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A Same-Sex Jewish Wedding Celebration Extravaganza at Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El, Plantation, Florida, USA

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This wedding is just chock full of Jewish joy – and we are here for it! It was a no-brainer for Sam, an attorney and the Vice President of Instruction and Online Education for BARBRI, and Mark, the Cantor and Co-Senior Clergy at Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El in Plantation, Florida, to marry at their home congregation – where Mark just celebrated his 30th anniversary as Cantor!

Sam and Mark worked with Beverly Diane of Beverly Diane Party Consultants to plan the day – or rather, multi-day wedding celebration extravaganza – of their dreams, and in the grooms’ words, “She understood the assignment and really wanted to capture “us” authentically when designing and planning.”

The wedding weekend started with a Shabbat service and dinner, followed by a day of togetherness with loves ones from near and far a the couple’s home.  Sunday was the big day, with a morning ceremony followed by a brunch for all the guests. In the evening, the duo wrapped things up with a 5-course dinner party for their closest loved ones, featuring toasts and roasts from guests and an impromptu musical welcome speech from the grooms. The whole day was filled with so much love and laughter, beautifully captured on photo and video by Bells and Whistles Studios.

Read on for all the details in Sam and Mark’s own words…

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How We Met

Sam, and Mark, the grooms: We first met in 2009 at a guest house in Key West while both in other relationships. In 2020, Sam reached out to Mark out of the blue (both were single by then). After catching up, we discovered that, by pure coincidence, we had both made reservations at the same guest house in Key West where we originally met, a few weeks apart. The rest is history.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

An Ines Di Santo Bride for a Zionist and Proud Jerusalem-Meets-Florida Jewish Wedding Aventura at Turnberry Jewish Center, Florida, USA

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We cannot get enough of the love for Israel that shines through every single moment of today’s gorgeous Jewish wedding! Florida couple Shirley, an in-house attorney with a corporation that specializes in government contracting for emergency management, and Jared, a Florida lobbyist, planned to get married in Jerusalem on October 19, 2023.

After October 7, they knew they needed to pivot – and while the war required a change of venue, there was never any doubt that the “rescheduled wedding needed to be even bigger, even more Jewish, and even more Zionist-and-proud.” And though the location changed from Jerusalem’s Olmaya to Florida’s Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center, the theme of “Yerushalayim shel zahav” (Jerusalem of gold) remained.

Shirley and Jared made every planning decision with the aim of bringing Jerusalem to their guests, including a delicious Middle Eastern-inspired menu and olive branch décor – there was even a centerpiece olive tree, serving as both homage to Jerusalem and a symbol of peace. During the chuppah, the couple wrapped themselves in the flag of Israel while their rabbi sang Hatikvah, and Israeli flags and Magen Davids were all over the big day – don’t miss these wonderful touches of Jewish pride in the photos by The Light and Color and trailer by Senderey Videography.

For their ketubah, Shirley and Jared turned to Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Brit Colors, who handcrafted a stunning design inspired by the iconic doors of Olmaya, the duo’s original Jerusalem venue. Featuring embroidery and gold foil, it’s truly an exquisite piece of art.

There’s so much more to say about this very special, Jewish joy-packed day – read on for all the details in Shirley’s own words…

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How We Met

Shirley, the bride: We met in law school in 2017, when I sat behind Jared in Wills and Trusts. We now realize how foretelling that was of us spending the rest of our lives together.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Mark Ingram Bride for a New Year’s Eve Jewish Wedding at The Addison, Boca Raton, Florida, USA

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We love a glam Jewish wedding, so we were thrilled to see that Debra and Brandon went full-on with their New Year’s Eve wedding! Opting for a “festive black tie” dress code, they went with a mirror theme, including a mirrored chuppah and mirrored dance floor, and naturally they ended the night with a champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight!

Florida couple Debra and Brandon, both attorneys, were looking for a venue where they could have a kosher wedding on a holiday weekend, and The Addison in Boca Raton was the perfect spot for the couple’s celebration. Check out how absolutely chic every detail was from start to finish in the wonderful photos by Jack Bates Photography!

We can’t turn you over to Debra before remarking on her incredibly elegant custom gown by Mark Ingram – just the perfect look for this perfect day!

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How We Met

Debra, the bride: We met on Hinge at the start of CovidContinue ReadingContinue Reading

A Timelessly Elegant Jewish Wedding at Sandpearl Resort, Clearwater Beach, Florida, USA

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We can’t get enough of today’s gorgeous Jewish wedding on the water on the Florida coast! Jennifer, an ICU nurse, and Danny, a urologist, made things official at the Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater Beach, where they found the perfect venue for their timeless and elegant three-day celebration.  

Naturally, Jennifer and Danny needed the perfect classic ketubah to complement their vibe – and they found just the thing from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Noa Attias. Like all of Noa’s ketubahs, the gorgeous design the couple chose is truly a piece of art, and Jennifer and Danny are thrilled to be able to display it in their home. Don’t miss it in the beautiful photos from Carrie Wildes! 

We also love that when it came time for their mini-moon, Jennifer and Danny opted to spend it at Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in the Bahamas! Just a 1.5 hour flight from their home in Tampa, it was the absolute perfect spot for the couple to relax and decompress after all the excitement of the wedding – and they especially enjoyed eating at the hotel’s kosher Asian fusion restaurant, Cinko!

There’s so much more to say, but we’ll let Jennifer fill you in on the rest…


How We Met

Jennifer, the bride: We met in early 2020 on bumble while we were living in Washington, D.C.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Two Wedding Pros’ Jewish Wedding at Congregation B’nai Israel, Boca Raton, Florida, USA

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Beverly & Lane, B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, Florida,USA

We love seeing the choices wedding professionals make when it comes to planning their own Jewish weddings. And today’s is doubly a treat, because it features not one but two fabulous wedding pros: bride Beverly is a wedding planner and groom Lane is a floral designer at Dalsimer Atlas.

Given that they both work in the wedding industry, Beverly and Lane knew they wanted to do something a bit different than what they do for our clients. They decided to think outside the box by turning the traditional reception into a full-blown party with decor reminiscent of an Italian countryside with modern flair.

Needless to say, the floral design by the groom was especially fabulous, featuring abundant greenery, elegant foliage, white peonies, and plenty of candlelight. Lane also designed the couple’s uber-unique chuppah, with natural wood posts and tons of greenery and hanging calla lilies. Don’t miss it in the wonderful images from Munoz Photography and trailer by Senderey Video Productions!

When it came to choosing their ketubah, there was never any question for Beverly and Lane that they’d work with Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Nava Shoham at 1800ketubah.com. Nava customized her “Power of Love” ketubah for the duo, and they couldn’t be more thrilled with the result.

There’s so much more to say about this very special wedding – like, how stylish did Beverly look in her TWO fabulous bridal outfits, ceremony by Katy Corso and reception by Sasha Krasnova Design?! – but we’ll let the bride take it from here…

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Beverly, the bride: I’m a wedding planner and he’s a floral designer, so naturally we met doing what we both love to do. The Dalsimer Atlas Floral & Event Decorators showroom is where our love bloomed (literally). We create “happily ever afters” for everyone else and now we finally had our own. Continue ReadingContinue Reading