Jewish Destination Weddings Archives - Smashing the Glass

A Trish Peng Bride for a Romantic Spring Jewish Wedding at Bayaar, Hadera, Israel

24/08/2026 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

There’s something so special about a Jewish wedding in Israel, and the romantic springtime nuptials of Tel Aviv couple Alice and Jonathan are no exception. Alice hails from London, while Jonathan is Israeli, and blending both backgrounds was key to them as they planned their big day – as was showcasing their love for the home they’ve built together in Israel.

As nature lovers, the duo fell head over heels for their venue, Bayaar in the Hadera Forest. They loved the romantic indoor outdoor atmosphere and the relaxed, natural feel – which inspired their springtime wildflower color palette and free-flowing florals (including an absolute stunner of a floral chuppah – don’t miss it in the wonderful photos by Tzahi Shemesh!).

The couple’s planer, Yana from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Craspedia Events, “was with us every step of the way before, during and after the wedding. Planning a wedding in Israel isn’t always straightforward, and there were times when we genuinely didn’t know whether our wedding would go ahead as planned. We experienced many cancellations from guests travelling from abroad and uncertainty due to the security situation, but throughout it all Yana was an incredible source of calm, kindness and support.”

The complications continued on the day itself, when, after weeks of quiet, alerts of incoming missile attacks came in just after the simcha dancing. The instructions were for everyone to move into the center of the hall, and despite the scariness of the moment (especially for overseas guests, any of whom hadn’t experienced the sirens before), the guests’ reaction was so incredibly heartwarming. In Alice’s words, “Spontaneously, our guests erupted in singing and dancing. People formed a circle around us, waving Israeli flags and singing songs, drowning out the sound of the siren. The band’s sound system had to be switched off, but the saxophonist stood in the middle of the crowd and continued playing acoustically, creating one of the most moving moments. Our guests danced even harder than before, determined to make sure we had the best wedding possible in the circumstances… It was such a show of incredible strength, resilience and joy that we have as a people.”

Read on for the full story of this very special day in Alice’s own words…

How We Met

Alice, the bride: We met through our shul in Tel Aviv. Alice had recently made aliyah from London, while Jonathan had moved to Tel Aviv from Kfar Saba. We quickly became close friends, with Alice looking to build a community and make more Israeli friends, and Jonathan being a self-confessed Anglophile.

After seven months of friendship (and Jonathan secretly harbouring feelings for quite a while!), he finally asked Alice out for a drink at a Lag BaOmer BBQ on the rocks overlooking the sea at Charles Clore Park, and the rest is history.

The challenges of living through the war in Israel brought us even closer, and after just six months together we got engaged and 6 months after that, married.

A Pronovias Bride for a Destination Jewish Wedding by the Ocean at Caesar Yam, Caesarea, Israel

29/06/2026 by Karen Cinnamon

There’s nothing like a Jewish wedding in Israel – and we absolutely love Diana and Craig’s! The American couple knew they wanted a destination wedding by the ocean, and naturally Israel was high on their list.

They found the perfect venue in Caesarea’s Caesar Yam, where they were able to have the most stunning outdoor chuppah at sunset with the Mediterranean as their backdrop – and the fact that they were able to gather their friends and family for not just a few hours but a whole weekend of events to celebrate was an added bonus.

When it came time to choose their photographer, Diana and Craig went for Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Herschel Gutman, who did a fantastic job not only delivering their vision but also organize all their extended family on the day.

We’ll let the bride – who looked absolutely stunning in her dress from Pronovias – fill you in on the rest…

How We Met

Diana, the bride: We met during Covid. We were both living in NYC.

A Mia Pava Bride for a Naturally Elegant Jewish Wedding at Gavriel, Nes Tziona, Israel

11/06/2026 by Karen Cinnamon

Yael and Avichai, Gavriel, Nes Tziona, Israel

There’s nothing like an Israeli chuppah, and we are so delighted to be sharing the beautiful Jewish wedding of Yael and Avichai, whose big day at Gavriel in Nes Tziona was the perfect blend of natural elegance, thoughtful design, and heartfelt meaning.

From the very beginning, Yael and Avichai knew they wanted a wedding that felt intentional without being overdone – elegant, warm, and entirely unforced. Gavriel proved to be the ideal setting, with an outdoor chuppah set on the water and framed by fruit trees and soft greenery.

What makes this wedding especially moving is the context in which it took place. Just one week before, war with Iran broke out, and there was real uncertainty about what the day would look like. That only deepened the significance of the moment, transforming the chuppah into not just a union, but an expression of gratitude, resilience, and joy.

To capture the day, the couple chose Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Herschel Gutman, whose natural, emotive style was exactly what they were looking for. Yael and Avichai can’t stop raving about the calm, supportive presence Herschel and his team brought to the day, and we love that after the wedding the celebration continued with a magical night photoshoot in Jerusalem, giving Yael and Avichai even more unforgettable memories to treasure.

Read on for all the wonderful details of this very special day in Yael’s own words…

Yael and Avichai, Gavriel, Nes Tziona, Israel

How We Met

Yael, the bride: Some love stories unfold by chance. Others begin with quiet certainty.

For Yael and Avichai, the spark was neither accidental nor immediate—it was orchestrated by someone who understood, long before they did, that their worlds were meant to meet.

Yael, an art therapist, and Avichai, newly returned from army service and immersed in his family’s business, had lived parallel lives for years. The bridge between them came in the form of family—specifically, Yael’s brother-in-law, Nadav Zilberstein. Through a mutual musical community, he came to appreciate Avichai in a way that was both personal and profound.

With unwavering confidence, he made the introduction—placing identical calls to each of them, insisting simply: “You have to meet.”

They both said yes.

Their first date was a picnic, set against the relaxed backdrop of Herzliya overlooking the port, was understated yet quietly transformative. There was no grand moment—just an immediate sense of ease, as though something long in motion had finally settled into place.

A Pronovias Bride for a Timelessly Elegant Jewish Wedding at Cochav Hayam, Caesarea, Israel

19/01/2026 by Karen Cinnamon

Weddings in Israel are so special, and London couple Charlotte and Jonah had one of the best! To start with, they picked the magical Cochav Hayam as their venue – in the bride’s words, “Sunset beach backdrop, gorgeous grounds, and unbelievable food made it a no-brainer.”

The duo opted to work with Yana Andreev of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Craspedia Events to make planning from abroad “not just possible, but genuinely fun and exciting.” Charlotte and Jonah can’t stop raving about how great Yana and her team were, both in the leadup and on the big day itself.

And then there’s the chuppah. The pair went for an elegant arched all-white floral chuppah set against the venue’s stunning ocean backdrop, creating the most wonderfully romantic ambience. Don’t miss it in the beautiful photos by People Photography!

There’s so much more to say about this very special Jewish wedding – like, how elegant did Charlotte look in her princess ballgown from Pronovias?! – but we’ll leave it to the bride to take it from here…

How We Met

Charlotte, the bride: We met at Cambridge University at the Jsoc on the very first Shabbat of term — I was a fresher, he was a third-year, but we didn’t start dating until a few months later!

A Big Fat Greek–Israeli–Moroccan Jewish Wedding at Island Resort Athens Riviera, Vari, Greece

24/11/2025 by Karen Cinnamon

We’re obsessed with New Yorkers Maria and Talor’s description of their big day as a Big Fat Greek–Israeli–Moroccan wedding. It was truly the most incredible fusion of the bride’s Greek heritage and the groom’s Moroccan Israeli background, filled with so many personal touches that made the day truly one-of-a-kind.

In Maria’s words,

While the celebration was Orthodox and fully kosher, we added our own twist — instead of having a traditional Moroccan henna party before the wedding, we incorporated it into the celebration itself. The day beautifully blended Greek and Israeli customs and culture, creating the perfect event to symbolize the union of our two families and the new life we’re building together.

We’re also in love with the stunning ocean views at the couple’s venue, Island Resort Athens Riviera – and especially with their vibrant outdoor chuppah, packed with bright florals like peonies, ranunculus, hydrangeas, and roses. Husband and wife duo Sandy and Odysseas captured the day so perfectly in their luminous photography.

We’ll leave it to Maria – who looked so classically chic in her Jude Jowilson gown – to share the rest of the details of this very special day…