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A Marcella NYC Bride for a Dreamy Jewish Wedding at Villa Corsini, Florence, Italy

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There’s something about a Tuscan wedding – and we’re head over heels for the beautiful Jewish destination wedding of American couple A and S.

Both professional musicians with busy schedules, these two knew they could use some help making the wedding of their dreams a reality, and they turned to Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Primavera Dreams. In the couple’s words,  founder Luba

was instrumental in implementing our wedding vibe/atmosphere. We wanted it to feel luxurious but not too stuffy, casual and comfortable but also elegant, colorful but also classic. Luba and Yael helped execute amazing events leading up to the wedding for our guests that allowed them to get to know each other and bond.

We also love that bride A opted for an off-the-rack dress from Marcella NYC rather than a traditional wedding gown – a great reminder that there are lots of fabulous out-of-the-box (and budget-friendly) options when it comes to bridal fashion.

We’re obsessed with the exquisite photos by Michael Zennaro – scroll on to take in ALL the gorgeousness for yourself!

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How We Met

The bride: We actually first met (as friends) in high school at a summer music program, but reconnected about 10 years later living in New York City.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

An Anne Barge Bride for a Colorful Jewish Wedding at the Museum of Science, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

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Today’s joyful Boston Jewish wedding is all about color! Hannah, who works in strategy & operations at a health tech company, and Sam, who’s getting his PhD in biomedical engineering, set out to create a vibrant celebration of their love.

They worked with their planner, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Primavera Dreams, to make their colorful, floral dreams a reality – from tons of whimsical, bright flowers to asking guests to dress colorfully! Photographer Alex Paul and videographer Rachel of Olive Ewe Productions captured the day so perfectly.

And how cute is it that the venue, Boston’s Museum of Science, was also the site of the couple’s first date (way back when they were in high school)?!

There’s so much more to say about this very special Jewish wedding, but we’ll turn you over to Hannah to continue the story…

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How we Met

Hannah, the bride: We met in high school – at Jewish day school in Boston, MA in 11th grade.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Rubin Singer Bride for a Musical, Autumnal Jewish Wedding at the Great Synagogue of Florence and Villa Corsini, Italy

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Get ready to be blown away by today’s Jewish wedding in beautiful Florence, Italy! Toronto-based couple Sveta and Sasha dreamed of making it official in the majestic Great Synagogue of Florence, and with the help of their wedding planner, Luba of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Primavera Dreams, crafted the most exquisite fall harvest-themed celebration in one of the world’s most unforgettable locations.

Luba worked with the duo to source their fabulous team of vendors – seriously, you MUST scroll through the elegant photos by Elena Foresto to take it all in – and brought their autumnal dreams to life, with a fabulous décor scheme incorporating pomegranates and apples – love it!

In her professional live, bride Sveta is the founder, president, and producer of Show One Productions, which organizes tours for famous musical and theatrical groups across the US and Canada. So naturally, when planning her own wedding, music was a big deal.

And indeed, she and Sasha put together an epic lineup, from Klezmerata Fiorentina, who played traditional Jewish music for the ceremony and then for the kiddush, to Maria Dal Rovere band for the cocktail reception and the after-party, to opera performances by Anna Sanchina and Georgy Chkareuli over dinner and roaming band Gypsy Queens. The couple also had their friend, the fabulous DJ Vamos, fly in from Ontario to perform during their multi-day celebration.

This wedding was chock full of so many wonderful touches – including Sveta’s bespoke  dress by New York fashion designer Rubin Singer, clowns flown in from Paris, fireworks, and even a late night gelato cart – but we’ll let the bride fill you in on the rest…

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How we Met

Sveta, the bride: Thanks to some lucky stars, we met in Toronto a few years ago.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Jewish Wedding Worth the Wait at Boston Exchange, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

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There’s something so special about all the gorgeous Jewish weddings of couples whose big days were disrupted by the pandemic – like Rebecca, a health economist, and Benjamin, a software engineer, who were originally slated for a May 2020 wedding at the historic Boston Exchange. Needless to say, things didn’t go to plan.

When the pair first got engaged, they booked Luba of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Primavera Dreams to help them plan their wedding – they knew they wanted someone who knew Jewish weddings and could help them craft a meaningful day centered on a traditional ceremony, pick the right vendors, and take the stress out of planning.  That last bit proved extra important as the couple navigated the rollercoaster of multiple reschedules leading up to their eventual May 2022 wedding.

Pandemic or no, Rebecca and Benjamin strongly believe choosing to work with Luba was one of the best wedding planning decisions they made. In Rebecca’s words, “We always thought of a wedding planner as an extravagant extra… [but] our planner introduced us to amazing vendors whose prices were more competitive than those we found ourselves. She also negotiated contracts on our behalf and helped us effectively prioritize where to cut and spend money. Having her organize last minute details and communicate with vendors in the days and weeks leading up to the wedding allowed us to focus on our families and enjoy the wedding.”

One thing Rebecca and Benjamin did that we love: they set up a Judaica registry (in addition to their traditional Zola gift list)! They registered at Kolbo Fine Judaica Gallery in Brookline, MA, and loved being able to add handmade Judaica to their list online. The duo also purchased their gorgeous ketubah, crafted in Israel by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Danny Azoulay, at Kolbo.

There’s so much more we could say about this fab wedding – for starters, don’t miss the wonderful floral chuppah in Lynne Reznick’s luminous photos – but we’ll turn you over to the bride for the rest…

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How We Met

Rebecca, the bride: We met in Boston in 2014 and had our first date at a coffee shop in Harvard Square! Four years later (to the day), we got engaged after having dinner in the same building.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Top Jewish Wedding Planning Tips

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Jasmine & Brett’s wedding featured on Smashing the Glass | Photo by Claudine Hartzel

So you’re planning a Jewish wedding – mazal tov! Wedding planning is exciting, no question, but it can also be seriously overwhelming. There’s so much to learn, so much information to sort through and, in many cases, so many opinions to contend with. 

But having the right tools goes a long way! And that’s why we tapped into our fabulous network of wedding planners to share their top tips for a smooth wedding planning journey. Read on for some essential Jewish wedding wisdom!

Charlotte from La Fete says

Make sure that you are really clear with your parents from the start on their involvement in your big day. Are they expecting certain things – do you have any non-negotiables? The clearer you are earlier on, the easier and smoother the whole process will be. 

Rebecca & Emmanuel, Villa Luisa, Seville, Spain

Rebecca & Emmanuel‘s wedding featured on Smashing The Glass | Photo by Juan Luis Morilla

 Michelle from Elegante by Michelle J says

We are very fortunate that the Jewish marriage ceremony is very poignant and meaningful;  so my advice to all of my couples is to make it especially so,  the highlight of your wedding day. It’s all too easy to get caught up with the dinner florals, the entertainment, the food and of course they are important (and as a wedding planner I also love to get caught up in all of these details). But everyone is gathering together to witness the two of you entering into the commitment of marriage. So this should be considered “the main event”. Everything else that follows is a celebration of the beautiful wedding that your guests have had the privilege of witnessing.

Chloe & Danny‘s wedding featured on Smashing The Glass | Photo by David Bastianoni

Yana Andreev from Craspedia Events says

Create an email account that will be designated for wedding things only. That way you’ll have all the corespondence in one convinient location, you both have access to and it won’t mix with work and personal stuff. 

Jewish wedding Bayaar, Hadera, Israel

Shelly & Harel‘s wedding featured on Smashing The Glass | Photo by Noa Magger

Luba from Primavera Dreams says

My #1 tip for a destination Jewish wedding: Make sure that your planner knows the traditions, understand the particularity of a Jewish wedding and can actively help to source what may be needed (from chuppah and rabbi to challah, to kosher food and wine, etc. if needed). Or it may cost you a lot of money and stress.

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Rita & Daniel‘s wedding featured on Smashing the Glass | Photo by Tatiana Blanco Photography 

Dyana from Dyana Dessar says

Do remember why you are getting married, because you love each other!  it is not a military manoeuvre and whilst it is important to have a good timeline don’t sweat the small stuff, stop take a moment and take the day in as it will be over all too soon, and to make sure it all runs smoothly employ a professional wedding planner! 


Jolanda & Jack‘s wedding featured on Smashing the Glass | Photo by The Love Hunters

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