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An Ines Di Santo Bride for a Bold Jewish Wedding Bringing Miami to New Jersey at Crystal Plaza, Livingston, New Jersey, USA

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Monica and Jonathan, Crystal Plaza, Livingston, New Jersey, USA

When New Yorkers Monica, a beauty publicist, and Jon, a data analyst, started planning their Jewish wedding, they dreamed of making things official in Miami, which has always felt like their second home. Ultimately, they realized it would be too challenging for their grandparents to travel, so instead they decided to bring Miami to New Jersey.

We’re obsessed with the modern, bold energy the pair brought to their special day at Crystal Plaza in Livingston, NJ. For the ceremony and cocktail hour, they focused on strong black details – most notably, a dramatic black acrylic chuppah – paired with white and green florals in sleek, structural arrangements. Then for the reception, the mood shifted to an explosion of color set against a striking black backdrop. And did we mention their dog, Chili, played a big part in the proceedings? Don’t miss all the fab details in the photos by Felix Feygin and video from My Wedding Way.

Read on for the full story from Monica – who looked so glam in her Ines De Santo gown…

How We Met

Monica, the bride: Jonathan and I met on Hinge in December 2021 and had our first date at Subject, a cocktail bar on the Lower East Side. From there, we realized we were starving and went to a nearby diner as most places were closing up their kitchens by that point. We realized we shared all of the same favorite foods – grilled cheese, buffalo chicken sandwich and a malted milkshake. What was meant to be a quick drink turned into hours of conversation, and we both knew right away there was something special.

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A Berta Bride for a Desert-themed Sunset Jewish Wedding at Al-Hayam, Caesarea, Israel

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Ella-and-Curtis-Al-Hayam-Caesarea-Israel

Have we got a spectacular Jewish wedding to share with you today! Ella, who works in real estate investment, and Curtis, a senior recruiter, live in the UK, but they always knew they wanted to get married in Israel – and they found the perfect spot in stunning seaside venue  Al-Hayam in Caesarea.

This wedding is just so full of phenomenal energy, and the couple’s photographer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ronen Boidek, captured every single moment so perfectly. In Ella’s words, “We absolutely love his style of photos and I have been part of weddings who have used him before. He is so professional and made everything stress free – he even knew the correct way to tie my dress after we forgot the instructions!”

We can’t turn you over to Ella without raving about how absolutely exquisite she looked in her dress from beloved Israeli designer Berta! Read on for more in the bride’s own words…

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How We Met

Ella, the bride: Curtis and I met in first year of University at the University of Birmingham. I am from Liverpool and Curtis is from Glasgow.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