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A Rosa Clará a Greek-Jewish Wedding at Bury Court Barn, Farnham, Surrey, UK

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Esmé and Luke, Bury Court Barn, Farnham, Surrey, UK

We love an English countryside wedding, and Esmé and Luke’s is really something special. Bury Court Barn in Surrey provided the most charming venue for the couple’s fabulous Greek-Jewish wedding, complete with a gorgeous spot for an outdoor chuppah; overnight accommodations for family and friends; and even an in-house florist, Arboretum, that created natural florals that melded perfectly with the surroundings. Don’t miss it in the beautiful documentary-style photography by Richard Galloway.  

We also love the way Esmé and Luke combined their Jewish and Greek backgrounds for a one-of-a-kind celebration. The pair opted for a bespoke Jewish ceremony under a chuppah, making sure it was fully inclusive for those who had never been to a Jewish wedding before. Their rabbi explained each element of the ceremony so that everyone could be involved and understand what was happening at each point. Then, after the ceremony and yichud, Esmé and Luke kicked off the reception with a hora – and ended the night with Greek Zorba dancing!

Now over to Esmé, who’ll fill you in on all the rest…

Esmé and Luke, Bury Court Barn, Farnham, Surrey, UK Esmé and Luke, Bury Court Barn, Farnham, Surrey, UK Esmé and Luke, Bury Court Barn, Farnham, Surrey, UK Esmé and Luke, Bury Court Barn, Farnham, Surrey, UK

How We Met

Esmé, the bride: We met over Hinge. Esmé works in the arts and Luke is in technology, so with (very different) but busy schedules it took us a while to meet in person!

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

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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

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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 Mira Zwillinger Bride for a Rustically Elegant Jewish Wedding at Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm, Santa Barbara, California, USA

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Laura and Danny, Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm, Santa Barbara, California, USA

Talk about a Jewish wedding with a view – we’re totally and completely obsessed with Laura and Danny’s dreamy day at Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm in Santa Barbara! With an outdoor chuppah on a meadowed bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, a reception in the farm’s stunning glass greenhouse, and tons of greenery and wildflowers all around, this was one gorgeous celebration.

Laura and Danny made the wise decision to let the beauty of their location take the lead, opting for a natural and understated aesthetic featuring shades of wheat, beige and nude hues coupled with greens, as well as organic design elements like natural colored linens and textiles, exposed wood, burnished metal, and ceramic. Elena Berlo of Smashing The Glass Recommended vendor Once Upon a Paper designed the couple’s custom ketubah, translating our vision into a truly beautiful and meaningful piece.Don’t miss it all in the wonderful photos by Tara Johansen and video by Thomas Tikos-Kadji.

Now over to Laura, who looked so elegant in her gown by beloved Israeli designer Mira Zwillinger…

 

Laura and Danny, Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm, Santa Barbara, California, USA Laura and Danny, Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm, Santa Barbara, California, USA Laura and Danny, Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm, Santa Barbara, California, USA Laura and Danny, Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm, Santa Barbara, California, USA

How We Met

Laura, the bride: Danny and I were set up through a mutual friend. Our first date was at a bar in Los Angeles, CA and what was supposed to be just drinks turned into dinner and over three hours of talking and laughing. We had an instant connection and both shared a love for Documentary films. Once the physical date ended, we continued texting for another four hours that evening.

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A Studio Myra Bride for a Second Time Around Friday Morning Jewish Wedding at Psagot Winery, Sha’ar Binyamin, Israel

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Noa and Laurence, Psagot Winery, Sha'ar Binyamin, Israel

We love that Israeli couple Noa, an ER nurse and the regional director of the Terem chain of emergency clinics, and Laurence, the VP of technical operations for a fintech company, made their Jewish wedding ultra-personal. In Noa’s words, “As an older and second-time couple, we felt very free to set aside all the traditions with which we didn’t connect. We kept our guest list small and intimate, and made sure the people that mattered most to us were involved.”

This included getting married on a Friday morning, involving family and friends in the wedding (especially the couple’s children), and planning the big day in under 6 weeks. Since the winter wedding fell on the shortest Friday of the year, the duo wanted to help their guests out with Shabbat preparations, so as favors they gave each guest a bouquet of Shabbat flowers (that matched Noa’s bouquet) and a fresh challah to take home – how nice is that?!

When it came time to choose the perfect photographer to capture their big day, there was no question that it would be anyone but Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Herschel Gutman. In Noa’s words, Herschel “was the only vendor that I was dead set on. Thankfully he was available, even with our short engagement, and his busy schedule. Our pictures came out incredible! We are so thrilled with our choice of Herschel. He had such a calm vibe and didn’t miss a shot – he was always exactly where he needed to be.”

Read on for the rest of the story in the bride’s own words…

Noa and Laurence, Psagot Winery, Sha'ar Binyamin, IsraelNoa and Laurence, Psagot Winery, Sha'ar Binyamin, IsraelNoa and Laurence, Psagot Winery, Sha'ar Binyamin, Israel

How We Met

Noa, the bride: We met nearly 3 years ago at the backyard pool party of a friend. I immediately noticed Laurence as he was the only person to show up in a button down shirt to a pool party!

That, and I noticed immediately that Laurence was an incredible listener, which made me really want to talk to him. Initially we were just friends, but about 6 weeks later I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

One of our first dates was a movie, then an MRI at midnight! The technicians were unable to remove one of my ear piercings and Laurence ended up using his teeth! We were able to make jokes and laugh.

You’re always told to choose a partner who can handle the hard things in life with you – for us, that’s how our relationship started. Navigating a new relationship while dealing with a devastating illness, including chemotherapy and multiple surgeries, was not easy.

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