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A Nicole Milano Bride for an Outdoor Oasis Jewish Wedding at El Cortijo San Francisco, Spain

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Anouska & Ben, El Cortijo San Francisco, Spain

London couple Anouska and Ben always dreamed of getting married in Spain… and even though they ended up delaying their fabulous Jewish wedding a whopping 3 times due to Covid, they eventually pulled off one of the most stunning Spanish weddings we’ve EVER seen!

The couple’s venue, El Cortijo San Francisco, was nothing short of magical – don’t miss it in the effortlessly elegant photos by Nora and wonderful video from Michel Maraver.

And the bride herself looked ever so glam in her Nicole Milano dress, which she found at beloved Islington bridal boutique and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Mirror Mirror. Anouska loved working with the wonderful Mirror Mirror team just as much as she adored the luxurious materials and dazzling embroidery on her exquisite gown. She also went for a handmade veil by Mirror Mirror, bespoke to match her gown – and was it ever gorgeous!

Keeping the party vibes going strong was important to Anouska and Ben, and so when it came time to choose a band for they went for the best of the best, flying out Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Sensation Band from London. The 10-piece band got the party started – and kept it going into the early hours of the morning – and Anouska and Ben can’t stop raving about their powerful vocals and awesome range of music.

There’s lots more to say about this very special day, but we’ll let Anouska take it from here…

Anouska & Ben, El Cortijo San Francisco, Spain Anouska & Ben, El Cortijo San Francisco, Spain Anouska & Ben, El Cortijo San Francisco, Spain Anouska & Ben, El Cortijo San Francisco, Spain
How we Met

Anouska, the bride: We met when we were in our early teens as we were both from the same place in Hale, Cheshire just outside Manchester. We dated a little in our 20’s here and there in between other relationships but it was very casual. And then in our early 30’s a close friend of Anouska’s started working with Ben at his then company and one day Ben enquired to this friend how I was doing as we hadn’t spoken in a while. This friend told Ben to ask me himself and so he did and the rest is history! We live in London with our 22-month-old little girl Anya and dog Buddy.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Michal Motil Bride for an Intimate Destination Jewish Wedding at Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa, Elounda, Crete, Greece

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Dyana & Asaf, Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa, Elounda, Crete

Buckle your seatbelts and get ready for a trip to beautiful Crete, where Israeli couple Dyana, a private chef and entrepreneur, and Asaf, who works in tech, tied the knot with 33 of their nearest and dearest.

In addition to picking an absolute knockout of a location for their Jewish wedding, Dyana and Asaf also did the most amazing job crafting a one-of-a-kind day that was totally them. Though neither are religious, the pair wanted to incorporate Jewish customs into their civil ceremony in a way that felt authentic to who they are – and we adore how they handled the custom of the Seven Blessings.

Rather than go the traditional route, Dyana and Asaf opted to assign 7 loved ones each to create a blessing for the couple in their own words, inspired by the original. Needless to say, the honorees came up with some truly beautiful remarks, and Dyana and Asaf loved how personal these bespoke blessings made their ceremony!

Another wonderful personal touch was Dyana and Asaf’s hand painted ketubah by Rachelle of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Delicate Brush! The duo loved working with Rachelle, and can’t stop raving about how helpful she was in working with them to customize the text to be specific to their relationship – plus, obviously, the finished product is totally stunning! Don’t miss it in the photos from Alex Dobrovolsky.  

There’s so much more to say, but we’ll leave the rest to Dyana, who looked so boho chic in her dress by Israeli designer Michal Motil…

Dyana & Asaf, Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa, Elounda, Crete Dyana & Asaf, Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa, Elounda, Crete Dyana & Asaf, Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa, Elounda, Crete Dyana & Asaf, Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa, Elounda, Crete
How we Met

Dyana, the bride: Asaf and I met June 2015 on birthright. He was the Israeli soldier and I was the young American who just graduated college looking for a summer adventure. We met and pretty much the rest is history. Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Jasmine Bridal Bride for a Jewish Wedding with a View at The Venue at Greenbriar Estate, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA

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Madison-Jacob-The-Venue-at-Greenbrier-Estate-Gatlinburg-Tennessee

When you choose to get married in a spot with breathtaking natural scenery, it just makes sense to let your setting take the lead as you plan your day. That’s what Madison, who’s pursuing a PhD in social work at the University of Texas at Austin, and Jacob, who works for a tech startup, did in crafting their Jewish wedding at The Venue at Greenbrier Estate outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, overlooking the majestic Smoky Mountains National Park.

When planning their classically elegant day, they took their cues from the magic of the mountains that surrounded them, choosing a blue and green color palette and working with

Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Brit Colors to design a custom ketubah depicting a sun rising over the mountains – as a nod do their venue, and also a beautiful symbol of the beginning of their life together as husband and wife. The ketubah turned out, in Madison’s words, “more beautiful than anything we ever imagined” – don’t miss it in the wonderful photos from Mandy Hart!

We also love the emphasis Madison and Jacob put on involving their families in their day. They involved loved ones in their ceremony and rented two cabins across from the venue, where they stayed with their respective families prior to the wedding. Even their choice to marry amidst the Smokies was inspired by Jacob’s family’s deep connections to the national park.

This day was just packed with so much joy – read on for Madison’s recounting of the full wedding…

Madison-Jacob-The-Venue-at-Greenbrier-Estate-Gatlinburg-Tennessee Madison-Jacob-The-Venue-at-Greenbrier-Estate-Gatlinburg-Tennessee Madison-Jacob-The-Venue-at-Greenbrier-Estate-Gatlinburg-Tennessee Madison-Jacob-The-Venue-at-Greenbrier-Estate-Gatlinburg-Tennessee
How We Met

Madison, the bride: We met at The University of Alabama in our first year. After being friends for a year we started dating and have been together ever since!Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Loulette Bride for a Great Gatsby-Inspired Jewish Wedding at The Inn at Longshore, Connecticut, USA

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Jai-Ari-The-Inn-at-Longshore-Long-Island-Sound-USA

We love a literary Jewish wedding here at Team STG. And Jai and Ari’s Great Gatsby-themed celebration is one of the very best we’ve seen!

Jai, who works at Google as YouTube’s policy lead for violent extremism, and Ari, a healthcare consultant at a healthcare consulting firm, took the lead from their venue, The Inn at Longshore, a historic estate on the Long Island Sound. As lovers of American literature, the pair knew The Inn at Longshore was the spot for them when they found out historians believe F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel was likely inspired by the Fitzgeralds’ attendance at extravagant parties at the original Inn (then a private mansion).

From there, Jai and Ari opted to pick up on some Gatsby motifs, from vintage frames for black and white photographs of the couple’s loved ones that were with them in spirit, to a nine-piece band that kept the crowd on their feet, to a sparkler send off.

The couple’s attire was also inspired by Gatsby: Ari wore an ivory silk bow tie, and Jai’s custom gown and topper by Loulette Bride took inspiration from 1920s fashion. The groom, groomsmen, and dads wore tuxedos and kippot knit by the bride’s mother while the bridesmaids wore black, an untraditional but timeless and elegant choice. Everyone looked so chic – don’t miss it in the romantic photos by Nel Studios!

Now over to the bride…

Jai-Ari-The-Inn-at-Longshore-Long-Island-Sound-USA Jai-Ari-The-Inn-at-Longshore-Long-Island-Sound-USA Jai-Ari-The-Inn-at-Longshore-Long-Island-Sound-USA Jai-Ari-The-Inn-at-Longshore-Long-Island-Sound-USA
How we Met

Jai, the bride and Ari, the groom: They met in Washington, DC five years ago when Ari was working as a health care researcher and Jai was working at the Pentagon. Their first date was at a cute spot between their offices and their second date was every parent’s dream: Shabbat services at Sixth and I synagogue.

During the pandemic, the couple decided it was time for an adventure. They packed up and moved to Tel Aviv for a year, where they spent the weekdays working at startups and the weekends swimming in the Mediterranean. It was a dream! They relocated to New York City about a year ago and miss Tel Aviv every day.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Mirror Mirror Bride for an Enchanted Forest Jewish Wedding at Luton Hoo Walled Garden, Luton, UK

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Danielle-and-Jake-Luton-Hoo-Walled-Garden-UK

Get ready for a Jewish wedding FULL of emotion! Danielle, a midwife, and Jake, a vet, had the most special day in the verdant surroundings of Luton Hoo Walled Gardens, and it was as meaningful as it was gorgeous.

There were so many special touches to this day, but one of the best has to be Danielle’s wedding dress from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Mirror Mirror. Lots of brides make Mirror Mirror their first stop because of its fab service and selection, but this bride had an additional reason: Mirror Mirror was where Danielle’s mum had bought her own dress for her wedding to Danielle’s beloved stepfather, who tragically passed away before Danielle got married. Needless to say, Danielle adored her Mirror Mirror experience – and the wonderful Inbal Dror gown she found not only looked stunning, but also served as a special reminder of her stepdad on the big day.

One look at the moving photos by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Chloe Delmonte is all it takes to see what an emotion-filled day it was for all involved. In Danielle’s words, Chloe “was sensational and just when we thought her talents couldn’t get any better she kept outdoing herself. The entire morning I was getting ready she was my absolute rock!” Doesn’t get much better than that!

We’re also in love with the couple’s wedding videography by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Michael Pearl. Michael has quickly become a favorite among London-area Jewish couples, and it’s easy to see why looking at the results – plus, in the bride’s words, the man behind the camera is “extremely kind and lovely to work with,” and great at putting video-shy couples at ease.

 Read on for all the rest of the details in Danielle’s own words…


Danielle-and-Jake-Luton-Hoo-Walled-Garden-UK Danielle-and-Jake-Luton-Hoo-Walled-Garden-UK
How we Met

Danielle, the bride: We met at the University of Birmingham. I was living in Jewish accommodation, Hillel House, and Jake was living in the university kosher flats. Jake was friends with some of the same people I was friends with and so he would often come to Hillel House or we would see each other on a night out and it all blossomed from there.Continue ReadingContinue Reading