Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

A Romantic Garden Jewish Wedding at Maarava, Kibbutz Ga’ash, Israel

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We’re positively in love with the romantic rose-themed wedding of Israeli couple Shana, a lawyer, and Gil, an operations manager at a sourcing company!

The theme for their indoor/outdoor celebration at Maarava was inspired by the fact that the groom’s last name, Rosenkrantz, means “bouquet of roses,” and Shoshana (Shana) means “rose” in Hebrew – how adorable is that? Don’t miss Ran Bergman’s gorgeous photos of all the wonderful details!

Shana and Gil worked with Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Yael Kfir Frumkis to make their wedding dreams a reality. In Shana’s words,

Yael was an absolute joy to work with. She truly understood us, always exhibited incredible patience, and gave us a sense of complete trust, which was well-placed. We didn’t feel the need to micromanage every decision or be control freaks. She perfectly captured our vibe and taste, ultimately choosing the theme of our wedding, which we adored. Her attention to detail and creativity were unparalleled. She thought of everything, down to the tiniest details.

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

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How We Met

Shoshana, the bride: We met at the library in university.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Rainy Day Orthodox Jewish Wedding Filled with Purple and Pandas at Chicago Mitzvah Campaign and KINS of West Rogers Park, Chicago, USA

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Some couples would be dismayed by a rainy wedding day – but not Carmi and Kalman! Carmi, a behavioral therapist, and Kalman, a Medivan driver, leaned into the downpour that hit during their outdoor chuppah – so much so that the groom says the rain (which, in Jewish tradition, represents blessings to come) was his favorite part of the ceremony!

The Chicago couple kept their Orthodox Jewish wedding ultra-personal, holding their chuppah in the garden of the Chicago Mitzvah Campaign, where Kalman works; covering their chuppah with Carmi’s great-grandfather’s tallit; and incorporating lots of their favorite color, purple – and a few pandas, too, since they’re the bride’s favorite animal!

Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Eliana Melmed Photography captured the day so beautifully – all the love and emotion of the day comes through in each and every shot.

Now over to the bride…  

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How We Met

Carmi, the bride: We saw each other in passing through our works and officially met at a singles event. Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Berta Bride for a Purim Masquerade Ball Jewish Wedding at The Colosseum, Tel Aviv, Israel

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How cool is Kaya and Dean’s Purim masquerade ball Jewish wedding?! This Israeli couple knew they wanted to do something different for their big day – something more like a party than a formal wedding – and we are in love with the concept they came up with!

Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor LBI Productions, helped them pull together the day of their dreams, filled with lots of red velvet, bold patterns, massive chandeliers, masks (for the bride and groom and all of the guests), capes, and feathers. Don’t miss the exquisite images by PEOPLE PHOTOGRAPHY. We’re also obsessed with Kaya’s uber-glam gown by beloved Israeli designer Berta.

Tragically, Kaya and Dean’s wedding day encompassed the beauty and sorrow that are flipsides of life in Israel: on the way to the wedding, three of Dean’s friends were injured in a terrorist attack just a few streets away from the venue, and one of them passed away two weeks later. The couple’s loved ones opted to hide the news from them until the morning after the wedding so they could fully enjoy their big day, and the horrific news made all the love and joy of the wedding all the more poignant.

Kaya beautifully recounts the rollercoaster of emotion she and Dean experienced as the happiest day of their lives came up against the horrific reality Israelis live with – do read on for her moving words…

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Kaya, the bride: We met through mutual friends. For a long time, there were various people who tried to introduce us, but we weren’t available at the time. Eventually, my best friend’s husband made the connection between us. My husband works in real estate entrepreneurship, and I work in marketing, creative, and production. Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Martina Liana Bride for a Stress-Free and Fun Jewish Wedding on the Beach at Aziza, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

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When Ashley, a naturopath, and Kyle, who works in finance, set out to plan their Jewish destination wedding in Turks and Caicos, they had one goal: to make sure the wedding was stress-free and fun, for them and for all their guests.

Take a scroll through the joyous photos by Ileana Ravasio and we’re pretty sure you’ll agree the day was a smashing success for all involved! Featuring a ceremony on the beach followed by a reception at Aziza, a beautiful driftwood chuppah, and a wonderful, colorful ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor ketubah.com, it looks like everyone was having a blast from start to finish.

And then there’s the couple’s unforgettable wedding singer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Choni G. In Ashley’s words,

His singing was so moving and spiritual–we felt like we could stay under the chuppah forever. I don’t think there was one dry eye around us.

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

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How We Met

Ashley, the bride: We grew up 5 minutes away from each other in Montreal but we actually met in Sorrento, Italy. Kyle was travelling with some friends that I grew up with. I heard they were in Italy at the same time as me and messaged them to meet up. We met there and then again 3 weeks later when we both happened to be in Israel. We went back to Montreal and the rest was history!Continue ReadingContinue Reading

5 of Our Favorite Second-Time-Around Jewish Weddings

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Aviva and Alan, Villa di Maiano, Fiesole, Italy

Aviva and Alan‘s a Tuscan Jewish Wedding | Photo by  David Bastianoni

Welcome back to “5 of Our Favorites,” where we curate five stunning Jewish weddings centered around a certain theme. This week, we’re shining a light on love that blooms anew with 5 of our favorite second-time-around Jewish weddings.

In this post, we’re celebrating couples who are finding love again and embracing their second chance at happiness. These weddings are filled with meaningful traditions, heartfelt moments, and a unique sense of joy that only a second-time-around celebration can bring.

Whether it’s a more intimate affair or a grand celebration of a new chapter, these weddings showcase the beauty of love at every stage of life. We’re thrilled to share these inspiring stories and provide some heartfelt ideas for couples embarking on their second wedding journey.

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Andrea and Adam‘s Jewish Wedding at Carnegie Hall, NYC | Photo by Todd France and Phillip Van Nostrand 

Andrea and Adam’s Jewish Wedding at Carnegie Hall, NYC, New York, USA

We love seeing the choices top wedding pros make when it comes to their own big days – so naturally we were thrilled to see the fabulous NYC Jewish wedding of Andrea, founder of NYLUX Events, and Adam.

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Andrea and Adam‘s Jewish Wedding at Carnegie Hall, NYC | Photo by Todd France and Phillip Van Nostrand 

Thanks to her work in the industry, Andrea knows all of the city’s under-the-radar venues, and she and Adam chose to wed at one of the very best: Carnegie Hall. Although it’s one of New York’s most iconic music venues, it’s a hidden gem of an events space, with outdoor space, epic views, and a prime location near Central Park – and Andrea and Adam loved sharing it with their friends and family.

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Andrea and Adam‘s Jewish Wedding at Carnegie Hall, NYC | Photo by Todd France and Phillip Van Nostrand 

The couple wanted to keep their wedding elegant, classic, intimate, and fun – like a big dinner party – and with special details like a cocktail hour to open the wedding, personalized notes for all the guests, embroidered napkins with bespoke logos, and a last hour “after party” featuring bar carts and pizza on the dance floor, they achieved their goal and then some! 

Aviva and Alan, Villa di Maiano, Fiesole, Italy

Aviva and Alan‘s a Tuscan Jewish Wedding | Photo by  David Bastianoni

Aviva and Alan’s Tuscan Jewish Wedding at the Great Synagogue of Florence and Villa Maiano, Tuscany, Italy

There’s nothing like a Tuscan wedding – and Aviva and Alan’s is one for the books! These two went all out in embracing the local color and charm of their oh-so-scenic environs, from the majestic Grand Synagogue of Florence where the chuppah took place to the dreamy reception at Villa di Maiano, nestled in the rolling hills of Tuscany.

Aviva and Alan, Villa di Maiano, Fiesole, Italy

Aviva and Alan‘s a Tuscan Jewish Wedding | Photo by  David Bastianoni

Planning a destination wedding abroad is no easy feat, and Aviva and Alan wisely chose to work with planner extraordinaire Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Elegante by Michelle J to make their dream Jewish wedding weekend a reality.

Aviva and Alan, Villa di Maiano, Fiesole, Italy

Aviva and Alan‘s a Tuscan Jewish Wedding | Photo by  David Bastianoni

Michelle brought in a team of nine coordinators who all worked to ensure that the couple and their guests were incredibly well looked after, not only on the wedding day but throughout the wonderful pre- and post-wedding events Aviva and Alan hosted for everyone. In particular, Michelle worked with the couple’s florist, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Il Giardino delle Fate Flower Design, to style every space in a unique and beautiful way – starting with the welcome party, which was based on traditional Tuscan styling using lemons (lots of them) and blue chinoiserie. 

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