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Highlights of 2025: Emily and Max’s Elegant Jewish Wedding at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, NYC, New York, USA

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Emily and Max, The Lighthouse, NYC, USA

As we continue our journey through just a few of the stunning Jewish weddings we’ve featured over the past twelve months, we’re heading to NYC, where Emily and Max made things official at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers. 

Featuring a color palette of warm, summery sunset colors, a stunner of a floral chuppah, and a gorgeous laser-cut ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubah.com, this wedding was something special. Photographer Joseph Lin portrayed the day in his signature easygoing style, and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kiss The Bride Films captured all the joy and magic of this wonderful wedding on video.

We also love all the personal details Emily and Max worked in to make their day one-of-a-kind – from luggage tag escort cards embossed with the New York City skyline and the couple’s names and wedding date to fun welcome bags stuffed with some of the duo’s local favorites.

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An Essense of Australia Bride for a Jewish Wedding at Independence Grove, Chicago, USA

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Julia and Richard, Independence Grove, Chicago, USA

We love an outdoor chuppah – and Julia and Richard’s was really something special. Chicago couple Julia, who works with hospitals to improve maternal health outcomes, and Richard, a construction litigation lawyer, dreamed of an outdoor wedding that felt natural, warm, and close to home, and Independence Grove — a forest preserve and event space just outside the city — was the perfect match.

Keeping things simple to honor the natural beauty of their surroundings, the couple went for a birch chuppah covered with the most incredibly special handmade canopy needlepointed by Richard’s mom. Don’t miss it in the beautiful photos by Henington Studios.

Equally special was the duo’s ketubah, which Julia calls “a complete dream.” She and Richard worked with Elena Berlo of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Once Upon a Paper to create a bespoke design that felt uniquely them, blending Julia’s love of nature with Richard’s love of music. Elena surprised the couple by adding singing birds to the willow tree on the ketubah, and the final result is absolutely gorgeous.

Now over to Julia, who looked radiant in her elegant gown by Essense of Australia…

Julia and Richard, Independence Grove, Chicago, USAJulia and Richard, Independence Grove, Chicago, USA Julia and Richard, Independence Grove, Chicago, USA Julia and Richard, Independence Grove, Chicago, USA

How We Met

Julia, the bride: Our story began long before we ever met. I first met Richard’s sister back in 2008, when we were both part of a year-long volunteer program in Israel. Despite that connection — and the fact that we grew up near each other, studied the same subject at neighboring New England colleges, and somehow shared overlapping social circles — our paths never crossed.

Fast forward to 2019, when we finally met at a Shabbat dinner in Chicago hosted by Richard’s sister. During the pandemic, we’d occasionally see each other at outdoor gatherings and became friendly, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2021 that we realized there was a spark. A few dates in, we both knew this was something special. Two years to the day after our first date, we were under the chuppah.

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Highlights of 2025: Courtney and Jason’s Super Stylish Jewish Wedding at 1 Hotel South Beach, Florida, USA

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Courtney & Jason, 1 Hotel, Miami, Florida, USA

As we continue our journey through just a few of the  stunning Jewish weddings we’ve featured over the past twelve months, we’re touching down in sunny South Florida, where Courtney, an NYC and FL-based fashion and wardrobe stylist with a focus on bridal styling, and Jason, a real estate broker, celebrated their exquisitely stylish nuptials. 

Courtney curated the day impeccably, and every element reflected her taste and creative vision – from the modern, refined surroundings of their venue, the 1 Hotel in South Beach, to Courtney’s stunner of a gown by by beloved Israeli designer and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Galia Lahav, to the clean, contemporary chuppah, set against the backdrop of the ocean and surrounded by lush white blooms from the ground up for a one-of-a-kind aesthetic – don’t miss it in the wonderful photos by PS Photography and trailer by Senderey.

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Highlights of 2025: Emily and Louis’s Elegant Jewish Wedding at the Corinthia, London, UK

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Emily and Louis, Corinthia, London, UK

 We’ve been lucky to be able to feature so many stunning Jewish weddings over the past twelve months, and it’s been an honor to publish each and every one of them.  As we approach the end of the year, we want to take this opportunity to share some of the highlights of our 2025 here on STG.

To start things off, it was only natural to pick a wedding that took place in STG’s hometown of London, UK, and we’re still totally and completely obsessed with Emily and Louis’s timelessly romantic Jewish wedding at the Corinthia. Featuring impeccable planning by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Elegante by Michelle J, elegant stationery featuring a bespoke illustration by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Dimitria Jordan, iconic images from James Mason, and the chicest gown by Suzanne Neville, this wedding absolutely encapsulates London glam. 

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A Caroline Castigliano Bride for an Elegantly Romantic Summer Jewish Wedding at The Queens Hotel, Leeds, UK

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Sophie and Joe, The Queens Hotel, Leeds, UK

Get ready for a seriously joyous Jewish wedding! Sophie, a nail technician, and Joe, a chartered surveyor, had the most wonderful celebration at The Queens Hotel in the bride’s hometown of Leeds.

The couple’s vision for their big day was romantic elegance with a modern, summery twist – and tons of personality and warmth. We love their Perspex chuppah, adorned with soft florals in shades of pink, white, and peach, and how special is it that Sophie’s 91-year-old grandpa read the couple’s ketubah aloud?

Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor XS Showband brought the party to life in their inimitable signature style, and Guy Barzily’s incredible voice sounded all the right notes during the chuppah and the Israeli dancing – in Sophie’s words,

From start to finish, XS Showband were phenomenal, the energy was electric, and the dance floor was never empty, even during dinner and benching!

We were thrilled to hear that the couple found their photographer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kate Swerdlow, right here on Smashing the Glass. As Sophie says,

Her photography style is so natural and full of emotion, and she was absolutely perfect for us. From our very first meeting, we knew she would capture our day beautifully, and she did just that. Kate caught every angle, every moment, and every emotion, creating the most stunning gallery that allows us to relive our wedding day over and over again.

Read on for all the details from Sophie – who looked simply smashing in her Caroline Castigliano gown…

Sophie and Joe, The Queens Hotel, Leeds, UKSophie and Joe, The Queens Hotel, Leeds, UK Sophie and Joe, The Queens Hotel, Leeds, UK Sophie and Joe, The Queens Hotel, Leeds, UK

How We Met

Sophie, the bride: We first met through mutual friends when we were 11, but we really got to know each other when we started at the same school in Year 8, aged just 12!

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