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Home > Real Jewish Weddings > Jewish Country House Weddings

A Grace Lane London Bride for a Relaxed, Joyful, Sustainable DIY Jew-ish Wedding South Farm, Hertfordshire, UK

09/03/2026 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Elsa and Adam, South Farm, Hertfordshire, UK

We love it when a couple brings their family and friends into their big day in a major way – and that’s exactly what Elsa, who’s preparing to start a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and Adam, currently finishing his PhD researching cell-cultured meat, did. Having known each other since age 11 and been together since they were teenagers, they saw their wedding as a celebration of their shared history and the loved ones who’ve been a part of their circle over the years.

As such, Elsa and Adam took a DIY approach to their wedding, using vintage, second-hand, and reusable items wherever they could and bringing friends and family in every step of the way. Elsa designed and made all of the invitations by hand (in both English and Hebrew); the rings were crafted by one of the bridesmaids; Elsa’s cousin who’s a carpenter built the chuppah; and best of all, Elsa’s mum, a gardener and garden designer, took charge of the florals, foraging local evergreen foliage and lovingly handcrafting masses of gorgeous paper flowers used on the chuppah and in the bouquets! Don’t miss it all in the wonderful documentary-style photos by Connor from Linden Photography.

Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor South Farm in Hertfordshire was the perfect spot for Elsa and Adam to bring together their nearest and dearest. A working farm dating back to the 16th century, with a collection of characterful barns for the ceremonies and plenty of on-site accommodation, it was ideally suited to the duo’s vision for whimsical, laid-back, joyful wedding. Elsa and Adam can’t stop raving about how attentive the events team was – and they also loved South Farm’s sustainability ethos and approach to food, leaning into produce grown on the farm itself!

There’s so much more to say about this very special day – like the fact that Elsa’s mum organized a surprise flash mob of “Hava Nagila” – but we’ll turn you over to Elsa for the rest…

Elsa and Adam, South Farm, Hertfordshire, UK Elsa and Adam, South Farm, Hertfordshire, UK Elsa and Adam, South Farm, Hertfordshire, UK Elsa and Adam, South Farm, Hertfordshire, UK

How We Met

Elsa, the bride: We don’t have a single “first meet” story as our paths first crossed when we were just 11! Although we went to separate schools, we had friends in common and would occasionally see each other at parties and school events.

When Elsa moved schools at 16, we ended up in the same form and A-level biology class. We quickly became part of the same friendship group and spent most lunchtimes together- many of those friends are still in our lives today, and some were even part of our bridal party! We officially started dating in our last year of school, when we were 17/18. Since then, we’ve navigated a couple of years of long distance, attended the same university to study Biochemistry (a year apart), and eventually moved in together. Our wedding came almost exactly 10 years after we started dating in 2014!

Adam is now finishing his PhD researching cell-cultured meat, and Elsa is preparing to start a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. We feel unbelievably lucky to have been able to build such a full life together already, it made our decision to get married an incredibly easy and exciting one!

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A BHLDN Bride for a DIY Jewish Wedding Weekend at River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA

02/03/2026 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Shoshana and Mark, River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA

We love a DIY Jewish wedding, and Shoshana and Mark’s is SO packed with wonderful personal touches. The couple planned every detail of their glamping wedding weekend getaway at River Mountain themselves, from the invitations to the music playlists for every event.

We’re obsessed with Shoshana and Mark’s gorgeous outdoor ceremony, officiated by a humanistic rabbi and attended by no fewer than four family dogs! The bespoke ceremony blended Shoshana’s Jewish upbringing and Mark’s non-religious background and featured a blessing over wine and another over beer, egalitarian circling, and humanistic versions of the seven blessings. And how fun is it that the duo included a crossword puzzle on details and traditions from the ceremony in their wedding program?! Don’t miss all the special details in the wonderful photography by Mariah Fisher!

Shoshana and Mark went for a beautiful custom  ketubah designed and hand-painted by Elena Berlo of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Once Upon a Paper. The art captures the pair’s love of nature, with two trees intertwined and two golden birds sitting amid colored circles representing the changing seasons.

There’s so much more to say about this ultra-personal wedding, but we’ll hand you over to Shoshana for the rest…

Shoshana and Mark, River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA Shoshana and Mark, River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA Shoshana and Mark, River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA Shoshana and Mark, River Mountain, Everett, Pennsylvania, USA

How We Met

Shoshana, the bride: We met by chance at a beer garden in Washington, DC, while out and about for Halloween celebrations. We were engaged nearly 5 years later and married the following June.

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A Jane Hill Bride for an Ultra-Personal Foodies’ Jewish Wedding at Braxted Park, Witham, UK

09/02/2026 by Karen Cinnamon

Saydee and Eldar, Braxted Park Estate, Witham, UK

This Jewish wedding has it all – tons of personal touches, gorgeous countryside setting, great food, and an epic party. Londoners Saydee, a senior food buyer, and Eldar, a director at an advertising agency, worked with their planner Sophie Amor to craft the most magical celebration at picturesque Braxted Park, with so many fabulous details it’s hard to know where to start.

We could go with the couple’s stunning chuppah, inspired by the enormous oak tree on the grounds that formed the focal point of the outdoor ceremony – Saydee and Eldar wanted it to feel as though it was growing into the landscape, and did they ever! (Don’t miss it in the natural, documentary-style photos by Susie and Harley of  Barker Evans.)

Or the chuppah explanation cards the couple created to guide guests unfamiliar with Jewish weddings through the ceremony – hand-drawn by the bride’s mother!

And then there’s the food. Eldar’s family is behind beloved London restaurant group Delamina, so exceptional wedding eats were a must. Working with kosher caterer Dvash, the couple put together a menu with food inspired by Eldar’s mother’s cooking, featuring Middle Eastern-inspired dishes like short rib Delamina-style, slow-cooked with dates, pul-biber chilies, Jerusalem artichoke three ways, and roasted okra.”

Read on for the full story in Saydee’s own words…

Saydee and Eldar, Braxted Park Estate, Witham, UK Saydee and Eldar, Braxted Park Estate, Witham, UK Saydee and Eldar, Braxted Park Estate, Witham, UK Saydee and Eldar, Braxted Park Estate, Witham, UK

How We Met

Saydee, the bride: Introduced by a mutual friend but had crossed paths once that year and Eldar grew up on the road Saydee went to school!

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A Caroline Castigliano Bride for a Super Stylish Jewish Wedding with Shabbat Dinner Vibes at Kin House, Wiltshire, UK

20/11/2025 by Karen Cinnamon

Ben and Lauren, Kin House, Wiltshire, UK

We are totally and completely obsessed with Lauren and Ben’s super stylish Jewish wedding. Their vision for the big day was modern countryside with Shabbat dinner vibes – how awesome is that?!

Kin House in Wiltshire, England, with its combination of classic country exterior and quirky, modern interior, was the perfect setting for the celebration – and the couple’s fabulous florist, Sarah of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Way to Bloom, put together the most exquisite arrangements (not to mention a stunner of a chuppah) that added Lauren and Ben’s unique stamp to the space.

In Lauren’s words,

We both agree that Sarah and her floral arrangements, were the highlight of our wedding. Sarah doesn’t know the word “no” — she was always ready to try a new idea, offer some advice, and take charge where needed. We are forever grateful to her and her expertise for making our wedding shine, and we are lucky to still consider her a friend to this day.

For their band, Lauren and Ben chose another amazing Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor, The White Keys. Their 8-piece band – including both a saxophonist and an electric violinist – kept the dance floor packed all night (including an epic 12-minute hora!).

Lauren and Ben’s wedding day fell on Shabbat, and we love the fact that they wanted their wedding breakfast to feel like a giant Shabbat dinner. The couple lit the candles, their rabbi led the blessings, and they even had a challah tug-of-war! Spoiler: Lauren won. Don’t miss it in the incredible photos by Natalie J Weddings and video by John Taylor Films.

We’ll let Lauren fill you in on the rest…

Ben and Lauren, Kin House, Wiltshire, UK Ben and Lauren, Kin House, Wiltshire, UK Ben and Lauren, Kin House, Wiltshire, UK Ben and Lauren, Kin House, Wiltshire, UK

How We Met

Lauren, the bride: We met on a dating app in 2020. Fun fact – after our first date, I called my mom and told her, “I met my husband!”

Ben proposed in Dulwich Park in October 2022. A truly special place for us both, it reminds us both of Central Park in NYC, which is where I lived before moving to London and Ben spent a lot of time as well. We always called the bridge in Dulwich Park our “happy place” so it was fitting to get engaged there.

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A Romantic Destination Jewish Wedding at Villa Medicea di Lilliano, Tuscany, Italy

06/11/2025 by Karen Cinnamon

Naomi and Nathan, Villa Medicea di Lilliano, Tuscany, Italy

We love a Jewish wedding in Tuscany! And Montreal couple Naomi, a luxury travel concierge and planner, and Nathan, an accountant, had one of the best.

Their big day at Villa Medicea di Lilliano featured the chicest mismatched bridesmaids, a Mamma Mia-inspired flash mob, the most incredible kosher catering by Cantina Giuliano, and so much more.

To make the celebration of their dreams a reality, the couple opted to work with Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Sandro Poli of The Couplers. In Naomi’s words,

If you’re Jewish and getting married in Italy he’s the guy for you!! He’s so amazing and super helpful. He really helped us with everything from A-Z. It was truly amazing working with him especially since he spoke Italian and is also Jewish so he really knew the ins and outs of everything. I couldn’t recommend him enough. He truly became family.

Sandro, who worked in fashion before becoming a wedding planner, even sewed sleeves onto Naomi’s dress 20 minutes before the chuppah!

Don’t miss the wonderfully stylish photos by Isabella Pratesi – they’re truly something special.

Read on for all the details in Naomi’s own words…

Naomi and Nathan, Villa Medicea di Lilliano, Tuscany, Italy Naomi and Nathan, Villa Medicea di Lilliano, Tuscany, Italy Naomi and Nathan, Villa Medicea di Lilliano, Tuscany, Italy Naomi and Nathan, Villa Medicea di Lilliano, Tuscany, Italy

How We Met

Naomi, the bride: Nathan and I grew up in Montreal and are the same age. The Jewish community of Montreal is incredibly special and everyone kind of knows each other. Growing up we always kind of knew of each other (we went to different Jewish schools though). The summer of 2021 my best friend suggested going on a trip to Greece with a couple of her friends. At the time she was seeing Nathan’s cousin so she invited him and he invited his friends. We ended up doing a big trip to Greece! There is where Nathan and I’s friendship started. And then once we got back we pretty much fell in love right away. We started dating two weeks later.

Funnily enough earlier that summer Nathan worked for my dad (my dad owns a kosher pizza restaurant) and Nathan was doing deliveries as a summer job! So my dad already loved him and he was accepted into the family pretty quickly. On our way back from Greece we were all supposed to go to Israel but due to Covid our flights got cancelled. Him and his friends ended up going to Paris (they are all from there) and by fluke I ended up stuck in Paris for 3 days. We hung out every day. Honestly we’ve been inseparable since.

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