Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

An Interfaith Vietnamese-Jewish Wedding with Tons of Chemistry at the Hall of State in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas, USA

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Adam and Thien, Hall of State in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas, USA

We’re pretty obsessed with Adam and Thien’s fabulous Vietnamese-Jewish wedding in Dallas. This day has truly got it all: a heartfelt and meaningful fusion of two cultures, a fun theme (chemistry, in honor of the couple’s shared major that first brought them together in college), and absolutely loads of personality.

Adam and Thien crafted an interfaith ceremony blending elements from Jewish and Vietnamese culture – including a tea ceremony, a bamboo chuppah, and, of course, smashing the glass. Adam’s childhood rabbi officiated, and the couple wore Vietnamese áo dài’s for the ceremony before changing into complementary suits for the reception. The duo’s beautiful ketubah, designed by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Elena Berlo of Once Upon A Paper, featured a trilingual interfaith text reflecting Adam and Thien’s values and commitment to each other – in English, Hebrew, and Vietnamese. Don’t miss it in Julia Sharapova’s wonderful photos.

The chemistry-themed reception looks like a total blast, between color changing cocktails in beakers and flasks, passed hors d’oeuvres served in test tubes and pipettes, a Periodic Table seating chart with each table assigned a chemical element, and even a chemistry themed cake!

Adam and Thien, Hall of State in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas, USA Adam and Thien, Hall of State in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas, USA Adam and Thien, Hall of State in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas, USA Adam and Thien, Hall of State in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas, USA

How We Met

We were both Chemistry majors in college, and we discovered that we had chemistry together from Day One! Little did we know that our first movie date would be watching the ever-so-romantic “Lab Safety Orientation” as we prepared to work in research labs on campus. Two years later, we officially started dating, and our bond only grew stronger as we explored Boston on the weekends and took summer trips around New England. We got engaged in 2021 and had our wedding on November 11, 2023.

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Highlights of 2025: Gaby and Brad’s Winter Chic Jewish Wedding at St Pancras Renaissance, London, UK

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Gaby and Brad, St Pancras Renaissance, London, UK

As we continue our tour through some of the stunning Jewish weddings we’ve featured in 2025, we’ve got a treat of a wintry London wedding for you! Gaby and Brad knew going into wedding planning that they wanted a celebration that didn’t look like every other wedding, and did they ever pull it off – their big day was just so overwhelmingly chic, featuring the majestic setting of the St Pancras Renaissance, a stunner of a gown by Halfpenny London, a trademark epic performance by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ambassador Band, and the most glam imagery from Gingerbeard Wedding.

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Highlights of 2025: Emily and Max’s Elegant Jewish Wedding at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, NYC, New York, USA

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Emily and Max, The Lighthouse, NYC, USA

As we continue our journey through just a few of the stunning Jewish weddings we’ve featured over the past twelve months, we’re heading to NYC, where Emily and Max made things official at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers. 

Featuring a color palette of warm, summery sunset colors, a stunner of a floral chuppah, and a gorgeous laser-cut ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubah.com, this wedding was something special. Photographer Joseph Lin portrayed the day in his signature easygoing style, and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kiss The Bride Films captured all the joy and magic of this wonderful wedding on video.

We also love all the personal details Emily and Max worked in to make their day one-of-a-kind – from luggage tag escort cards embossed with the New York City skyline and the couple’s names and wedding date to fun welcome bags stuffed with some of the duo’s local favorites.

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An Essense of Australia Bride for a Jewish Wedding at Independence Grove, Chicago, USA

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Julia and Richard, Independence Grove, Chicago, USA

We love an outdoor chuppah – and Julia and Richard’s was really something special. Chicago couple Julia, who works with hospitals to improve maternal health outcomes, and Richard, a construction litigation lawyer, dreamed of an outdoor wedding that felt natural, warm, and close to home, and Independence Grove — a forest preserve and event space just outside the city — was the perfect match.

Keeping things simple to honor the natural beauty of their surroundings, the couple went for a birch chuppah covered with the most incredibly special handmade canopy needlepointed by Richard’s mom. Don’t miss it in the beautiful photos by Henington Studios.

Equally special was the duo’s ketubah, which Julia calls “a complete dream.” She and Richard worked with Elena Berlo of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Once Upon a Paper to create a bespoke design that felt uniquely them, blending Julia’s love of nature with Richard’s love of music. Elena surprised the couple by adding singing birds to the willow tree on the ketubah, and the final result is absolutely gorgeous.

Now over to Julia, who looked radiant in her elegant gown by Essense of Australia…

Julia and Richard, Independence Grove, Chicago, USAJulia and Richard, Independence Grove, Chicago, USA Julia and Richard, Independence Grove, Chicago, USA Julia and Richard, Independence Grove, Chicago, USA

How We Met

Julia, the bride: Our story began long before we ever met. I first met Richard’s sister back in 2008, when we were both part of a year-long volunteer program in Israel. Despite that connection — and the fact that we grew up near each other, studied the same subject at neighboring New England colleges, and somehow shared overlapping social circles — our paths never crossed.

Fast forward to 2019, when we finally met at a Shabbat dinner in Chicago hosted by Richard’s sister. During the pandemic, we’d occasionally see each other at outdoor gatherings and became friendly, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2021 that we realized there was a spark. A few dates in, we both knew this was something special. Two years to the day after our first date, we were under the chuppah.

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Highlights of 2025: Courtney and Jason’s Super Stylish Jewish Wedding at 1 Hotel South Beach, Florida, USA

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Courtney & Jason, 1 Hotel, Miami, Florida, USA

As we continue our journey through just a few of the  stunning Jewish weddings we’ve featured over the past twelve months, we’re touching down in sunny South Florida, where Courtney, an NYC and FL-based fashion and wardrobe stylist with a focus on bridal styling, and Jason, a real estate broker, celebrated their exquisitely stylish nuptials. 

Courtney curated the day impeccably, and every element reflected her taste and creative vision – from the modern, refined surroundings of their venue, the 1 Hotel in South Beach, to Courtney’s stunner of a gown by by beloved Israeli designer and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Galia Lahav, to the clean, contemporary chuppah, set against the backdrop of the ocean and surrounded by lush white blooms from the ground up for a one-of-a-kind aesthetic – don’t miss it in the wonderful photos by PS Photography and trailer by Senderey.

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