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A Badgley Mischka Bride for a Magical Garden Jewish Wedding Weekend at Borgo Stomennano, Monteriggioni, Italy

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Anya & Kevin, Borgo Stomennano, Monteriggioni, Italy

We love it when a couple plans a Jewish wedding that’s totally, 100% them – and that’s exactly what Anya and Kevin did in creating their swoonworthy three-day wedding weekend celebration in Italy.

The Charlottesville, VA-based couple found the perfect spot to bring their loved ones together for three days of music, food, wine, yoga, and, of course, lots of Jewish joy in Borgo Stomennano, where their magical garden dreams came to life.

Anya and Kevin opted to work with Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Primavera Dreams to plan the festivities, and were thrilled at the way founder Luba helped them source fabulous local vendors and incorporate personal details. In Anya’s words, “Having a wedding planner was extremely helpful and took away so much stress. We are so glad that we worked with Luba. No matter how well you plan, something will always go wrong and it will never be what you think.”

The couple’s  photographers, Studio AQUA, captured the whole day so beautifully – so do scroll down for more gorgeousness, plus all the details in Anya’s own words…

Anya & Kevin, Borgo Stomennano, Monteriggioni, ItalyAnya & Kevin, Borgo Stomennano, Monteriggioni, Italy Anya & Kevin, Borgo Stomennano, Monteriggioni, ItalyAnya & Kevin, Borgo Stomennano, Monteriggioni, Italy
How We Met

Anya and Kevin were 12 years old when they first met on the tennis court in Manalapan, New Jersey. But their love story didn’t exactly start then. They went their separate paths for many years. After college, Kevin stayed in Charlottesville, VA, while Anya lived in Brooklyn, NY. Kevin found passion in entrepreneurship and music, and Anya in yoga and wellness.

On Christmas Day in 2018, their paths reconnected. Over hours of deep conversation, their connection was undeniable. Kevin asked Anya on a first date during a business trip to New York, and soon after, they spent their first unforgettable weekend together in Charlottesville.

Over the course of 9 months, many flights between the two cities, and a couple getaways to Hawaii and Mexico, their relationship blossomed. The values that they found in each other were exactly what they were looking for in a partner and in life. It was an easy decision for Anya to move down to Virginia in June of 2020. Kevin, Anya, and their Bernese Mountain dog, Alby, together have created a home and community in Charlottesville unlike any other.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Magical Garden Jewish Wedding at Habustan, Abu Gosh, Israel

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Ariella & Ryan, Habustan, Abu Gosh, Israel

Gorgeous venue alert! Israeli couple Ariella, an account manager in digital marketing, and Ryan, a product manager at a high-tech startup, fell in love with their venue, Habustan, the minute they set eyes on it – and we’re pretty sure we’re having the same experience right now!

The couple couldn’t get enough of the magical garden vibes, and they knew they wanted to keep the focus for their big day on the venue’s natural splendor, with fairy lights, trees, and flowers galore. Their photographer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Herschel Gutman, captured the understated yet elegant feel of the day so perfectly – in addition to making Ariella and Ryan and their guests feel comfortable and calm as he captured the most phenomenal moments.

One special touch we love: when it came time for the sheva brachot, Ariella and Ryan picked seven VIPs to give one bracha each, and they gave their MC a small script to introduce each person, thanking them for the way they touched the couple’s lives.

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

Ariella & Ryan, Habustan, Abu Gosh, Israel Ariella & Ryan, Habustan, Abu Gosh, Israel Ariella & Ryan, Habustan, Abu Gosh, IsraelAriella & Ryan, Habustan, Abu Gosh, Israel
How We Met

Ariella, the bride: . We met through a mutual connection, who knew Ryan well and got my name and info from a friend of his who found out that I had recently made Aliyah. We went on our first date only three weeks after I landed in Israel and the rest is history!Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Laid-Back, Gluten-Free Pizza Party Jewish Wedding Full of Personal Touches at Bait B’Guy, Israel

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Jazzie-Moshe-Bait-BGuy-Israel

We’re obsessed with the fact that Jazzie and Moshe’s vision for their Israeli Jewish wedding was “a massive pizza party with our nearest and dearest!” How fun does that sound?!

In keeping with their theme, Jazzie and Moshe kept things low-key and casual, with lots of involvement from family and friends. One of the most special touches: Jazzie’s grandparents served as flower girl and boy!

We also love that Jazzie upcycled her mother’s wedding dress for her bridal look – she had the lace of the gown turned into a top and had a skirt custom made by a local seamstress, and then when it came time for dancing she switched into a pair of fun bridal shorts!

Jazzie wanted to work with as many local female businesses as possible, and one of those was beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Delicate Brush, who designed the couple’s stunning eucalyptus ketubah – don’t miss it in the wonderful photos by Sabres!

And we can’t go without mentioning the food: you see, this wasn’t just any pizza party, but a 100% gluten-free one! In addition to artisan pizzas, the menu featured lasagna, salads, bruschetta, hummus, and ice cream, and the couple got compliments on the fab menu for weeks afterward, with most guests not even realizing it was all gluten-free!

Now over to the bride…

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How We Met

Jazzie, the bride and Moshe, the groom: It would be great if we could say we met, fell in love, and the rest is history- but the story doesn’t quite go like that. In the spring of 2021, amidst a global pandemic and a lot of uncertainty our very good mutual friends moved into the apartment next door to Jazzie. Who helped them move in? Well, Moshe of course.

Fast forward a few months and the 4 of us had become like family. We began to spend most Shabbat meals together and spent nearly every Saturday night watching movies, cooking, and playing games. Eventually, we began to also go out just the two of us (Jazzie thought they were dates, apparently Moshe did not.)

After many months of “dating not dating” Jazzie finally decided to just come out and ask Moshe what the heck was going on between them- and that is when we finally decided to stop fighting it and start dating. A year later Moshe asked Jazzie to marry him in one of her favorite places on earth and now the rest really is history.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Nathalie Ethedgui Bride for a Magical Jewish Wedding at Villa Maiano Full of Tuscan Charm, Florence, Italy

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Jonathan-Salome-Villa-di-Maiano-Italy

Ah, Tuscany – there’s really no place like it. The rolling hills, the sunlight, the food – it’s no wonder Salome, a stylist, and Jonathan, who has his own digital marketing business, chose Florence’s Villa di Maiano for their Jewish wedding.

The whole day positively exudes Tuscan charm from start to finish and we’re obsessed with all the gorgeous details, from the outdoor chuppah to the fabulous florals (don’t miss the epic floral chuppah!) and tablescapes.

The whole day was captured so perfectly by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Colle Photo. Every shot looks like it could’ve come straight out of a glossy magazine, and needless to say Salome and Jonathan are thrilled with the results.

Now over to the bride, who looked so elegant in her made to measure dress by Parisian designer Nathalie Ethedgui…

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How We Met

Salome, the bride: We met on a dating app called “Jswipe.”

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A Dana Harel Bride for an Enchanted Boho Beach Jewish Wedding at Al Hayam, Caesarea, Israel

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Amy-Dan-Al-Hayam-Cesarea-Israel

You’ll never believe the wild story behind this absolute stunner of a Jewish wedding! Amy, a social media manager (and the daughter of beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Toastmaster Jango!), and Dan, a freelance marketing consultant, had the most gorgeous Israeli Jewish wedding at Caesarea’s Al Hayam  – but until two days prior, they were actually planning on marrying at a totally different venue in the south of Israel!

A security situation in the south meant they had to change things around at the very last minute – but luckily they had an amazing planner, Yana from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Craspedia Events, on hand to save the day. In the span of 48 hours, Yana secured Al Hayam for the couple – and they ended up loving it even more than their original choice. Have a scroll through the exquisite photos by Your Story Wedd and you’ll see why!

Understandably, the couple can’t stop raving about Yana. In Amy’s words, “She really understood my vision, she is so knowledgeable about the industry and is just the best person ever! She is so calming and really is there to help and guide you through the process. I can’t recommend her enough!”

Now over to Amy, who looked simply sublime in her gown by Israeli designer Dana Harel Design…

Amy-Dan-Al-Hayam-Cesarea-Israel Amy-Dan-Al-Hayam-Cesarea-IsraelAmy-Dan-Al-Hayam-Cesarea-IsraelAmy-Dan-Al-Hayam-Cesarea-Israel
How We Met

Amy, the bride: We met at a mutual friend’s birthday in London. Dan was already living in Israel at the time and I was actually planning on moving to Tel Aviv later that year. We kept in touch and then I moved nine months later and the rest is history!

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