Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

A WToo by Watters Bride for a DIY Jewish Wedding at Newhall Mansion, Piru, California, USA

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By now you probably know there’s very little that warms our hearts like a couple planning a wedding that’s 100% THEM. Which is exactly what STG Brides Club member Samantha, a writer, and groom Jeff, who’s in finance — as Samantha says, “our careers are as disparate as our heights!” – did.

Their wedding was so full of unique DIY touches, we’re not even sure where to begin! Well, we could tell you that Samantha made ALL the décor herself – and she so enjoyed crafting chalkboard signs explaining everything from the game board guest book (yep, another personal touch) to the unplugged ceremony that she’s started a side business for wedding décor and stationery, Lettered in LA!

And how lovely is it that the couple used Samantha’s late grandma’s lace tablecloth as their chuppah canopy? Set atop birch poles and adorned with wildflower arrangements, it not only had sentimental value but looked totally stunning – see the beautiful pics from Rachel Stelter Photography for evidence!

We also love that Samantha and Jeff wrote their own ketubah text – which they then had Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ink with Intent turn into a true piece of art (and, as a Brides Club member, Samantha even got a great discount!) – just as much as we love that the pair opted to flout tradition by waking up together on their wedding day and exchanging cards they’d written to each other. Awww! We’re not surprised Samantha reports this was one of their favorite parts of the entire day – and it just goes to show, it always pays to follow your heart in wedding planning.

Now over to the bride, who looked beautiful in her WToo by Watters gown…

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How we met

Samantha, the bride: We met at a dinner party with friends about a year before we started dating. We were friends and then one thing led to another and we haven’t looked back – 6 years into our relationship and 6 weeks into our marriage, we’re both still as in love as we were at the beginning. 
 

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An Essense of Australia Bride for a Sunset Jewish Wedding at Cochav Hayam in Caesarea, Israel

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Okay, we just can’t even with that sunset chuppah. Truly the stuff Jewish wedding dreams are made of. But would you believe it if we told you that wasn’t even the most remarkable thing about the incredible wedding of STG Brides Club member  (and blogging bride) Lindsay, an insight manager at a media agency, to groom Dan, an account manager working in corporate events?

So first of all, we’re OBSESSED with Lindsay and Dan’s table plan: they got a polaroid of every guest, then wrote a personal note on the back. These were all laid out for guests to collect as they came in and find their table numbers. Genius!

We’re also super inspired that these two worked with non-profit Israel Blooms, an organization that will collect flowers leftover at the end of the wedding and repurpose them into small arrangements that they distribute in hospitals and old age homes. What a meaningful (and easy) way to spread the joy of your big day!

The couple’s photos from Idan Canfi and video from Ruslan Shane are simply sensational, and we love that Lindsay and Dan opted to have a separate couple’s photoshoot a couple of days after the wedding – this allowed them to get some dreamy portraits without them having to take time out of the wedding for photos. Such a smart idea!

Oh, and did we mention that Lindsay and Dan are working with the incredible Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Abby Taubman of Colletts Travel to plan their honeymoon to Australia and Thailand next year?

Now over to the bride, who looked lovely in her Essense of Australia dress…

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How we met

Lindsay, the bride: We met through my cousin’s wife. She was an old school friend of Dan’s and decided that we would be a great match – and she was right!

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Bringing Your Jewish Wedding Fairy Tale to Life {with La Fete}

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Who doesn’t love a good fairy tale wedding? Here at STG HQ, we sure do. And no one does fairy tale magic quite like the mega-talented planning team at La Fete, focusing on luxury weddings and corporate events globally since 2016. 

Founder Charlotte Ricard-Quesada brings her multicultural background, language skills (she’s fluent in four!), and background in luxury fashion (she worked for Tom Ford, Dior, and more) to every once-in-a-lifetime experience she creates for her clients.

Based in London and planning weddings throughout the UK as well as in Italy, France, and Spain, La Fete covers all aspects of wedding planing, from vendor selection to design to event production to on-the-day management – and every planning package is fully bespoke, to make sure each couple’s individual needs are met.

We’re not usually one to feature styled shoots, but when La Fete let us know they were working on a fairy tale Jewish wedding shoot (a rarity in itself) set in a swoon-worthy chateau in France, we knew we couldn’t pass it up. 

They even used one of our signature Smashed It! smash glass pouches in the shoot! And how good does it look in that photo?!

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2020 Real Jewish Brides: Introducing Erin + Josh: How They Met To The Present Day…

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Today on the blog we’re introducing our 7th gorgeous bride from our crop of 2020 Real Jewish Brides! Please give a warm welcome to Erin, who will be marrying Josh on 1st November 2020 at Congregation Beth Israel, in Charlottesville, VA, USA.

THREE FACTS: (1) Erin and Josh are planning an outdoorsy fall wedding on a budget in Virginia’s Shenandoah mountains. (2) Erin recently completed her conversion to Judaism, and she and Josh are looking forward to filling their big day with Jewish traditions while keeping it enjoyable and understandable to friends and family from all backgrounds. (3) Erin is a member of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club!


How you met

Like any true millennials, Josh and I met on a dating app. Because we connected over the holidays, we talked for a few months while I was visiting family in Florida and when Josh was on Birthright in Israel.

We were able to ever go on our first date on January 16, 2018 — best cup of coffee I’ve ever had. We clicked almost instantly, and have been inseparable since.

We are both huge nerds about the things we love (Josh is a brilliant musician and photographer, I love language, crafts, and Harry Potter) and we are both big on communication.

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A Laid-Back Destination Jewish Wedding with a Rugelach Tower at The Lawrence in Old Jaffa, Israel

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Is there anything better than a Jewish wedding in picturesque Old Jaffa? Between the historic architecture and the ocean views and the chill Israeli vibes, we’re pretty sure the answer is a resounding no! If you don’t believe us, just look at the incredible photos of STG Brides Club member Dianne, who is completing a surgical residency, and lawyer groom Shaya’s big day captured by mega-talented Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ronen Boidek – according to the couple, booking him was one of the very best decisions they made during wedding planning. And we couldn’t agree more!

And while you’re at it, check out the awesome trailer from videographer Vladimir Tkach.

With such a stunning setting, Dianne and Shaya knew they wanted to keep their décor simple, favoring greenery and white florals that complemented the historic space – and they found the absolute  perfect person for the job in Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Yana from Craspedia Events. We’re totally obsessed with the bouquets, centerpieces, and decorations she created.

And we’re positively drooling over the delicious menu from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Maasia Catering, who put together a delectable modern Mediterranean menu, complete with fun interactive food stations.

Oh, and we can’t turn you over to Dianne before we tell you about one more awesome touch: instead of a traditional cake, Dianne and Shaya opted for a rugelach tower. Yes, you heard that right – in honor of the groom’s favorite sweets from Jerusalem’s famed Marzipan Bakery, these two celebrated with three tiers of chocolate and cinnamon rugelach goodness – with a small cake on top, for tradition’s sake.

Ok, now over to the bride!

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How we met

Dianne, the bride: While I am from Vancouver and Shaya is from Montreal, we met in Toronto while I was doing an elective as a medical student and Shaya was there for work. We did not think we were going to see each other again after I flew home, but here we are!

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