How cool is Kaya and Dean’s Purim masquerade ball Jewish wedding?! This Israeli couple knew they wanted to do something different for their big day – something more like a party than a formal wedding – and we are in love with the concept they came up with!

Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor LBI Productions, helped them pull together the day of their dreams, filled with lots of red velvet, bold patterns, massive chandeliers, masks (for the bride and groom and all of the guests), capes, and feathers. Don’t miss the exquisite images by PEOPLE PHOTOGRAPHY. We’re also obsessed with Kaya’s uber-glam gown by beloved Israeli designer Berta.

Tragically, Kaya and Dean’s wedding day encompassed the beauty and sorrow that are flipsides of life in Israel: on the way to the wedding, three of Dean’s friends were injured in a terrorist attack just a few streets away from the venue, and one of them passed away two weeks later. The couple’s loved ones opted to hide the news from them until the morning after the wedding so they could fully enjoy their big day, and the horrific news made all the love and joy of the wedding all the more poignant.

Kaya beautifully recounts the rollercoaster of emotion she and Dean experienced as the happiest day of their lives came up against the horrific reality Israelis live with – do read on for her moving words…

How We Met

Kaya, the bride: We met through mutual friends. For a long time, there were various people who tried to introduce us, but we weren’t available at the time. Eventually, my best friend’s husband made the connection between us. My husband works in real estate entrepreneurship, and I work in marketing, creative, and production. Continue Reading