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An Ysa Makino Bride for a Cambodian-Jewish Wedding at The Noor, Jaffa, Israel

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When American couple Ayia and Christopher, both emergency room nurses, decided on a destination wedding in Israel, they knew they needed a stellar planner on the ground to make the day of their dreams a reality. They found the perfect fit in Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Bebke, led by dream team Inbar and Gev. To quote Ayia, Bebke is “a creative powerhouse,” and helped the duo with everything from finding the perfect only-in-Israel venue to incorporating the groom’s Cambodian heritage into the day.

Ayia and Christopher knew they wanted to get married somewhere with character and history – the kind of space that couldn’t be anyplace else but Israel – and Bebke delivered: hidden away in Jaffa’s artistic alleys, The Noor is an absolute stunner, the kind that really encapsulates the magic of Israel.

We also love the way Bebke worked with the couple to incorporate Cambodian culture into the day, culminating in a traditional Cambodian/Khmer string tie ceremony. Ayia and Christopher changed into traditional outfits and knelt on colorful pillows, with incense burning and traditional Cambodian wedding music playing in the background, as each guest approached  them and tied a red string on both the bride and groom’s wrist, followed by a blessing for a happy and healthy marriage. Don’t miss  Mor Elnekave and Ben Mizrachi’s exquisite photos of this unmissable moment.

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How We Met

Ayia, the bride: We met on a dating app as it was the heart of Covid and everything was closed. We bonded knowing we were both working so hard, and dealing with so much sadness and stress in the emergency room. It bonded us. We met a month later and it was all history from there 🙂Continue ReadingContinue Reading

An Eisen Stein Bride for a Jew-ish Wedding with Old-World Flair at Noor Gallery in Jaffa, Israel

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When today’s couple started planning their Jewish wedding in Israel, they knew they wanted something different than the norm. Lin, who sets up sales centers, and Matt, who manages a video crew, knew they wanted a cozy, old-world vibe for their big day – and though they weren’t sure how to bring their wedding dreams to life, they found the absolute perfect partners in making their vision a reality.

Lin and Matt’s planner, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Bebke, was key to crafting a truly unforgettable wedding with tons of atmosphere and the European hotel feel the couple craved. Inbar and Gev of Bebke went all out transforming the pair’s venue, Noor Gallery in Jaffa, into the chicest hideaway that would’ve blended right in in Paris, London, or Rome. Inbar took charge of design, while Gev oversaw logistics –  and everything ran smoothly down to the very last detail.

And we do mean the VERY last detail. In Lin’s words, “I didn’t recognize the venue when we arrived on the day of the wedding. Inbar changed the floor and added black and white ‘tiles’ for the European hotel style that we wanted, and it was wild. We didn’t have the budget for it, but Inbar found people to do it for a price that we could afford. We’ve never met people like Inbar and Gev.”

There’s so much to love about this anything-but-standard Israeli wedding – do have a scroll through the wonderful photos by Matan to see all the fab details for yourself…

 

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VENUE

Lin, the bride and Matt, the groom: We got married at Noor Gallery in Jaffa. We wanted something that had a classy old-world vibe similar to that of an upscale European hotel. We had only about 60 guests and we wanted something intimate. The Noor Gallery is an ancient building with lots of history and this venue met all of our demands.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Mediterranean Garden Wedding Full of Love, Lemons, and Olive Trees at Beit al Hayam, Jaffa, Israel

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Elinor & Daniel, Beit al Hayam, Jaffa, Israel

Some Jewish weddings just make you feel like you’ve stepped into another world. In the case of Elinor, a business manager in LA for people in the show business world, and Daniel, a software engineer, that world is a Mediterranean garden fantasia full of vibrant blue and yellow tones, olive and lemon trees, and, of course, plenty of flowers.

Elinor and Daniel knew they wanted to craft a wedding that would make their friends and family from abroad feel as if they were stepping into the couple’s home – and to make their vision a reality, they opted to work with Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Bebke Productions. Gev and Inbal of Bebke are masters at putting together weddings that transport you, and they were the absolute perfect choice for this very special day.

In Elinor and Daniel’s words, Bebke Productions was “simply amazing,” working closely with the couple and handling every detail of the day with aplomb – as well as creating a killer atmosphere filled with fun touches like signs styled like Mediterranean tiles, an epic cocktail bar with signature drinks, a dining area modeled after an Italian courtyard, and so much more – don’t miss all the wonderful touches in the photos from Jen Sladkov.

There’s so much more to say about this very special Jewish wedding – read on for the whole story!

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How we Met

Elinor, the bride and Daniel, the groom: Our moms were in the army together and stayed friends. When I moved to LA, I was invited by Daniel’s mom to a Chanukkah party at her home and there I met Daniel.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Top Jewish Wedding Planning Tips

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Jasmine & Brett’s wedding featured on Smashing the Glass | Photo by Claudine Hartzel

So you’re planning a Jewish wedding – mazal tov! Wedding planning is exciting, no question, but it can also be seriously overwhelming. There’s so much to learn, so much information to sort through and, in many cases, so many opinions to contend with. 

But having the right tools goes a long way! And that’s why we tapped into our fabulous network of wedding planners to share their top tips for a smooth wedding planning journey. Read on for some essential Jewish wedding wisdom!

Charlotte from La Fete says

Make sure that you are really clear with your parents from the start on their involvement in your big day. Are they expecting certain things – do you have any non-negotiables? The clearer you are earlier on, the easier and smoother the whole process will be. 

Rebecca & Emmanuel, Villa Luisa, Seville, Spain

Rebecca & Emmanuel‘s wedding featured on Smashing The Glass | Photo by Juan Luis Morilla

 Michelle from Elegante by Michelle J says

We are very fortunate that the Jewish marriage ceremony is very poignant and meaningful;  so my advice to all of my couples is to make it especially so,  the highlight of your wedding day. It’s all too easy to get caught up with the dinner florals, the entertainment, the food and of course they are important (and as a wedding planner I also love to get caught up in all of these details). But everyone is gathering together to witness the two of you entering into the commitment of marriage. So this should be considered “the main event”. Everything else that follows is a celebration of the beautiful wedding that your guests have had the privilege of witnessing.

Chloe & Danny‘s wedding featured on Smashing The Glass | Photo by David Bastianoni

Yana Andreev from Craspedia Events says

Create an email account that will be designated for wedding things only. That way you’ll have all the corespondence in one convinient location, you both have access to and it won’t mix with work and personal stuff. 

Jewish wedding Bayaar, Hadera, Israel

Shelly & Harel‘s wedding featured on Smashing The Glass | Photo by Noa Magger

Luba from Primavera Dreams says

My #1 tip for a destination Jewish wedding: Make sure that your planner knows the traditions, understand the particularity of a Jewish wedding and can actively help to source what may be needed (from chuppah and rabbi to challah, to kosher food and wine, etc. if needed). Or it may cost you a lot of money and stress.

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Rita & Daniel‘s wedding featured on Smashing the Glass | Photo by Tatiana Blanco Photography 

Dyana from Dyana Dessar says

Do remember why you are getting married, because you love each other!  it is not a military manoeuvre and whilst it is important to have a good timeline don’t sweat the small stuff, stop take a moment and take the day in as it will be over all too soon, and to make sure it all runs smoothly employ a professional wedding planner! 


Jolanda & Jack‘s wedding featured on Smashing the Glass | Photo by The Love Hunters

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The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Destination Wedding in Israel

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Laura and Elad‘s Jewish wedding in Tel Aviv | Photo by Ronen Boidek

Some of my very favorite Smashing The Glass real weddings have taken place in Israel. I always dreamed of getting married there myself, and even though in the end we decided to get married in our hometown so that my husband’s 97-year-old grandmother could be at the center of our celebration, I love living vicariously through all our gorgeous Israel brides.

In addition to being such a meaningful place to hold a Jewish wedding, Israel also happens to be pretty unbeatable when it comes to sunny weather, unbeatable food, great views – from lush green forests to pristine beaches, vast deserts to stunning mountain – and the best parties I’ve ever been to. Just check out our real Israeli weddings section if you need any more proof!

Photo by Valeri Prochin

The downside? It can be more than a little overwhelming to plan a wedding long distance, in a country whose language you might not even speak, and with somewhat different cultural norms than the US or UK. There’s also some tricky bureaucracy to contend with. But never fear! I sat down with Gev Rotem of Bebke, one of the very best Israeli destination wedding planners around, to demystify the process of planning the Israeli destination wedding of your dreams, one step at a time.

Bebke are known for planning some of the most creative, vibrant Israeli destination weddings around – you can see some we’ve featured on Smashing The Glass here – and there’s no one I trust more than Gev to be on top of all the up-to-the-minute ins and outs of crafting your perfect wedding in Israel from abroad. 

Photo by Moran Mayan

How Do You Find Vendors?

It can be really daunting trying to find vendors overseas, especially when there are language/cultural barriers, although most Israelis do speak good English. When you’re less familiar with the landscape, it can also be trickier to make sure you end up with a trustworthy team you can depend on to bring your wedding dreams to life. 

Recommendations from friends and family can certainly be helpful, but we also have a handy list of Israeli Recommended Vendors, carefully vetted to get you started, and, again, our past Israeli real weddings come with a vendor list at the end of each post, so if you see something you like, you can get in touch.

Even better is working with a trusted planner like Gev, who can not only source fantastic vendors you can trust who’ll be the perfect fit for your version, but will also make sure you get the best rates possible. 

Photo by Jen Sladkov

How About a Venue?

When it comes to nailing down that perfect venue, Gev shared some great insights – including one reason for working with a planner that you may not have considered: “There are lots of great villas and private properties open to hiring themselves out for weddings, but the problem with these tends to be that after a couple of events, their neighbors start complaining and they end up needing to shut down. For this reason, we hold lots of weddings at one-off locations where we can fly under the radar – and we have a team constantly looking for new options.”

Photo by Jen Sladkov

While there are also plenty of gorgeous established venues in Israel, Gev notes that your typical Israeli venue holds an average of 250(!) events per year – which means they tend to offer only set packages geared toward Israelis, leading to cookie-cutter events  which may not be quite in line with what couples from abroad are looking for. These venues often aren’t open to the kinds of bespoke touches those of us coming from the US and UK might want to include to craft a wedding that truly reflects them as a couple. 

Laura and Elad‘s Jewish wedding in Tel Aviv | Photo by Ronen Boidek

What Kinds of Unique Venues Can I Find in Israel?

Gev loves to help connect his couples with unique, only-in-Israel venues like olive and pecan groves, open fields, glamorous villas, old houses in Jaffa or ancient structures in Jerusalem, and locations amidst atmospheric archeological ruins. Israel’s got so many fabulous spots so full of character that are unlike anything you’d find at home, and Gev strongly believes that if you decide to get married there you should take advantage, rather than try to find a venue that imitates a New York club or an English garden.

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