Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

An All-about-NOLA Jewish Wedding at Latrobe’s on Royal, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

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Danielle and Drew, Latrobe's on Royal, New Orleans, USA

New York couple Danielle, a consumer insights associate manager at WeightWatchers, and Drew, a corporate attorney, met and fell in love as students at New Orleans’s Tulane University – so the city was a natural choice when it came time to choose a destination for their Jewish wedding.

And did they ever do a fantastic job of crafting a wedding that let their guests experience the magic of NOLA firsthand. Their venue was Latrobe’s on Royal, an old historical bank in the heart of the French Quarter, and they made the most of its romantic, moody vibes with lots of candles, moody lighting, and a very cool floating chuppah. Their menu showcased New Orleans cuisine at its finest, and they followed the ceremony with a traditional second line, a parade through the French Quarter. Don’t miss it all in the exquisite photos by Love is Rad and video by Shotgun.

We’re obsessed with Danielle and Drew’s fabulous ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Tchotchke. In Danielle’s words,

The minute I saw it, I knew my search was over. It says ‘Love’ in Hebrew in large print at the top and the lions, to me, symbolize strength in this next chapter of life. It is the most meaningful piece of art we will ever own. And not to mention, working with Adam and the Tchotchke team was incredibly seamless. They were so responsive and you could tell they truly value their customers. They also shipped it in a way that made it seamless on wedding day to display. COULD NOT RECOMMEND ENOUGH (for ketubahs and the COOLEST Judaica).

It doesn’t get any better than that! Read on for the rest of the story in Danielle’s own words…

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Danielle and Drew, Latrobe's on Royal, New Orleans, USADanielle and Drew, Latrobe's on Royal, New Orleans, USADanielle and Drew, Latrobe's on Royal, New Orleans, USADanielle and Drew, Latrobe's on Royal, New Orleans, USA

How We Met

Danielle, the bride: Drew and I met our second semester junior year at Tulane University. More specifically, we met at an Aephi sorority party and by the end of that semester, we were dating.

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How to Nail Your Couple’s Session (and Feel Incredible While Doing It)

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How to Nail Your Couple’s Session_Sandra Orrego_ Lucky Elevens

This is a guest post by STG Recommended Vendor, Sandra Orrego. The founder of Lucky Elevens, Sandra Orrego is an editorial wedding photography studio based in Madrid. Her style blends fashion-inspired direction with candid storytelling, creating images that feel both effortless and timeless. A restless traveller and aesthete at heart, Sandra has photographed weddings across Europe, India and Chile. She believes that wedding photography isn’t just about documenting — it’s about creating a space where couples feel free, playful, and utterly themselves.

We’ve all seen them: those wedding photos that look like they were lifted straight out of Vogue. Effortless, chic, a little playful… the kind of images that make you wonder, how do they look so natural and yet so editorial at the same time?

Here’s the funny thing: when couples first contact me, 90% of the time they’re terrified.

They say, “But we don’t know how to pose or act in front of the camera — it looks like all your couples do!”

Here’s the spoiler: they don’t. None of them. It’s not about knowing how to move. It’s about trusting the process. It’s about setting the mood, being open-minded, and having fun. Because yes — sometimes the things that feel a little ridiculous in the moment end up looking absolutely incredible in the photos.

And with Rosh Hashanah — the Jewish New Year — just around the corner, it feels like the perfect time to talk about fresh starts, and how to approach your couple’s session with an open mind.

So, as a wedding photographer, how do we get there? Let me walk you through my process.

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A Dylan Parienty Bride for a Jewish Wedding at Masseria Potenti, Puglia, Italy

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Emma and Jeremy, Masseria Potenti, Puglia, Italy

There’s nothing like an Italian Jewish wedding – and French couple Emma, a lawyer, and Jeremy, a radiologist, truly had one for the books!

The duo opted to wed at stunning 16th-century estate Masseria Potenti in Puglia. Featuring olive groves, vineyards, and picturesque whitewashed buildings, the venue positively exudes Mediterranean charm.

It’s not easy planning a wedding abroad, and Emma and Jeremy turned to Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Couplers to make their dream a reality, and they made sure every detail was perfect – don’t miss the stunning outdoor chuppah! Photographer Marco Colonna captured the day so perfectly.

Now over to Emma, who’ll fill you in on the rest…

Emma and Jeremy, Masseria Potenti, Puglia, ItalyEmma and Jeremy, Masseria Potenti, Puglia, ItalyEmma and Jeremy, Masseria Potenti, Puglia, ItalyEmma and Jeremy, Masseria Potenti, Puglia, Italy

Venue

Emma, the bride: We got married at Masseria Potenti in Puglia. I have half my family from Tuscany, and Puglia was a region I really liked.

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A House of Savin Bride for a Colorful Jewish Wedding with Tons of Personal Touches at Micklefield Hall, Rickmansworth, UK

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Lucy and Michael, Micklefield Hall, Rickmansworth, UK

We love it when a couple adds lots of personal touches to their Jewish wedding – and Lucy and Michael really took it to the next level!

Artsy bride Lucy loves color – so much so that she couldn’t envision herself in a white dress and instead opted for a fabulous floral number by House of Savin. The couple based their color scheme for the big day around Lucy’s dress, and Lucy – who created all the wedding stationery herself! – designed it all to match the dress, too. Lucy even hand-embroidered kippot to go with the stationery design! Paul Toeman Photography (Cherish Studios) captured it all so beautifully.

We also love that Lucy created anniversary cards for each table to inscribe with messages to the couple to be opened on the wedding anniversaries that correspond with each table number!

We’ll let Lucy fill you in on the rest…

Lucy and Michael, Micklefield Hall, Rickmansworth, UKLucy and Michael, Micklefield Hall, Rickmansworth, UK Lucy and Michael, Micklefield Hall, Rickmansworth, UKLucy and Michael, Micklefield Hall, Rickmansworth, UK

How We Met

Lucy, the bride:  We met at Jewish summer camp. We would have first met when we were about 11 but started dating when we were Madrichim, age 17. We grew up together and went to university together.

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A Studio Myra Bride for a Second Time Around Friday Morning Jewish Wedding at Psagot Winery, Sha’ar Binyamin, Israel

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Noa and Laurence, Psagot Winery, Sha'ar Binyamin, Israel

We love that Israeli couple Noa, an ER nurse and the regional director of the Terem chain of emergency clinics, and Laurence, the VP of technical operations for a fintech company, made their Jewish wedding ultra-personal. In Noa’s words, “As an older and second-time couple, we felt very free to set aside all the traditions with which we didn’t connect. We kept our guest list small and intimate, and made sure the people that mattered most to us were involved.”

This included getting married on a Friday morning, involving family and friends in the wedding (especially the couple’s children), and planning the big day in under 6 weeks. Since the winter wedding fell on the shortest Friday of the year, the duo wanted to help their guests out with Shabbat preparations, so as favors they gave each guest a bouquet of Shabbat flowers (that matched Noa’s bouquet) and a fresh challah to take home – how nice is that?!

When it came time to choose the perfect photographer to capture their big day, there was no question that it would be anyone but Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Herschel Gutman. In Noa’s words, Herschel “was the only vendor that I was dead set on. Thankfully he was available, even with our short engagement, and his busy schedule. Our pictures came out incredible! We are so thrilled with our choice of Herschel. He had such a calm vibe and didn’t miss a shot – he was always exactly where he needed to be.”

Read on for the rest of the story in the bride’s own words…

Noa and Laurence, Psagot Winery, Sha'ar Binyamin, IsraelNoa and Laurence, Psagot Winery, Sha'ar Binyamin, IsraelNoa and Laurence, Psagot Winery, Sha'ar Binyamin, Israel

How We Met

Noa, the bride: We met nearly 3 years ago at the backyard pool party of a friend. I immediately noticed Laurence as he was the only person to show up in a button down shirt to a pool party!

That, and I noticed immediately that Laurence was an incredible listener, which made me really want to talk to him. Initially we were just friends, but about 6 weeks later I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

One of our first dates was a movie, then an MRI at midnight! The technicians were unable to remove one of my ear piercings and Laurence ended up using his teeth! We were able to make jokes and laugh.

You’re always told to choose a partner who can handle the hard things in life with you – for us, that’s how our relationship started. Navigating a new relationship while dealing with a devastating illness, including chemotherapy and multiple surgeries, was not easy.

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