Can’t you just feel the love seeping out of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Jossef Si’s photos of bride Stav, an M.Sc student in biomedical engineering, and groom Ran, a CPA?
This beautiful Israeli Jewish wedding was SO full of emotion, and we are here for it! We love that Stav and Ran read letters they’d written to each other aloud during their ceremony – and how sweet is it that the couple’s families and friends wrote new lyrics to a favorite song all about the pair’s relationship, along with a cute video?! Possibly even more adorable, Stav’s father wrote new lyrics to‘What a Wonderful World,’a song they’d often danced to together when Stav was little, and which turned into the soundtrack to their father-daughter dance – awwwww!
Back to those incredible photos by mega-talentedSmashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Jossef Si – it’s worth saying again that we just can’t get over how dreamy these pics are. And we’re not at all surprised to hear that on the day, Jossef was a calming presence who made the camera-shy couple feel totally comfortable.
Now over to Stav, who looked ravishing in her Asaf Dadush gown…
How we Met
Stav, the bride: We have been dating for the past 5 years, but we know each other from before. It all started ten years ago, in 2010. Ran had just resigned the army and I was a senior in high-school, we met at the beach in Eilat city, where we both went on vacation with friends. Ran played the guitar and sang funny songs with his friends, and we all bonded. Since then, I had my eye on him, and tried to start a little conversation afterwards on Facebook but it didn’t go well.
A year after I decided to do the SAT test before joining the army, and Ran took the same course at the very same time. We met again, started learning together, had a very good time (very platonic I must say) and when I joined the army the connection faded. 5 year later when I came back from my after-army trip around the world and Ran was a CPA student, he sent me a message, we went out and from that point on it’s all history.
Open Kitchen
We got married at Luca, a beautiful place with great food. It has an outside space for the ceremony, with a small fish pond, and trees and flowers all around. Inside there is the kitchen which is fully visible, it makes the space very special and gives the feeling of an open kitchen.
Hair + Make-up
I wanted my hair and make up to be very gentle. In my day to day life I don’t wear much make-up and I don’t do anything with my hair, so I wanted to stay natural and true to myself. I chose one of my best friends to do my make-up, Orian Betesh, we are friends since 2006, and she is very talented, I knew she would make me feel like the most beautiful bride, and she did, above all my expectations. I got a lot of compliments regarding the make-up at the evening.
The hair stylist was Lior Zamen, I didn’t guide her at all, I trusted her. She knew the vibe I wanted – natural. I also decided to add some small white flowers in my hair. I loved how it worked out.
An Asaf Dadush Dress
My dress was the first dress I tried, it was ‘love at the first sight’, the thing I liked most about it was the special shoulder straps that I didn’t see in any dress before, and the fabric which was so special, consisting of two layers: the bottom one was a very beautiful lace and above it was a tulle fabric that shadows the lace a little bit and made it look soft and gentle. It had these little details of crystals just in the right places.
The dress didn’t shout “look at me” but still had its own thunder and magic. I came to try it on with my best friends from university, if it was only me I would have bought it on the spot, but everybody including my future husband and my mother, who I always listen to, said it’s too early and that I need to try a lot more dresses in order to be 100 percent sure about the one I choose.
So I did try on some more dresses, I went with my mother for a shopping day, where I firs took her to see the first dress and she fell in love too. We went to other places, and nothing was as perfect as the first one. The designer is Asaf Dadush, he is the most talented, nice, pleasant person. He was very thoughtful and attentive to all my wishes. I feel like it’s the most beautiful dress anyone has ever designed.
Accessories
I had beautiful earrings made by the talented Dana Mantzur, hoops with a shiny crystal hanging on them. My dress was so pretty, it didn’t need anything besides those earrings, and the engagement ring of course. I followed the advice of the dress designer, who said that hoop earrings would match the dress and my style, they make it a little bit Spanish and interesting. I think it was very special and it complimented my entire look.
Shoes
I chose to where bright kitten heels. I wanted to feel free to walk and dance with no feet pain. Believe me, it was worth it.
The handsome groom
Ran decided to go classic, black and white. His blazer was very special, it had a satin lapel, and he had a colorful kerchief in his pocket. He was so handsome, my heart skipped a beat when I met him for the first time on the day.
Bridesmaids
I had four bridesmaids. Two of them are my best friends from high school, we have known each other for almost 12 years, and the other two are my cousins from both sides of the family, who are also my best friends, they are at my age and we grew up together.
They came to be with me on my special day, from the very beginning of the preparation. They brought all kinds of beautiful balloons: pink and white, ‘TEAM BRIDE’ letters, ‘Love’ and even an icon of an engagement ring. They took pictures and videos and played some fun music. The atmosphere was of excitement, laughter and happiness.
Ceremony
During the ceremony we chose to read a letter to each other. It was very touching, after the wedding all of my friends told me they cried at this part, mainly following Ran’s speech.
The best part of the ceremony was smashing the glass of course.
Our Music Choice
We chose DJ Tom Rer, one of Ran’s best friends since they were 9 years old. He is so talented and the choice was obvious. He knows our style in music, and he knows how to read the guests, so he made everybody get up on their feet and dance with us all through the party.
For the processional we chose to play the song ‘Lo yafrid davar beneinu’ by Danny Sanderson which means ‘nothing will set us apart’. This song is accompanied by a piano, it is a touching song with a sense of hope, and it was important for us to pick a Hebrew song with a very meaningful lyrics.
For the recessional we chose a cover for the song ‘Shir mispar 8’ by Arik Einstein. First of all right after Ran proposed he played that song, and we liked the lyrics and the mood. One of the lines from the chorus means ‘you’re mine and I’m yours’, it is a very happy song with a lot of instruments.
Flowers
I wanted the flowers to be pink, yellow and orange, summer colours which represents happiness and joy. The flower in the wedding invitation, the chuppah, my bouquet and the table centres were all at the same colours.
Photographer and videographer
The photographer was Jossef Si, we fell in love with his work, photography, colours, and moments captured straight away. We connected with him from our first meeting. Beyond being a professional, he has become a friend.
I am always embarrassed to be photographed and he made us feel so comfortable and took breathtaking pictures – he is truly insanely talented.
The videographer was Ronen Abayev, he is a charming and pleasant person. We chose him because we really connected to his work, and we saw that as a person he is sweet and charming and really talented. We loved the video. Today I realize how important it is to have this souvenir from our wedding.
Entertainment
Our friends and families created videos for us as a surprise. Our families wrote new lyrics for the song ‘Im tirtzi’ by Hanan Ben Ari. The new lyrics described Ran and me, how we met and, how Ran proposed and some funny facts about us. They also filmed a video clip for the song which was so funny. Our friends had to answer many funny and interesting question about us and combined it all together to a video clip.
My father wrote new lyrics for the song ‘What a wonderful world’ by Louis Amstrong, the new lyrics were about our love and friendship.
When I was a small girl my father used to play this song in the living room every now and then and we danced together, he used to hold me in his arms and I held his thumb (because my hands were so tiny) so this song always reminds me of him.
He recorded himself and when we played it at the wedding we started dancing together, me and my father and Ran and his mother. Everybody was so touched by it.
Extra details
We provided alcohol tests for the use of the guests who drove, so that they could drink until the permitted limit. We also placed in the entrance some funny facts about us, and a note that tells our story. Every guest got a personal Alcogel labelled with ‘Stav & Ran 25.06.2020’, it really matched the Corona era. We bought kippas that also had written on our names and the date of the wedding.
RAN AND STAV’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK
Photography – Jossef Si {offers 10% discount to all members of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club}
Videography – Ronen Abayev
Venue – Luca
Bride’s dress – Asaf Dadush
Bride’s accessories – The Lady Bride by Dana Mantzur
Groom’s attire – Bamoss Square
Hair – Lior Zamen
Makeup- Orian Betesh
Flowers and design – Roni Even
DJ – DJ Tom Rer
Magnets photos – Si Zilom
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.
