We can hardly believe it ourselves, but this is our LAST real Jewish wedding of 2018!! Before Team STG heads off on our holiday break next week, we’re sending the year out with a bang (both literally and figuratively) with an amazing destination wedding in Tuscany, full of the most delicious Italian food, fireworks, and flowers for days.
We’ll be back with fresh content the first week of January, but until then be sure to check out our Instagram over the holidays for the latest and greatest Jewish wedding inspo.
So to close the year, we’ve got the fabulous Italian wedding of Meredith, who works in children’s fashion, and Sean, who’s in corporate finance. With the help of masterful planner Sara from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Infinity Weddings, the couple pulled together the wedding of their dreams all the way from New York.
We can’t get over all the wonderful details they put into the day, from a luxe peony chuppah (!) to surprise fireworks to a classic lace gown from Monique Lhuillier to a silk ribbon-strewn walkway on the way to the dinner — we’re totally obsessed with this last, ultra-creative idea, courtesy of the mother of the bride.
Not only did the colorful silk ribbons cast a magical ambience, each also had a handwritten fact about the couple, from where they met to their favorite vacation spots. Photographer David Bastianoni and videographer Marco Caputo did such a fantastic job of capturing the day in all its elegant splendor.
Oh, and did we mention that Meredith and Sean served their guests cacio e pepe out of a giant cheese wheel at dinner? Um, yes please!
There’s so much more we could say, but we’ll turn you over to the bride now…
How we met
Meredith, the bride: We met on Jdate!
A Destination Wedding in Italy
We got married at L’Andana in Castiglione della Pescaia. We had travelled here together a year ago and both found it magical and overwhelmingly beautiful. What better venue for our wedding?
Colorful Flowers and Silk Ribbons
We are both passionate about food, and especially Italian food. Our incredible wedding planner, Sara from Infinity Weddings, worked with us tirelessly to make sure we were able to serve delicious meals that everyone would love and that matched our style of food, which is more traditional and simple in nature. Also, we love color, so Tuscany Flowers helped us fill the property with the most beautiful and colorful flowers.
One idea that my mom came up with that was truly unique was the silk ribbons that were tied to the trees in the walkway on the way to the dinner party. They were extremely vibrant and had handwritten phrases on them – fun facts about us like where we met, our pets names, our favorite vacations, and restaurants we enjoy.
What ‘Smashing The Glass’ Did For Us
I follow Smashing The Glass on Instagram. I love looking at all the beautiful photos and floral designs.
Custom Watercolor Invitations
We worked with The Write Occasion in Wyckoff, New Jersey, and they worked with a local artist who prepared a watercolor that represented the activities and locations that we’d all be enjoying during the wedding weekend.
Hair + Makeup
Daniela Delia helped us with hair and makeup. I knew I wanted some of my hair pulled back but she helped create the perfect hair style that went with the shape of my face and my dress. Her makeover was exactly what I wanted, simple and elegant. I hate when makeup artists put too much makeup on brides!
A Monique Lhuillier Dress
My dress was from Monique Lhuillier. It was sophisticated, yet sexy and form-fitting. It was a strapless lace dress with a long train.
Jimmy Choos
I wore a high heel from Jimmy Choo that was part of their bridal collection. Each shoe had a huge flower with a pearl, which matched the pearls that went down the back of my dress.
Wedding Jewelry
I got all my wedding jewelry from Jose Aragon Jewelers in Naples, Florida. They made us the most beautiful rings and bridal earrings. I never liked how dangling earrings looked on me but these were to die for.
The handsome groom
He wore a navy tux from c with a black bowtie.
Bridesmaids in Pink
I had two bridesmaids whose dresses we got from Bloomingdale’s in New York. We went to the store together. I didn’t care if they wore the same dress or not as long as they matched. They ended up choosing the same dress – pale pink with some sequins.
A Peony Chuppah
We knew we wanted a lot of color and we love peonies. Tuscany Flowers helped us design it with our favorite flowers.
Personal Vows
Our favorite part was the vows we wrote for each other. They were a total surprise and the most personal and intimate part of the weekend because they were both 100% decided by us and straight from the heart. We also assigned each of the seven blessings to a family member to say.
Stand By Me
I walked down with a classical Italian song that sounded really good on harp and violin. Our first dance was to the song Stand By Me.
Flowers for Days
Tuscany Flowers was a huge help in converting the property into what we dreamt about. They went above and beyond with every detail, down to the box that the ring bearer held, which they covered in roses.
Photographer
Our photographer, David Bastianoni, was recommended by a friend, and by looking at my friends photos and speaking with him over the phone we knew he was the one.
Videographer
We used Marco Caputo for a videographer. Our wedding planner recommended him but also I saw he captured the amazing wedding of Whitney Wolfe, the Bumble founder. We were blown away by the beautiful perspectives they created. They both are true artists.
Two Cakes!
Our wedding planner helped us find the perfect baker for our cake. We sent her photos of what we wanted and she made it happen. We did a traditional frosted cake as well as a naked cake.
Cacio e pepe
L’Andana did most of the catering. Davide, the F&B manager, helped make our food dreams come true by working with us to make a 100% customizable wedding menu. He suggested some things he likes to prepare, and we also told him some of our favorite Italian foods. Our favorite pasta dish, cacio e pepe, he served in a giant cheese wheel to guests. Months later people are still raving to us about it!
Surprise Fireworks
We had a small Tuscan band because we were doing a small Tuscan wedding. My husband wanted laser robot dancers, but that did not go so well with our classic, rustic theme. We also brought in a famous caricature artist for guests to have sketches drawn up.
Our favorite part was the fireworks that followed immediately after the cake cutting. They were synchronized with songs we chose. We kept the fireworks a surprise to our guests and everyone was in awe.
Local Favors
We gave little jars of olive oil, honey, blueberry jam, and a small vase. We wanted everyone to have little souvenirs from our time in Italy together that they could both enjoy eating and enjoy looking at as a memento. All the edibles were made on the property with local ingredients and the vase was made by a local artisan.
Honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast
We went to the Amalfi coast in Italy. It was breathtaking and an incredible experience for my husband and me to relax and enjoy each other’s company. We discussed many possibilities, but ultimately we chose to get married in Italy for a reason – so why not honeymoon there for the same reasons?
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
Definitely start getting ready early. Everything ends up taking longer than you think it will. We missed some photo opportunities since the bride and family took longer than expected to get ready.
Meredith & Sean’s little white book
Photography – David Bastianoni
Wedding planner – Infinity Weddings {offers 10% discount to all members of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club}
Videography – Marco Caputo
Venue – L’Andana
Bride’s dress – Monique Lhuillier
Bride’s shoes – Jimmy Choo
Bride’s jewellery – Jose Aragon Jewelers
Groom’s attire – Hugo Boss
Bridesmaids – purchased at Bloomingdale’s
Hair + Makeup – Daniela Delia
Flowers – Tuscany Flowers
Stationery – The Write Occasion
Stunning arrangements and photography!! That’s why I’m a big fan of Jewish weddings.