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Home > Haim Afriat Photography

An Arava Polak Bride for an Indoor/Outdoor Jewish Wedding at Bayaar, Hadera, Israel

23/09/2022 by Karen Cinnamon

Samantha & Tsach, Bayaar, Hadera, Israel

There’s nothing like an Israeli wedding. And Samantha and Tsach’s is Exhibit A as to why! The duo, who own their own gym in Haifa, called Fitbox, crafted the most magical Jewish wedding that brings out the best Israel has to offer with a little help from a fantastic planner, Yana Andreev from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Craspedia Events.

In Samantha’s words, Yana “quickly became more like a best friend who helped me make my Pinterest dreams come to life!” She listened to the couple’s ideas, used her planning and design genius to bring their dreams to life, and soled problems right and left all through planning. Samantha and Tsach wanted an effortless, natural look to bring out their venue Bayaar’s beauty – and Yana did the best job bringing it all to life. She even went wedding dress shopping with Samantha, helping her find her dream gown from Arava Polak!

We’re in love with the indoor/outdoor vibes of this wedding, and we can’t get enough of the exquisite photos from Haim Afriat!

Read on for more details – plus Samantha’s great advice for all Jewish brides-to-be!

Samantha & Tsach, Bayaar, Hadera, Israel Samantha & Tsach, Bayaar, Hadera, Israel Samantha & Tsach, Bayaar, Hadera, Israel Samantha & Tsach, Bayaar, Hadera, Israel
How we Met

Samantha, the bride: We actually met in the gym! I had showed up to Tsach’s gym 3 days after opening in 2019 and signed up for an annual membership and became his 2nd client. We began working out together and realized we both share the same passions and interests in life. Shortly after meeing, our friendship grew into the beautiful relationship we have today. It was love at first sight for lack of a better cliche and now we do what we love together.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

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A Pronovias Bride for an Elegant Rustic Israel-Meets-Tuscany Jewish Wedding at Achuza Beit Hanan, Israel

22/06/2020 by Karen Cinnamon

Davina-and-Adam-Achuza-Beit-Hanan-Israel

We’re so excited to be featuring the magnificent Jewish wedding of our beloved STG Brides Club member Davina, a hotel developer, and Adam, head of digital product for a legal publisher! These two had a positively dreamy destination wedding at Achuza Beit Hanan.

We adored following Davina’s planning journey in Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club, and we’re so touched to hear her kind words about the group:

Talking to the other girls getting married in Israel was a massive help. I could ask anything on the group and get advice, like my virtual bridesmaids… I also met some amazing girls who are now really close friends.”

Davina also found a bunch of her incredible vendors through Brides Club, including Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Emily & Jo, who helped the couple craft a pretty, classic design featuring their monogram that they were able to send both by post AND digitally, for their further-flung friends and family.

And then there’s Davina’s gown, which is pure, classic bridal glamour. Although she visited a number of bridal boutiques, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Mirror Mirror was the uncontested winner – and the place she found the Pronovias dress of her dreams. Davina can’t stop raving about the impeccable service she received from the whole team at Mirror Mirror, from the moment she stepped in the door through the final fitting.

Davina found the perfect match for her gown in an elegant pair of heels from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Emmy London – not only did the lace on the shoes match her gown, but Davina raves that the heels were comfortable, too!

Keep scrolling for some serious wedding magic – we’re positively head over heels for the simply magical photography from Haim Afriat and videography by Nir Tenenbaum.

Davina and Adam, Achuza Beit Hanan, Israel Davina and Adam, Achuza Beit Hanan, Israel Davina and Adam, Achuza Beit Hanan, Israel
Davina and Adam, Achuza Beit Hanan, Israel
How we Met (both sides!)

Adam, the groom: About 2 years ago I was at a Shabbat dinner with some friends at the Marriott in Regents Park, London. On arriving I met and chatted with a friend named Lisa, while also noting a large attendance. During the evening, my attention was drawn to one of Lisa’s friends, who didn’t stop smiling and laughing. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I thought she was stunning!

At the end of the night I was determined to find her, as I feared I may never see her again. Searching through the crowd I found her and we had a quick conversation that ended with me suggesting that we meet again. Two years later, I’m very excited to be marrying that girl, the beautiful Davina.

Davina, the bride: My flatmate, Yael suggested we go to the 2016 CJL Shabbat dinner with some of her friends. We arrived at the Marriott, Regents Park to find the room packed with more than 300 young people. We looked for Lisa, Yael’s best friend and saw her talking to a guy, so we just said hi and moved on. I noticed he was wearing a very nice original grey and burgundy jacket and had amazing blue eyes.

At the end of the evening, I was talking to some friends when Yael told me that she was going home. I was about to pick up my coat to leave, when the guy with the grey and burgundy jacket stopped me and told me that Yael was looking for me. I reassured him, said that she found me and continued my route.I was on my way out when Yael, said to me “I think Adam wants to talk to you”. I looked at whom she was referring to and thought “Why not?” I asked her to wait 2 minutes so I could find out what he wanted. I didn’t know that this would be the first conversation with my future husband!

Three days later (yes, 3 days… what the hell was he doing?!) he added me on Facebook and invited me for a date. As I was travelling that week we had to wait until Sunday to meet. We couldn’t wait to see each other, so we started writing in the first week and didn’t stop. Two years later on the 29 September 2018 Adam surprised me by going down on one knee and asking me to marry him in a very romantic setting with candles and rose petals everywhere.

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A Millanova Bride for a Destination Jewish Wedding with a View at Olmaya, Jerusalem, Israel

13/04/2020 by Karen Cinnamon

Lauren-Anthony-Olmaya-Jerusalem

Who’s ready to book a flight to Israel as soon as lockdown ends? Team STG definitely is, and you just might be too after you finish drooling over Lauren and Anthony’s stunner of a Jewish wedding.

The London-based pair picked their venue Olmaya, based on its breathtaking views of the Old City of Jerusalem – which just happens to be the place these two became friends AND got engaged. Best chuppah backdrop ever, or best chuppah backdrop ever? We’re pretty sure you’re going to be just as obsessed with the incredible photos by Haim Afriat and video by Avichai Weschsler as we are.

We’re also in love with Lauren’s gorgeous Millanova dress, which she found at Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Wedding Club’s Birmingham location. The bride had spotted her dream dress on Instagram three years before the big day – before she even got engaged – but, Millanova not being a widely available brand in the UK, was struggling to track the style down until she found out about a trunk show at The Wedding Club – and the rest is history!

Lauren loved the lace fishtail gown just as much as she hoped she would, and she can’t stop raving about her fab experience working with the team at The Wedding Club. In her own words, “I looked forward to every fitting, and wish I could go there every day as it was honestly the best experience.” Lauren capped her look off with a sleek high ponytail (perfect for that Israeli heat!) styled by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Yonatan Yaeish, who not only totally got the bride’s vision but also made sure her ‘do didn’t budge all day.

Over to you Lauren!

Lauren-Anthony-Olmaya-Jerusalem Lauren-Anthony-Olmaya-Jerusalem Lauren-Anthony-Olmaya-Jerusalem Lauren-Anthony-Olmaya-Jerusalem

How we met

Lauren, the bride: I work in marketing in a Jewish charity and Anthony is a director of fundraising and development at a Jewish charity. We met at the JLE, but became friends on a trip to Israel. It was on a balcony overlooking the Kotel where the journey began, and the journey is never ending.

We got engaged on a balcony overlooking the Kotel too, and the next day after the wedding, we took all our guests to the Kotel for a special Kotel experience, we had musicians, a hand held chuppah and danced and sung our way to the Kotel, it was very special.

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A Shay Peretz Bride for a Paris-Meets-Tel Aviv Jewish Wedding at Ray, Tel Aviv, Israel

19/06/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

Jewish wedding Ray Tel Aviv Israel_0029
What is it about Tel Aviv weddings? There’s just something unfailingly chic about them, each and every time. And that goes double for the stylish Jewish wedding of Shoshanny, a lawyer, and Gal, a specialist in back and spinal problems.

They picked their super cool venue, Ray, partially because it reminded them of the very chicest spots in Paris – and we can totally see it. We’re also kind of obsessed with those blush pink seats. And the extravagantly sized fan-shaped greenery used in the table arrangements – such a distinctive choice! Don’t miss the photos from Haim Afriat and video by Nir Tenenbaum.

Then there’s Shoshanny’s bridal style. It’s hard to believe she purchased her elegant gown just five weeks before her big day – and found it by chance strolling the streets of Tel Aviv – but that’s how it happened. We love the silhouette, the off-the-shoulder style, the big bow – basically everything about this stunner from Shay Peretz (who also made Shoshany a totally gorgeous veil).

We’ll let the bride take it from here…

Jewish wedding Ray Tel Aviv Israel_0017
How we met

Shoshanny, the bride: I had lots of bad dates before I met Gal, while Gal was looking for his next hookup… we met on Tinder, and both without any expectations. Gal told me he will never get married, while I was looking for love, not necessarily marriage.

Date after date, one thing led to the other, till one day Gal asked me out of the blue to move in together (after 5 months), I was half asleep and in the morning I wasn’t even sure it happened… maybe I imagined it or dreamed about it… so after two weeks Gal told me that he is still waiting for an answer. I asked – to what question. He said – moving in together. And I replied – oh, so it really did happen. Believe it or not, a month later we decided to get married. We got married about a year afterwards.

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A Rosa Clara Bride for a Secret Garden Destination Jewish Wedding with a Willow Chuppah at The Q in Herzliya, Israel

22/10/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

Jewish wedding The Q in Herzliya, Israel_0068
Okay, HOW gorgeous is Hannah and Josh’s willow branch chuppah? Covered in the most exquisite, airy little blooms of baby’s breath and delphinium, it’s just so adorable we. can’t. even.

Hannah, a makeup artist and beautician, and Josh, a business development manager, knew the secret garden theme they chose for their Jewish wedding called for a very special chuppah.

Floral, obvs. Delicate, but distinctive. Impressive, but not overwhelming. Natural, but supremely artful at the same time. We think they knocked it out of the ballpark, don’t you? And photographer  Haim Afriat  captured it all so beautifully.

The secret garden theme extended way beyond the chuppah, too, and we love all the sweet details Hannah and Josh added in to make it come to life. While Hannah waited with her mother and soon-to-be MIL for Josh to come in for the badeken, the three ladies sat on a swing covered in roses. SWOON. And the place cards were keys, hanging by the entrance so that everyone took their own key to the garden as they entered the reception — so clever!

As if we needed another reason to be just a little bit jealous we didn’t get to attend this fab wedding ourselves, some of our all-time favorite wedding musicians, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Boutique Chupah Music  (who Hannah just happens to have grown up with!).

Though the act is best known for their phenomenal chuppah music, Hannah and Josh opted to use Boutique Chupah Music all night long (well, technically until midnight when their venue banned live music…), and we’re totally not surprised to hear that they absolutely rocked the party.

And before we hand you over to beautiful bride, Hannah (who looked SO elegant in her Rosa Clara gown) make sure you sign up to our FREE online event: ‘How to create an unforgettable Jewish wedding with our founder and editor, Karen, happening on Monday November 12.

Jewish wedding The Q in Herzliya, Israel_0068 Jewish wedding The Q in Herzliya, Israel_0068 Jewish wedding The Q in Herzliya, Israel_0068 Jewish wedding The Q in Herzliya, Israel_0068
How We Met

Hannah, the bride: Josh and I started speaking on MySpace when we were 15 years old, after a year, one Saturday night we decided to meet up. We went to the same school, and at the age of 17 Josh asked if I fancied trying out a relationship. We have been together ever since.

We have stayed together through thick and thin. I went on a year out to Israel for 9 months, while Josh travelled the world. Josh then went to Leeds University for 3 years, and after 10 years of being ‘boyfriend and girlfriend’ Josh popped the question on my birthday.

He surprised me with a trip to Amsterdam, took me to a Michelin restaurant and got down on one knee. We definitely are childhood sweethearts!

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