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A Multicultural Vietnamese-Jewish Wedding at Temple Akiba and Playa Studios, Los Angeles, California, USA

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Michelle and David, Playa Studios, LA, USA

We love it when a couple merges their two backgrounds into a one-of-a-kind LA Jewish wedding – and that’s exactly what today’s duo did! Michelle, an executive search recruiter, and David, a public school teacher and screenwriter, set out to plan a wedding that celebrated both the pair’s shared Jewish faith and Michelle’s Vietnamese heritage.  

Right before their chuppah – which was held at the couple’s synagogue – Michelle and David hosted a traditional Vietnamese tea ceremony. They donned áo dais (traditional Vietnamese gowns) and served tea to their elders and relatives.

We also love that Michelle rocked three different fabulous bridal looks throughout her day! First the áo dài, then a classic ballgown from Rita Vinieris for the chuppah, and finally a fusion look for the reception, pairing a clean, minimalist gown from Jill Stuart with a matching, white khăn đóng (Vietnamese headdress).

Read on for more about this wonderful wedding, plus exquisite documentary photography by Rebecca y las otras…

Michelle and David, Playa Studios, LA, USAMichelle and David, Playa Studios, LA, USAMichelle and David, Playa Studios, LA, USAMichelle and David, Playa Studios, LA, USA
How we Met

Michelle, the bride: We met at a networking event in LA.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

An Essense of Australia for a Summer Garden Jewish Wedding at Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., USA

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Aly & Shlomo, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington D.C, USA

How stunning is today’s Jewish wedding?! Aly, a recent law school graduate, and Shlomo, who works for his family’s packaging business, crafted the perfect summer-garden themed day in pink and peach, and we are all about it.

And would you believe they made it happen right in the middle of Washington, D.C.? Yep – this wedding took place at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., which the couple loved for the way it combines fabulous outdoor hardens with easy proximity to downtown.

We’re obsessed with the exquisite photos by Kir Tuben – the couple met Kir when she photographed Aly’s sister’s wedding, and they adored her photography style, wedding-day energy, and passion for her work.

Now over to Aly, who looked positively radiant in Essense of Australia…

Aly & Shlomo, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington D.C, USAAly & Shlomo, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington D.C, USAAly & Shlomo, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington D.C, USAAly & Shlomo, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington D.C, USA
How we Met

Aly, the bride and Shlomo, the groom: We met through mutual friends while living in D.C. after college.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Paloma Blanca Bride for an Elegant Jewish Wedding at the Intercontinental Hotel Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

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Stephanie-Mitchell-International-Buckhead-Georgia-USA

Today’s gorgeous Jewish wedding is 100% pure classic elegance, and we are here for it! Atlanta couple Stephanie and Mitchell had the absolute dreamiest glitzy ballroom wedding in white and gold. Combine that with some seriously glam florals in white, an uber-chic gown by Paloma Blanca, and magazine worthy photos from The Decisive Moment and you’ve got it all.

Oh, and did we mention the couple’s beautiful ketubah, which they found on Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubah.com? We adore the contemporary design featuring serene blues, and we’re also obsessed with the fact that Stephanie and Mitchell opted to have their grandparents – his grandmother and her grandfather – sign the ketubah as witnesses. What an incredibly special moment that must have been!

There’s so much more to say about this exquisite wedding, but we’ll leave it to the bride to fill you in on the details…

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How we Met

Stephanie, the bride: I was a medical assistant and he was a patient. Two of my friends said in the past we would make a great match and by fate he ended up being a patient where I worked. We got engaged at Piedmont Park – he told me his boss was in town and wanted our dogs to meet at the park. I also needed to look presentable. I had no idea!Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Martina Liana Bride for a Very NYC Jewish Wedding, City Winery, New York, USA

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Carleigh-Ian-City-Winery-New-York-USA

There’s no place like New York City. And we could not be more obsessed with the way today’s couple, Carleigh, a law student, and Ian, a financial reporter, channeled that Big Apple energy into their fabulous Jewish wedding.

For these two city dwellers, there was never any question that they’d get married anywhere but NYC. And their venue, City Winery, was the perfect spot to highlight the city’s energy (don’t miss the wonderful photos by Tiffany) – plus, it happens to be set in a stunning spot on the water. Naturally, Carleigh found her Martina Liana gown at Kleinfeld, THE quintessential New York bridal spot. And at the end of the night, the duo made their grand exit in a vintage NYC yellow cab.

We also love Carleigh and Ian’s commitment to making sure every aspect of their wedding was 100% “them” – from swapping out the traditional Seven Circles, in favor of each walking three around the other and then one together, to giving out packs of baseball cards during cocktail hour in honor of Ian’s baseball card collection, to opting for a stunning custom ketubah by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor BritColors incorporating a Torah verse with personal meaning.

This was such an incredibly special day, and we hope you’ll read on to hear the rest in Carleigh’s own words!

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How we Met

Carleigh, the bride: We met like any good millennial couple does these days: on Tinder. It may not have been love at first swipe… but we instantly had a good banter going, built largely on our shared experiences working in media. We both worked for our college newspapers, Carleigh at Duke, and Ian at the University of Pennsylvania.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Jewish Wedding Worth the Wait at Boston Exchange, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

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Rebecca-Benjamin-Boston-Exchange-Boston-USA

There’s something so special about all the gorgeous Jewish weddings of couples whose big days were disrupted by the pandemic – like Rebecca, a health economist, and Benjamin, a software engineer, who were originally slated for a May 2020 wedding at the historic Boston Exchange. Needless to say, things didn’t go to plan.

When the pair first got engaged, they booked Luba of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Primavera Dreams to help them plan their wedding – they knew they wanted someone who knew Jewish weddings and could help them craft a meaningful day centered on a traditional ceremony, pick the right vendors, and take the stress out of planning.  That last bit proved extra important as the couple navigated the rollercoaster of multiple reschedules leading up to their eventual May 2022 wedding.

Pandemic or no, Rebecca and Benjamin strongly believe choosing to work with Luba was one of the best wedding planning decisions they made. In Rebecca’s words, “We always thought of a wedding planner as an extravagant extra… [but] our planner introduced us to amazing vendors whose prices were more competitive than those we found ourselves. She also negotiated contracts on our behalf and helped us effectively prioritize where to cut and spend money. Having her organize last minute details and communicate with vendors in the days and weeks leading up to the wedding allowed us to focus on our families and enjoy the wedding.”

One thing Rebecca and Benjamin did that we love: they set up a Judaica registry (in addition to their traditional Zola gift list)! They registered at Kolbo Fine Judaica Gallery in Brookline, MA, and loved being able to add handmade Judaica to their list online. The duo also purchased their gorgeous ketubah, crafted in Israel by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Danny Azoulay, at Kolbo.

There’s so much more we could say about this fab wedding – for starters, don’t miss the wonderful floral chuppah in Lynne Reznick’s luminous photos – but we’ll turn you over to the bride for the rest…

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How We Met

Rebecca, the bride: We met in Boston in 2014 and had our first date at a coffee shop in Harvard Square! Four years later (to the day), we got engaged after having dinner in the same building.Continue ReadingContinue Reading