Italy Archives - Smashing the Glass

An Alan Hannah Bride for a Destination Jewish Interfaith Wedding at Borgo di Celle, Città di Castello, Perugia, Umbria, Italy

15/03/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

It seems like we see more and more gorgeous Italian destination weddings every day… and it’s not hard to see why. When spots as beautiful as Borgo di Celle are just a quick flight from home, why not?!

Getting married in the Umbrian countryside was extra meaningful for today’s London-based couple, Jenny, a teacher, and Neil, an accountant, because the bride grew up in Rome and her parents own a country home close to the venue — and we love how these two combined their traditions and cultures, English and Italian, Jewish and secular, to make one very special wedding day.

To honor both Neil’s Jewish heritage and Jenny’s non-Jewish background, the couple crafted an ultra-personal ceremony including a civil ceremony by the mayor of CittÃ di Castello, a Jewish blessing by a family friend of the groom’s, and the perfect simple chuppah made of a tallit resting on bamboo poles, held up by friends of the couple — don’t miss Paola De Paola’s gorgeous photos.

And of course we love how these two incorporated Italian traditions into the day with fun touches like millefoglie cake and customary Italian wedding favors of Sulmona confetti – the same candies used in Meaghan and Harry’s wedding! In keeping with Italian tradition, each guest got a box of 5 confetti — symbolizing the indivisible bond of marriage, since you can’t split an odd number — awwww!

Now we’ll hand you over to the bride, who found the perfect effortless gown to stay cool in that hot Italian weather in Alan Hannah…

How we met

Jenny, the bride: I left Italy to come to the UK and teach in London. When I arrived, I started teaching, but I met him too… we met three years ago, it’s incredible because it seems like we met yesterday!

A Lihi Hod Bride for a Destination Jewish Wedding at Borgo San Felice, Berardenga, Tuscany, Italy

13/02/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

A late summer night’s dream… yep, Leah and Tyler’s stunner of a Jewish wedding combined the magic of Tuscany with one of the most beautiful times of year, that perfect patch of late summer where fall’s just beginning to creep in.

The setting — a medieval Tuscan village converted into a hotel — could not have been more magical, and the couple’s wedding planner, Sara Mazzei, fromSmashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Infinity Weddings went full-on for that fairytale sparkle with a soft muted florals, a dreamy chuppah, twinkly lights, and even a fireworks display! Everything was captured to perfection by photographer Massimiliano Morlott and videographer Luigi De Gregorio Films.

And then there’s that dress. Leah was a total and complete knockout in Lihi Hod, and we’re kind of obsessed with her dramatic yet classic styling. We’ll let her take it from here…

Venue

Leah, the bride: We got married under a grape pergola at Borgo San Felice in Tuscany. My husband and I had a short list of must-haves for a wedding venue: we wanted everything to take place outside and a venue where all of our family and friends could stay on-site. We researched venues quite a bit in different countries (mostly wine-regions because we are lovers of wine) when the thought of getting married in Italy occurred to us. Between the two of us we had visited wine regions in California, New Zealand, Hungary, Switzerland, South Africa, and Israel, but neither of us knew much about Italian wines.

We booked a trip to visit a few venues in Tuscany and while they were all beautiful, Borgo San Felice blew us away. It is a medieval Tuscan village converted into a hotel. On the outside old spindly vines cover stone buildings. On the inside fresh chic interior design integrates with classic Tuscan architecture. My husband and I live in an old abode in New Orleans’ French quarter, so this character-filled aesthetic was right up our alley.

A Suzanne Neville Bride for a Destination Jewish Wedding at the Great Synagogue and Villa Miani, Rome, Italy

28/01/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

We always love seeing what wedding pros choose for their own big days. On one hand, they’ve got a leg up knowing all the ins and outs of the industry. But on the other, when you’re surrounded by amazing wedding vendors day in and day out, how do you choose?!

Today’s beautiful bride Laura is a London-based wedding planner, and we’re not surprised that she and Moshi, a financial adviser, picked a whole roster full of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendors for their beautiful destination wedding in Rome: from ultra-creative videographer Denee Motion (love that drone footage!) to a 10-piece band by the amazing Totem to a beautiful, colorful ketubah by artist Veronique Jonas from Ketubah.com, they went for some of the very best of the best.

And then there’s Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Italian Wedding Company. Being a planner’s planner is no easy job, but Stefania and Vanessa handled it with aplomb, helping Laura realize the wedding of her dreams despite her planning from abroad and speaking not a word of Italian.

Photographer Paul Toeman captured all the emotion of the day — not to mention the gorgeous setting — so perfectly, and we can’t get enough of the couple’s adorable wedding hashtag, #moshandbecks.

We’ll let Laura, who looked stunning in Suzanne Neville, fill you in on the rest…

How We Met

Laura, the bride: He was sitting next to a friend’s husband one year and asked who was sitting next to his wife. After cancelling what would have been our first date and re-connecting a year later, we met up and the rest is history!

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

07/01/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

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…

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.

A Monique Lhuillier Bride for a Destination Jewish Wedding with a Peony Chuppah at L’Andana, Castiglione della Pescaia, Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy

21/12/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

We can hardly believe it ourselves, but this is our LAST real Jewish wedding of 2018!! Before Team STG heads off on our holiday break next week, we’re sending the year out with a bang (both literally and figuratively) with an amazing destination wedding in Tuscany, full of the most delicious Italian food, fireworks, and flowers for days.

We’ll be back with fresh content the first week of January, but until then be sure to check out our Instagram over the holidays for the latest and greatest Jewish wedding inspo.

So to close the year, we’ve got the fabulous Italian wedding of Meredith, who works in children’s fashion, and Sean, who’s in corporate finance. With the help of masterful planner Sara from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Infinity Weddings, the couple pulled together the wedding of their dreams all the way from New York.

We can’t get over all the wonderful details they put into the day, from a luxe peony chuppah (!) to surprise fireworks to a classic lace gown from Monique Lhuillier to a silk ribbon-strewn walkway on the way to the dinner — we’re totally obsessed with this last, ultra-creative idea, courtesy of the mother of the bride.

Not only did the colorful silk ribbons cast a magical ambience, each also had a handwritten fact about the couple, from where they met to their favorite vacation spots. Photographer David Bastianoni and videographer Marco Caputo did such a fantastic job of capturing the day in all its elegant splendor.

Oh, and did we mention that Meredith and Sean served their guests cacio e pepe out of a giant cheese wheel at dinner? Um, yes please!

There’s so much more we could say, but we’ll turn you over to the bride now…