as a kosher hot spot, it’s absolutely possible to arrange fully certified kosher catering with proper supervision – or to  create a kosher-style menu that honours Jewish culinary traditions without requiring certification.

For couples who want a completely controlled kosher environment, the Sirtaki team can build a full kosher kitchen from scratch – bringing in the chef, the mashgiach, and all the necessary equipment. This makes it possible to host a proper kosher wedding even on remote islands with no existing kosher facilities.

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A Groundbreaking Same-Sex Orthodox Jewish Wedding with Tons of Personal Touches at Rochdale Town Hall, UK

16/02/2026 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Jay and Michael, Rochdale Town Hall, Rochdale, UK

We have a really special Jewish wedding to share with you today! London couple Jay, who runs a scientific consultancy business, and Michael, a chartered accountant working in risk management, were the first same-sex couple to be married by an Orthodox rabbi in the UK, and we are here for it!

It’s so exciting to see the rise of same-sex Orthodox Jewish weddings, and we loved hearing about how Jay and Michael crafted their entirely bespoke halachic ceremony. When the pair were planning their wedding, they joined our Brides Club (yes, guys can join too!), and we’re so thrilled to hear how much they valued our own Karen Cinnamon’s advice throughout the process.  

Jay and Michael’s wedding was absolutely chock full of wonderful personal touches. For starters, inspired by their shared love of musical theatre, Jay and Michael commissioned a wedding booklet designed to replicate the Playbill programs distributed in Broadway theatres, featuring illustrations of the couple in their wedding attire, a “cast list,” and a five-act synopsis of their love story. Don’t miss it in the wonderful documentary-style photos by David Stubbs!

And we love that Jay and Michael chose a ten-piece band (accompanied by a chuppah singer) from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Twentysomethings for their entertainment. The couple loved working with the band, and they couldn’t get enough of the Israeli dancing set. Also, how awesome is it that their first dance was to Elvis’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis in Yiddish, sung by one of the pair’s best women, accompanied by the band?!

There are so many more wonderful details of this beautiful and meaningful day – read on for the full story in the grooms’ own words…

Jay and Michael, Rochdale Town Hall, Rochdale, UK Jay and Michael, Rochdale Town Hall, Rochdale, UK Jay and Michael, Rochdale Town Hall, Rochdale, UK Jay and Michael, Rochdale Town Hall, Rochdale, UK

How We Met

We met thanks to the “shadchan of the 21st century”, the dating app Hinge.

Our early romance was complicated by geography, as Jay was dividing his time between London, Vienna and Jerusalem. Our first date took place at Tuk Tuk in London, but despite the initial spark, the practical challenges made us doubt that the relationship would develop further. An unexpected encounter at Hendon Central tube station set the relationship back on track and we both took this as a sign not to give up.

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