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An Ines Di Santo Bride for a Bold Jewish Wedding Bringing Miami to New Jersey at Crystal Plaza, Livingston, New Jersey, USA

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Monica and Jonathan, Crystal Plaza, Livingston, New Jersey, USA

When New Yorkers Monica, a beauty publicist, and Jon, a data analyst, started planning their Jewish wedding, they dreamed of making things official in Miami, which has always felt like their second home. Ultimately, they realized it would be too challenging for their grandparents to travel, so instead they decided to bring Miami to New Jersey.

We’re obsessed with the modern, bold energy the pair brought to their special day at Crystal Plaza in Livingston, NJ. For the ceremony and cocktail hour, they focused on strong black details – most notably, a dramatic black acrylic chuppah – paired with white and green florals in sleek, structural arrangements. Then for the reception, the mood shifted to an explosion of color set against a striking black backdrop. And did we mention their dog, Chili, played a big part in the proceedings? Don’t miss all the fab details in the photos by Felix Feygin and video from My Wedding Way.

Read on for the full story from Monica – who looked so glam in her Ines De Santo gown…

How We Met

Monica, the bride: Jonathan and I met on Hinge in December 2021 and had our first date at Subject, a cocktail bar on the Lower East Side. From there, we realized we were starving and went to a nearby diner as most places were closing up their kitchens by that point. We realized we shared all of the same favorite foods – grilled cheese, buffalo chicken sandwich and a malted milkshake. What was meant to be a quick drink turned into hours of conversation, and we both knew right away there was something special.

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An Anne Barge Bride for an Elegant Jewish Wedding Featuring Tradition with a Twist at Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USA

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Yael and Josh, Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USA

We love it when a couple puts their own spin on their Jewish wedding ceremony – which is exactly what Yael, an enterprise relationship manager at LinkedIn, and Josh, a vice president at Alphasights, did when planning their big day at Temple Emanu-El in Closter, New Jersey.

The couple’s Judaism was central to their day, and we adore the way they put their own spin on classic traditions. Working with their rabbi, Yael and Josh crafted a bespoke ceremony that was totally them – including circling each other 3.5 times each, having women involved in the ketubah reading and Sheva Brachot, and having Yael say a statement of betrothal to Josh.

Amy Sims Photography captured the day so beautifully, and the couple’s videographer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kiss the Bride Films, caught all the love, emotion, and energy of the day in their unmissable trailer.

This wedding was full of so many special touches – from an ice sculpture shot tower to a 45-minute hora set to Yael’s ultra-elegant Anne Barge gown purchased at Kleinfeld – but we’ll turn you over to the bride for the rest of the details…

Yael and Josh, Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USA Yael and Josh, Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USA Yael and Josh, Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USA Yael and Josh, Temple Emanu-El, Closter, New Jersey, USA
How We Met

Yael, the bride: The short answer is Hinge. The longer answer is that Yael saw Josh on Hinge and noticed he went to Vanderbilt, where her best friend Hannah went. Figuring Jews at Vanderbilt must know each other, Yael sent a screenshot of Josh’s profile to Hannah, who gave Yael a thumbs up and said “he’s one of the good guys.” We both work in Account Management.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Galia Lahav Bride for a Magical Forest-Inspired Wedding at The Estate at Florentine Gardens, River Vale, New Jersey, USA

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When Sydney, a software engineer, and Chaim, a finance associate, began planning their dream wedding, they knew they wanted something magical, elegant, and undeniably “them.” The moment they stepped into The Estate at Florentine Gardens in River Vale, New Jersey, they were completely smitten. The ceremony space—with its high ceilings, grand windows, and stunning European-inspired architecture—was love at first sight.

Their color palette of lush greens and regal purples set the tone for a forest-inspired fairytale, brought to life with an abundance of greenery and whimsical florals. Their stunning chuppah was the epitome of woodland romance, featuring four majestic trees as its base, accented with pops of vibrant purple flowers.

Sydney absolutely wowed in a masterpiece from Israeli designer Galia Lahav—a gown that struck the perfect balance between timeless elegance and modern drama. From its intricate detailing to the striking drop-waist silhouette, it was everything she’d dreamed of and more.

The couple knew the importance of capturing every magical moment, so they turned to Smashing The Glass Recommended VendorAlex Knight Studio for photography. From the calming presence of the team on a busy day to their incredible attention to detail, every photo—candid and posed alike—turned out breathtaking.

This is one wedding you don’t want to miss—scroll on for all the stunning details, from the enchanting ceremony to the joy-filled reception!

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How We Met

Sydney, the bride: We were set up through a mutual friend. One evening, my sister convinced me to join her and her friends for a night of bowling. A friend asked if I was looking to meet someone and if so what was I looking for. I said: tall, nice and family oriented. The friend said you must meet my roommate, Chaim: tall, nice and one of eight kids-how much more family oriented can you get! We met and a year and a half later, Chaim proposed in Paris.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Rita Vinieris Bride for an Indoor-Outdoor Jewish Wedding with an Heirloom Chuppah at Crossed Keys Estate, New Jersey, USA

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Today’s Jewish wedding features one special chuppah! Talia and Benjamin chose to wed at Crossed Keys Estate in New Jersey, where they were able to have the indoor/outdoor day of their dreams – including a stunning garden spot for their chuppah.

We absolutely love the fact that Talia’s parents created their chuppah as a new family heirloom, with the inside featuring a family tree that gets added to at each wedding. Since Talia has three siblings, each of the four sides of the chuppah belongs to one of them – and as each sibling gets married, along with their partner they add a quote to their side of the chuppah.

Talia and Benjamin chose Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Alex Knight for photography and videography – when they met Alex, they knew he was someone they’d enjoy spending time with on their big day, and the results absolutely speak for themselves.

Read on for all the gorgeous images – plus the full story of the special day in Talia’s own words…

 

 

 

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How we Met

Talia, the bride: We met in high school choir and have been together since then! We dated for 10 years – among them 5.5 yrs of long distance!

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A Mira Zwillinger Bride for a Classic Jewish Wedding in Black and White at The Rockleigh, New Jersey, USA

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Today’s Jewish wedding is just SO classically elegant, we can’t get enough of it. Brooke, who works in marketing, and Jacob, in impact investing, crafted the most exquisite day at The Rockleigh in New Jersey, and we are all about their glam style – don’t miss the bride’s gown from Israeli designer Mira Zwillinger!

There’s no question that this wedding is a stunner – don’t miss the joyous photos by Ira Lippke Studios and trailer by The Totos – but that’s hardly all there is to it. Brooke and Jacob were committed to crafting a day full of personal, meaningful touches – like their custom ketubah by Britt Yudell of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor BritColors, incorporating embroidered mountains to reflect the couples’ love of skiing and a beaded sun to commemorate the acoustic version of “Here Comes the Sun” Brooke chose for walking down the aisle.

Brooke tragically lost her father at age six, and the couple thought up some beautiful ways to incorporate him into the day. The pair wrapped themselves in Brooke’s dad’s tallit for the blessing by the parents, Brooke got ready wearing a robe made from her mom’s wedding dress, and the rabbi who officiated was best friends with Brooke’s dad.

Read on for all the other wonderful details of this very special day in Brooke’s own words…

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How We Met

Brooke, the bride: We met on Hinge after the algorithm suggested us saying that it thought we would be a perfect match – clearly it was right! We started chatting over Thanksgiving week in 2018 and had both never enjoyed talking to someone so much before even going on a first date, so we knew that it was special even before meeting in person. Once we had our first date we hit it off and the rest is history!Continue ReadingContinue Reading