Weddings in Israel are so special, and London couple Charlotte and Jonah had one of the best! To start with, they picked the magical Cochav Hayam as their venue – in the bride’s words, “Sunset beach backdrop, gorgeous grounds, and unbelievable food made it a no-brainer.”
The duo opted to work with Yana Andreev of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Craspedia Events to make planning from abroad “not just possible, but genuinely fun and exciting.” Charlotte and Jonah can’t stop raving about how great Yana and her team were, both in the leadup and on the big day itself.
And then there’s the chuppah. The pair went for an elegant arched all-white floral chuppah set against the venue’s stunning ocean backdrop, creating the most wonderfully romantic ambience. Don’t miss it in the beautiful photos by People Photography!
There’s so much more to say about this very special Jewish wedding – like, how elegant did Charlotte look in her princess ballgown from Pronovias?! – but we’ll leave it to the bride to take it from here…
How We Met
Charlotte, the bride: We met at Cambridge University at the Jsoc on the very first Shabbat of term — I was a fresher, he was a third-year, but we didn’t start dating until a few months later!
Venue
We got married at Cochav Hayam — a venue I’d been quietly obsessed with long before I even met Jonah! Sunset beach backdrop, gorgeous grounds, and unbelievable food made it a no-brainer to book this venue once we got engaged. It was the best decision we made (after marrying each other, obviously)!
Theme
We wanted our wedding to feel timeless and elegant, but also fun — a day that truly celebrated us and the people we love. A neutral palette let the sunset behind our chuppah steal the show, with candelabras, metallic accents, and white florals tying it all together. With most of our guests flying in from London, we wanted it to feel fun and full of love — and that’s exactly how it felt!
Our planner, Yana Andreev (Craspedia Events), was incredible! We actually reached out to her before we got engaged, and she somehow made planning from abroad not just possible, but genuinely fun and exciting. On the day, she and her wonderful team were absolute stars.
Hair + Makeup
Hair and makeup were a one-name decision: Ayelet Garson from London. As soon as we got engaged, I booked her and her flights. She’s insanely talented, the kind of artist who just gets you, and I trusted her completely. On the day, she was a dream: calm, professional, friendly, genuinely caring, and always one step ahead. She kept everything on schedule, finessed every detail, and had me feeling princess-level flawless from the beginning to the end of the day.
Dress
My dress was Pronovias: a big, dramatic, princess ballgown with a sweetheart neckline and a detachable high-neck lace jacket. Very me… and not very 30-degrees-Israel-sunshine-proof — but beauty is pain! I found it at my first appointment after seeing something similar online. The moment I tried it on, I fell in love — and when my mum immediately burst into tears seeing me in it at the appointment, there was no doubt it was the one.
Ceremony & Chuppah
We wanted our chuppah ceremony to mirror the beauty of the moment. An elegant arched chuppah framed the sunset, while a mirrored aisle, candles, and white florals created the timeless, romantic atmosphere we envisioned.
The ceremony was deeply moving – guests were wiping away tears as the sun beautifully set behind us. Our chuppah singer (Uriel Shay from Teta Making Music) was phenomenal; his voice lifted the prayers and truly brought the ceremony to life. Our guests are still raving about him and how beautiful our chuppah ceremony was!
A particularly special moment was pausing to pray together underneath the chuppah. It was an incredibly powerful, meaningful moment to connect spiritually. We can’t stop smiling every time we think back to our chuppah!
Ketubah
Two weeks before our wedding and our ketubah design was… non-existent. Then we found Rachelle from The Delicate Brush on Instagram. One scroll, one gorgeous design chosen, and she had it organised and ready in record time. Fast, flawless, and now beautifully framed in our home.
Our music choice
Our playlist was pure fun crowd-pleasers: Jewish classics, Mizrahi heat, and sing-along pop anthems. Sleek and professional, Teta Making Music ran the show: Uriel Shay for the chuppah and first dancing set, Daniel Ben Haim for the next, and their DJ closing the night.
Flowers
We kept it neutral and in season — mostly white blooms for that romantic, elegant, timeless look. Ido Frid was the genius behind it all, truly bringing our vision to life.
Photographer and videographer
We went with People Photography. We love that documentary/editorial style, and they do it best. On the day: fun, calm, and professional. After: we’re so obsessed with all of our photos that we can’t decide which ones to frame!
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
Enjoy the planning and embrace the ride. Remember it’s about the two of you, your love, and the day you’ll never forget. On the day, let go, be present, and soak it all in. The day flies by but it will be the best day of your lives!
CHARLOTTE & JONAH’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK
Photography –People Photography
Planner – Craspedia Events {offers 10% discount to all members of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club}
Ketubah – The Delicate Brush
Venue – Cochav Hayam
Bride’s dress – Pronovias
Hair + Makeup – Ayelet Garson
Flowers – Ido Frid
DJ – Teta Making Music
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.
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