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A Grace Loves Lace Bride for a Simple, Elegant Rooftop Jewish Wedding at Skybar, Miami, Florida, USA

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Picture you and the love of your life standing under an airy chuppah adorned with greenery, against the sparkling backdrop of the Miami skyline. Sound good? We thought so… and so did today’s couple, Mariana and Jonathan. Mariana, a digital project manager originally from Brazil, and Jonathan, a data analyst and South Florida native, live in Miami and wanted to showcase their city at its finest.

Their rooftop venue, Skybar, definitely did the trick! The pair wanted something outdoorsy, simple, and elegant, with urban chic flair and lots of greenery, and Skybar delivered. Plus, they were able to take advantage of the beautiful December weather and wed under the stars! Don’t miss the fab setup in the pics from Cortiella Photography.

Not only was this wedding ultra-stylish (how good did Mariana look in her gown from Grace Loves Lace?!), it was also a meaningful testament to how the couple has grown together Jewishly – read on for the full story in Mariana’s words…

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How we Met

Mariana, the bride: Mariana and Jonathan met the modern way: by swiping right on Hinge in October 2020. They later found out that they had attended the same small party in honor of Israel’s 70th birthday in 2018, but they never saw each other there. Jonathan had a cat in 2018, and Mariana is deathly allergic to cats; Mariana was still converting to Judaism, meaning she wouldn’t be able to date Jonathan since she was undergoing an Orthodox conversion. Guess there’s nothing like good timing when it comes to a relationship.

Their first date was a success: Jonathan invited Mariana to join him for a private ballroom dance class, and after putting her dance skills to a test, they both headed out to a local hummus place for some dinner. Jonathan, a born athlete and dancer, believes if you can’t connect on the dance floor, it won’t be a good match. He forgot Mariana is Brazilian, and Brazilians know how to dance.

Jonathan knew Mariana was the one right away. It took Mariana a month to come to the same conclusion, but after some thinking she came to terms that Jonathan and Cocoa had been her final destination all along. Oh yes, there is a special third-wheel in this relationship, and he is the most adorable chocolate labradoodle there is: Cocoa, or as Mariana likes to call him Cocoa Remelento.

Jonathan proposed to Mariana late Summer of 2021. Jonathan took Mariana for a little weekend getaway, and popped the question with Mariana’s dream ring! He did forget however to ask Mariana if she would marry him, to which she answered after glimpsing at that beautiful ring: “But are you going to ask me to marry you?”. Guess emotions took over and Jonathan got a little forgetful!

A few of Mariana and Jonathan’s favorite memories together are taking Cocoa for walks in the Morningside Park, going to several performing arts shows, visiting different museums, exercising on a daily basis, Mariana having Jonathan try Brazilian food, and lots of quality time on Shabbat.

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A Loulette Bride for a Great Gatsby-Inspired Jewish Wedding at The Inn at Longshore, Connecticut, USA

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We love a literary Jewish wedding here at Team STG. And Jai and Ari’s Great Gatsby-themed celebration is one of the very best we’ve seen!

Jai, who works at Google as YouTube’s policy lead for violent extremism, and Ari, a healthcare consultant at a healthcare consulting firm, took the lead from their venue, The Inn at Longshore, a historic estate on the Long Island Sound. As lovers of American literature, the pair knew The Inn at Longshore was the spot for them when they found out historians believe F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel was likely inspired by the Fitzgeralds’ attendance at extravagant parties at the original Inn (then a private mansion).

From there, Jai and Ari opted to pick up on some Gatsby motifs, from vintage frames for black and white photographs of the couple’s loved ones that were with them in spirit, to a nine-piece band that kept the crowd on their feet, to a sparkler send off.

The couple’s attire was also inspired by Gatsby: Ari wore an ivory silk bow tie, and Jai’s custom gown and topper by Loulette Bride took inspiration from 1920s fashion. The groom, groomsmen, and dads wore tuxedos and kippot knit by the bride’s mother while the bridesmaids wore black, an untraditional but timeless and elegant choice. Everyone looked so chic – don’t miss it in the romantic photos by Nel Studios!

Now over to the bride…

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How we Met

Jai, the bride and Ari, the groom: They met in Washington, DC five years ago when Ari was working as a health care researcher and Jai was working at the Pentagon. Their first date was at a cute spot between their offices and their second date was every parent’s dream: Shabbat services at Sixth and I synagogue.

During the pandemic, the couple decided it was time for an adventure. They packed up and moved to Tel Aviv for a year, where they spent the weekdays working at startups and the weekends swimming in the Mediterranean. It was a dream! They relocated to New York City about a year ago and miss Tel Aviv every day.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Jenny Packham Bride for a Greek Island Fantasy Jewish Wedding at the Royal Myconian Hotel, Mykonos, Greece

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Claudia & James, Royal Myconian Hotel, Mykonos, Greece

Ok, who could use a sunny island getaway about now? Yeah, we thought so. For those of us not lucky enough to be jetting off to beachy paradise, do the next best thing and live vicariously through the fabulous Jewish wedding of UK couple Claudia, who works in advertising, and James, who works in affordable housing, who tied the knot in their favorite holiday destination, Mykonos.

We’re not sure what we love more, the totally epic locale, or the fact that Claudia and James worked with an amazing team of beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendors to make their dream day a reality. Their first port of call was Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Elegante by Michelle J, who was, as always, “a dream to work with and took a lot of the stress off us in the planning process and the day.” Michelle helped the duo translate their island-perfect color scheme of crisp whites an blues into the fabulous day you see in the wonderful photos by Anna Roussos.

The couple’s stationers, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Cartalia, designed the most exquisite pocket-style invitation suite in coordinating blues and whites, and the couple’s chazzan, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Jonny Mosesson – who they flew out from London along with two of his musicians – performed in their trademark unforgettable style at the chuppah and again for the Israeli dancing.

And we haven’t even mentioned the fact that Claudia was lucky enough to have a bespoke wedding dress designed for her by a close friend of her mum’s – none other than Jenny Packham herself! We’ll turn you over to the bride for the rest…

Claudia & James, Royal Myconian Hotel, Mykonos, Greece Claudia & James, Royal Myconian Hotel, Mykonos, Greece
How We Met

Claudia, the bride: We met through mutual friends in 2013, James had just finished his masters and Claudia had just finished her second year at university.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Suzanne Neville Bride for an Elegant Winter Jewish Micro Wedding with a Wild Backstory at Down Hall Hotel & Spa, Essex, UK

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By now we’ve heard lots of incredible pandemic wedding stories, but we’re pretty sure Brides Club member Rafaela, and Dan’s takes the (wedding) cake. These two had originally planned a big black-tie wedding at another venue for April 2020 – until COVID got in the way. They initially deciding to postpone for a year, but with Dan’s dad being terminally ill and his health declining, Rafaela and Dan ended up pushing their date forward by three months – and planning their intimate December 2020 wedding with just two weeks’ notice!

You might think that’s enough drama for one wedding – but it doesn’t stop there! With just 48 hours to go, the couple’s original venue had to cancel on them due to changes to the UK’s regional tiering system. Several frantic phone calls later, Rafaela and Dan secured a new venue, Down Hall Hotel & Spa, located in an area with lighter COVID restrictions, just 24 hours before the chuppah!

It was a tight turnaround, but the hotel’s incredible staff and the couple’s vendor team made it happen – you’d never know from Joab Smith’s absolutely stunning photos that it all happened at the very last minute!

There were a few hiccups along the way – not the least of which being that on the morning of her wedding, Rafaela was left without a hair stylist and makeup artist! Luckily, as a member of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club, Rafaela was able to muster Brides Club’s collective resources to secure the perfect last-minute booking. And as Rafaela transitioned her wedding from spring to winter, a fellow Brides Club member lent out her bridal fur shawl to keep Rafaela warm and in style during the outside photos – how incredible is that?! Don’t miss the ultra-emotional trailer from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Denee Motion, who is so beloved by our Brides Club members – and for very good reason!

Speaking of which… if you’re feeling in need of a little guidance as you navigate your big day, reserve your spot for Smashing The Glass’s virtual Jewish Wedding Planning Party today! There’ll be partying, presents, and music, plus our founder Karen Cinnamon will be on hand to help you figure out everything from making the most of your budget to dealing with challenging family dynamics and beyond  – and to answer any and every question you might have.

There’s so much more we could say about this unbelievable wedding – like, how amazing is Rafaela and Dan’s chuppah? And how exquisite does Rafaela look in her Suzanne Neville gown?! – but we’ll let the bride take it from here…

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How we Met

Rafaela, the bride: I am from Brazil and moved to the UK around 15 years ago, where we met! We have been together around 4 years and despite having grown up in different parts of the world, we are both very similar and have many mutual interests! Dan proposed from a helicopter in the summer of 2018 and we were wedding planning ever since! Continue ReadingContinue Reading

An Enzoani Bride for an Elegant Jewish Wedding at Warren Weir at Luton Hoo, UK

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There’s not much that makes us happier than seeing a couple pull off the Jewish wedding of their dreams thanks to the work of some of our very favorite Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendors. So as you can imagine, the wedding of Smashing The Glass Brides Club member Natasha, a marketing manager, to Simon, a recruitment consultant, is giving us ALL the feels.

Natasha reports that she loved her time in Brides Club – in her words, “it was so great to know there was a group of other brides going through similar things that you could confide in, get advice from or just get support where needed” – and she also found two of her wonderful vendors through the group! Natasha and Simon’s toastmaster, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Jango, is a firm favorite among Brides Club members, and true to form he kept everything running smoothly on the big day. And a recommendation via Brides Club led Natasha to Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ann Louise Bridal, where she found her gorgeous Enzoani dress and veil! Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Alexandra’s Florist was responsible for the incredible floral chuppah, featuring an elegant mix of white hydrangeas, white roses, and greenery.

We’re also obsessed with the fact that Natasha and Simon opted to open their ceremony with a flashmob by the amazingly talented Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor XS Showband! What a fun surprise for the guests – and indeed, Natasha reports that people are still talking about it to this day!  

This is truly a special wedding – be sure not to miss the emotion-packed photos by Chiko and trailer from AtMotion!

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How we met

Natasha, the bride: We were set up by Simon’s sister. I became friends with her through some mutual friends and she always said that she wanted to set us up. Simon was living in Manchester at the time and one day we arranged to go on a blind date at Dim T in Hampstead. As the say, the rest is history…

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