Every so often, we come across a wedding trailer that truly moves us – one that captures all the emotion and beauty of the day so well, we feel as if we’d been there ourselves.
That’s certainly true of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kiss the Bride Films’ beautiful coverage of the Jewish wedding of Jess and Brett. The couple emphasize how important it was for them to pick vendors they enjoyed spending time with, and we’re not at all surprised that working with Kiss the Bride was “a dream come true” for the pair, or that their comfort with and confidence in their video team helped them enjoy their big day stress-free.
Photographer Roey Yohai was equally fabulous – Jess and Brett say he’s known for bringing out the realest smiles in his couples, and judging from theirs that certainly seems like an accurate statement!
One thing’s for sure: there was plenty for the photo and video teams to capture, from the majestic venue – an Italian neo-Renaissance masterpiece with 65-foot ceilings – to the breathtaking white orchid chuppah. We love how the couple picked transparent lucite poles to represent “the openness and transparency of our future home, our relationship and our hearts.” Awwwww! (And if that didn’t already put you into cuteness overload, did we mention that Jess and Brett even got their sweet puppy Jojo in on the action?)
There’s so much more to say about this exquisite wedding, but we’ll let Jess – who looked radiant in Monique Lhuillier – fill you in on the rest…
How we met
Jess, the bride: We first crossed paths in October 2010 at an AEPhi and APES mixer during our sophomore and senior years at Emory University. We made an instant connection and soon started dating. When we met up over winter break that year, our families suspected we were a perfect match – as our date involved shopping at Bloomingdale’s!
Brett graduated in 2011 and moved to NYC and two years later was reunited with Jess when she graduated from Emory and started dental school at NYU. 24 hours prior to their joint commencement, as Brett graduated with a master’s from NYU on the same day as Jess, Brett popped the question atop Bow Bridge in Central Park much to the surprise and excitement of Jess.
An NYC Venue
The weekend after our engagement, we visited 6 venues and immediately fell in love with (and booked) Cipriani 25 Broadway. We were head over heels with the registered landmark, an “Italian neo-Renaissance masterpiece” with “65 foot ceilings, soaring marble columns, inlaid floors and murals by Ezra Winter.”
Whimsical Elegance
The planning process was seamless with our parents and planner Victoria Dubin by our side.
The wedding was a celebration of love and luxury, the old and the new. The aesthetic was elegant with a whimsical edge, juxtaposing the timeless with the of-the-moment. We were hoping for a modern classic – and we think we got it!
Crisp Invitations
We chose Paper Chase invitations. The design was crisp and clean, tailored and tidy, simple and understated.
Hair + Makeup
Brushed With Honey allowed Jess’s natural beauty to steal the show, keeping her hair and make up soft, chic and feminine.
A Monique Lhuillier dress
Jess’s Monique Lhuillier broadcloth gown featured a classic sweetheart silhouette and was embellished with delicate, intricate floral appliques.
Veil
During the ceremony, Jess wore a veil and was styled by Beth Chapman.
Jimmy Choos
Jess kicked up her (sparkly silver) heels in Jimmy Choo.
The handsome groom
Brett looked sharp in a tux by Sebastien Grey Clothiers and shoes by Fratelli Rossetti.
Mismatched Bridesmaids
Jess was joined by ten gorgeous girls. They spent the morning in matching, monogrammed black shortie pjs before slipping into something a bit more fabulous. Jess’s maids selected their own black gowns – each with a unique silhouette. Each of our girls is one-of-a-kind, and we wanted the dresses to reflect that!
Orchid Chuppah
We exchanged vows under a breath-taking cascade of white orchids. The chuppah itself was a modern-minimal classic – made of lucite to represent the openness and transparency of our future home, our relationship and our hearts. 🙂
Ceremony
We were so excited to have celebrated cantor Shim Craimer sing during both the chuppah and hora. He’s been called “the rising star of Jewish music in the United Kingdom.”
Flowers
Bob Conti of Ed Libby Productions designed the florals, capitalizing on the simple, timeless beauty of a myriad of whites. Roses, peonies, calla lillies and orchids in independently classic arrangements collided to create a riot of blooms.
Photographer
Roey Yohai provided our extraordinary photos – and they speak for themselves. He’s known not just for his truly incredible work but also for bringing out the realest smiles in his couples.
Videographer
Kiss the Bride Films was a dream come true. The film tells the story of the day and of us – it’s elegant and joyful, warm and beautiful, and captures the laughter and tears in a way that means so, so much to us.
Entertainment
The Dane Wright Band (Hank Lane) kept the crowd dancing all night long.
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
We want other couples to make sure to surround themselves with vendors who feel like friends! From the makeup artist to the maitre’d, you spend your wedding day with so many virtual strangers, and the experience isn’t just professional – it’s personal.
Especially when it comes to photo and video, with whom you spend so much time, it’s SO important to love not just the work, but also the artists! We felt so comfortable and confident with our photographer and cinematographer. We felt as though we could really be ourselves – and really be together!
Knowing that the team was creating beautiful memories for us helped us to stay in the moment, and made things so much less stressful. We knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime day and so we invested in what we knew would last forever.
Jess & Brett’s little white book
Videography – Kiss the Bride Films
Photography – Roey Yohai
Wedding planner – Victoria Dubin
Venue – Cipriani 25 Broadway
Bride’s dress – Monique Lhuillier
Bride’s veil – Beth Chapman
Bride’s shoes – Jimmy Choo
Groom’s attire – Sebastien Grey Clothiers and Fratelli Rossetti
Hair + Makeup – Brushed With Honey
Flowers – Ed Libby Productions
Band – The Dane Wright Band of Hank Lane
Cantor – Shim Craimer
Invitation – Paper Chase
