What a gorgeous Jewish wedding! Grace, Controller of Rilea Group Inc, and Jay, the founder and CEO of Gift of Life Marrow Registry, planned an ultra-meaningful celebration of their love filled with personal touches, and we are OBSESSED.
Everything from the happy, bright color scheme of vibrant oranges and pinks to Grace’s fabulous Ines Di Santo gown to the fun touches honoring the bride’s home country of Venezuela (you’ve GOT to read about the hora loca!), this wedding was chock full of Jewish joy and love.
And we’re positively head over heels for the couple’s exquisite custom ketubah by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Micol Designs. From the minute Grace and Jay met Micol on Zoom, the connection was immediate, and she understood their vision of incorporating their love of stained glass and artist Marc Chagall, and specifically his painted ceiling of the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris, so perfectly.
The finished product – incorporating names of family members and images representing Grace and Jay’s different backgrounds – is truly a sight to behold. Don’t miss it in the wonderful photos by Manolo Doreste!
Now over to Grace…




How we Met
Grace, the bride: We both joined a dating website called “Silver Singles” for single people over 50 years old. Jay sent me an emoji with heart eyes and after checking his profile and interpreting a chart that silver singles provides of similarities and differences why we should be a good match, I sent him an emoji stating that I was interested. We started chatting on Silver Singles website, then moved on to Instagram and then video calls. After 3 weeks, we agree to meet in person.
I, Grace, had done a list of requirements I wanted my future partner to have and I had put a note, underlined, at the end of the list that said: “I will recognize him because he will present a single red rose to me”.
Since our first date was in covid-restrictions time, Jay rented a movie theatre just for us and once we sat down, he went into his backpack and pulled a single red rose. I was left speechless and my heart raising. I told him, one day I will tell you what this rose means to me.
An Outdoor Venue
We picked the venue, Mizner Country Club, because Jay (groom) lived there for 17 years. We had many fond memories, starting with our first lunch date there; which made it the perfect venue to start our married life together. The venue is beautiful and people that work there were very welcoming and helpful.
All about the Orange
We chose the colour scheme with our favourite colour: Orange and from there we started our planning. We knew we wanted to make it a day wedding and transition to a night wedding party. We added a colour palette from orange to pink. We choose flowers to bring to life these bright, happy and beautiful colours of which of course roses were a main focus.
Invitations / stationery
We wanted something unique and lasting as a memoir. We created together with Gretel from The Invitation Stand, an acrylic invitation with gold writing.
Hair + Make-up
Maritza from Marz Makeup + Hair was recommended by my aesthetician and later found out that was well known and recommended by several brides related stores. The makeup hair team, arrived on time, 6 am, and they were on schedule to complete each request of the bridesmaids and mother of the bride. As for me, I had a dedicated make up artist and hair dresser.
An Ines Di Santo Dress
I knew I wanted a romantic and fitted dress. I dreamed of a Jenny Packham dress; however, due delays post-covid, I was not able to get a wedding dress from her, but I was able to acquire an orange/fuchsia dress from her boutique to wear it as my second dress.
Chic Parisien Bride has a personalized way to show you dresses and once a style and budget are determined, they bring to you the dresses they see as clear options. The Ines Di Santo Goddess Collection was it and the dress named: Leda was “my” dress. Everything about it was perfect, a dream come true.
Accessories & Shoes
My choice is shoes was inspired by “our” favorite color orange. I wanted to wear something unique, bold and to make a statement and Amina Muaddi was the perfect choice.
Bridesmaids
I had 7 bridesmaids and since they all have their unique a wonderful personalities, I let them choose their own dresses sticking to a colour palette I provided to them.
Ceremony and Chuppah
Mizner Country Club recommended Joel from The Event Group, since they have used their services before, and Joel son and his own vows renewals were done at Mizner. Joel knew the venue and was an amazing listener to our dreams. I wanted a Chuppah that will provide a view from all angles, and we chose a clear chuppah with flower in our colour palette.
Ketubah
Micol of Micol Designs is a dear friend to Jay and I had the honour to meet her via zoom to tell her about our history and journey. Our friendship and connection were immediate. To start, we shared how Jay and I are art lovers and Marc Chagall, one of our favourite artist. The ceiling of the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris, painted by Chagall is one of our favourite pieces of art.
Stained glass is another of our favorite art expressions and Micol, incorporated in the ketubah the round ceiling, the stained glass background, the “red rose” which was the top design. The names of our family members and love ones were incorporated around and from there, images of our different backgrounds were integrated with flowers into the ketubah.
Our Music Choice
The band we hired was Marcia L Mitchell Music & Events. We had danced to their fantastic sound at a summer kickoff party at Mizner Country Club and had fallen in love with them. They had the perfect combination and balance between latin music, pop, oldies, rock & Hora.
For the ceremony, we had a strings quartet. For the processional, Jay chose Ed Sheeran: “Perfect”, for the wedding party Elvis ‘Can’t help falling in love with you’ and I, more of an old rock and roll enthusiastic, chose a strings version of Aerosmith ‘Don’t want to miss a thing’. For the recessional we choose Beattles ‘All you need in Love’ and Elton John ‘You’.
Our walk into the reception to be introduced as Mr. & Mrs. Feinberg was to Huey Lewis & the News: ‘The power of love’. Jay and I first dance was to Beyonce ‘Halo’, we took dancing lessons for this elaborate dance. I also danced with my son, Matthew to Guns’n Roses ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ and Celia Cruz ‘La Vida es un Carnaval’.
Flowers
Since we have a love for orange and roses, we decided to make colorful choices of roses and complementary orange, pink, fuchsia and white flowers. Lucky for us, since the wedding was in spring, we were able to have all of the colors of our palette. Our florist designed, Joel, clearly understood the decoration that we wanted.
It was important to us for people to be able to communicate while sitting on the tables, so he created tall vases and tall candle holders that made the flowers and candle to look like floating over the tables.
For my bouquet, I wanted the Venezuela national flower, Orchid, and he incorporated roses to an amazing bouquet. Bridesmaids had colour palette bouquets.
Photographer and videographer
Our photographer, Manolo Doreste, was recommended by a friend of mine and he was so engaged and professional from our first meeting. He really got to know “us” and capture in the pictures our love.
Food and Cake
We chose the design we wanted for our cake, quite different. The flavours were: Chocolate Decadence and Dulce de Leche.
Extra details
I, Grace, am from Venezuela and we have a tradition called “Hora Loca” were we bring dancer with a Latin swing and have all guest wear fun hats and tiaras with lights and flowers and dance for an hour to a Latin rhythm. This was a LOT of fun.
Advice to other couples planning their wedding
Prepare a time line and make sure you have taken care of the details. Entrust and delegate the day of the wedding. On the day of the wedding, breathe, enjoy, breathe, enjoy, it goes by fast and “you don’t want to miss a thing”.
GRACE & JAY’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK
Photography – Manolo Doreste
Ketubah – Micol Designs
Videography – Pinwheel Film Company
Venue – Mizner Country Club
Bride’s dress – Ines Di Santo found at Chic Parisien Bride
Bride’s second dress – Jenny Packham
Bride’s shoes – Amina Muaddi
Bride’s accessories – Maria Elena
Hair + Makeup – Marz Makeup + Hair
Flowers – The Event Group
Band – Marcia L Mitchell Music & Events
Catering – Mizner Country Club
Cake – Celebrity Cakes
Stationery/Invitation – The Invitation Stand
360 Photo – SnapBack Photo Experience
Hora Loca – Hora Loca Entertainment Inc
Smash The Glass Pouch – Smashing The Glass Etsy Shop {or join Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club and get one for free!}
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.