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Real Jewish Brides – Amanda: My Final Week of Wedding Planning!

20/03/2018 by Smashing The Glass

Amanda will be marrying Adam on 25th March 2018 in a Jewish wedding at Braxted Park, UK.

THREE FACTS: (1) Amanda & Adam met outside in a bar in Tel Aviv (2) Adam has a ridiculous sense of humor (as described by Amanda!) and we love him all the more for it (3) Amanda & Adam’s wedding is 100% focused on all the people and things that mean the most to them. You can click here to read all Amanda’s planning posts to date.

So here we are. My final post and the last week in my wedding planning journey. For those of you wondering, I most certainly did not follow all of the advice in my previous post and as a result, we’ve experienced a fairly stressful two weeks, culminating in a bout of flu in the Yaffe-Parker household at the end of last week!

I have no doubt that some of the virus can be attributed to the two and a half day stag do that Adam endured in Budapest, but I’m fairly certain this was more than man-flu! Fingers crossed that the terrible cough I’ve been listening to for the last 10 days disappears before the ceremony!

Image by David Pullum (STG’s Recommended Vendor) from Salena and Stefan‘s Jewish wedding in Spain

A Pronovias Bride for a Super Spiritual Outdoor Jewish Wedding at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, Australia

19/03/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

Could we pretty please order up some of the brilliant Australian sunshine on display in today’s super personal, super spiritual Jewish wedding? This winter thing is getting awfully old here in the Northern Hemisphere!

Bride Liron, a lawyer, and groom Jason, a writer and product manager at an international education company, believe that people should come away from your wedding “feeling like they just had a glimpse into your love,” and that’s exactly the effect their beautiful day had on us.

The couple infused their outdoor wedding at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne with so much of themselves, and you can really feel the love and intention they put into each step.

How awesome is it that Liron and Jason hand-built their own chuppah?! No mere DIY project, the couple viewed it as symbol of the home they are building together, and they took the time they spent constructing it as a chance to discuss the kind of family life they want together. Isn’t that so lovely? Not to mention that the simple white fabric canopy they chose was the very definition of simple elegance under the eucalyptus trees at their gorgeous outdoor garden ceremony.

Another way the artsy pair connected with each other and their guests on the day was to perform some of the music themselves! In addition to joining in on an acoustic set during the reception, the performed two songs for their guests–as if just getting married weren’t nerve-wracking enough for one day!

Liron looked like a bombshell in her elegant Pronovias gown, with vintage Hollywood waves to match. Photographer Free The Bird and videographer C2 Films really captured the authenticity and spirituality of the day. Now over to the bride…

How we met

Liron, the bride: we met at university (we both studied law). I was involved in the Jewish students’ club and on this particular day we had a stall at the orientation carnival, giving away challah and selling memberships. Jason came by to grab a piece of challah… he walked away with the phone number of his future wife.

A Berta Bride for a Hi-Tech Forest-Themed Jewish Wedding at Lago, Tel Aviv, Israel

16/03/2018 by Karen

Nature meets up-to-the-minute technology in today’s breathtaking Israeli Jewish wedding. Shirin, a teacher, and Shai, an engineer, joined their passions for the outdoors and for the latest in multimedia design. The Tel Aviv-based couple chose to wed at Lago, a gorgeous contemporary venue (named for the beautiful lake on the property) that pairs spectacular outdoor scenery with an indoor space equipped with 3-D video mapping technology.

Designer Hilit Gordon loaded the space with oodles of verdant greens and white florals–we’re talking about some truly massive arrangements here–for a forest chic vibe, with stunning boughs of greenery hanging from the ceiling in a super sophisticated touch.

As if all that weren’t dramatic enough, the venue’s tech capabilities meant that the couple were able to have a fab VJ, Gil Valdman, project a custom-designed image of a forest on the walls with the 360 ° video mapping. What a cool surprise for the guests as they walked into the hall after the ceremony!

This couple’s story really highlights the difference a great planner can make in crafting an amazing day (without making yourself crazy in the process!). Shirin and Shai quickly decided to turn to a wedding planner to help them realize their vision, and they found the perfect match in Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Naama Raicher.

Along with her colleague Yael Kfir Frumkes, Naama helped the couple work out all the details to make their hi-tech forest fantasy come true. According to Shirin, Naama and Yael made the process relaxing and stress-free–how often do you hear a bride use those words to describe wedding planning?!

In addition to their primary photographer, Nitzan Gur of Love Marriage, the couple’s planners encouraged them to bring in a second photographer, Liat Federman, who specializes in shooting interiors to make the most of their breathtaking dà©cor. Yet another point for Naama and Yael–Shirin and Shai are so glad to have Liat’s stunning photos of the venue in all its glory. Rounding things out was videographer Roma Nerom of Nerom, who captured the day in live action.

Beautiful bride Shirin wanted a dress that made her feel like a princess yet was still comfortable to dance all night in, and she found her perfect match in a sparkling rose-gold Berta. And now it’s over to her to fill you in on the details of her exquisite day…

How we met

Shirin, the bride: We met during our military service through a mutual friend. We were together for 6 years prior to the wedding.Continue Reading

Dancing the Hora: Everything You Need To Know

15/03/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

Image: Blake Ezra Photography (Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor)

What is, hands down, the most fun and exciting part of any Jewish wedding? In the immortal words of Anthony from Sex and the City, the answer is: “the hora! THE HORA!”

The hora (sometimes called Jewish Dancing or Israeli Dancing) is a highly energetic Israeli circle dance, and guests are supposed to put as much vigor and enthusiasm into it as they would on their own wedding day. Danced to klezmer music, it’s usually the part of the wedding where you’ll see the happy couple lifted on chairs (equal parts exhilarating and terrifying), or being thrown about on a sheet!

At religious, Orthodox Jewish weddings, men and women dance the hora separately, with a dividing wall, while Reform, Liberal and Jew-ish weddings tend to keep the party in one place.

It’s an amazing challenge for any photographer, to capture the mayhem, and frankly, at this point, brides can forget about their hair and makeup, because things are going to get sweaty!

So, given how integral the hora is to a real Jewish knees up, how do you make it happen? Here are some tips to getting everybody at your wedding involved in this boisterous and brilliant tradition.

Image: David Pullum Photography (Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor)

Kick off with klezmer music

If your budget can stretch to it we highly recommend a live band. Whether it’s a live band who can play some klezmer classics, or a traditional klezmer band, it’s all in the music. If live entertainment is a little out of budget, we advise putting together a klezmer playlist or asking your DJ to dedicate a special portion of the evening to it.

There are many traditional melodies to choose from. If you’re not sure where to start, YouTube is a great source of inspiration for hora songs. This video alone is a medley of some of the most popular songs to dance the hora to, to get your playlist going.

Image: York Place Studios ( Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor)

Learn some basic hora steps

Chances are, if you’re having a Jewish or Jew-ish wedding, that you’re probably already a somewhat accomplished hora dancer. However, if you’re a little unsure of what happens when you dance the hora, why not brush up before the big day?

Whether you find a local Israeli dance class or teacher to help you out, or you use one of the many YouTube tutorials available, make sure you’re confident enough to whip up enthusiasm among your guests. They will, after all, be following your lead.

Image: David Pullum Photography (Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor)

A Pnina Tornai Bride for an Ultra-Chic, Ultra-NYC Jewish Wedding at Liberty Warehouse, Brooklyn, USA

14/03/2018 by Karen

Good morning, lovelies! Today we have an absolute stunner of a Jewish wedding to share with you, and also a special treat for you US brides and grooms: the fab photography and videography studio behind today’s super-glam shots, NYC-based Fred Marcus Studio, is offering members of our VIB Club a free engagement shoot (just click here to become a VIB [Very Important Bride] and enjoy ALL the benefits!)

Fred Marcus Studio is just one of hundreds of vendors, handpicked by me, who offer VIB’s a 10% discount or special gift. There’s also a wonderful private VIB Facebook community, too, where me and my team are on hand to advise you with your wedding plans, day or night — however and whenever you need assistance, along with SO much more goodness — it’s a hive of activity! If you haven’t joined yet, don’t delay as we’ll be closing membership for this quarter shortly.

So now, onto today’s EPIC wedding. This ultra-chic Jewish W Day is basically a big fat love letter to one of the greatest cities in the world: New York. Having spent their entire relationship in the city, there was no question that Kira, a grad student, and Mark, who works in finance, would wed anywhere else.

The pair got married at Liberty Warehouse in super cool Redhook, Brooklyn, with an outdoor ceremony looking out on the water–and onto the Statue of Liberty! How much more quintessentially NYC can it get?

Well, let’s see… Kira found her gown, a show-stopping custom Pnina Tornai, at Kleinfeld, the ultimate New York wedding dress shopping destination–just like on Say Yes to the Dress.

And the couple had a six-layer cake from NYC cult favorite Momofuku Milkbar, which you may know for such iconic creations as Crack Pie and Cereal Milk Soft Serve.

Even their invitations got in on the act, with a map of NYC lining the envelopes and the city skyline adorning their rehearsal dinner invite.

The couple wanted a party where no one sat down, and thanks to Smashing the Glass Recommended Vendor Hank Lane they found their fab wedding band, led by Bobby Attiko, who kept their guests dancing all night–it is the city that never sleeps, after all! Now I’ll turn you over to bride Kira for all the details…

An NYC Wedding

Kira, the bride: we got married at Liberty Warehouse in Redhook, Brooklyn. We really wanted a New York wedding since our whole relationship has taken place in NYC, and we also wanted somewhere on the water since water is always our happy place. When we found out the only date left at LW for a June 2017 wedding was our 5^th anniversary of meeting, we knew it was meant to be!

Image by David Pullum (STG’s Recommended Vendor) from Salena and Stefan‘s Jewish wedding in Spain

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How we met

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How we met

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Image: Blake Ezra Photography (Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor)

Image: David Pullum Photography (Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor)

Kick off with klezmer music

Image: York Place Studios ( Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor)

Learn some basic hora steps

Image: David Pullum Photography (Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor)

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An NYC Wedding

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