The Painted Ketubah Archives - Smashing the Glass

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.

This mega-chic Jewish wedding is so picture perfect, between the dreamy Palm Beach setting and the jaw-dropping florals (have you seen that chuppah?!) you’d never guess that it almost didn’t happen. Brett, a social worker, and Dakota, who works in real estate, had to cancel their original wedding date at the last minute when their venue closed due to a Category 5 hurricane. Luckily, they were able to reschedule — with ALL of their original vendors, no less. How fabulous is that?!

But this wedding is so much more than its dramatic origin story. We ADORE Brett’s guipure lace gown by Pnina Tornai, which she custom designed alongside Pnina herself at Kleinfeld. It’s sexy without going over the top, and could it fit Brett any more perfectly?!

We’re also pretty smitten with the florals, courtesy of Lane of Dalsimer Atlas. The couple gave him more or less free reign over the flowers, and it turns out that was an excellent call.

Their floral chuppah is just the dreamiest, lush and romantic as can be. And we love the ultra-creative multilevel tabletop dà©cor setup Lane came up with! Check it out for yourself in Emily Harris Photography and Senderey Video Productions’s fantastic captures of the day.