Jewish City Chic Weddings Archives - Smashing the Glass

A Pronovias Bride for an Elegant Outdoor Destination Jewish Wedding at Villa Grabau, Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

18/04/2018 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Destination Jewish wedding Villa Grabau in Lucca, Tuscany, Italy_0004

Gorgeous couple, gorgeous venue, gorgeous lemon grove… today’s Jewish wedding brings ALL the pretty. London-based Federica and Justin wanted a Tuscan destination wedding (and after looking at their stunning photos, you just might, too!). With the help of their wedding planner, Silvia from Smashing the Glass Recommended Vendor Infinity Weddings, they opted for an outdoor ceremony in the lush gardens of Villa Grabau.

The thing that sold them on their venue? The chance to have their ceremony amidst a grove of lemon trees. Lemon trees! It doesn’t get much more idyllically Tuscan than that, does it?!

And the favors? Lemon soaps from none other than Lush, thanks to a connection at Lush HQ. Even better, the couple opted to tag them with guests’ names and table numbers, making them do double duty as a table plan. This is one favor I personally would’ve been very happy to receive – if you guys have any leftovers, you know where to send them!

Photographers Rhapsody Road delivered the natural, relaxed photos the couple hoped for – and then some. From the emotion to the details to the rolling Tuscan hills in the background, it’s all there.

Beautiful Federica claims to have hated dress shopping, but you’d never know it from how effortlessly elegant she looks in her modern, chic Pronovias gown. She’ll fill you in on the rest of her fab day…

A Destination Wedding in Tuscany

Federica, the bride: Our wedding planner, Silvia from Infinity Weddings, provided us with a list of venues in Tuscany. We shortlisted the venues, jumped on a plane, and went to meet Silvia. We then visited all the venues we liked the look of and narrowed it down to two that we loved. From there we did a lot of research into local hotels, distance from airports, coach hire, etc.

Finally, we made the decision to go with Villa Grabau. We loved the lemon house and surrounding grounds; it just had a relaxed aura about it that we picked up on immediately. When Silvia showed us the lemon house we instantly realized that that was where we wanted to have the wedding.

A Viktor & Rolf Bride for an Artsy, Urban Jewish Wedding with a Surprise Theme at Kastiel Events, Tel Aviv, Israel

13/04/2018 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

It’s a super exciting Fri-yay as today’s wedding is definitely inside the top 10 coolest, most creative Jewish weddings we’ve EVER blogged!

Super artsy Israeli couple Adi and Dan married at Kastiel Events in Tel Aviv, and with both of them being architects and photographers (you can check out their work at AnD Photography) it was extra important to them to get their wedding photography and videography just right.

Photographer Ronen Boidek and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor videographer DreaMe Photography delivered (and then some!) with ultra-stylish documentary-style captures of the day.

Adi and Dan’s wedding video by DreaMe is truly worth a watch – it’s chock full of awesome ideas, from pop-up invitations to a stunning Viktor&Rolf dress chosen because it reminded the bride of Japanese architecture to a reverse order (in which food came first, then the ceremony, then an epic party) to carrying the rings in a Polly Pocket house (in a nod to the bride’s favorite childhood toy – how sweet?!).

Oh, and those rings? Designed by Adi and Dan themselves – I wasn’t exaggerating when I said they were super artsy – and each spouse’s ring has a hole in the shape of the first letter of the other’s name.

But the piece de resistance is a surprise theme – revealed to guests only once they showed up at the venue – showcasing the bride and groom’s creative sides. Gorgeous Adi reveals all in her write-up of this exceptional day…

How we met

Adi, the bride: We met when I was planning on studying architecture, and was contemplating where to do it. Dan just got back to Israel after finishing architectural studies in Milan, Italy. We were friends for a few years, went on photography day trips, and at some point took a trip to Ibiza, and a month after we got back, we decided to become more than that.

An Angelo Lambrou Bride for a Glamorous Destination Jewish Wedding at Villa Cimbrone, Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Italy

11/04/2018 by Karen Cinnamon 2 Comments

Today’s destination Jewish wedding is serious #venuegoals. NYC-based Nejla (@acutestyleaddict), a personal stylist, and Alex, who works in finance, married at Villa Cimbrone in Ravello, on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast in Italy. The couple visited Ravello just after getting engaged, and the minute they set foot in their venue they knew it was where they would wed.

And can you blame them? You have GOT to see the views from this place. It’s literally smack dab in the middle of the swoon-worthy Amalfi Coast, right on the water. We could not possibly come up with a dreamier setting. And that’s not even mentioning the villa itself, where the meal was held – it dates back to the 12th century (!), and the dining setup seriously looks right out of the castle from Beauty and the Beast.

With such a stunning venue, Nejla and Alex understandably wanted to let the natural beauty of their surroundings take center stage. As such, they kept their décor simple, with a focus on local, in-season flowers in pink and white.

Photographer and videographer Gianni Di Natale got the most exquisite shots of the day; his photos (not to mention the gorgeous highlights video) really make you feel like you’re there.

But don’t let all that fool you into thinking this wedding was all about the looks – far from it. The couple put serious effort into planning their ceremony, which was especially meaningful given that Nejla completed her conversion to Judaism weeks prior. They flew their rabbi out from New York, and, because the wedding began at sundown on Saturday night, they incorporated a Havdallah service into the ceremony. With the sunset over the coast on one side and a sea of loving faces on the other, it could hardly get any more perfect.

Amazingly, though, that wasn’t even the duo’s favorite part of the wedding. According to Nejla, it was surpassed by their joy at Alex’s grandmother, Edna, being present to celebrate with them. It was especially poignant, as the wedding marked Grandma Edna’s first time in Europe since she left as a young girl after the war.

Nejla being a personal stylist, it’s only natural that she went ultra chic on the day, in a custom couture gown in blush silk by Angelo Lambrou. She’ll fill you in on the rest…

How we met

Nejla, the bride: We met through friends several years ago but didn’t start dating until about 4 years ago.

A Vera Wang Bride for an Elegant Jewish Wedding in the Hamptons, Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa, New York, USA

09/04/2018 by Karen Cinnamon 1 Comment

We see a lot of beach weddings at Smashing The Glass, but this one really goes all out with the seaside theme! NYC-based Jessica (@jessschein) and Evan (@evanschein) wanted to get married in Montauk in the Hamptons, their go-to weekend getaway from their hectic lives in the city. They chose Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa for its extraordinary views of the ocean – and the stunning sunsets over the water. Totally stunning, right?!

Jessica and Evan wanted to keep their day open, airy, and focused on the gorgeous setting. To complement their surroundings, the pair opted for a very nautical white and navy blue color scheme.

You’ve got to check out their out-of-this-world” blooms all in white – there’s something so dramatic about keeping the flowers to a single color.

And Jessica and Evan’s chuppah for their outdoor ceremony continued the theme – light and airy, it was adorned with the most beautiful white flowers – hydrangeas, orchids, and more – with sheer white side panels, so as not to interfere with the ocean view in the background. Doesn’t it look romantic against that backdrop?

Photographer A Day of Bliss did a wonderful job documenting the day, and the couple sing their photographers’ praises not only for their flawless shots but also for being fantastic to work with on the day. Videographer Keith Brady Media captured the feel of the day perfectly too!

Jessica looked so elegant in her lace fit-and-flare Vera Wang gown, with an exquisite long train. She and Evan wanted their day to be sophisticated and chic with modern flair, and it really was. Now over to the bride…

How we met

Jessica, the bride: “I am so happy my teacher is going to be my Aunt!” – (Evan’s 8-year-old niece, and yes, Jessica’s former preschool student) said, the night Jessica and Evan got engaged.

Our story began in October 2012, on a little known dating site, called JDate. However, I was already part of Evan’s family – he just did not know it yet!

Let’s rewind…

I came across Evan’s profile, and after going back and forth with the usual 21 questions, we realized it was a very small world. It turned out that I was a preschool teacher at the school Evan’s niece attended. But wait, there’s more… Evan’s niece did not just go to the preschool where I taught, I was actually Evan’s niece’s teacher – 2 years earlier!

Evan told me that he needed to get his niece’s approval before committing to a date. (I thought to myself that the chance of going on their first date lay in the hands of a 4-year-old!) As it turns out, I got an A+ rating, his niece saying, “Miss Jessica was the best teacher ever!” This was a fact confirmed by Evan’s brother and sister-in-law, who later admitted they always wanted to set me up with Evan. The rest is history!

A Pronovias Bride for an Elegant Jewish Wedding at the Corinthian Yacht Club, Tiburon, California, USA

02/04/2018 by Karen Cinnamon 3 Comments

Talk about a venue with a view! Today’s couple, Maggie and Keith, got married at the Corinthian Yacht Club, in beautiful Tiburon, California, just north of San Francisco.

As if the location right on the water weren’t enough, their venue has THE most stunning view of San Francisco. Especially at night, with all of the city lights, it’s really something to behold. For maximum impact, they opted to hold their Jewish wedding during the full moon!

One very cool way Maggie and Keith made the most of being surrounded by the people they love is by opting to set their chuppah up in the middle of the ceremony room, rather than at the front as is common. They felt this was a more intimate setup, and we totally agree! Always love to see couples making traditions their own like this.

And Maggie and Keith give their amazing planner, Cassy Anderson of Cassy Rose Events, full credit for helping them make their vision for the day a reality. They wanted their wedding to be fresh, classic, and elegant, but not totally traditional – and, most of all, they wanted it to reflect who they are as a couple. Cassy totally nailed it.

The pair were thrilled with their photographer, Robin Jolin too, not only for her incredible eye but also for how comfortable she made them feel on the day. And Maggie looked so elegant in her chic Pronovias gown – can you believe she found it at a sample sale, her very first (and, as it turned out, last) dress shopping stop?! Now over to the bride herself…

A Venue with a View

Maggie, the bride: we got married at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon. The water and spending time together on the Bay is a huge part of our lives, and we loved that we could share that with our guests. The view of San Francisco was a big part of why we picked the location. My dad helped us set the date by selecting a full moon evening. We are so glad we did.

Both of us grew up in the Bay Area and the majority of our friends and family live in San Francisco or elsewhere nearby. We wanted to have an inclusive event that our guests could could make a weekend out of, or alternatively just take a cab over and enjoy the evening.

Not the most romantic theme of all time, but we wanted to day to feel easy, fun, and special for our guests! We selected a location that would be beautiful and interesting for those coming into town and also allow them to easily walk from their hotel to the rehearsal dinner to the hotel to the venue the next day. Our goal was to allow people to fully enjoy the weekend, without having to get in a car.