New Jersey Jewish Wedding Archives - Smashing the Glass

A Vera Wang Bride for an Elegant Spring Jewish Wedding at Pleasantdale Chateau West Orange, NJ, USA

23/03/2020 by Karen Cinnamon 1 Comment

Because we can all use a bit of springtime cheer right now, we’re excited to share the beautiful Jewish wedding of two high school sweethearts: Smashing The Glass Brides Club member Elizabeth, a lawyer, and Bernie, a doctor (#cantTARASaPART).

It’s always a pleasure blogging the weddings of our Brides Club members, and we’re so touched by the bride’s kind words about how the group helped her plan her big day. Elizabeth especially loved the personal vendor referrals Team STG provides to Brides Club members on a daily basis – we connected her with her fab planner, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Amy Katz Events, who did SUCH an incredible job bringing the couple’s vision for their day together and keeping everything running smoothly on the day, as well as the couple’s ketubah designer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Melanie Dankowicz – the gorgeous floral papercut she created was the absolute perfect fit for the soft springtime vibes that characterized the day.

Speaking of springtime vibes, how about that chuppah?! We adore the profusion of roses and peonies in soft pinks, corals, and whites – and those hanging floral strands just add that little something extra. The mirrored frame keeps the whole structure looking contemporary, too – don’t miss it in the wonderful photos from Maya Myers and video from Motoko Fukayama of Love in Progress.

We’ll let Elizabeth, who was a total knockout in Vera Wang, take it from here…

A Chateau Wedding

Elizabeth, the bride: We got married at Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, NJ. We are both from NY so neither one of us had any particular ties to NJ, but we were struggling to find a venue that spoke to us. Then someone suggested Pleasantdale and we fell in love from the moment we walked in.

A Nicole Spose Bride for a Family-Centered Jewish Wedding at Ryland Inn, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, USA

03/05/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

Not gonna lie, it never fails to give us the warm and fuzzies when a couple puts family at the center of their Jewish wedding. Cory, a second grade teacher, and Ben, Assistant Director of Academic Services for NYUSPS SCHACK Institute of Real Estate, did just that, filling their day with all kinds of beautiful touches large and small that focused their day on those nearest and dearest to them.

For starters, the Cory’s father designed and built the couple’s beautiful chuppah – and her sister was married under it 9 months before Cory and Ben smashed the glass! Even the canopy has a personal connection, being sewn by a beloved family friend.

We also love the special touches the bride brought to her bouquet: not only was it wrapped with the sleeve from her mother’s wedding dress (awwww!), Cory’s mom also attached an Elmo patch to it – a subtle nod to the bride’s love of the little red guy from Sesame Street.

Photographer Millie Batista and videographer Peter Stepien captured this beautiful day so perfectly, and Cory looked smashing in her Nicole Spose sweetheart drop waist A-line gown. She’ll fill you in on the

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How We Met

Cory, the bride: Ben and I were set up between a mutual friend named Jenna. I had met Jenna through working with her as the motivational dancers at various bar and bat Mitzvah parties. One day Jenna told me she had a really great guy friend who had just gotten out of a relationship, and when he was ready to start dating again, she wanted to set us up.

Ben knew Jenna from a summer camp that we all attended as children and happened to work at during different summers. So when he was ready, Ben texted me to set up our first “date”. We met for coffee one day after I got out of work, then shortly after that initial coffee date, we made plans to go out for a proper date of dinner and bowling… and as they say, the rest is history.

A Black Tie Glam Jewish Wedding at The Grove, Cedar Grove, New Jersey, USA

09/01/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

This is one seriously glam wedding. Between the luxe setting and that chuppah — an absolute vision in white roses and hydrangeas – we’re seriously sold on this couple’s Jewish luxe wedding style, so beautifully captured by photographer Pat Robinson and videographer Live Picture Studios.

With such grand surroundings, it would have been easy for Sofia, an anesthesiologist, and Mitch, an internal medicine physician, to leave it at that — but they went the extra mile with so many fun details like a cigar roller, fun coaster place cards that guests took home as favors, and, best of all, wedding programs that doubled as confetti envelopes for the couple’s grand exit!

The front listed the standard names and order of service, and the back had some helpful info about Jewish traditions to make sure everyone could follow along, and the semi-translucent envelopes were stuffed with bright, colorful confetti — such a fun and unexpected touch!

Sofia and Mitch had a super fun dance party, too, thanks to their reception band, Brooklyn Sound from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Hank Lane. For their first dance, the band played an acoustic version of Rihanna’s We Found Love, the couple’s song because they “we found love in a hopeless place”: the ICU, where they met during training.

We’ll let Sofia, who looked stunning in her glam custom gown from CT Bridal Couture (with a detachable overskirt to provide that wow factor for the ceremony, without causing any trouble on the dance floor)…

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How We Met

Sofia, the bride: We met in training while working in the intensive care unit together.

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A Theia Bride for a Jewish Wedding at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, New Jersey, USA

17/12/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

Okay, how adorable is Carly and Seth’s antique chuppah?! So unique, and such a perfect fit for their country venue. And we also love that they went on an antiquing trip — a tradition in Carly’s family — with the intention of finding their wedding canopy — aww! The one they chose needed a little extra TLC, but you’d never know to look at it in their beautiful photos by Kathy Thomas.

Carly, who runs HR at a private equity firm in NYC, and Seth, a retail operations consultant, opted for just some light floral accents — in the form of roses, natch — so as not to detract from the vintage structure, and we think they got it just right.

Between the gorgeous rustic-chic aesthetic and the fab party, courtesy of Reggie Woods from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Hank Lane — who led an 11-piece band in funk and oldies all night long— this is one wedding we seriously wish we could’ve attended.

Now over to Carly, who looked so effortlessly elegant in her Theia dress…

Jersey Chateau

Carly and Seth, the bride and the groom: We got married at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, NJ. We were trying to find a place in between where our families were (New York > Southern New Jersey). Carly’s father had a friend who had attended a wedding at this location which prompted a visit.

We really wanted an easy outdoor feel. The Pleasantdale Chateau offered the structure of a well organized wedding venue with the ease of an outdoor ceremony and cocktail reception. They also have an amazing solarium. When we (Seth and Carly) saw that room in our initial visit, we decided that we would have the first look in that room.

A Pronovias Bride for an Old-World Glamor Travel-Inspired Jew-ish Wedding at Westmount Country Club, Woodland Park, New Jersey, USA

17/11/2017 by Karen

If you’re a fan of old-world elegance and you love that chic, vintage-inspired aesthetic, prepare yourself, because Stacey and Chris’s Jew-ish wedding is going to blow you away.

Bride Stacey describes herself as a type-A personality, which explains the absolutely extraordinary attention to detail, consistency in the beautifully executed wedding theme and fabulous choice of vendors.

The dreamy color scheme, incorporating dusky purples, pale pinks, ivory and hints of metallic gold, sat perfectly alongside the vintage travel vibe, celebrating the globetrotting couple’s shared love of exploring the world together.

Every last detail, from the tremendous floral-adorned chuppah to the looks-too-good-to-eat (almost, we’d still take a slice) cake, the luggage tag place cards to the personalized globe, was simply stunning.

Stacey and Chris’s Jew-ish ceremony celebrated the best, and most unique, parts of their relationship, with lots of humor, love and devotion along the way.

Sensational bride, Stacey, genuinely looked like an old Hollywood icon in her glamorous Pronovias gown and breathtaking hair and makeup.

Photographer Paul Francis Photography captured timelessly beautiful shots, while Stacey provided the eloquent, detailed writeup below. We’ll leave you in their capable hands – we just know you’re going to fall head over heels in love with everything about this beeeeeautiful big day!

How we met

Stacey, the bride: Chris and I met in high school back in 2005. Over the years, we have developed a great love for travel. In April of 2015, Chris and I traveled back to one of our favorite countries, Italy, for the Passover/Easter break.

Little did I know, Chris had tucked away an engagement ring inside of his luggage.

We had an incredible week traveling through Milan, Cinque Terre, and Florence. At the leg of our trip, Chris had arranged for us to visit San Miniato Al Monte, a basilica in Florence, overlooking the city. It was at this magical location that Chris got down on one knee and proposed. The proposal wasn’t the only surprise. Chris had previously contacted an Italian photographer, who was dressed as a tourist, to capture our proposal.
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