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A Pronovias Bride for a Dreamy Destination Jewish Wedding at Belmond Caruso, Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Italy

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When wedding dreams come true… we love that Alicia and Arcady went from joking about what a great wedding venue the majestic Belmond Caruso would make for their very hypothetical Jewish wedding to tying the knot there four years later!

Not that you need a sentimental reason to justify a venue as outrageously gorgeous as this one — it’s basically everything the words “Amalfi Coast” probably conjure up for you, and then some. With a sweet floral chuppah overlooking the sea and an intimate outdoor reception with some serious Midsummer Night’s Dream vibes, and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Gianni di Natale’s photos are pure, glorious eye candy. We love Gianni SO much!

Oh, also, how sweet is it these guys brought their beloved Maltipoo, Tesla, with them all the way from San Francisco to Ravello — and then they brought him along for their honeymoon, too! Now, if that’s not devotion, we don’t know what is.

Now over to Alicia, who looked simply smashing in her sleekly elegant Pronovias dress…

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Jewish wedding Belmond Caruso, Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Italy_0051

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How we met

Alicia, the bride: We are one of the last of our generation that met the old fashioned way, through mutual friends at a birthday party in Brookline, MA, way back in 2010. Sparks flew, and the night was filled with dancing in the street and a very romantic first kiss in a pile of fall leaves. We eventually started dating, and within 6 months decided to move to San Francisco together to start exciting jobs and go to graduate school. 

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An Angelo Lambrou Bride for a Glamorous Destination Jewish Wedding at Villa Cimbrone, Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Italy

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Today’s destination Jewish wedding is serious #venuegoals. NYC-based Nejla (@acutestyleaddict), a personal stylist, and Alex, who works in finance, married at Villa Cimbrone in Ravello, on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast in Italy. The couple visited Ravello just after getting engaged, and the minute they set foot in their venue they knew it was where they would wed.  

And can you blame them? You have GOT to see the views from this place. It’s literally smack dab in the middle of the swoon-worthy Amalfi Coast, right on the water. We could not possibly come up with a dreamier setting. And that’s not even mentioning the villa itself, where the meal was held — it dates back to the 12th century (!), and the dining setup seriously looks right out of the castle from Beauty and the Beast.

With such a stunning venue, Nejla and Alex understandably wanted to let the natural beauty of their surroundings take center stage. As such, they kept their dà©cor simple, with a focus on local, in-season flowers in pink and white.

Photographer and videographer Gianni Di Natale got the most exquisite shots of the day; his photos (not to mention the gorgeous highlights video) really make you feel like you’re there.

But don’t let all that fool you into thinking this wedding was all about the looks — far from it. The couple put serious effort into planning their ceremony, which was especially meaningful given that Nejla completed her conversion to Judaism weeks prior. They flew their rabbi out from New York, and, because the wedding began at sundown on Saturday night, they incorporated a Havdallah service into the ceremony. With the sunset over the coast on one side and a sea of loving faces on the other, it could hardly get any more perfect.

Amazingly, though, that wasn’t even the duo’s favorite part of the wedding. According to Nejla, it was surpassed by their joy at Alex’s grandmother, Edna, being present to celebrate with them. It was especially poignant, as the wedding marked Grandma Edna’s first time in Europe since she left as a young girl after the war.

Nejla being a personal stylist, it’s only natural that she went ultra chic on the day, in a custom couture gown in blush silk by Angelo Lambrou. She’ll fill you in on the rest…


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Destination Jewish Wedding Villa Cimbrone Ravello Amalfi Coast Italy_0100

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Destination Jewish Wedding Villa Cimbrone Ravello Amalfi Coast Italy_0100

  Destination Jewish Wedding Villa Cimbrone Ravello Amalfi Coast Italy_0100
How we met

Nejla, the bride: We met through friends several years ago but didn’t start dating until about 4 years ago.

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Lea & Douglas | ‘Costiera chic’ super luxe Jewish wedding at Belmond Hotel Caruso , Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Italy

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Romance, art, al fresco disco — and a party that ends up in the infinity pool – today we’re off to one of our eternal favourite Jewish wedding destinations, the Amalfi Coast.

I  have a lot of a soft spot for this dreamy coastline (yes, I  honeymooned there!) and quite frankly it just keeps on giving and giving.

Lea and Douglas chose the refined, polished, ancient town of Ravello for their day, sitting high in the hills above the dizzying landscape of Amalfi. Stunning, stunning, stunning!

It was so beautiful they rustled up a famous contemporary artist and relative —  Jonas Wood  — to capture this magical setting and help them create the most impressive and frame worthy invite (and order of service) ever!

An artistic vein ran throughout this Ravello wedding, with a nod to France — where they met — and a rousing chorus of  Empire State of Mind  for Big Apple born Douglas.

Even though they planned the wedding from afar, amazingly, Lea and Douglas didn’t use  a wedding planner, they simply brought their own exquisite taste and personal touches to make the day unique.

I love that they struck such a fine balance between the natural — check out the gorgeous chuppah of green and white flowers — and the ultra glam – those  Valentino  powder pink heels and that silhouette enhancing, hand stitched, sequinned, wedding gown for a start. Pure Costiera Chic!

Gianni di Natale  sums up the day beautifully in these glorious, awe inspiring shots, together with his exquisite wedding film  at the end of the post.

Hotel Caruso Ravello Wedding
A luxury hotel venue that was once an 11th century palace, overlooking the Amalfi Coast

Lea, the Bride: We got married at the Belmond Hotel Caruso in Ravello  on the Amalfi Coast  for the wonderful scenery (the deep blue sea, the mountains) and the beauty of the village. Ravello is a romantic and very special poetic place. It is also still very authentic by its people (even with the numerous weddings celebrated there all year round) and the food is delicious.

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Karen & David | Elegant white Jewish wedding at Villa Giusso, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Italy

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This morning we’re off to Italy to indulge in Karen and David’s sumptuous Jewish wedding in Sorrento courtesy of Gianni di Natale Photography. Although I’ve blogged Jewish weddings from the Amalfi Coast before, this is the first one I’ve featured that takes place in Sorrento. It’s rather momentous for me to be blogging a wedding that took place in this magical part of the world, as it’s where Mr STG and I spent our honeymoon in 2013.

We loved the sunny climate and the jaw-dropping views of the Bay of Naples, not to mention the incredible Italian food. This wedding has all three in buckets as well as one of my favourite ever Hora (Jewish dancing) images of all time, featuring the bride doing a 180 ° — literally upside down!

And the guests…well if the photos at the end of the night are anything to go by, then it’s clear that they had a darned good time!

If you’re a fan of the classically elegant wedding then this one is for you…the same applies if you’re a bit of a fan of Italy as there’s some fairly stunning shots of the coast too.

Sorrento Wedding
a spectacular villa venue in Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast

Karen, the Bride: David and I got married in Italy, on the Amalfi coast in a town called Sorrento. We instantly fell in love with the house we chose for our religious ceremony and reception called Villa Giusso. The venue was located on the top of a hill overlooking Sorrento bay, and the entire wedding took place in the beautiful garden which surrounded the house. The chuppah was set up outside overlooking the sea and the dinner under lemon trees. We could not have dreamt of a better setting for our wedding.

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Mishie & Misha | Spectacular Destination Jewish wedding at Villa Eva, Amalfi Coast, Italy

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It’s September 2013. We’re at one of the most passionate places in the world, the beautiful Villa Eva in ridiculously romantic Ravello on the Italian Amalfi coast. The village itself is tiny and has the most jaw-dropping views — rolling hills, endless sea panoramas, charming country villages, and of course the beautiful Italian sunshine!

One hundred of Mishie and Misha’s friends and family have traveled from all over the world to join them and celebrate their wedding holiday.

The bride has sensational style (not to mention two awesome dresses!), there’s lots of personal  input from friends and family, an  Argentinian tango first dance, stunning picturesque Amalfi backdrops…. Interested? Of course you are!

Here’s lovely Mishie, the Bride, with all the delicious detail.
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PICKING A DESTINATION FOR GUESTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
Mishie, the Bride: Our wedding was in Ravello, on the Amalfi Coast in Italy.  Since Misha is American and  I am Australian, we wanted somewhere that was neutral territory  but also somewhere that guests would want to come to and where they could make a holiday out of it, since a lot of people would be travelling a long way!  Italy is our favourite country to visit and Misha actually suggested the Amalfi Coast since it is one of the most beautiful and romantic parts of the country.

We  were then recommended some wedding planners based in Ravello by a friend of a friend. We went out there in March to meet them and they took us to see various venues in Ravello, Sorrento and Positano. When we  went to visit Villa Eva in Ravello, we just knew it was the spot where we wanted to get married.  The view is  spectacular and  the villa itself is gorgeous and has  a really relaxed and authentic Italian vibe to it.  Ravello is the most stunning town and really small which meant that everyone could stay in different hotels but still be able to walk to the wedding venue and around town.  And although Ravello is slightly more difficult to get to than other places on the Amalfi Coast, this has allowed it to stay less touristy and  keep more  of  its original character, which we love!
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