Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

Home > Lee Petra Grebenau wedding dress

A Lee Petra Grebenau Bride for an Intimate Destination Jewish Beach Wedding Weekend at Aruba Marriot Resort and Stellaris Casino, Aruba

by

Jewish-wedding-Aruba-Marriot-Resort-and-Stellaris-Casino-Aruba-South-America

There’s nothing like a destination wedding weekend – just you and your beloved and your very nearest and dearest friends and family, away from it all, coming together and getting to know each other and celebrating your love. That’s exactly what Jessica, a speech language pathologist, and Max, a manager for a pipe supply company (#masefourthwithbejess), did, jetting off to the Aruba Marriot and Stellaris Casino with an intimate crowd of 40 to party all weekend long.

These two threw a laid-back, informal centered around a huge dance party – and followed up with another party the next day on a private pirate boat! The couple flew in their photographer, Nela from Christian Oth Studio, and she was, in the bride’s words, a total Rockstar, snapping beautiful, artful photos from start ot finish.

And of course we’re obsessed with the bride’s incredible custom gown from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Lee Petra Grebenau. Lee is one of our very favorite Israeli designers, and Jessica was lucky enough to be able to work with her in person in NYC to create the dress of her dreams – something feminine yet edgy, appropriate for the beach yet not a beach dress – and above all, something with a big bow. Lee came through and then some – we could not be any more in love with the design she came up with for this beautiful bride.

And speaking of the beautiful bride, we’ll leave it to her to fill you in on the rest…

Jewish-wedding-Aruba-Marriot-Resort-and-Stellaris-Casino-Aruba-South-America Jewish-wedding-Aruba-Marriot-Resort-and-Stellaris-Casino-Aruba-South-America
How we met

Jessica, the bride: We met at a bar in the Hamptons. My sister was dating Max’s best friend. After months of messaging my sister to set us up, I agreed to go on a date with him. We have been together ever since.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

New York Bridal Market Fall 2020 Recap {and Top Bridal Trends for 2020}

by

Ines Di Santo | Photo Courtesy of Ines Di Santo

Hello from New York! Emily here, reporting back from New York Bridal Fashion week on all the hottest Fall/Winter 2020 collections.

Viktor & Rolf | Photo Courtesy of Viktor & Rolf / Marijke Aerdens

Bridal Market happens twice a year in NYC, in April and October (you can check out my recap of last April’s highlights here).

Eisen Stein | Photo Courtesy of Eisen Stein 

The October show is the bigger of the two, with lots of high-impact runaway shows and all the designers vying to show their latest and greatest.

Monique Lhuillier | Photo Courtesy of Monique Lhuillier

This market, designers were focused as much on weighty topics like inclusivity and sustainability as on aesthetics. Models were more inclusive than ever before, with lots of designers featuring plus-size models,  Theia including a model in a wheelchair in their runaway show, and Galia Lahav‘s campaign video for their new collection starring a transgender model. 

Peter Langner | Photo Courtesy of Peter Langner

But I know you’re here for the dresses, so let’s go…

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Lee Petra Grebenau Bride for an Exuberant Jewish Wedding at Cavalli Estate, Cape Town, South Africa

by

Jewish wedding at the Cavalli Estate Cape Town, South Africa_0075

If we had to pick one word to sum up Isa and Daniel’s Jewish wedding, it would be “exuberant!” From the bright colour palate to that gorgeous chuppah, to the abundant florals to the joyful expressions on the face of the bride and groom – not to mention the wild dancing and the spirited beachside couple’s shoot captured so beautifully in photographs by John Armstrong and on video Vision on Fire – South African couple Isa, a doctor, and Daniel, a solicitor, went all in on their big day.

We’re obsessed with their vibrant colour scheme – the couple wanted to use warm, bright shades to create an inviting atmosphere reflecting the spirit of love and celebration that embodied the day, with liberal use of the bride’s beloved bright pinks. Even Isa and Daniel’s gorgeous ketubah by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor ByTessa incorporated the bright pink floral theme, and it could not be any lovelier.

And these two had a chuppah unlike any we’ve seen before – sure, there were stunning bright florals, but what really bowled us over is not the outside of this chuppah but the inside: Isa and Daniel decorated the underneath of the canopy with photos of their families through the generations, including those who couldn’t be physically present on the day – what a special way to literally envelope yourselves in the people who love you most!

There’s so much more to say about this wonderful wedding, but the time has come to turn you over to Isa, who looked nothing less than ravishing in her gown by beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Lee Petra Grebenau, working with the designer herself at her studio in Israel – we’re totally not surprised to hear Isa say that getting to work with the wonderful Lee made the dress decision a non-brainer…

Jewish wedding at the Cavalli Estate Cape Town, South Africa_0046 Jewish wedding at Cavalli Estate, Cape Town, South Africa Jewish wedding at Cavalli Estate, Cape Town, South Africa
How we met

Isa and Daniel, the bride and the groom: In 2016, Isa was busy with her medical internship and Daniel was running around the court rooms with his law practice. A mutual friend sent Daniel Isa’s number. They had never crossed paths before their first date and it took Daniel an entire weekend to come up with “Hi Isa, a mutual friend sent me your number, would you like to go for a drink this week?” We eventually met on our first date and we ended up talking for hours and Isa had that smile. Daniel had to leave for Hong Kong but the talking continued. 

One year later Daniel arranged for Isa to meet him in Cape Town and they went to Babylonstoren wine farm under the false pretence that Daniel was on a media panel talking about high profile legal cases. Instead, Daniel popped the question and Isa, although a little suspicious, responded with Daniel’s favourite words “of course yes”

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

New York Bridal Market Spring 2020 Recap {and Top Bridal Trends for 2019/20}

by


Reem Acra | Photo courtesy of Reem Acra

Hello from New York! Emily here, reporting back from New York Bridal Fashion week on all the hottest Spring/Summer 2020 collections.

Grace Loves Lace | Photo courtesy of Grace Loves Lace

Bridal Market happens twice a year in NYC, in April and October (you can check out my recap of last October’s highlights here).

Yaniv Persy | Photo courtesy of Yaniv Persy

The April show is known for being a little lower-key than October’s, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t tons of fantastic new looks on display.

Halfpenny London | Photo courtesy of Halfpenny London

Because there definitely were.

Phuong My | Photo courtesy of Phuong My

Spring 2020 is looking to be a season of extremes, with clean hyper-minimalist gowns vying with some of the most opulent dresses you could ask for, dainty feminist looks like puffed sleeves and bows neck and neck with androgynous pieces like pants (and even shorts!) and fitted jackets.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Lee Petra Grebenau Bride for a Destination Jewish Wedding with a Dreamy Floral Chuppah at Boca Raton Resort and Club, Florida, USA

by

‘ Jewish wedding Boca Raton Resort and Club Florida USA_0038
Why hello, floral chuppah of our dreams. It was absolutely roses for daaaaays at the Florida-perfect destination Jewish wedding of Sara, a real estate broker (and Smashing The Glass Brides Club member!), and Eric, an immigration attorney — is it just us, or are those blooms a perfect match for Boca Raton Resort and Club’s trademark pink building?

We’re pretty sure you’ll agree that STGd Vendor Carlos Marquez of Boca by Design really outdid himself on this one (not to mention the cascading florals from the chandelier in the reception space!).

Photographer Susan Shek captured the day SO perfectly, from all the gorgeous details (and there are lots) to the ultra-emotional chuppah — seriously, this is one sequence you don’t want to miss. Sara raves that Susan “knows how to get the right photos, the right angles, and more than that, she became a friend in the process” — pretty much all you could ever ask for, right?!

Props to Sara’s mom for a cool, totally unexpected favor idea: she brought challah covers back from Israel for all the guests! We’re not surprised to hear that people loved them — and it’s a great reminder that the sky’s the limit when it comes to favors; it’s fine (actually, awesome!) to go off the beaten path with something unique.

Now over to the bride herself, who looked simply smashing in her gorgeous beaded dress from super cool Israeli designer Lee Petra Grebenau…

Jewish wedding Boca Raton Resort and Club Florida USA_0001 Jewish wedding Boca Raton Resort and Club Florida USA_0001 Jewish wedding Boca Raton Resort and Club Florida USA_0001 Jewish wedding Boca Raton Resort and Club Florida USA_0001
A Wedding in Boca

Sara, the bride: We got married at Boca Raton Resort and Club. We wanted to get married somewhere that was relatively easy for everyone to get to (Texas, Paris, Israel, NYC, Costa Rica etc) and warm. I wasn’t, and still am not, too familiar with Boca, but when I went to visit the venue with my mom and sister, we all fell in love with the pink building, the outdoor space, and the cathedral ballroom.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading