Herschel Gutman Photography Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Smashing the Glass

A magical Israeli-Australian forest Jewish wedding at Tsel Hadumim, Ben Shemen forest, Israel

26/05/2017 by Karen

People – prepare yourselves: there is an abundance of pretty in this real wedding, and even we’re struggling to handle it – and we do this all the time!

We’re always in awe of Israeli weddings – the natural beauty of the place never fails to make for a stunning backdrop, and Israeli venues just know how to do magic like nobody else. Abigail and Roei’s last-minute celebration looked anything but hasty, in fact, it was absolutely packed with Israeli charm.

The day was captured by our oft-featured and much-loved STG Recommended Vendor, Herschel Gutman, who did an incredible job of translating the heart and thought that went into each choice into stunning, timeless images.

Gorgeous Abigail’s Australian-cool vibe brought an added factor of effortless chic, and her choice of dress, a unique, lacy number by Israeli designer, Adi Groman, was just perfect – a bohemian fairytale.

We adore the significance of the path to the chuppah, which was lined with the Shiv’at HaMinim (the Seven Species from the Bible), making the journey to the ceremony even more poignant.

On the wedding morning, Roei had a minor medical emergency – and not everything ran smoothly. But, once these two lovebirds locked eyes at the chuppah, none of that mattered. We can all learn from that.

Over to Abigail for the full story on her and Roei’s stunning wedding day:

How we met

Abigail, the bride: in March 2014 I arrived in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica – my last stop after a year of travelling, which included four months in Israel. Roei, who’s Israeli, was there on a surfing trip. We met on the beach and spent a week travelling together (I now know that he had already decided I’d one day be his wife!). I then returned to Australia with the intention of moving to Tel Aviv later in the year to study.

We messaged each other sporadically for six weeks, until Roei finally asked if he could Skype me. From that first conversation, we both pretty much knew. We spent four months Skyping every single day, often for five to six hours at a time (yes, we were both extremely sleep deprived, but we didn’t care!).

At the two-month mark, we decided to meet halfway in Thailand to make sure that we weren’t completely crazy prior to my arrival in Israel. The meeting at the airport was one of the best moments of my life, which I think is now only on par with Roei’s proposal on ‘Roy’s Peak’ in New Zealand and our wedding day.

A floral-fabulous, Jerusalem-themed Jewish wedding at Ein Hemed in the Judea Mountains, Israel

28/04/2017 by Karen

Some couples feel such a strong, heartfelt connection to Israel, that it comes across in every moment of their wedding day. Dorit and Eli certainly fall into that category.

Having met in Jerusalem, the pair decided to theme their wedding around the city, while embracing the breathtaking natural surroundings of their mountainous Israeli venue.

Stunning bride, Dorit, ran with her creative impulses, creating a floral Eden, with a gorgeous petal-strewn aisle, a Chuppah lined with beautiful blooms and table centrepieces that her guests are still talking about to this day.

She even took her love of flowers to the next level and had a flower station – an outstanding idea that has come up in Israeli weddings before (we’re calling it – trend alert) that we think would be almost criminal not to steal.

Jerusalem’s big, collective, beating heart was proudly on display all over the joyful celebration, with sublime Jerusalem-inspired artwork running through the whole stationery suite, and in Dorit’s Jerusalem skyline headpiece (um, where can we get one, please?). Much-loved Smashing Supplier Herschel Gutman captured all of the dà©cor, as well as the emotion of the day with absolute gusto – the pictures really do speak for themselves.

So sit back and feast your eyes on all of this wedding pretty – we’ll let Dorit talk you through every detail of her and Eli’s dream wedding day.

How we met

Dorit, the bride: I’m a BA degree student studying political science and communications. Eli and I are both Russian speakers, and we met in Israel during a summer camp for Russian-speaking students three years ago. Last summer, we flew to Belarus for the same camp, this time as counsellors.

How Israel’s Lone Soldiers Came Together To Save One Couple’s Jerusalem Wedding Day

04/11/2016 by Karen

Today, I have a rare and precious gem of a real wedding to share; one that, in my eyes, truly embodies the essence of what it means to be Jewish. I hope that you are as moved and inspired by it as I am. This introduction is a little bit longer than I would usually write, but bear with me, because I really feel that this is a truly uplifting story that needs to be told and heard. It is an honour to be able to do so on this blog.

One of the most special things about Judaism is that it really does feel like being part of one big, eclectic family. This network of ours of Jewish souls connected by our shared history, by the familiar melodies that live in our hearts, by the wounds of our ancestors and the never-give-up spirit of our community, creates a unique bond, inexplicable in words, but demonstrable in actions. We may squabble and disagree, we may exasperate one another and we may have a million different ideas about how to practice our faith (or not), but when it comes down to it, when we really need each other, we are there.

That’s why this submission stopped me in my tracks and touched me beyond words. Reading the beautiful story of this couple’s special day gave me goosebumps, particularly as it involved Israel’s Lone Soldiers

Being half Israeli, I have felt a lifelong bond with Israel and so much gratitude and affection for the young soldiers serving on my behalf. While the IDF has a system of compulsory military service for young men and women, there are also those that volunteer from overseas when they have no obligation to do so. Many of these are Israel’s Lone Soldiers. Sometimes orphaned, from broken homes, new immigrants or travelling solo of their own volition, these soldiers often have no family or close-knit support base in Israel. The experience, while admirable, can be a lonely one. With that in mind, their role in this story is particularly poignant.

Margot and Glen, felt such a deep emotional connection to Israel that, rather than opting to wed in their home city of New York, they chose to be married in the old city of Jerusalem. It was a second wedding for the pair, and a variety of logistical and emotional reasons saw them choosing to elope and not to fly in their respective children, parents, siblings and extended families.

On arriving in Jerusalem, the couple faced a hurdle when they realised that they might not be able to assemble a ‘Minyan’ (a group of ten men over the age of 13 required for traditional Jewish worship and ceremonies) for the Seven Blessings under the chuppah. With no contacts or family nearby, how would they bring so many strangers together?

Fortunately, their wedding planner, Adena, had the perfect solution. Why not invite Lone Soldiers to be their guests and to participate in the ceremony? It would certainly be meaningful, memorable and would solve their logistical issue, while creating a special experience for the soldiers too.

Margot and Glenn loved the idea, and so Adina took to Facebook with an urgent plea explaining that the US couple had no Minyan, nor family or friends to dance at their wedding and were inviting soldiers to join as their guests.

The response was overwhelming. Dozens of replies poured in within minutes. Within just four hours of the Facebook post going live, around 18 soldiers arrived on time (anyone who has been to Israel will know this is a miracle in itself) to the wedding.

Almost every branch of the IDF was represented, including Artillery, Paratroopers, Tanks, Sniper, Intelligence and more. The soldiers came from a diverse range of backgrounds and ethnicities including Israeli, Ethiopian, American, Moroccan and Belgian, observant, non-observant, ultra-observant, traditional Jewish. United by their shared Jewishness, by the mutual need for family at this special celebration, they held the four poles of the chuppah, made the Seven Blessings, sang, and clapped and danced, they lifted the groom on their shoulders and raised the bride on her chair. They ensured the merriment continued for the entire evening, fostering an atmosphere of happiness, celebration and high spirits at the wedding. By all accounts, their actions brought tears to the eyes of everybody who was there to witness it.

Although this wedding is tiny in guest numbers, intimate in atmosphere and modest in decor, it is truly one of the most emotionally meaningful real Jewish weddings I have ever blogged and I know that Margot and Glenn returned to their families in New York with stories, photos (by the incomparable, and much loved Smashing Supplier Herschel Gutman), memories and feelings of a most memorable unparalleled event.

Goosebumps, right?

How we met

Margot, the bride: The “official” story is that we met through work. The rest is more clandestine, and we’ll never tell!

A dress designed by the bride, for a Jewish wedding with movie tunes and musicals, at Agadata, Israel

21/06/2016 by Karen

There is so much wonderful individuality in this gorgeous Jewish wedding that I really don’t know where to start. Dena’s wedding report is wonderful, and my goodness is she a bride that knows her own mind.. and style!

She designed and made her own dress and says it was exactly what she had imagined it would look like since she dreamt about it as a teenager… And how gorgeous is that Belgian lace veil? It’s a family heirloom bought in 1926 by Dena’s great grandmother, and has been worn by her great grandmother, grandmother, mother, aunt and even sister before her at their weddings. How very special is that?

Dena is a make-up artist and CB is an actor, and they are both very involved in community theatre in Jerusalem. To reflect their shared love of theatre, they enlisted two musician friends to play songs from the Broadway musicals, including of course the ones they had both acted in.

Then, during the ceremony they integrated many songs from the movies, my favourite examples being the groom walking down to the Gladiator theme, and both of them walking into the theme from Ghostbusters for their wedding entrance!

And a first on Smashing The Glass, Dena and CB hired a live-streamer instead of a regular videographer, so that all their family and friends (mostly abroad) who were not able to attend the wedding, would still able to take part in the celebration. I wonder if we will start to witness more and more livestreaming now that families are so often spread far and wide all over the globe?

Here is their story from the perspective of their wonderful photographer and all-round Mr Fabulous, Herschel Gutman. Herschel is one of my much-loved Smashing Suppliers and is available to shoot weddings in both the UK and Israel. I highly, highly recommend him!

How we met

Dena, the Bride: I am a make-up artist for theatrical productions and CB is an actor, and we met during his first production in Jerusalem, HMS Pinafore, a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, in 2012.

I was making up another man and he told CB that there was a cute make-up girl that he should get his make-up done by. So he came into the make-up room and sat in my chair and that is how we met. At first we just started talking and then we started hanging out more and eventually decided to date each other. We broke up after a few months when CB decided to study acting in the US, and only got back together less than a year ago, after not being in touch at all for the three years he was gone!

It was just meant to be! Our proposal story is the sweetest thing, I think, and I loved it so much and it was perfect for us! It happened right after a show that we watched together. The producer of that show called CB up onto the stage and at first I had no idea what was going on. Then he started talking about me and about us and he then called up the cast of the recent RENT production (We started dating again during the recent production of Jerusalem’s RENT. I designed costumes for them and knew the cast well) to help him ask a question. The cast proceeded to perform Seasons Of Love, with CB singing the solo, and right afterward he got off the stage, down on one knee and proposed. By that time of course I knew what was about to happen, and he invited my best friends, my parents, and his family to be there for the proposal! It was absolutely perfect and magical!

A Boho bride in cowboy boots for a DIY rustic Jewish wedding at Moshav Mevo Modi’im, Israel

22/10/2015 by Karen

Nikki and Gavriel met via the power of Google search (no kidding… read their ‘how we met’ story below!) but their Jewish wedding was far from hi-tech. It was a super cool, relaxed rustic affair set in Gavriel’s home town in Israel with an abundance of lovingly crafted DIY details.

So much of the wedding was DIY’ed straight from the heart, from the stunning florals organised by the couple and their families (no pro florists involved at all!) to the home-made wooden signs, hay bale seating, BBQ menu and the beautiful bride’s jewellery all made by Gavriel’s mother. She also created Nikki’s stunning baby’s breath flower crown. Is she one talented mama or what?

I absolutely love Nikki’s bridal style and how she accessorised her dress with that deep green sash. And she totally rocks those cowboy boots of hers. I’ve always loved a bride in cowboy boots — such a cool look for a country style affair.

The whole W Day is full of natural and rustic details — unfussy and relaxed, but ever so pretty. Perfect for a venue surrounded by wonderful nature.

Enjoy this treat of a Friday wedding with images by one of our ever-talented Smashing Suppliers, Herschel Gutman Photography, who captures the essence of the day perfectly.

How we met

Nikki, the Bride: A friend and I were looking for a new experience and for whatever reason googled “religious farms in Israel”. We found a little family farm on a moshav and helped out a here and there with the farm duties on our stay. The daughter of the family asked if we wanted to hang out with her and her friends. We said yes and through her we met a group of guys. The mother of the family told us, “be careful — moshav boys are dangerous!” But over the course of the weekend I hung out with Gavriel on the moshav.. we talked and I listened to him playing the guitar and singing (as well as admiring his devastatingly good looks!) I couldn’t not give him my number…. Well the rest is history and here we are about two years later…. as husband and wife!