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A Reem Acra Bride for a Sophisticated Garden Interfaith Jewish Wedding at Annadel Estate Winery, California, USA

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Alexandra & Alec, Annadel Estate Winery, California, USA

Okay, HOW amazing is today’s chuppah?! Is it dreamy, or is it dreamy? For that matter, today’s entire floral scheme is pretty much #goals. Bay Area couple Alexandra, a manager of product operations, and Alec, a data scientist and product manager, have got seriously impeccable taste when it comes to flowers.

The pair’s whole vision for their day was “sophisticated dreamy garden,” and did they ever execute it to perfection! Even Alexandra’s stunning Reem Acra gown featured 3D floral embroidery. The incredible photos of the day from The De Jaureguis are truly unmissable – and how cool is it that Alexandra and Alec repurposed their chuppah after the ceremony by moving it to the dessert lounge and adding seating underneath?

As a counterpoint to all this floral splendor, we love that the duo chose an elegantly simple ketubah from the amazing Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Ketubah – with artist Stephanie’s exquisite hand calligraphy, you don’t need much else.

There’s so much more we could say about this incredible wedding, but we’ll leave it to Alexandra to fill you in on the rest…

Alexandra & Alec, Annadel Estate Winery, California, USA Alexandra & Alec, Annadel Estate Winery, California, USA Alexandra & Alec, Annadel Estate Winery, California, USA Alexandra & Alec, Annadel Estate Winery, California, USA
How we Met

Alexandra, the bride: We met on the dating app Hinge in 2017 in San Francisco. Our initial messages were standard, then I was struck at how communicative we continued to be even before meeting for our first date. We went to dinner and continued the night at a cocktail bar across the street, all the while talking and discovering more about one another. Most importantly, we realized we wanted to spend more and more time together, to share our families and celebrations, and to build a future together.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Fresh, Beachy Jewish Pandemic Wedding at Caesar Yam, Caesarea, Israel

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Tash-Nick-Caesar-Yam-Caesarea-Israel

Planning a wedding during COVID isn’t easy. You’ve got to be prepared to roll with the punches, make last-minute changes, and generally have a wedding that might look pretty different than the one you’d had your heart set on.

But even with all that, some of the Jewish weddings we’ve seen that have been most affected by the pandemic have also been among the most stunning – ever. Take the fabulous Israeli nuptials of Tash, who works for an online glasses company doing customer service, and Nick, who does marketing and events for a healthcare software provider. These two made aliyah in 2021, and while they wanted to celebrate in their new home, travel restrictions made it uncertain as to whether overseas loved ones would be able to make it.

And even though plenty of things didn’t quite go to plan – the couple went through several changes of venue before settling on the fabulous Caesar Yam; their guest list went from 200 to 65, and some friends and family joined in via livestream rather than in person – this day was nothing short of magnificent.

We’re in love with the beachy, nautical décor – and how gorgeous is that stunning white floral chuppah? – and for all the challenges leading up to the day, there was clearly so much joy and love. Don’t miss the incredible photos from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Herschel Gutman, who the couple report was a delight to work with, as always.

Now over to Tash…

Tash-Nick-Caesar-Yam-Caesarea-Israel Tash-Nick-Caesar-Yam-Caesarea-Israel Tash-Nick-Caesar-Yam-Caesarea-Israel Tash-Nick-Caesar-Yam-Caesarea-Israel
How we Met

Tash, the bride: We met on an app called J Crush in November 2014. Nick was on a year abroad in Paris as part of his degree with Aston University in Birmingham, and I was in my second year at University of Leeds. We spent the first year of our relationship meeting in either Paris, Leeds, Scotland (Nick’s hometown) and London (my hometown) so it was an adventure from the start.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Limor Rosen Bride for an Autumnal Bohemian Jewish Wedding at Aix La Chapelle Farm in Poolesville, Maryland

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Ally & Barry, Aix La Chapelle Farm in Poolesville, MD, USA

We can’t get enough of all the glorious personal touches Ally, an enrollment manager for SoCal Food Allergy Institute, and Barry, a commercial real estate agent, threw into their gorgeous Jewish farm wedding in Maryland.   

Incorporating friends and family into the ceremony was a priority for the pair, and we love what they came up with: for starters, Ally’s grandparents were part of the processional, and her grandmas were the “flower women” –  and it was such a hit that some of the groomsmen even took on the role of “flower men” and adorned the aisle with dried flower petals!

Israel is near and dear to Ally and Barry’s hearts – and Ally was able to not only buy her gown from a fabulous Israeli designer, she bought it at the flagship store in Tel Aviv on a work trip to Israel! Limor Rosen herself helped Ally pick out her dress – how special is that?!

The couple also opted to work with mega-talented Israeli ketubah artist and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Noa Attias to create their exquisite Love Ketubah. Ally and Barry wanted some cohesiveness to all the decor, invitations, and the ketubah, so they worked with Noa to have fonts the same as their wedding invitation on the ketubah!

There are so many more fabulous details of this special day – don’t miss the incredible photos from An Endless Pursuit and Strand of Light, and video from Shutter and Sound!

Ally & Barry, Aix La Chapelle Farm in Poolesville, MD, USA Ally & Barry, Aix La Chapelle Farm in Poolesville, MD, USA Ally & Barry, Aix La Chapelle Farm in Poolesville, MD, USA Ally & Barry, Aix La Chapelle Farm in Poolesville, MD, USA
How we Met

Ally, the bride: We met 7 years ago when Ally was working at Indiana University Hillel and Barry was working for Hasbara Fellowships, an Israel advocacy organization. He came to IU to lead a workshop with some of Ally’s students and the rest was history. We dated long distance for 2 and ½ years and eventually Ally moved to Los Angeles to be with Barry.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

An Enzoani Bride for a Nature Lovers’ Country Chic Jewish Wedding at Glynwood Farm, New York, USA

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Rachel & Mitch, Glynwood Farm, New York, USA

If getting married in the rain is good luck, then how much better to get married in a hurricane?! Yep, today’s couple, Rachel and Mitch, made it official at a gorgeous farm venue in New York’s Hudson Valley in the middle of Hurricane Henri.

Lots of couples would’ve been thrown by the dramatic weather, but – thanks largely to their fabulous team of vendors – Rachel and Mitch took it all in stride. As you’ll see if you scroll through the gorgeous photos from Golden Hour Studios, the day could not have been more perfect, dramatic weather or no!

Rachel and Mitch are huge nature lovers, and their aim for their country chic Jewish wedding was for “the whole wedding to feel like just grew out of the landscape,” with shades of green and white abounding.

The nature vibes extended to the couple’s beautiful custom ketubah, which they knew from the start needed to include trees. After much online searching, when Rachel found Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Tallulah Ketubahs, she knew she’d hit the jackpot. Rachel crafted the most exquisite arboreal ketubah – after getting to know Rachel and Mitch, their love story, and their vision – which now hangs proudly in the couple’s living room!

Now over to the bride, who looked radiant in Blue by Enzoani…

Rachel & Mitch, Glynwood Farm, New York, USA Rachel & Mitch, Glynwood Farm, New York, USA Rachel & Mitch, Glynwood Farm, New York, USA Rachel & Mitch, Glynwood Farm, New York, USA
How we Met

Mitch and I met on the dating app Hinge. Our first date was August 22, 2018 in Union Square Park and it was love at first sight! We fell in love that night and the rest was history. Mitch met my whole family a week later and we moved in together 2 months after that. Everyone thought we were crazy but we just knew we were meant to be together. We always knew we were going to get married on August 22, 2021 – 3 years to the day of our first date. Our anniversary!Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Robert Bullock Bride for a Homegrown Jewish Wedding at Crested Hen Farms, High Falls, New York, USA

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Sarah & Joshua, Crested Hen Farms, High Falls, New York, USA

We love it when a couple plans a Jewish wedding that’s thoroughly, completely them. Which is exactly what Sarah, a bioethicist for a non-profit advocating for dignity at the end of life, and Joshua, a patient care manager for a specialty pharmacy, did.

They involved friends and family in their day as much as possible, and even their venue, Crested Hen Farms, is located in New York’s Catskills, where the groom grew up. Lots of vendors came from the pair’s own circles: the couple found their photographer, Sloane Dakota, through a friend of a friend, and Joshua grew up with videographer Sam Falconi. It was important to Sarah and Joshua to have an egalitarian ceremony – each circled the other three times, and they did one circle together – and they had special people in their lives bless them with the Sheva Brachot.

We’re especially in love with Sarah and Joshua’s incredible hamsa ketubah, featuring gorgeous stained glass elements and sunset colors, which they worked to design alongside Britt Yudel of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor BritColors. In Sarah’s words, “Britt was so amazing in how she helped make our vision a reality. Our ketubah very much feels like our hearts living outside of our bodies in the form of original art.”

Now over to Sarah, who looked so elegant in her ivory crepe gown from designer Robert Bullock…

Sarah & Joshua, Crested Hen Farms, High Falls, New York, USA Sarah & Joshua, Crested Hen Farms, High Falls, New York, USA Sarah & Joshua, Crested Hen Farms, High Falls, New York, USA Sarah & Joshua, Crested Hen Farms, High Falls, New York, USA
How we Met

Sarah, the bride: We met in New York City at a synagogue named Romemu on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Joshua had been attending Romemu for years, since it was founded in 2006, and Sarah started attending after she moved to the city for graduate school in bioethics, in the fall of 2015. They were both in relationships at the time that Sarah started attending. One day that Fall, Sarah brought a friend from school to shabbat services on Friday night, who elbowed her and said, “Sarah, look at that guy…I want a partner like that.” Joshua doesn’t remember making eye-contact with Sarah, but she remembers it vividly. We didn’t meet until three years later.

We officially greeted each other in that same Friday-night shabbat space at Romemu in June of 2018, with a smile and a big hug. Most everyone else had left the space for the night, and Joshua was slowly packing up his things. Sarah was helping to tidy up in preparation for shabbat services the next morning. When she saw Joshua, they made eye contact again, and she introduced herself: “Hi, I’ve seen you around but I don’t think we’ve actually met. I’m Sarah. Shabbat shalom.” Joshua smiled, introduced himself, and gave her the biggest, warmest hug. 

From there, they slowly started to circle in each other’s orbit, joining community potluck meals and striking up a friendship. By the early spring of 2019, Joshua asked Sarah if she wanted to join him at an event by his favorite Israeli Rabbi, Reb Doniel Katz. But Sarah didn’t realize that Reb Katz’ event was a date… until Joshua again asked her to join him at a performance of Freestyle Love Supreme – an improv comedy rap performance led by Hamilton’s creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda – at 10pm on a Monday. They ended up going on fun dates for about a month — like going to the Morgan Museum and eating sushi at Kazu Nori (delicious, highly recommend when you are in Manhattan!) – before they shared their first kiss.

Joshua had always desired a partnership that was rooted in seeing what was possible to create in a relationship instead of what’s lacking. Sarah always yearned for a kindred spirit to share life with and grow old together, surrounded by family and community. Today, there remains an underlying resonance of the importance of Judaism to both Sarah and Joshua. Since the beginning, with Sarah’s “Shabbat Shalom,” everything that encompasses Shabbat and larger Jewish life cycle events creates an underlying foundation in their lives. Shabbat, for example, is an important pause from the working bustle of their life, arriving every week like the steady beat of a metronome.Continue ReadingContinue Reading