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Inspired Jewish Weddings

5 of our Favorites: Jewish Beach Weddings to Take You Away

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Amy and Dan‘s Jewish Beach Wedding at Al Hayam | Photo by Your Story Wedd 

Welcome back to “5 of Our Favorites,” where we showcase some of the most stunning Jewish weddings from our archives, each curated around a unique theme. This week, we’re taking you to the shore with 5 of our favorite Jewish beach weddings.

There’s something truly magical about standing under the chuppah with the sound of waves crashing in the background and the sand beneath your feet. Whether it’s a tranquil coastline, a dramatic cliffside, or a tropical paradise, these beach weddings offer the perfect combination of natural beauty and romance.

From intimate seaside ceremonies to vibrant, sun-soaked celebrations, each of these weddings captures the essence of a Jewish wedding by the water. We can’t wait to share these breathtaking beachside celebrations with you and inspire your own seaside dream wedding!

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Or and Paul‘s Wedding in Chaldea, Greece | Photo by Papacharalampous Photography

Or and Paul’s Irish-Israeli Jewish Wedding in Chaldika, Greece

We love a multicultural Jewish wedding, and today’s is really something special. Bride Or is Israeli, while groom Paul is Irish – so they decided to split the difference by making things official in Greece!

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Or and Paul‘s Wedding in Chaldea, Greece | Photo by Papacharalampous Photography

The pair turned to Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Sirtaki Events to help them craft the perfect wedding weekend, combining both their traditions plus the vibrant local culture of Greece. Anat and Yonathan of Sirtaki helped Or and Paul find their dream venue, an intimate hotel by the sea with beautiful grounds and an epic pool that the couple secured for exclusive use through the weekend.

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Or and Paul‘s Wedding in Chaldea, Greece | Photo by Papacharalampous Photography

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Amber and Elliot‘s Jewish Wedding | Photo by Moni Adri Photography 

Amber and Elliot’s Jewish Beach Wedding at Mahayana Tulum, Tulum, Mexico

How gorgeous is the beachy boho Jewish wedding of California couple Amber and Elliot?! This travel-loving pair opted for a destination wedding weekend in Tulum.

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Amber and Elliot‘s Jewish Wedding | Photo by Moni Adri Photography 

Amber had always dreamed of an intimate, laid-back celebration with the couple’s nearest and dearest – and with the duo’s loved ones split between the East and West Coasts, Tulum was the perfect choice. 

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Amber and Elliot‘s Jewish Wedding | Photo by Moni Adri Photography 

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Amy and Dan‘s Jewish Beach Wedding at Al Hayam | Photo by Your Story Wedd 

Amy and Dan’s Wedding at Al Hayam, Caesarea, Israel

You’ll never believe the wild story behind this absolute stunner of a Jewish wedding! Amy and Dan had the most gorgeous Israeli Jewish wedding at Caesarea’s Al Hayam  – but until two days prior, they were actually planning on marrying at a totally different venue in the south of Israel!

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Amy and Dan‘s Jewish Beach Wedding at Al Hayam | Photo by Your Story Wedd 

A security situation in the south meant they had to change things around at the very last minute – but luckily they had an amazing planner, Yana from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Craspedia Events, on hand to save the day. In the span of 48 hours, Yana secured Al Hayam for the couple – and they ended up loving it even more than their original choice. 

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Amy and Dan‘s Jewish Beach Wedding at Al Hayam | Photo by Your Story Wedd 

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An E&W Couture Bride for a Vegan Country House Jewish Wedding at Offley Place, Hitchin, UK

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There’s nothing like an English country house Jewish wedding, and we absolutely love the way Amber, a research manager in fashion recruitment, and Sammy, an IT director, pulled off their epic celebration at the beautiful Offley Place in Hitchin.

With the most picturesque surroundings, a stunning outdoor chuppah adorned with white roses, and a fab vegan reception – featuring plant-based eats using ingredients from Israeli company Redefine Meat – this wedding was just full of joy and love. And we’re thrilled that Amber and Sammy found two of their fab team of professionals, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendors Chazan Jonny Mosesson  and Rabbi Paul Glantz right here on STG!

Chiko photographed the day so perfectly, and CCS Video captured all the vibrant emotion of the day in their wonderful trailer. Read on for all the rest of the details in Amber’s own words!

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How We Met

Amber, the bride: We were best friends since school and at 21 we went on our first date and the rest is history! Continue ReadingContinue Reading

5 of Our Favorites: English Country House Jewish Weddings We Adore

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Alice and Micael‘s Jewish wedding at Langley Park | Photo by Elena Popa 

Welcome back to “5 of Our Favorites,” where we bring you the most beautiful and inspiring Jewish weddings from our archives, all curated around a special theme. This week, we’re whisking you away to the rolling hills and stunning landscapes of the English countryside with 5 of our favorite English country house weddings.

These weddings are set in some of the most picturesque and elegant country houses in England, offering the perfect blend of tradition, romance, and natural beauty. From grand estates to intimate manor houses, each celebration captures the charm and grace of these iconic venues, creating unforgettable moments for the couples and their guests. We can’t wait to share these breathtaking weddings with you and offer some lovely ideas for your own country house celebration!

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Talia and Isaac‘s Jewish wedding at Berated Park | Photo by Beccy Goddard 

Talia and Isaac’s Jewish Wedding at Braxted Park, Essex, UK

This country house Jewish wedding’s got it all: stunning countryside setting, gorgeous gown, delectable food, exquisite stationery, and, of course, an epic floral chuppah.

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Talia and Isaac‘s Jewish wedding at Berated Park | Photo by Beccy Goddard

Talia and Isaac found the perfect canvas for their wedding dreams in Essex’s Braxted Park, a country house venue nestled among magical gardens and picture-perfect pavilions. Their planner, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Sophie Amor, helped them make their dreams of a simple green and white wedding a reality.

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Talia and Isaac‘s Jewish wedding at Berated Park | Photo by Beccy Goddard

Talia and Isaac’s lovely stationery, designed by Talia’s sister-in-law Alissia from Studio Alissia, kept with the theme – and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Big Day Designs printed the invitations and on-the-day stationery to perfection.

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Judith and Josh‘s Jewish wedding at Parklands Quendon Hall | Photo by Natalie and Max 

Judith and Josh’s Jewish Wedding at Parklands Quendon Hall, Essex, UK

We promise you Judith and Josh’s Jewish wedding at Parklands Quendon Hall in Essex will put a BIG smile on your face.

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Judith and Josh‘s Jewish wedding at Parklands Quendon Hall | Photo by Natalie and Max 

We’re in love with all of the personal DIY touches the couple incorporated into their big day to make it 100%, totally them. We can’t get enough of the fun DIY activity sessions Judith and Josh set up for their guests, featuring everything from a giant Guess Who game with members of the wedding party as all the faces to an art station where guests could decorate mini canvases! 

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Judith and Josh‘s Jewish wedding at Parklands Quendon Hall | Photo by Natalie and Max 

This was a wedding with lots of moving parts to be organized, and Judith and Josh wisely opted to work with Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Events by Natasha as their on-the-day coordinator to make sure everything ran smoothly. In Judith’s words, “Natasha and her team were absolutely fantastic on the day – they prepared everything so beautifully, and were really instrumental in making things run smoothly and to time. It really allowed us to just “press play” on the day and see all the hard work being put into motion, without us having to worry about anything.”

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Alice and Micael‘s Jewish wedding at Langley Park | Photo by Elena Popa 

Alice and Micael’s Jewish Wedding at Langley Park, Cotswolds, UK

We’re positively in love with the fabulous English countryside Jewish wedding of STG Brides Club member Alice and Micael! The duo planned an all-weekend bash at Langley Park in the Cotswolds 

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Alice and Micael‘s Jewish wedding at Langley Park | Photo by Elena Popa 

Alice was a member of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club during her wedding planning, where she loved the supportive community and vendor discounts (including for the couple’s fabulous stationer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Big Day Designs).

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Alice and Micael‘s Jewish wedding at Langley Park | Photo by Elena Popa 

There’s so much else to say about this beautiful day – from the surprise South African touches Alice added for Micael, who had lots of guests from home who sadly weren’t able to attend in person; to the incredible private badeken the pair shared after not seeing each other for a full week.

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Your 8-Week Countdown Jewish Wedding To-Do List

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Gaby and Alex‘s Jewish wedding  | Photo by Mike Garrard Photography 

If you’re finding yourself a number of weeks out from your Jewish wedding, you’re probably feeling like things are getting really real, really fast. You might be finding yourself overwhelmed by how much there is still left to do.

No matter how hard you’ve worked in the months prior, those last couple of months of wedding planning can be really tricky – but never fear, we’ve got a plan that’ll help you through that last blast of wedmin!

The first part of this plan is an action list of what needs doing, period by period, week by week, while the second dives deeper into certain elements to ensure you’re totally and utterly covered (and then some!) during these last fabulous weeks of planning.

This action plan is slightly adapted from a resource we created for Brides Club, our membership community for Jewish and Jew-ish brides. Inside the community, we’ve got tons of helpful resources for every step of the way, a supportive community of fellow brides-to-be, Zoom chats with Karen where you can ask anything and everything on your mind, and so much more. We’ve got a free 7-day trial going, so do come see what it’s all about.

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Alberta and Scott‘s Jewish wedding  | Photo by Claudine Hartzel

8 Weeks Before

  • Begin working on your wedding vows, if relevant.
  • Make sure everyone in your wedding party has outfits.
  • Figure out what you’re wearing to your rehearsal dinner.
  • Put together a list of what you want to pack for your honeymoon.
  • Review playlist with band or DJ.
  • Arrange smash glass and smash glass pouch.

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Dani and David‘s Jewish wedding  | Photo by Derek Preciado 

6 Weeks Before

  • Make sure you’re updating your gift registry and spreadsheets as gifts arrive.
  • Figure out if you want a guest book, and make one happen if so.
  • Finalize details of your wedding ceremony.
  • Confirm details with all vendors.
  • Finalize ketubah witnesses.
  • Make shot list for photographer.

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Benji and Chris‘s Jewish wedding  | Photo by Liam Smith Photography 

3-4 Weeks Before

  • Have a final meeting with your officiant.
  • Make sure everyone taking part in the ceremony understands what is involved.
  • Put together your seating chart.
  • Create your escort cards.
  • Create a wedding timeline.
  • Print wedding programs, if you’re having them.
  • Get your marriage license.
  • Pick a wedding hashtag
  • Get to know your wedding shoes! Feel them out, break them in… and if despite your best efforts they remain less than comfortable, consider investing in a comfier pair for the reception!

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Victoria and Judah‘s Jewish Wedding | Photo by Alex Knight Studio 

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A Lee Petra Grebenau Bride for a Romantic Enchanted Garden Jewish Wedding at Villa Miani, Rome, Italy

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Get ready to fall in love with Natalie and Marc’s epic Jewish wedding in Rome. The UK-based couple wanted a spring destination wedding surrounded by blooming flowers, and they found everything they wanted and more at the breathtaking Villa Miani, nestled atop a hill with sprawling gardens and a panoramic view of Rome.

Natalie and Marc knew a destination wedding was a big ask for our guests, so they prioritized making it as seamless as possible – and they turned to the best of the best to help make it happen, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Elegante by Michelle J.

In Natalie’s words,

Elegante by Michelle J exceeded every expectation. Michelle thought of everything—details I didn’t even know existed—and her team coordinated the entire day with such precision and care that everything felt seamless. They turned what could have been a stressful process into a joyful experience, and their expertise allowed us to simply enjoy the day. For anyone seeking a wedding planner, I can’t recommend her enough.

We’re also head over heels for the duo’s exquisite invitations, created by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Big Day Designs. Featuring whimsical illustrations inspired by Villa Miani, they set the tone for the big day so perfectly.  

Read on for all the details of this fabulous day – including Natalie and Marc’s touching tribute to the hostages – and don’t miss the wonderful images from photographer  Alex Wysocki and trailer by videographer Waterfall Visuals!

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How We Met

Natalie, the bride: Marc first messaged me in 2019 to set up a date, but he ended up cancelling and never rescheduled! Then, a year later in 2020, he reached out again and suggested a socially distanced walking date. I decided to give him another chance—it’s not like I could pretend to be super busy during that time. But he cancelled again!! Claiming he had Covid. At that point, I decided, No way am I giving this guy another chance.

Fast forward to June 2021. Marc’s good friend was having a birthday party, and somehow, both Marc and I got invited—his friend and some of my friends had conspired to make this happen. I went to the party, had a great time, and made a point of ignoring Marc the entire night. I could feel him looking at me, but I avoided eye contact. Eventually, he worked up the nerve to come over and ask me out again. I said no, reminding him he’d already cancelled on me twice.

Marc spent the rest of the night trying to convince me to give him another chance. Finally, I gave in and when we did set a date, we met for drinks at the Ham Yard Hotel (the same place he later proposed) and the rest is history.Continue ReadingContinue Reading