We love it when a couple lets their Jewish wedding locale set the stage for an ultra-memorable celebration – which is exactly what Parisian duo Rebecca, a physiatrist, and Emmanuel, an epidemiologist, did when they chose to make it official in Seville, Spain!
The pair chose Andalusia not only for its fabulous East-meets-West architecture and delectable cuisine, but also for its rich Jewish history, in tribute to the bride’s Sephardic heritage.
And their amazing wedding planner, Charlotte Ricard-Quesada from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor La Fête – who Rebecca and Emmanuel found right here on Smashing The Glass – brought their dreams to life exquisitely – on a super tight timeline, no less! Charlotte’s fluency in Spanish and experience planning weddings in Seville made the process a breeze, and she connected the pair with many of their fabulous vendors – including their breathtaking venue Villa Luisa, which captures the splendor of old Andalusia in all its glory. Don’t miss the dreamy photos by Juan Luis Morilla!
And did we mention that Rebecca and Emmanuel’s Seville-based kosher caterer, Taim, served up authentic Andalusian tapas – which are often difficult to find with kosher certification?
There’s so much more to say about this one-of-a kind wedding, but we’ll turn you over to Rebecca to hear about the rest…
How we Met
Rebecca, the bride: We met on the internet 17 years ago. I was looking for someone who could lend me medical books, Emmanuel had some and the exchange took place at the Saint-Germain-des-Prés metro station, near the medical school.
A Wedding in Andalusia
We got married in Seville, Spain. We love to travel, and we really loved Andalusia, its unique architecture, echoing its history of Eastern and Western influences, as well as its cuisine. Rebecca’s family is Sephardic, and the richness of Andalusian Jewish history and past intellectual activity was particularly resonant. Of the various venues selected by Charlotte, our wedding planner, Villa Luisa was the one that caught our eye. It is a building adjacent to the Parque de Maria Luisa and the Plaza de España.
It was built during the Ibero-American Exposition in the early thirties. The interiors are exceptional, in the Arab-Andalusian style, and the exteriors are also fantastic with a lush palm grove and a monumental fountain. Due to our professions, we kept postponing our plans after our engagement in January 2020. Via Smashing the Glass, we contacted Charlotte at the end of June 2021 and decided to take advantage of a lull in the epidemic to organise our wedding very quickly.
Mediterranean Vibes
We decided very quickly on the date of our wedding: in June for a wedding in October. It was therefore essential for us to call on a wedding planner. We contacted several people and thanks to Smashing the Glass, we found Charlotte Ricard-Quesada from La Fête. Despite a very short deadline she told us that anything was possible.
Her experience, her fluency in Spanish and the fact that she had organised her own wedding in Seville convinced us. We wanted a wedding that reflected our image, simple and warm. Charlotte was able to understand what we had in mind: recall the oranges of Seville, the Mediterranean vegetation etc.
Invitations / stationery
We asked our brother-in-law, Jean Baptiste Kuchly, who is a graphic and web designer, to make our invitation cards, menus, and seating cards. He designed everything, in an Arabo-Andalusian style. For the names of the tables, we immersed ourselves in the names of the Jewish sages of Andalusia: Rambam, Yehuda Halevi, the Ritva, etc. We can say that we had illustrious guests!
Hair + Make-up
I’m not really used to wearing make-up and I wanted something simple, elegant, and respectful of my very pale skin tone. Charlotte, my wedding planner, found a makeup artist, Antonia Rios, who is used to having brides like me, who are not very make up people! She is French speaking, gentle and calm, so the trials and the D-day make-up went very smoothly. We also asked our florist, Cartamo Flores, to make a flower hair clip.
Dress
I didn’t have much time to find my dress. In just two fittings I found it. Thank goodness there are “last minute” dresses and I found a shop with a lovely tailor with 50 years of experience who fitted it for me, creating lace sleeves and a stole for the chuppah.
Accessories
I opted for a very simple sapphire and diamond set, and a twisted gold bracelet, of Algerian inspiration, offered by my mother.
Shoes
For shoes I decided to go local and comfortable with lace espadrilles found in Seville at Toni Pons (but don’t tell anyone, I ended the evening in Birkenstock)!
The handsome groom
Emmanuel had his 3-piece suit made to measure by a Parisian tailor, Atelier Mesure. He was fantastic and added a personal touch by embroidering the nicknames we gave each other in the lining of his collar. Our florist provided a buttonhole to match my bouquet.
Ceremony
We asked the Rabbi of Aix-en-Provence, Rabbi Emmanuel Valency, to celebrate our wedding. We knew him in Bordeaux, where he officiated at our nephew’s circumcision. From beginning to end, the chuppah was a wonderful moment, thanks to the Rabbi’s wonderful speech, the magnificent voices during the Sheva Brachot, the blessing from his father to Rebecca on the way to the chuppah.
For the kiddush we used a glass that we now use every Shabbat. And for the broken glass, an antique glass from Emmauel’s parents. The ketubah was made by Rabbi Emmanuel Valency and mentions the Guadalquivir!
Chuppah
We gave Charlotte, our wedding planner, carte blanche to design our Chuppah and the result was amazing! Oranges, lisianthius, peach roses and olive and eucalyptus branches.
Our Music Choice
Emmanuel is Ashkenazi and we wanted a musical atmosphere that recalls his origins. Charlotte found us the only Klezmer band in Seville (and probably in Spain), Yomuri! They played at the chuppah, for the cocktail and for the traditional dances. Of course, the Sephardic side was not left out as the DJ gave us a little oriental playlist, especially during the Henna ceremony.
Flowers
Charlotte, our wedding planner, guided our florist, Cartamo Flores, for the floral decoration of our wedding. The theme was very Mediterranean: olive leaves, eucalyptus, peach roses, lisianthus and of course Seville oranges.
Photographer
We chose Juan Luis Morilla to take our photos and we were not wrong. Juan Luis manages to capture many very authentic and spontaneous moments, and to restore the emotion of these moments.
Food and Cake
We chose the caterer Taim from Seville, which is kosher certified, with supervision by Rabbi Marcos Cohen. We wanted authentic Andalusian cuisine, which is often difficult for kosher eaters to try. So we were able to introduce our guests to typical tapas: salmorejo, berenjenas califales, croquetas, etc.
Entertainment
Yomuri and Sound System gave our wedding an incredible atmosphere!
Favours
We offered our guests bottles of orange blossom water from Sevilla, Agua de Azahar Luca de Tena, to prolong the scent of this magical city back home. Andalusian shawls and personalised kippots were offered.
Extra details
We are so grateful that we were able to celebrate our wedding with our families and close friends, that we were able to organise our wedding in such a short time and that everyone was healthy despite the pandemic. Our guests gave us beautiful and moving speeches. We also created a guest guide for the Sheva Brachot and a website detailing the wedding programme, explaining the meaning of the tables, ceremony, dances etc.
Honeymoon
We would like to organise our honeymoon in the Dutch West Indies, but we are waiting for a little professional calm before we can take this break!
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
One piece of advice: don’t hesitate to express your wishes, needs and desires to your suppliers. It’s your day, you decide and to be satisfied, it is often enough to say what you want.
What ‘Smashing The Glass’ Did For Us
We love STG for the tips, newsletter, and for showing the diversity of Judaism in the world. Thanks to you, we found Charlotte, our wedding planner, the cornerstone of our wedding planning!
REBECCA & EMMANUEL’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK
Photography – Juan Luis Morilla
Wedding planner – La Fête {offers 10% discount to all members of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club}
Venue – Villa Luisa
Bride’s dress – Paris Chic
Bride’s shoes – Toni Pons
Bride’s accessories – Le Joaillier du Marais
Groom’s attire – Atelier Mesure
Hair + Makeup – Antonia Rios
Flowers – Cartamo Flores
Band – Yomuri
Catering – Taim; Spain Kosher Services
Stationery/Invitation – Jean Baptiste Kuchly
Rabbi – Rabbi Emmanuel Valency
Talith: Librairie du Temple
Kiddush glass – Emet
Favours – Agua de Azahar; Kippa Cap
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.
