Justine, a medical resident, and David, who works in finance, got married at one of our very favorite outdoor Jewish wedding venues, Hummingbird Nest Ranch. Focusing on the natural beauty of their California setting, the duo let their venue take the lead, choosing neutrals and earth tones to complement their surroundings.
This included an absolute stunner of a floral chuppah – don’t miss it in the dreamy photos by Joe Silva – and a gorgeous nature-inspired custom ketubah by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Meirav Finn, which Justine and David now proudly display in their home.
We also love some of the fun touches the pair incorporated into their day, like opting for had charcuterie board-style platters on each table instead of individually plated dinners, and an afterparty by the pool featuring hookahs, a cigar bar, and paninis!
Read on for the rest of the story in Justine’s own words…
How We Met
Justine, the bride: We met in New York while I was in Medical School there. David was in town for work and a mutual friend introduced us.
A Venue with Natural Beauty
We got married at Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Simi Valley, CA. We picked this venue because we wanted somewhere elegant that also allowed the natural beauty of the area to be front and center.
Theme and Planner
We wanted to stick to neutral and earth tones to really bring out the nature. Our wedding planner, Rita from Events Boutique LA, was absolutely amazing! My mom also was basically our unofficial wedding planner.
Dress
I really don’t know the dress designer. I’m not really a big dress girl, and it was really important to me to be as comfortable as possible on the day of. The train on this dress was one of my favorite parts for sure.
Bridesmaids
I had 10 bridesmaids. They wore sage green but I was pretty lax with the shade, I actually wanted it to be different shades. I think their dresses tied in with the greenery of the venue really well. The groomsmen wore white tux jackets which matched really well too.
Ceremony & Chuppah
The tallit that we used under the chuppah belonged to my grandfather who died just a few weeks before the wedding. He was always so excited to see me get married, so it was really special to find a way to have him there with us.
Ketubah
One of my best friends, Meirav Finn, who is a really talented artist, made us a beautiful custom ketubah! We absolutely love it, and it will be hanging in our home forever, as both a memory and a piece of art.
Our music choice
During the shmorg we had a string quartet, I gave them a list of songs, mainly it was instrumental/classical versions of popular songs. Avi Peretz sang at the chuppah, and performed during the first dance, then there was a DJ for the later part of the night. We did our first dance to ‘Lifetime’ by Justin Bieber.
Flowers
My sister is an amateur florist, so she worked really closely with the floral team at Dolce Fiorela to bring my vision to life.
Photographer and videographer
We chose Joe Silva as our photographer because he was so easy to work with. He even had a rehearsal photoshoot with us a few weeks prior to help us get to know what angles and poses work for us, he just kept us really comfortable the whole time.
Food
Instead of individually plated dinners we had charcuterie board-style platters on each table, I think it was a fun twist that people really enjoyed.
Afterparty
The afterparty was my favorite part. We had a lounge set up by the pool with couches and hookahs, a cigar bar, and paninis. I wanted to make sure my family and friends knew how big a part of the day they were. For my dad and brother I had custom cufflinks made with a photo of us.
I wrote little handwritten letters to each of my bridesmaids, my parents, my siblings, and my future in-laws and had someone hand them out while everyone was getting ready. We also saved the broken shards from the smashed glass and are going to have them used in a Mezuzah that will be hanging in our home. My mom had the flowers from my boquette preserved and turned into a candle-holder.
Honeymoon
We went on a 10 day cruise through Portugal and Spain on Reagant Seven Seas cruises. They have kosher meal options as well as “kosher protein”, which was perfect for us.
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
Don’t forget to take a few moments during the day to just look around and take it all in, to appreciate all the love that is around you.
JUSTINE AND DAVID’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK
Photography + Videography – Joe Silva
Ketubah – Meirav Finn {offers 10% discount to all members of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club}
Venue – Hummingbird Nest Ranch
Planner – Events Boutique LA
Flowers – Dolce Fiorela
DJ – Yoav Entertainment
Singer – Avi Peretz
Smash The Glass Pouch – Smashing The Glass Etsy Shop {or join Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club and get one for free!}
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.
