We’re absolutely obsessed with the glorious lakeside Jewish wedding of Jenna, who works in HR, and Noaam, in property technology and residential real estate! What a fantastic spot for a wedding – made even more special by the fact that the New York-based couple made the lake retreat their primary residence during the pandemic. When you see it in Studio Nouveau’s photos, we’re pretty sure you’ll agree.
Knowing what a gem of a location they had on their hands, Jenna and Noaam decided to keep the focus on their luscious surroundings, opting for delicate touches to enhance the natural beauty of their surroundings. We’re especially in love with their hand painted ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Delicate Brush. The custom watercolor features verdant greenery that captures the feel of their wedding spot so perfectly!
We’re also crazy for Jenna and Noaam’s gluten-free/dairy-free kosher vanilla and lemon cake from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor By the Way Bakery, which their florist decorated simply with fresh flowers.
There’s so much more to say about this wonderful day, but we’ll leave the rest to the bride, who looked positively ravishing in the Demi gown from Muse by Berta…
How we Met
Jenna, the bride: I had been living and working in NYC for 10 years when in the fall of 2018, Noaam, who was living in Boston at the time, decided to visit New York for a few weeks during his slow season of work. While there, we matched on the dating app Hinge and Noaam asked me to meet him for a drink. A couple days before we were scheduled to get together, Noaam revealed to me that he actually lived in Boston, not NYC, but wasn’t looking for a short term fling. I wasn’t interested in a long distance relationship and I made up an excuse to cancel at the last minute. Noaam was disappointed but persistent and came back to NYC the following week and asked me out again! That time I agreed.
We met at a bar near my apartment on the Upper East Side and we laughed the entire date. I was also happily surprised that when I told him that I had two cats, he wasn’t put off and he wasn’t allergic!
We then continued to see each other, traveling back and forth between Boston and New York, and in a short amount of time became exclusive. After a year of long distance dating, Noaam moved in with me in NYC.
In March 2020 Noaam proposed privately at our apartment and organized a beautiful and intimate engagement party right after with our closest family and friends. Little did we know that only one week later NYC would shut down due to COVID! As soon as the shutdown was announced, we decided to pack a couple of bags and drive to his family’s lake house in Webster, Massachusetts with the intent of staying a few weeks until things settled down in NYC. Fast forward, and we’ve been living full time at the lake house ever since!
Keeping It in the Family
When we first got engaged we talked about having a wedding in Spring 2021 in the Hudson Valley in New York. Unfortunately, we soon realized that securing a date would be challenging since so many 2020 couples were rescheduling their weddings for the dates that we wanted. However, as we visited venues, it started to dawn on us that none of them compared to the beauty of the lake right in our own backyard! We quickly pivoted and decided to plan an outdoor tented wedding on Noaam’s family’s property which had the added benefit of allowing us to choose any date that we wanted.
The lake house had always been a special place for Noaam and his family and I had also started building memories with him at the lake during the handful of times we’d visited during our relationship. Once it became our primary residence due to COVID, it took on a different meaning. Being at the lake forced us to slow down from the frenetic pace of the city, spend more time in nature, and reconnect with each other in a way that we hadn’t before. We were also able to see how charming and different it was in each subsequent season. The thought of having our wedding there became even more exciting because it meant we could share its beauty with family and friends.
Natural Beauty
It was important to us to have a wedding theme that tied in seamlessly with our location, so we aimed for an ethereal and relaxed vibe that highlighted the natural beauty of the lake.
When it came to wedding colors I knew we had to have lavender since it’s been my favorite since I was young, but I wanted to make sure it didn’t look too juvenile. My mom helped me land on sage green as a complimentary color which we showcased in the stationery, bridal party attire, signage, and decor.
Invitations / stationery
We are very lucky because my cousin Andrea Ross-Boyle is an exceptionally talented graphic designer who created our invitations, stationery, and signage! I had initially shown her invitation samples that I liked online, and she used them as inspiration to create a design that reflected our theme perfectly. She used the same font and design elements from the stationery on all of our signs which tied everything together to create a cohesive look.
Hair + Make-up
Hair – Jen Tawa was our hair stylist and she was wonderful! Though I usually wear my hair down, it was important to me to have it up for the wedding in order to show off the beautiful detailing on the back of my dress. She understood the vision right away and came up with the incredible look you see in the photos, complete with real greenery provided by our florist. I also loved how each member of my bridal party’s hair turned out, and they all felt so beautiful!
Makeup – I wear makeup every day, so I wanted my wedding day look to be elevated from my regular makeup regimen. Jana Lamas created a “soft glam” look for me with a hint of sparkle on my eyelids and a rosy glow on my cheeks and I loved it! The best part was that it lasted throughout the entire night and I didn’t need to touch up!
A Berta Dress
My dress is the Demi gown from Muse by Berta, and I purchased it from L’Fay Bridal in Chatham, NJ.
When I started looking for a wedding dress, I knew I wanted something A-line with a bit of sparkle and an illusion neckline. As soon as I saw a picture of the Demi gown I fell in love with it, and then fell in love with it again when I tried it on! I thought the dress was unique – I hadn’t seen a bride wear anything like it before, and I felt comfortable and beautiful in it. I was so sad to take it off at the end of the wedding night!
Accessories
I wanted the detailing on the top front and back of my dress to be visible throughout the wedding, so I decided not to wear a veil. I also kept my jewelry simple by wearing diamond stud earrings that my uncle and aunt gave to me on my 30th birthday and a beautiful My Caroline diamond tennis bracelet that Noaam’s parents gave me as a wedding day present.
Shoes
I couldn’t bring myself to spend money on fancy wedding shoes that might wind up being super painful! Our wedding was also outdoors, and I needed heels that wouldn’t sink into the grass, so I decided to wear my tried and true beige Steve Madden ankle strap stacked heels and they did the job!
The handsome groom
Noaam and his groomsmen wore blue suits with lavender ties and pocket squares to match our wedding colors. If you notice closely though, Noaam’s tie is a slightly different pattern than his groomsmen’s ties which was my dad’s creative idea! Noaam looked so handsome and I think the color of the suit accentuated his blue eyes perfectly!
Bridesmaids
I had 3 bridesmaids (my brother’s fiance Taylor and my husband’s two sisters Tammy and Lee), and I offered them the option to wear different long dresses in the same fabric and color, but they each wound up choosing the same dress by White by Vera Wang! Their dresses were sage green and their bouquets had lavender and purple flowers that tied in to our wedding colors.
Ceremony
Before the wedding, our rabbi had us each send him an email about why we loved the other person. Neither of us were able to read what the other had written, so when he wove our anecdotes into the ceremony and we heard them for the first time, it was a special surprise!
Ketubah
Noaam’s friend’s wife is the ketubah artist Rachelle Tchiprout from The Delicate Brush. We’ve admired her work for years, and I reached out to her to have her create a hand painted watercolor piece for us. It was incredible to watch her process in its entirety via her Instagram stories, and she was responsive from start to end. She even incorporated a bit of purple onto the leaves in the ketubah in order to reflect our wedding colors! We absolutely love how it came out and it makes it even more special knowing how much time and effort she put into it.
Our Music Choice
My late grandfather used to always play me the song ‘Unforgettable’ by Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole, and I’ve come to associate it with him and the great memories that we shared together. I thought the song was perfect for our first dance and would be a nice way to honor his memory, and Noaam agreed!
Flowers
Noaam’s aunt Sarah Burkstein of Sarah’s Garden is an incredibly talented New England based florist and we were so lucky to have her do all the florals for the wedding! When we were in the initial stages of planning, I showed Sarah photos of bouquets and flower arrangements I liked and she took that vision and brought it to life in a way that was better than I could’ve imagined! She created an incredibly intricate bouquet for me made out of calla lilies, stephanotis, white dendrobium orchids, variegated pittosporum, and eucalyptus which tied perfectly in with the detailing of the small flowers on my dress.
For my bridal party she created bouquets with touches of lavender and purple colored flowers to tie in the wedding colors, and complementary boutonnieres for Noaam, his groomsmen, and our fathers. I particularly loved the look she created on the farm tables with the gauzy runner, tall tapered candles, tea lights, and loose flower arrangements. It created such a romantic atmosphere!
Photographer and videographer
We chose to work with the photographer Lara from the Studio Nouveau and the videographer Jonny Havens because their work stood out from the stereotypical wedding photos and videos that we’d seen. We had an emotional reaction to their portfolios and saw that they could capture the authentic candid moments of a wedding and showcase them in a way that makes you feel like you were there even if you weren’t. It also helped that they’ve worked together before and get along well!
When it comes to photography and videography, most couples understand the importance of having great photos, but I’d encourage anyone debating about hiring a videographer to do it! We’re so happy with our wedding video!
Food and Cake
We initially hired a caterer that turned out to be the wrong fit for us, and we had to part ways only two months before our wedding! We scrambled to find a new caterer and reached out to William Ference Catering after reading his great reviews online. When we first spoke to William on the phone and told him about our predicament, he was so positive and calm, but also entirely understood our vision right away.
He quickly put together a proposal, came to our house to do an incredible private tasting, and was available to answer all of our questions leading up to the wedding. On the wedding day itself, William and his team did not disappoint! Everything from the drinks, food, and service was exceptional! Our guests kept raving that it was the best food they’ve ever had at a wedding (which was exactly what we were hoping they’d say)!
Dessert/Cake: Noaam and I decided to do a small gluten-free/dairy-free vanilla and lemon cake from By the Way Bakery which our florist decorated with real flowers and our “Mr. & Mrs. Blum” cake topper. We also offered a dessert bar with a variety of delicious sweet treat options for our guests
Extra details
Noaam’s family is Israeli, and about a year ago I started taking Hebrew lessons to be able to better connect with them. Though it wasn’t a secret that I had been taking lessons, I surprised Noaam and everyone at the wedding by giving a full speech in Hebrew! It was one of the most special moments of the day because he and his family were so touched by the gesture.
Honeymoon
Noaam and I wanted to prolong the excitement of our wedding, so we decided to do a minimoon a few days after we got married and a longer honeymoon later in the year. We spent our minimoon in Asheville, North Carolina because we had heard great things about the restaurant scene, art galleries, and natural attractions. Asheville did not disappoint, and we particularly loved our experience exploring the Biltmore Estate!
For our longer honeymoon we decided to stay within the US due to the uncertainty of COVID, but spoil ourselves with an experience that neither of us have ever had before. In October we will be visiting the Green-O, a luxury adults-only resort in Greenough, Montana! We are a pretty adventurous couple, so we can’t wait to spend our time horseback riding, hiking, biking, (and perhaps enjoying a massage or two)!
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
We unfortunately weren’t able to invite all of our friends and loved ones to our wedding due to COVID and the size of our event space, but we offered a livestream which was a huge hit! Even if your wedding isn’t affected by the same restrictions, I think a livestream is a great way to create an inclusive wedding experience.
JENNA & NOAAM’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK
Photographer – Studio Nouveau
Videographer – Jonny Havens Videography
Ketubah – The Delicate Brush {offers 10% discount to all members of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club}
Cake – By the Way Bakery
Bride’s dress – Muse by Berta (Demi Gown) from L’Fay Bridal in Chatham, NJ
Bride’s shoes – Steve Madden
Bride’s accessories – My Caroline
Groomsmen attire – Tiglio Menswear
Bridesmaid dresses – White by Vera Wang
Hair – Jen Tawa Hair Design
Makeup – Janayna Lamas
Flowers – Sarah’s Garden
Catering – William Ference Catering
Tent/Linens/Tables/Chairs – Special Events of New England
Officiant – Rabbi Joe Eiduson
If you’re a Jewish or Jew-ish bride-to-be, you’ll want to join Smashing The Glass’ Brides Club. Guided by the world’s number 1 Jewish wedding expert, Karen Cinnamon, Brides Club is the private community for Jewish and Jew-ish brides that removes wedstress and indecision and gives you what you need to plan with confidence during these uncertain times. Join our Brides Club here.
