Lihi Hod Archives - Smashing the Glass

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 Lihi Hod Bride for a Bohemian Chic Outdoor Jewish Wedding with a Driftwood Chuppah at Le Rocher on Corsica, France

10/10/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

Just when we think we’ve seen every amazing chuppah idea out there, a new Jewish wedding comes along and knocks us off our feet. Today, we’ve got a DRIFTWOOD CHUPPAH! And it could not possibly be a better match for the rugged beauty of the awesome (literally, as in truly awe-inspiring) outdoor venue in France.

The fantastic panoramic views of the mountains and the sea are just BEYOND — guess they didn’t name this fab venue “The Rock” (giving rise to Elsa and Stephane’s adorable hashtag, #weddingontherock), for nothing. We are so, so in love with Moonriverprod’s photos — they really didn’t miss an angle.

We’re also totally obsessed with the fact that these guys choreographed and performed a surprise dance inspired by Friends, as well as by their totally mouthwatering naked cake with red fruits, prepared by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Dany’s Traiteur, tops for luxury kosher catering in the South of France (who also handled the rest of the menu, which looks UTTERLY delish too).

And for good measure, we’ve got some perfectly Parisian, mega-chic photos from the couple’s civil ceremony in their home city. We are totally swooning over them kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Now we’ll hand you over to Elsa, who looked positively ravishing in her pearl-embellished top from Israeli designer, Lihi Hod, which she paired with a simple custom skirt…

Corsica

Elsa, the bride: The name of the venue is “Le Rocher” (“the rock” in French). It is on the island of Corsica (France), close to Calvi City. There is a wonderful 360 ° view overlooking the sea and the mountain.

The venue is very wild and authentic, with lot of vegetation: tamarisk trees, rocks, etc. It’s like the world’s end, with only nature and no construction.

You can have both the ceremony and the party outside (and keep going until 5am!). The weather tends to be very good in june (around 24-27 °C/75-80 °F).

The Rise of Israeli Wedding Dress Designers

19/02/2016 by Smashing The Glass

This is a guest post by Anne Kleinberg

There was a time, not isao long ago, when the words Israeli Haute Couture could be considered an oxymoron. There was nothing elegant or sophisticated about evening dresses. And bridal gowns? A profusion of puffiness and petticoats!

But times changed. Dramatically. In a country known as the start-up nation, the bridal industry has captured the world’s attention and is reported to be valued at billions of shekels. The wedding gown creations of Israel’s designers are nothing less than stunning and they are being paraded out onto the world’s catwalks and red carpets – big time. The names of these houses are uttered in hushed, revered tones on both sides of the Atlantic, and beyond.

While the centre of the bridal dress district was once Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv, it now expands out into trendy Jaffa, the southern coastal city of Ashdod and beyond. And although Israeli brides tend to rent their gowns (for considerably less money than buying), many designers sell in bridal salons throughout the world as well as via the Internet. The shops vary from small, personalized boutiques run by classically trained dressmakers to empires run by businesswomen and their daughters.

Berta Baliti was born in Egypt, emigrated to Israel with her family as a small child and parlayed her degree from the famed Shenkar College in Tel Aviv into a world-renown bridal dress empire. She describes her designs as “avant-garde” and they certainly exude sexiness and daring, femininity and elegance with their plunging necklines, flowing trains and delicate veils. She has boutiques in many countries and her gowns have graced magazine covers, and bodies, throughout the world.

> See real brides on Smashing The Glass wearing Berta

Galia Lahav is of Russian descent, born into a family of dressmakers. From a modest beginning creating ivory lace appliques to establishing a design house saturated in extravagance and luxury, a Galia Lahav gown is not for the faint of heart. Her collections epitomize a golden age with evocative names like Ivory Tower, La Dolce Vita, Empress, Lourdes & Les Reves Bohemians. Pearls cascading down a graceful back, mermaid tails, fringes, feathers & ruffles embellish her dresses as jewels in the crowns of royalty.