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Win a Luxury Three Night Stay for Two in Kosher Paradise at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, the Caribbean’s Ultimate Jewish Wedding Destination

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Alright, here it is: our biggest giveaway EVER! I’m so thrilled to offer you a chance to win three nights’ stay at the Caribbean’s hottest Jewish wedding destination, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar.

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is not only one of the most stunning wedding venues in Nassau, it’s also the only luxury hotel in the Caribbean offering in-house kosher catering for your big day, kosher wedding specialists on hand to help you every step of the way, on-site kosher restaurants, and even the option to cater a kosher Shabbat dinner for your guests before or after the main event. 

The dreamiest destination in the Caribbean

Surrounded by gorgeous beaches, tranquil water, and warm sun, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is the perfect place to throw a stunning wedding weekend where you and your loved ones can get away from it all to celebrate the big day distraction-free. And it’s just a few hours’ flight from the East Coast of the US, with nonstop flights available from many US cities. 

It’s a truly epic destination for an unforgettable Jewish wedding in tropical paradise, and I’m so excited that we’ve teamed up with Grand Hyatt Baha Mar to offer one lucky couple (and you can be single with a plus one, engaged or married to enter) an unbelievable prize to experience the luxuries of the hotel, including:

  • A three-night stay in a standard king room
  • A $200 gift certificate for one dinner at Cinko Asian Latino Grill, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar’s kosher restaurant
  • Site tour available upon request 
  • Total value = $2600

 

A Jewish Wedding at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is a truly one-of-a-kind venue for a Jewish wedding. There’s no place else in this kind of lush Caribbean setting that makes it SO easy to throw a kosher wedding. 

Grand Hyatt Bahar Mar perfectly combines local color with classic luxury, incorporating the culture and spirit of the Bahamas while attending to all the nuances that make Jewish weddings special. 

Spectacular Service every step of the way

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar’s kosher wedding specialist handles all the details to elevate your wedding, from helping you build Jewish and cultural traditions into your day to private Shabbat dinners overlooking the ocean. 

You’ll receive a full range of unparalleled services to help you personalize your Jewish wedding your way, and you’ll have help with all the details that will elevate your day, from helping you select decor and vendors to delivering gift bags and late-night snacks. 

The Perfect Spaces for Your Jewish Wedding

With flexible indoor and outdoor event spaces, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar’s got the perfect backdrop to suit your vision for your big day – whether it’s a tranquil beach setting, a ceremony in the waterside terraces, or an intimate poolside affair. Grand Hyatt Baha Mar has spaces for all of your wedding celebrations, from private yichud rooms to spaces for the groom’s tisch. 

Unforgettable Shabbat Dinners & exquisite Good Bye Brunches

One of the most special things about whisking your loved ones off to Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is the opportunity to craft a truly immersive wedding experience that goes beyond the day itself. And there’s no place better than one of Baha Mar’s elegant ocean view terraces or elegant dining rooms  for a beautiful private Shabbat dinner or goodbye brunch for your guests.

Unbeatable Kosher Catering at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

Of course, one of the best things about Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is their unprecedented kosher dining options. It’s truly incredible to see a luxury property offering the range and quality of kosher options you can experience at Baha Mar.

In addition to a fully glatt kosher banquet kitchen to prepare a delectable menu for your wedding, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is home to two sublime kosher eateries – including a kosher food truck! 

Cinkō, Baha Mar’s sit down meat restaurant, pairs the rich culinary diversity of Latin cuisine with bold Asian flavors. 

Then there’s Knosh, Baha Mar’s kosher dairy food truck. The first dining venue at Baha Mar featuring a fully vegetarian and pescatarian menu, Knosh’s menu includes vegetarian and pescatarian flatbreads, bowls, sandwiches, patties and a variety of savory cheese fry creations.

Both Cinkō and Knosh are kosher certified under the strict supervision of Chabad of The Bahamas.

Seven Reasons Why We Love Grand Hyatt Baha Mar for Your Jewish Wedding

♥Full glatt kosher banquet kitchen

♥Kosher dairy food truck, Knosh, on property

♥Kosher meat restaurant, Cinkō Asian Latino Grill, on property

♥Private Shabbat dinners available for your guests 

♥Private spaces available for ketubah signing, tisch, aufruf, and more

♥Designated kosher wedding specialist to guide you every step of the way as you plan the day of your dreams 

♥Kosher certified under the strict supervision of Chabad of The Bahamas

For the full story about weddings at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, email  kosherevents@hyatt.com or call 242-788-7339.

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A Monique Lhuillier Bride for a Country House Jewish Wedding at Braxted Park, Essex, UK

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Talia-Isaac-Braxted-Park-Essex-UK

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

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. Given the verdant surroundings, the pair opted for a simple green and white theme, complementing the natural beauty – captured so perfectly in Beccy Goddard’s photography.

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.

Of course no Jewish wedding is complete without delicious food, and Talia and Isaac got the best of the best with Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Dvash. In Talia’s words, “Everything was perfect. From the drinks table when guests arrived, to the canapes and stations at the drinks reception to the main meal and after party food! The feedback from our guests was incredible – everything was so beyond delicious, and Dvash’s staff provided an excellent service.”

There’s so much more to say about this very special wedding –for instance,  we were so thrilled to hear that Talia and Isaac opted to use Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Prezola for their wedding gift list – but we’ll turn you over to Talia for the rest…

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How we Met

Talia, the bride: We met on my first day of university at UCL! Isaac had already been there for a year. We were friends for a while whilst we were there at UCL, and 2 years later started dating (Science Library we owe it all to you!)Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Jewish Wedding on the Water at Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, Stevensville, Maryland, USA

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There’s nothing like a stunning waterfront setting for a Jewish wedding – and we love how Natalie, a brand strategist, and Jon, who works in clinical mental health counselling, let the natural beauty of the water and greenery surrounding them take center stage on their big day.

Taking cues from their venue, the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, Natalie and Jon opted for a neutral color palette to let the natural splendor pop – with the exception of some pops of Natalie’s favorite color, purple. They also incorporated the colors of the ocean and trees that surrounded them into their beautiful custom ketubah by Britt Yudell of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor BRITColors.

In Natalie and Jon’s words, “We were looking to get a design that was a reflection of our relationship thus far, and represented the commitment we were making to each other going forward. Early in the relationship, Jon bought two similar pendants that we each kept when we were apart. We wanted that to be captured in our a ketubah which Britt absolutely captured perfectly.” Don’t miss it in the wonderful pics by Stephanie Dee!

Read on for the full story in the couple’s own words…

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How we Met

Natalie, the bride and Jon, the groom: We met at Penn State University! We were just acquaintances at the time through mutual friends. We reconnected years later when Natalie came back to the Washington, D.C. area from New Orleans and Jon moved to the Washington, D.C. area to work at American University.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

How to Choose Your Ketubah {with Danny Azoulay}

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The absolutely enormous variety of ketubahs out there can overwhelm even the most know-what they-want, self-assured kind of couple—let alone the rest of us. But choosing your ketubah doesn’t have to stressful – and with a few helpful tips, it can be one of the most meaningful and enjoyable parts of your planning process.

We asked internationally acclaimed Israel-based ketubah artist Danny Azoulay, who has been designing ketubahs for years, for some guidance on how to choose the right ketubah, one that reflects your shared vision and aesthetics as a couple and speaks to all the hopes and dreams you bring to your married life. Danny shared some truly great advice, so if you’ve yet to select your ketubah, do read on!

Get Started

As a first step, Danny suggests narrowing the field. Limiting your search from the beginning by asking yourself these basic questions can help you avoid getting overwhelmed. You’ll probably find you have a good idea what you like and what you don’t care for as much, so a try to not get waylaid with choices that will utterly throw you off course.

First off, think about the style you prefer. Are you looking for:

  1. Something classic
  2. A traditional design
  3. Contemporary
  4. Eclectic

Then, figure out your color scheme:

  1. Soft palette: pastels
  2. Whites and off-whites
  3. Bold colors
  4. Metallic embellishments; gold or silver

Stay on Budget

First, the good news: there are beautiful ketubahs available to suit all budgets, so no matter how much or little you have to spend, you can find something beautiful and meaningful.

But, if ketubahs are your thing and you have a little wiggle room in your budget, Danny suggests that this might be an area where you’ll want to splurge a little. After all, your ketubah is one of the few things from your wedding that you’ll get to take home with you after the celebrations are over—and so many STG couples proudly display their ketubah as a piece of art in a prominent place in their home.

Narrow It Down

Another suggestion of Danny’s is, after you have narrowed your search, to place your 3-4 semi-finalists side by side—either as printouts or on the screen. Seeing one next to the other really can prove helpful in being able to reach a decision, or at least at narrowing it down to the finalists.

Now, you need to ask yourself, which one do you want to live with and look at for the rest of your life (Sounds familiar, right?).  After a day or two, return to that question with fresh eyes one more time to be sure of your decision.

Work Together

When you make your choice, it’s not just the final result that matters; you’ll also want to think about what the process of creating your dream ketubah will be like. Remember to pick a company or artist that is professional; one you’ll be able to work with easily and who has good lines of communication. Danny Azoulay says this is a major consideration:  “The process of text and personalization requires that your ketubah maker be aware of all the possible pitfalls involved with different text requirements, and especially about timeline.” He also encourages couples to contact the artist they’re considering and feel them out before committing.

Choose Your Text

Now to the most important part: the text. When figuring out your ketubah text, the first thing you’ll need to do is check with your rabbi or officiant. They may have a set text they require to use.

If that’s not the case for you, you’ll have some choices to make. You can search for a text that is representative of their beliefs, values and view of the life you will create together as a couple. You could also consider writing your own text.

Regardless, if you’ve found an artist you like, be sure to check out the texts that artist can provide, and how flexible they are when it comes to using custom text. No matter how gorgeous their art, if they can’t work with the text you need it’s not a fit.

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Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained – The Ketubah

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Ketubah
All imagery by Blake Ezra Photography. 

Welcome to the first post in our 8-part series of Jewish Wedding Traditions explained.

This week it’s all about the Ketubah. The Ketubah is the name of the traditional Jewish marriage certificate; in Hebrew the word Ketubah literally means ‘something written’.

The content of a Ketubah has always traditionally been a one-way document detailing what the groom must provide to the bride in their married lives together, which includes three main things — clothing, food and physical relations.

This ancient document used to deal with concepts such as payments for marriage, which in today’s modern world simply aren’t applicable to most of us. One passage says, “All my property, real and personal, even the shirt from my back, shall be mortgaged to secure the payment of this marriage contract.” We can understand it not as a way to “secure the payment” of the marriage, but as the groom saying to his bride, ‘everything I have is also yours, down to the shirt on my back’.

The Ketubah - Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained
If you’re planning a wedding the Ketubah can be a great thing to personalise to make it more relevant to you. A Ketubah can be decorated in many different ways, with illustrations around the text or colours that represent something about you, indeed there are many artists who custom-make Ketubot, all with a presence on the internet.

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