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A Chana Marelus Bride for a Destination Jewish Wedding Making Judaism Cool at Casa 1536, Cartagena, Colombia

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Today, we’re flying away to the picturesque Old City of Cartagena, Colombia! Americans Paula and Aaron knew they wanted a destination wedding, and since Paula’s mom is Colombian and she grew up spending time in the country, Cartagena, with its charming Spanish colonial style, was an obvious choice.

We love that Paula and Aaron’s goal for the big day was to “make Judaism cool” and show their guests just how awesome a Jewish wedding can be. They certainly set a stunning atmosphere, between their breathtaking floral chuppah and the hundreds of candles they had hanging from the ceiling in the ceremony room.

The couple’s chazzan, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Choni G, also had a lot to do with the magical atmosphere – Paula and Aaron can’t stop raving about his wonderful performance throughout the celebration, from Havdalah to the badeken to the chuppah to the hora, and finally bentching.

To cap things off, Paula and Aaron paraded through the Old City following the ceremony – don’t miss the incredible imagery from Las fotos de Vale!

Now over to Paula, who looked so elegant in her gown by Israeli designer Chana Marelus...

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How We Met

Paula, the bride: It’s interesting – our paths crossed many times, but it was never the right time until Hashem said it was the right time. We both went to University of Florida and had many mutual friends. We both separately moved to Washington, DC (I moved for a job in tech consulting and Aaron moved for law school) and my roommate at the time knew Aaron and invited him over for a party they were having. They had a great conversation and most importantly, Aaron hit it off with Milo (my dog). Aaron eventually asked me out on a date and we started dating. After dating for 3 years, we embarked on our religious journey and became religious together. This culminated in our wedding in June 2023.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Julie Vino Bride for an Elegantly Ethereal Jewish Wedding Featuring a Sunset Chuppah at The Trask, Tel Aviv, Israel

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There’s nothing like a Jewish wedding on the water, and Adina and Maurice’s is truly something special. Adina, who made aliyah from Canada, and Maurice, who hails from England, found their dream venue in Tel Aviv’s The Trask, which they loved for its urban chic vibe with breathtaking views and a beachy twist – not to mention the opportunity to have an outdoor chuppah on the rooftop!

Drawing from their different backgrounds, Adina and Maurice’s wedding was a reflection of their shared values, traditions, and love for the fun, vibrant lifestyle they’ve adopted since coming to Israel. Featuring a sunset chuppah and fun personal touches like a custom Mad Libs game telling the couple’s story, this was a truly special day.

The couple’s photographer, the incredibly talented Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Jossef Si, captured all the love and emotion of the day exquisitely. In Adina’s words,

Jossef has a unique gift for not only taking photos but truly capturing emotions. Every image felt alive, reflecting the joy, love, and magic of the day. His meticulous attention to detail, creative vision, and ability to catch candid, heartfelt moments left us deeply impressed and grateful for his work.

Now over to the bride, who looked radiant in her gown by Julie Vino…

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Adina, the bride: We met during Starguest’s luxury Passover program in Engelberg, Switzerland. My family joined their ski program in the Alps for the holiday, and needless to say, we became “that program couple.” Although we brushed past each other at first, by the second night seder, sparks flew.

Our first interaction happened when I asked Maurice for a caffeinated tea to get me through the evening. He flustered to present the full selection. Despite his busy schedule, Maurice always carved out time for me. Our first dates included snowy walks through the village, mountain hikes, and cozy after-hours dinner dates in the ballroom. Those magical moments set the foundation for our love story. Continue ReadingContinue Reading

An Eisen Stein Bride for a Boho-Chic Jewish Wedding at Kahi Resort, Israel

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Some weddings just radiate magic, and Shira and Yoav’s stunning bohemian-chic celebration at Israel’s breathtaking Kahi Resort was exactly that! The couple created a deeply personal, unforgettable day, filled with heartfelt touches and dreamy aesthetics that perfectly matched the Maldives-inspired venue.

Shira, who works for baby stroller company Doona, and Yoav, who runs a cyber security company, knew they wanted a wedding that felt meaningful, stylish, and full of love. Enter Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Vanessa Ohayon, their incredible wedding planner, who – in Shira’s words,

was the cherry on the cake, and the entire cake itself! She helped with everything you could think of, she provided emotional support and spiritual guidance, giving the entire planning process and the day itself meaning.

And let’s talk about the photography! The couple chose Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Tzahi Shemesh, whose warm and natural approach made them feel at ease right away. From their first meeting, they knew he was the perfect person to capture their love story.

This wedding is a true boho-chic dream, filled with meaningful moments, stunning design, and a whole lot of love. Keep reading to see every breathtaking detail!

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How We Met

Shira, the bride: Shira’s boss, Tal, is best friends with Yoav. One day, Tal asked Shira how she’d feel about being set up with his best friend. Believing in always giving things a chance, she said yes. She sent Tal pictures of herself, and her Facebook. Within two hours, Yoav Facebook messaged her, and the rest as they say… is history.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Berta Bride for a Purim Masquerade Ball Jewish Wedding at The Colosseum, Tel Aviv, Israel

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How cool is Kaya and Dean’s Purim masquerade ball Jewish wedding?! This Israeli couple knew they wanted to do something different for their big day – something more like a party than a formal wedding – and we are in love with the concept they came up with!

Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor LBI Productions, helped them pull together the day of their dreams, filled with lots of red velvet, bold patterns, massive chandeliers, masks (for the bride and groom and all of the guests), capes, and feathers. Don’t miss the exquisite images by PEOPLE PHOTOGRAPHY. We’re also obsessed with Kaya’s uber-glam gown by beloved Israeli designer Berta.

Tragically, Kaya and Dean’s wedding day encompassed the beauty and sorrow that are flipsides of life in Israel: on the way to the wedding, three of Dean’s friends were injured in a terrorist attack just a few streets away from the venue, and one of them passed away two weeks later. The couple’s loved ones opted to hide the news from them until the morning after the wedding so they could fully enjoy their big day, and the horrific news made all the love and joy of the wedding all the more poignant.

Kaya beautifully recounts the rollercoaster of emotion she and Dean experienced as the happiest day of their lives came up against the horrific reality Israelis live with – do read on for her moving words…

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Kaya, the bride: We met through mutual friends. For a long time, there were various people who tried to introduce us, but we weren’t available at the time. Eventually, my best friend’s husband made the connection between us. My husband works in real estate entrepreneurship, and I work in marketing, creative, and production. Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Martina Liana Bride for a Stress-Free and Fun Jewish Wedding on the Beach at Aziza, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

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When Ashley, a naturopath, and Kyle, who works in finance, set out to plan their Jewish destination wedding in Turks and Caicos, they had one goal: to make sure the wedding was stress-free and fun, for them and for all their guests.

Take a scroll through the joyous photos by Ileana Ravasio and we’re pretty sure you’ll agree the day was a smashing success for all involved! Featuring a ceremony on the beach followed by a reception at Aziza, a beautiful driftwood chuppah, and a wonderful, colorful ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor ketubah.com, it looks like everyone was having a blast from start to finish.

And then there’s the couple’s unforgettable wedding singer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Choni G. In Ashley’s words,

His singing was so moving and spiritual–we felt like we could stay under the chuppah forever. I don’t think there was one dry eye around us.

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

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How We Met

Ashley, the bride: We grew up 5 minutes away from each other in Montreal but we actually met in Sorrento, Italy. Kyle was travelling with some friends that I grew up with. I heard they were in Italy at the same time as me and messaged them to meet up. We met there and then again 3 weeks later when we both happened to be in Israel. We went back to Montreal and the rest was history!Continue ReadingContinue Reading