Hank Lane Archives - Smashing the Glass

A Vera Wang Bride for a Brooklyn Meets Tropical Paradise Jewish Wedding at 501 Union, Brooklyn, New York, USA

23/11/2020 by Karen Cinnamon

There’s nothing like a little hometown pride – and what better to serve as inspiration for your Jewish wedding? Today’s bride and groom, Rebecca and Brandon, are both passionate Brooklynites – and they used their love of their home borough as inspiration for their big day.

Their venue, 501 Union, in Brooklyn neighborhood Gowanus, is SO industrial chic, and the couple complemented it with fun touches like a personalized map of Brooklyn on the back of their invitations (with key spots in the couple’s lives marked), mini Junior’s cheesecakes as favors, a Brooklyn-fabulous cocktail hour menu including lox on everything bagel chips, pastrami bites, and Coney Island hot dogs, and even a Coolhaus ice cream sandwich truck!

We’re also digging the urban jungle vibes Rebecca and Brandon went with for their florals – how fun is their chuppah?! Don’t miss it in Billye Donya Photography’s wonderful pics.

We’ll leave it to the bride, who looked utterly urban chic in Vera Wang…

How we met

Rebecca, the bride: We swiped right on Tinder, so obviously didn’t know much about each other before we met. For our first date, he suggested we meet after work near the Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park, since it was right in between our apartments, and grab a drink from there.

I had certain hesitations about meeting a random internet man at the park at dusk so I told a good handful of friends about the date, so they’d know what to tell the authorities if I never came back… Anyway, once I saw Brandon in his Canadian tuxedo (denim on denim, baby!), I knew I had nothing to worry about (;

A Monique Lhuillier Bride for an Autumnal Luxe Jewish Wedding at Cipriani 42nd Street, Manhattan, NY, USA

20/07/2020 by Karen Cinnamon

Okay, HOW incredible is this tree chuppah dreamed up by Julia and Max for their New York Jewish wedding? Despite getting married smack dab in the heart of Manhattan, the couple, both of whom work in finance, love autumn in New York (who doesn’t?) and wanted to bring the feel of the city’s most beautiful season to their decidedly indoor affair.

And they really, really did, through the creative use of lots and lots of gorgeous indoor trees decked out with those signature autumn leaves. That’s where the chuppah comes in – and is it ever a stunner! – but the autumn tree effect extended to the couple’s wonderful centerpieces as well. The overall feel was totally magical – almost like an indoor walk through Central Park on a beautiful October day. Don’t miss Andrew Henderson’s beautiful photos of the day.

And as if that weren’t enough NYC fabulousness for one wedding, we’re also smitten with Julia and Max’s adorable invitations by Bella Figura, featuring whimsical sketches of classic NYC icons – like a subway train pulling away with a “Just Married” sign! Too cute!

There’s so much more to say, but we’ll leave it to the bride – who looked ravishing in Monique Lhuillier – to fill you in on the details…

How we met

Julia, the bride: Max and I met over a summer internship at Morgan Stanley while still in college. The two of us were alphabetically seated next to each other during a week of training in Manhattan, and immediately thought the other was special. Even though we had planned to work on different coasts post-graduation, we made our relationship work long distance. A few years later, Max joined me in California where we’ve now been living together for 4 years.

A Black Tie Glam Jewish Wedding at The Grove, Cedar Grove, New Jersey, USA

09/01/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

This is one seriously glam wedding. Between the luxe setting and that chuppah — an absolute vision in white roses and hydrangeas – we’re seriously sold on this couple’s Jewish luxe wedding style, so beautifully captured by photographer Pat Robinson and videographer Live Picture Studios.

With such grand surroundings, it would have been easy for Sofia, an anesthesiologist, and Mitch, an internal medicine physician, to leave it at that — but they went the extra mile with so many fun details like a cigar roller, fun coaster place cards that guests took home as favors, and, best of all, wedding programs that doubled as confetti envelopes for the couple’s grand exit!

The front listed the standard names and order of service, and the back had some helpful info about Jewish traditions to make sure everyone could follow along, and the semi-translucent envelopes were stuffed with bright, colorful confetti — such a fun and unexpected touch!

Sofia and Mitch had a super fun dance party, too, thanks to their reception band, Brooklyn Sound from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Hank Lane. For their first dance, the band played an acoustic version of Rihanna’s We Found Love, the couple’s song because they “we found love in a hopeless place”: the ICU, where they met during training.

We’ll let Sofia, who looked stunning in her glam custom gown from CT Bridal Couture (with a detachable overskirt to provide that wow factor for the ceremony, without causing any trouble on the dance floor)…

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How We Met

Sofia, the bride: We met in training while working in the intensive care unit together.

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A Theia Bride for a Jewish Wedding at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, New Jersey, USA

17/12/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

Okay, how adorable is Carly and Seth’s antique chuppah?! So unique, and such a perfect fit for their country venue. And we also love that they went on an antiquing trip — a tradition in Carly’s family — with the intention of finding their wedding canopy — aww! The one they chose needed a little extra TLC, but you’d never know to look at it in their beautiful photos by Kathy Thomas.

Carly, who runs HR at a private equity firm in NYC, and Seth, a retail operations consultant, opted for just some light floral accents — in the form of roses, natch — so as not to detract from the vintage structure, and we think they got it just right.

Between the gorgeous rustic-chic aesthetic and the fab party, courtesy of Reggie Woods from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Hank Lane — who led an 11-piece band in funk and oldies all night long— this is one wedding we seriously wish we could’ve attended.

Now over to Carly, who looked so effortlessly elegant in her Theia dress…

Jersey Chateau

Carly and Seth, the bride and the groom: We got married at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, NJ. We were trying to find a place in between where our families were (New York > Southern New Jersey). Carly’s father had a friend who had attended a wedding at this location which prompted a visit.

We really wanted an easy outdoor feel. The Pleasantdale Chateau offered the structure of a well organized wedding venue with the ease of an outdoor ceremony and cocktail reception. They also have an amazing solarium. When we (Seth and Carly) saw that room in our initial visit, we decided that we would have the first look in that room.

2019 Real Jewish Brides: Introducing Alexandra + Jordan: How They Met To The Present Day…

27/11/2018 by Smashing The Glass

Today on the blog we’re introducing our 1st gorgeous bride from our crop of 2019 Real Jewish Brides! Please give a warm welcome to Alexandra, who will be marrying Jordan on 26th May 2019 at The Grove in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.

THREE FACTS: (1) Alexandra and Jordan met in college and have been together ever since. (2) They are planning a romantic fairy tale garden wedding inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream – LOVE! (3) Alexandra’s wearing Galia Lahav for the big day – one of our absolute fave Israeli designers!

Our Story

We met at a party in college — he was the social chair of his fraternity who wanted to develop a relationship with my sorority, and I was the vice president of my sorority who was hungry for a change of social scenery!

We developed a close friendship that quickly blossomed into true love, and spent our junior and senior year as a couple. We were long distance the year following graduation, gaining firsthand experience behind the phrase “absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

I then moved from New Jersey to Boston to be with Jordan and we have happily lived together for over three years!