Israeli wedding Archives - Smashing the Glass

A Tali Shurin Bride for a Jewish Wedding with a View at Olmaya, Jerusalem, Israel

12/07/2021 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

We’ve heard of so many couples who’ve had to scale back their Jewish weddings last-minute due to changing COVID restrictions. Not so much couples who’ve been able to upsize their weddings at short notice because restrictions were relaxed – but that’s exactly what happened to Israeli couple Adina, a social worker in a hospital in Jerusalem, and Aaron, who works in high tech as a solutions architect.

They’d initially planned a small wedding in the groom’s parents’ garden, because that’s what was permitted when they firmed up their plans. But then, ten days before the wedding, some of Israel’s restrictions were lifted, and the couple’s wedding planner, Debbie Nussbaum, managed to move the proceedings to Jerusalem’s stunning Olmaya, which is not only a gorgeous venue with stellar views but also allowed the Adina and Aaron to double their guest list!

Still, not all the important people in the couple’s lives could be there in person – most of all, their beloved grandparents in London and Sydney. However, thanks to the wonders of Zoom, the far-flung grandparents on both sides were able to livestream a bracha to the couple during their ceremony!

As always, we’re absolutely blown away by all the energy, emotion, and love shining through in every single image from the couple’s photographer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Herschel Gutman – Adina was so impressed after seeing pictures he’d taken at friends’ weddings, she knew she wanted him to photograph her wedding even before she met Aaron!

Now over to the bride, who looked so elegant in Tali Shurin…

How we Met

Adina, the bride: We met at a mutual friend’s wedding a month and a half before the first corona lockdown. The next wedding we went to together was our own!Continue Reading

A Mia Pava Bride for a Vintage Garden Backyard Jewish Wedding in Bet Shemesh, Israel

14/06/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

Having doubts about a backyard wedding? So did today’s bride, Jodi. But Jodi and Joseph’s incredible wedding just goes to show a well-planned wedding at home is NOTHING like your average lowkey barbecue.

Israeli couple Jodi, a student at Hebrew University and the director of a program called Here Next Year, a Nefesh b’Nefesh organization that supports teenagers who are making Aliyah during their gap year in Israel, and Yoseph, who’s currently serving in the IDF, had initially planned a big Thanksgiving 2020 wedding at a gorgeous venue in Israel. But when it became clear that their original plans wouldn’t work out, they moved their date up to October and changed their venue to Yoseph’s backyard.

With the help of planner and florist Penny & Co Events, the space was transformed into the vintage garden fantasy of Jodi’s dreams, with tons of orange and pink flowers amidst lush greenery, beautiful lights and candles, and vintage styled furniture. Every inch is positively dreamy – don’t miss the incredible photos by mega-talented Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Herschel Gutman Photography (who also happens to be the very first vendor the couple booked when they got engaged)!

There’s so much more to say about this glorious day, but we’ll leave the rest to Jodi, who looked stunning in Mia Pava… Before we do that, though, just a reminder that our virtual Jewish Wedding Planning Party is coming up on Sunday, June 20! In addition to, well partying, our founder Karen Cinnamon will answer all your burning wedding planning questions, plus guide you through everything from what to ask your vendors as you plan during the pandemic to creative ideas on how to make your wedding unforgettable. This event is free, but slots are limited – so sign up to claim yours today!

How we Met

Jodi, the bride: We met through a mutual friend named Yonatan. Yoseph grew up with him and I had gone out with him once. About a year after I met him, Yonatan texted me – “I know your husband.” The rest is history 🙂Continue Reading

A Liz Martinez Bride for a Last-Minute Pandemic Jewish Wedding at Villa Nova, Beit Nehemiah, Israel

22/03/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

It’s safe to say that pretty much no 2020 couple had smooth sailing when it came to their wedding. But the Jewish wedding planning journey of May and Shachar, Israelis living in NYC, was even bumpier than most.

These two started off planning a destination wedding in Tuscany. Then COVID hit Italy – hard. So they decided to shift everything back home to Israel. No small feat, but the couple managed to book their venue and vendors (all while living on the other side of the world in New York, of course).

In the midst of all this chaos, May and Shachar decided to pack up their life in NYC and head back to Israel to ride out the pandemic. Finally, living in the same country as their wedding – that should make things easier, right? Well, not quite – just a couple weeks before their wedding date of September 22, May and Shachar were faced with the prospect of a three-week lockdown.

Unwilling to postpone yet again, the duo opted to do the opposite, and move their wedding up to September 15 so they could make things official before the start of the new lockdown. By the time they closed on a new venue, they were left with just two days to pull everything together.

Luckily, May and Shachar had a stellar team on their side. To look at Shai Ashkenazi’s incredible photos, you’d never guess it all came together on such short notice – every single detail is picture perfect, and, like May says, the images look like they came straight out of a glossy fashion magazine.

There’s so much more to say about this incredible day – but we’ll leave the rest to the bride, who looked stunning in her Liz Martinez dress (followed by a custom glittery jumpsuit by Mor Morstein she changed into for the reception)!

How we Met

May, the bride: Our story begins a little bit before New York. Before I moved to New York, I posted on a Facebook group called “Israelis in New York” that I’m moving to the city and looking for help with some information about the work I’m starting and some information about the city. I got a message from a guy who was familiar to me from his picture, and it turns out he is the brother of a friend who worked with me, and I met him in the past (about 5 years ago) at her house when he was visiting his family in Israel.

Since I recognized him, I decided to answer his message and we started talking, he really helped me with some questions and asked if I could bring something for his business with me to New York, of course I agreed (by the way – he didn’t link me to his sister and had no idea about our little meeting a few years ago). When I arrived to NY after the long flight I realized, that from all of Manhattan neighborhoods, the hotel I got from work was right next to his apartment! So he arrived really quickly to get his delivery – just a few minutes after I arrived at the hotel with my luggage. And from that day we never parted. We have been together for more than 3 years, living together in New York.

Shachar planned the marriage proposal in the summer, in New York. He toured locations in central park and ordered me an engagement ring from Israel based on a photo I once showed him. It turns out that when the ring arrived on delivery to New York, I showed him a picture of another ring that I liked more, which is not similar to what he ordered for me. He decided to change the ring and make another one exactly according to what I liked, and the whole procedure of preparing and sending the new ring took time. Until the winter.

Of course I didn’t knew there was a ring before. We arrived to Central Park on a really cold day, claiming that his brother had to choose a location for a photoshoot there. We walked around Central Park to get to the “photoshoots” place, which turned out to be the place for the proposal – the Central Park lake. The place was just beautiful and pastoral, and the proposal was exciting and intimate. Of course I immediately said yes! And I cried. His brother documented everything and it was just perfect!Continue Reading

A Last-Minute Jewish Backyard Wedding with a Drive-By Parade in Beit Shemesh, Israel

15/02/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

By the time Tamar and Bryan got engaged, they were well aware that COVID was going to be a factor in planning their Jewish wedding. The couple – Americans who made aliyah to Israel and are both currently studying for their master’s degrees in biotechnology at Bar Ilan – made sure to pick a pandemic-friendly venue (a winery with ample outdoor space) and negotiate their contracts to be as corona-proof as possible (thanks to the planning prowess of Events by Shani).

Even so, 10 days before the big day, a new lockdown was imposed, meaning wedding halls, restaurants, and other businesses started to close their doors. Even tougher, travel was limited to within 500 meters of one’s home. All of this meant Tamar and Bryan needed a new game plan – and fast. Luckily, a generous friend offered the couple the use of her beautiful backyard in Beit Shemesh, and from there everything fell into place as the duo, their families, and their planner scrambled to pull togethera 60-person wedding in full compliance with the Health Ministry’s guidelines.

Since the 60-guest limit meant lots of friends and family couldn’t be there in person, Tamar and Bryan opted to live stream the entire wedding – and it worked out so well that some virtual guests remarked that it was even better than being there in person because they were able to see things up close that they never would have been able to see because of the crowd.

The couples’ parents also surprised them with another special way to include members of their local community who couldn’t be at the wedding: a drive-by parade! And not just any drive-by parade – Tamar and Bryan’s families surprised them with a ’67 red Mustang convertible in which to cruise down the street while neighbors cheered them on. This was a totally unexpected touch, and it turned out to be one of the most joyous moments of the night.

And that’s saying a lot – this wedding was just chock full of joyous moments, and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Herschel Gutman captured each and every one so perfectly in his wonderful photos. After seeing photos he’d shot at friends’ weddings, Tamar and Bryan were such fans they “practically planned our wedding date around when he was available” – and post-wedding, they report that his calm demeanor, patience, and flexibility, made him an absolute pleasure to work with.

We’ll let the couple tell you about the rest…

How we met

Bryan, the groom: Tamar and I met in university…it seems like a classic story but there’s an interesting detail that I can’t help but reveal. We started off the beginning of our second year as lab partners. I knew Tamar was an excellent student and we studied really well together. After a short time, I was certain our chemistry went beyond the realm of the laboratory. I waited patiently until after finals of the first semester to ask Tamar out.

One might say that I had a certain sense of urgency considering I asked her out approximately 10 mins after she exited the test. She was flattered but promptly turned me down. After insisting and refusing to take her “no” as final, Tamar agreed to think about it. In my book that was a huge win…she’s way out of my league so a “maybe” is pretty good 🙂

Tamar got back to me two days later after consulting with some role models that Tamar trusts implicitly and looks up to and she agreed to a date where “I would have a lot of explaining to do.”

The rest is history.Continue Reading

A Needle and Thread Bride for a Backyard Jewish Wedding in Kfar Chabad, Israel

08/01/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

How gorgeous is the intimate backyard Jewish wedding of Israeli couple Libby, who has recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in bioinformatics, and Yanki, a product designer for a start-up?!

By the time these two got engaged, COVID had already hit – so they knew from the start that they’d need to keep their affair on the smaller side. This was just fine with the bride, who’d always dreamed of a cozy, intimate wedding – and if we had a backyard like her parents’, we’re sure we’d feel the same! The whole space was transformed into an absolute floral fantasia, and we just can’t get enough of it.

Libby and Yanki wanted to make sure they found photographers who’d really get the vibe they were going for on the day, and sure enough their choice to work with Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Luz Weddings did not disappoint. We’re in love with their stylish images capturing everything from the gorgeous design details to the couple’s happiness.

Being a designer, Yanki took charge of the couple’s invitations, creating a logo using the pair’s initials that ended up featuring on all of the wedding stationery. Yanki even designed the ketubah, which came out so beautifully! Another thing that came out beautifully? Libby’s stunning gown, which she ordered online from Needle and Thread – obsessed with the delicate embroidery and sweet pink flowers!

Now over to the bride…