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An Elbeth Gillis Bride for a Modern and Sophisticated Jewish Wedding at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London, UK

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Cool chuppah alert! London couple Tamara, who works in marketing, and Reuben, a broker, opted to skip out on flowers (partly to avoid aggravating the bride’s hay fever), and did they ever find the perfect way to craft a standout chuppah, no blooms required.

Letting their venue, the stunning St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, set the tone, Tamara and Reuben opted for a simple, elegant Perspex chuppah, covered with Reuben’s grandfather’s tallit. It was the absolute perfect complement to the Art Deco-style ballroom where the wedding took place – as was the couple’s choice of black linen and Perspex candelabras for the tables at the reception.

Music was a top priority for Tamara and Reuben, and they found the perfect fit in the amazing Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Sensation Band, who handled both production and live music throughout the night, with Guy Barzily who blew everyone away with his chuppah singing and simcha set. The duo wanted a mix of 80s, 90s, and soul for the dancing sets, and Sensation delivered that and so much more.

The couple’s photographer, the incredibly talented David Pullum, captured everything flawlessly – and Tamara and Reuben report that he was an absolute dream to work with throughout the day.

Now over to Tamara, who looked so chicly elegant in her Elbeth Gillis dress…

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How We Met

Tamara, the bride: We had mutual friends and our paths had crossed in our teenage years but we “officially” met on JSwipe nearly 8 years ago.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

An Anne Barge Bride for an Elegant Jewish Wedding Featuring Tradition with a Twist at Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USA

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Yael and Josh, Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USA

We love it when a couple puts their own spin on their Jewish wedding ceremony – which is exactly what Yael, an enterprise relationship manager at LinkedIn, and Josh, a vice president at Alphasights, did when planning their big day at Temple Emanu-El in Closter, New Jersey.

The couple’s Judaism was central to their day, and we adore the way they put their own spin on classic traditions. Working with their rabbi, Yael and Josh crafted a bespoke ceremony that was totally them – including circling each other 3.5 times each, having women involved in the ketubah reading and Sheva Brachot, and having Yael say a statement of betrothal to Josh.

Amy Sims Photography captured the day so beautifully, and the couple’s videographer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kiss the Bride Films, caught all the love, emotion, and energy of the day in their unmissable trailer.

This wedding was full of so many special touches – from an ice sculpture shot tower to a 45-minute hora set to Yael’s ultra-elegant Anne Barge gown purchased at Kleinfeld – but we’ll turn you over to the bride for the rest of the details…

Yael and Josh, Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USAYael and Josh, Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USA Yael and Josh, Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USA Yael and Josh, Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USA
How We Met

Yael, the bride: The short answer is Hinge. The longer answer is that Yael saw Josh on Hinge and noticed he went to Vanderbilt, where her best friend Hannah went. Figuring Jews at Vanderbilt must know each other, Yael sent a screenshot of Josh’s profile to Hannah, who gave Yael a thumbs up and said “he’s one of the good guys.” We both work in Account Management.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Multicultural Nigerian-Jewish Wedding at LJS and Dyrham Park, UK

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We love it when a couple crafts a one-of-a-kind wedding that truly reflects both of their backgrounds and the life they’ve built together – which is exactly what London couple Emma, an investment analyst in finance, and Justin, who works as a senior manager in digital marketing, did.

Emma and Justin’s shared Jewish faith plays a central role in shaping the way they live, so it was only natural for them to choose to hold the religious part of their wedding at their beloved shul,  LJS in St. John’s Wood.

The next part of their day was focused on celebrating Emma’s Nigerian heritage: after the chuppah, everyone moved on to the reception and vibrant Nigerian cultural ceremony at Dyrham Park, a beautiful country house and golf club located in Hertfordshire. The Igbo-Arochukwu cultural wedding featured a wine carrying ceremony, a symbolic moment where the bride carries wine from her father to present to her groom, followed by the blessing of the marriage. The evening also included performances from Ekombi dancers, paying tribute to Emma’s maternal Oron-Nigerian heritage. Helen Weir captured the day so beautifully from start to finish – don’t miss her exquisite imagery!

Now over to Emma…

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How We Met

Emma, the bride and Justin, the groom: We met towards the end of the Covid lockdowns, as restrictions began to ease in late 2021, through the dating app Hinge. Our first date was at the Patch Bar near Moorgate, where we ended up trying karaoke and exploring central London. The rest, as they say, is history! Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Mia Pava Bride for a Joyous Jewish Wedding at Olmaya, Jerusalem, Israel

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Jerusalem is such a special place to get married – Tamar and Noam’s big day at Olmaya, featuring a stunning outdoor chuppah with majestic views of the Old City, is really something else.

This was such an iconically only-in-Israel wedding, and we are all about it. Tamar and Noam chose Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Tzahi Shemesh to photograph their day, and they couldn’t have been any more thrilled with the results – take a scroll through his incredible, heartfelt images and you’ll see why. Plus, the couple can’t stop raving about how much they loved working with him, and how comfortable and fun he made their wedding day photos!

Tamar chose the most gorgeous gown by Israeli designer Mia Pava, and we can’t get enough of her beautiful, whimsical bridal style.

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


How We Met

Tamar, the bride: We met in eighth grade when Noam moved to Philadelphia!Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Lazaro Bride for an Interfaith Jewish-Catholic Wedding at Castello di Meleto, Tuscany, Italy

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Danielle and Greg, Castello di Meleto in Gaiole, Chianti,Tuscany, Italy

We love a Tuscan wedding – and today’s is really something special. New Yorkers Danielle, a manager at a boutique management consulting firm, and Greg, the COO and CCO at a hedge fund, are passionate travelers and dreamed of a wedding surrounded by rolling vineyards and world-class wines.

It’s no easy feat to plan a wedding from thousands of miles away, and the couple turned to Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Tuscan Wedding to help make the day of their dreams a reality. In Danielle’s words:

The Tuscan Wedding team truly exceeded all expectations. Daniela and Katia were our main planners, and their combined expertise, creativity, and connections brought our vision to life. Daniela’s industry knowledge and relationships paired perfectly with Katia’s fresh ideas and unwavering support. They truly listened to what we wanted and turned it into reality. Thoughtful, kind, and full of great energy, they struck the perfect balance between offering guidance and letting us shape our dream wedding. By the end of it all, they felt more like lifelong friends than just our planners.

Danielle and Greg themed their day around The Tuscan beauty surrounding them, showcasing the bold colors and stunning natural landscape. They incorporated lots of local color with details like an espresso bar after dinner and a surprise appearance by an opera singer during dinner. Their gorgeous ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor ketubah.com was chosen to beautifully complement the wedding’s color scheme. Don’t miss all the special details in the stunning photos and video by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio!

Read on for the full story in Danielle’s own words…

Danielle and Greg, Castello di Meleto in Gaiole, Chianti,Tuscany, ItalyDanielle and Greg, Castello di Meleto in Gaiole, Chianti,Tuscany, Italy Danielle and Greg, Castello di Meleto in Gaiole, Chianti,Tuscany, ItalyDanielle and Greg, Castello di Meleto in Gaiole, Chianti,Tuscany, Italy
How We Met

Danielle, the bride: We first met in January 2020 at Perry Street, a restaurant in the West Village, during Restaurant Week in Manhattan. Our mutual friends had organized a big dinner to take advantage of the great deals at some of the city’s best spots. After dinner, we spent the night bar-hopping through the West Village, talking, laughing, and getting to know each other. That night, we both started to feel like there was something worth exploring. A few weeks later, Greg asked Danielle on their first date—a New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden. Sitting in the stands, caught up in the energy of the game, it became clear that this had the potential to turn into something special.Continue ReadingContinue Reading