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A Monique Lhuillier Bride for a Very NYC Wedding at Temple Emanu-El and a Private Club, New York, NY, USA

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Elizabeth and Jordan, private venue, Manhattan, New York, USA

There’s no place like New York – and we love that today’s couple, Elizabeth, vice president at a bank, and Jordan, a commercial mortgage broker, made the most of the city when planning their fabulous big day.

Bride Elizabeth grew up in the city and wanted a quintessentially NYC wedding, brought out with fun details like Sex and the City-inspired signature cocktails. And then there’s the ceremony venue: Manhattan’s majestic Temple Emanu-El, which is not only a seriously stunning space but also has deep significance for Elizabeth and her family.

Elizabeth and Jordan turned to Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Sarah Merians for photography and videography, and, in their words, “She is the best of the best so we knew we were in great hands!” Have a look at their exquisite imagery and we’re pretty sure you’ll agree.

Now over to the bride, who looked so elegant in her Monique Lhuillier gown…

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How We Met

Elizabeth, the bride: They met at a dinner on a cold winter night in NYC organized by Elizabeth’s college friend, who also happens to be Jordan’s cousin. They did not sit next to one another, although, Jordan noticed Elizabeth from the other side of the table and reached out to her after the dinner. Another group dinner was organized, until the two finally went on their first one on one date at Avra UES. At the dinner, Jordan, who was sitting across from Elizabeth asked if he could sit next to her, so mid dinner he moved his chair…the rest is history!Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Reem Acra Bride for a Classic NYC Jewish Wedding with an Amazing Acrylic Chuppah at the Rainbow Room, New York, USA

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Happy 2025! To ring in the new year, we’ve got a real treat of a Jewish wedding for you.  Naomi, a software engineer, married Jordan, a former Olympic swimmer turned MBA student, at the iconic Rainbow Room in New York City, and their day absolutely epitomizes classic New York glamor.

From the glittering crystals to the legendary rotating dance floor and breathtaking skyline views, every detail felt like stepping into a glamorous 1930s dream – and wait until you see Naomi and Jordan’s incredible acrylic chuppah, designed to match the venue’s celebrated décor and frame the stunning NYC sunset views.

We love that the couple also worked with their wedding planners, NYLux Events, to incorporate fun personal touches like custom food carts inspired by In-N-Out Burger as aa playful nod to their life in LA.

From Naomi’s timeless Reem Acra gown to the high-energy dance floor to the stunning images by Karlie Louise Photography, this Rainbow Room wedding was truly one for the books.

Get ready to swoon as we take you through Naomi and Jordan’s unforgettable day…

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How We Met

Naomi, the bride: Jordan and I met while studying at Northwestern University, introduced through mutual friends. From the moment we met, it felt like love at first sight. I’m a Jersey girl, and he’s the quintessential laid-back guy from Malibu—our East Coast and West Coast personalities balance each other perfectly. One thing we’ve always shared is a love for skiing. In fact, Jordan proposed to me during a ski trip with friends—it was an absolute surprise and one of the most magical moments of my life! Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Galia Lahav Bride for a Magical Forest-Inspired Wedding at The Estate at Florentine Gardens, River Vale, New Jersey, USA

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When Sydney, a software engineer, and Chaim, a finance associate, began planning their dream wedding, they knew they wanted something magical, elegant, and undeniably “them.” The moment they stepped into The Estate at Florentine Gardens in River Vale, New Jersey, they were completely smitten. The ceremony space—with its high ceilings, grand windows, and stunning European-inspired architecture—was love at first sight.

Their color palette of lush greens and regal purples set the tone for a forest-inspired fairytale, brought to life with an abundance of greenery and whimsical florals. Their stunning chuppah was the epitome of woodland romance, featuring four majestic trees as its base, accented with pops of vibrant purple flowers.

Sydney absolutely wowed in a masterpiece from Israeli designer Galia Lahav—a gown that struck the perfect balance between timeless elegance and modern drama. From its intricate detailing to the striking drop-waist silhouette, it was everything she’d dreamed of and more.

The couple knew the importance of capturing every magical moment, so they turned to Smashing The Glass Recommended VendorAlex Knight Studio for photography. From the calming presence of the team on a busy day to their incredible attention to detail, every photo—candid and posed alike—turned out breathtaking.

This is one wedding you don’t want to miss—scroll on for all the stunning details, from the enchanting ceremony to the joy-filled reception!

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How We Met

Sydney, the bride: We were set up through a mutual friend. One evening, my sister convinced me to join her and her friends for a night of bowling. A friend asked if I was looking to meet someone and if so what was I looking for. I said: tall, nice and family oriented. The friend said you must meet my roommate, Chaim: tall, nice and one of eight kids-how much more family oriented can you get! We met and a year and a half later, Chaim proposed in Paris.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Winnie Couture Bride for a Summer Jewish Wedding Where Old Hollywood Meets the Mediterranean at Bel Air Bay Club, California, USA

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Have we got a gorgeous Jewish wedding for you today! The Mediterranean meets Old Hollywood in Sophe and Alex’s big day at Bel Air Bay Club, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and we are here for it. Every detail of their summer celebration reflected elegance and sunshine—from the light, summery color palette to the joyful florals in shades of pink, yellow, and orange.

Tragically, Sophe lost her beloved father seven years prior to the wedding, and including him in the day was a top priority. Sophe’s 95-year-old paternal grandfather walked her down the aisle, did a grandfather-granddaughter dance, and made a toast where he handed over Sophe’s dad’s hat to Alex – how special is that?

Jordan Elizabeth Photography and Loufas Films captured every moment of the day so beautifully, and we’re in love with Sophe and Alex’s gorgeous personalized ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Rabbi Leah Richman of Ketubahs and More, featuring the most exquisite blue Mediterranean tiling design.

Read on for all the details in Sophe’s own words!

 

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How We Met

Sophe, the bride: Our story begins in August 2016 as young 23 year olds trying to figure out the real world. Only two weeks after moving to Los Angeles to do Teach For America, Sophe’s school did an overnight retreat for the teachers in Malibu and at the end of the night she decided to go on Bumble to see if she came across any celebs or cute surfers. Even better, she came across a handsome Greek man and Sophe immediately recognized him from their alma mater Chapman University (and swiped right).

Fortunately for Sophe, Alex was living in Calabasas (right over the hill from Malibu) so she was in his geographical range because Alex refused to drive more than 5 miles in LA traffic. The joke was on him as Sophe actually lived in West LA and was a 1.5 hour drive after work (aka we were long distance dating in LA).

Soon text conversation turned into a first date where Sophe and Alex got kicked out of the sushi restaurant because they stayed so long. From then on, Sophe and Alex became inseparable. A few months into dating they decided to add each other on social media, only to find out that they were already Facebook friends. Turns out they became Facebook friends in 2011, as college freshmen, and Alex even wrote “Happy birthday :)” on Sophe’s wall for her birthday in 2012. The jury is still out on if they ever did talk at some college party or if Alex always had his eye on Sophe. Continue ReadingContinue Reading

An Inclusive Modern Orthodox Jewish Wedding at Congregation Beth Shalom, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

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Rachel and Ben’s Pittsburgh Jewish wedding was all about celebrating with loved ones – and we adore the way they centered their celebration around including family and friends.

Rachel, an intensive care nurse, and Ben, who  works in healthcare tech, chose to wed at Congregation Beth Shalom, Rachel’s family synagogue, and they were married by Ben’s family rabbi. They knew they wanted an inclusive yet traditional Modern Orthodox wedding, bringing in gender equality through touches like having a male and female guest read each of their Sheva Brachot – first in Hebrew, and then in English translation.

Rachel and Ben chose incredible Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Portraits by Sean as their photographer, and they couldn’t be more thrilled with their choice. In the bride’s words,

We spoke to Sean several times on the phone throughout our planning process and were so impressed with his profound interest in Jewish traditions, us, our families, and in helping us have a beautiful wedding. I was particularly impressed by his commitment to help my father (who has some mobility issues) and give him back some dignity in pictures. Sean and his staff were kind, professional, respectful, and flexible when our timelines when they did not go according to plan! 

Read on for all the details of this very special day…

 

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How We Met

Rachel, the bride: We met at a Rosh Hashana dinner at Brandeis University, where we both went to college. We met in 2016 and officially started dating in 2017. We were long distance for several years in between Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, and Wisconsin.Continue ReadingContinue Reading