Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

Home > USA > Page 34

A Liancarlo Bride for a Multicultural Hindu-Jewish Wedding at Tarrytown House Estate and Tappan Hill Mansion, Hudson Valley, NY, USA

by

Laura-and-Raj-Tappan-Hill-Mansion-Hudson-Valley

We love it when a couple combines their backgrounds into one truly memorable day – and that’s exactly what Laura, a registered dietitian, and Raj, who owns two urgent care facilities in New Jersey, did in planning their interfaith Hindu-Jewish wedding.

With two ceremonies in one day – Hindu during the day, followed by Jewish in the evening – the couple approached planning with the overarching goal of crafting a cohesive day illustrating the true merging of their families, lives, and cultures. Take one look at Dave Robbins Photography’s gorgeous captures of the day and you’ll see just how successfully they pulled it off.

Laura and Raj took advantage of the fact that Hindu and Jewish weddings both take place under a canopy – symbolizing the home the couple will build together – and decided to use the same structure for their mandap and chuppah to symbolize the fact that they are building one home that embraces both of their cultures and religions.

And we totally and completely adore the couple’s custom floral ketubah by Rachel Marks of  Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Tallulah Ketubahs. Laura and Raj wanted their text written in English, Hebrew, and Hindi, and Rachel made it happen – plus she incorporated some of the colors and flowers the pair used in their wedding! And, unsurprisingly, Laura reports that Rachel was an absolute dream to work with.

There’s so much more we could say about this awesome wedding, but we’ll leave the rest to the bride, who looked stunning in both her traditional Indian outfit and red and gold as well as her white wedding dress by Azul by Liancarlo…

Laura-and-Raj-Tappan-Hill-Mansion-Hudson-ValleyLaura-and-Raj-Tappan-Hill-Mansion-Hudson-ValleyLaura-and-Raj-Tappan-Hill-Mansion-Hudson-ValleyLaura-and-Raj-Tappan-Hill-Mansion-Hudson-Valley
How We Met

Laura, the bride: Raj and I met our sophomore year at Franklin and Marshall College. We were in the same friend circle for many years, but did not start dating until 2014. We were nervous we would break apart our group of friends if things didn’t end up working out. In the end, it was definitely worth taking the risk! 

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Monique Lhuillier Bride for an Autumnal Luxe Jewish Wedding at Cipriani 42nd Street, Manhattan, NY, USA

by

Julia and Max, Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan, NY
Okay, HOW incredible is this tree chuppah dreamed up by Julia and Max for their New York Jewish wedding? Despite getting married smack dab in the heart of Manhattan, the couple, both of whom work in finance, love autumn in New York (who doesn’t?) and wanted to bring the feel of the city’s most beautiful season to their decidedly indoor affair.

And they really, really did, through the creative use of lots and lots of gorgeous indoor trees decked out with those signature autumn leaves. That’s where the chuppah comes in – and is it ever a stunner! – but the autumn tree effect extended to the couple’s wonderful centerpieces as well. The overall feel was totally magical – almost like an indoor walk through Central Park on a beautiful October day. Don’t miss Andrew Henderson’s beautiful photos of the day.

And as if that weren’t enough NYC fabulousness for one wedding, we’re also smitten with Julia and Max’s adorable invitations by Bella Figura, featuring whimsical sketches of classic NYC icons – like a subway train pulling away with a “Just Married” sign! Too cute!

There’s so much more to say, but we’ll leave it to the bride – who looked ravishing in Monique Lhuillier – to fill you in on the details…

Julia and Max, Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan, NY Julia and Max, Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan, NY Julia and Max, Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan, NY Julia and Max, Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan, NY Julia and Max, Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan, NY
How we met

Julia, the bride:  Max and I met over a summer internship at Morgan Stanley while still in college. The two of us were alphabetically seated next to each other during a week of training in Manhattan, and immediately thought the other was special. Even though we had planned to work on different coasts post-graduation, we made our relationship work long distance. A few years later, Max joined me in California where we’ve now been living together for 4 years.  

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

An Allison Webb Bride for a 1920s Glam Jewish Wedding at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, Chicago, Illinois, USA

by

Jacklyn-and-Jeffrey-InterContinental-Chicago-Magnificent-Mile
We could not be more excited to be sharing the gorgeous vintage glam Jewish wedding of Smashing The Glass Brides Club member Jacklyn, a registered nurse, and Jeffrey, who owns a real estate company!

Taking cues from the old-world luxury vibe of their ca. 1929 venue, the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, Jacklyn and Jeffrey turned the hotel’s already stunning ballroom into an eclectic fantasyland, full of luxe florals and pampas grass, in a neutral color palette with pops of gold – including an absolutely stunning gold chuppah, which the couple covered with the groom’s grandfather’s tallitot. Don’t miss Erin Hoyt’s moody, classic photos and This Charming Heart’s wonderful trailer.

We also love the creative approach Jacklyn and Jeffrey took to structuring their day: Jacklyn wanted to be sure everyone would see her in her dress for the first time as she walked down the aisle, so to help with the flow of the day the pair opted to have their ketubah signing the night before the wedding. This turned into a very special gathering for an intimate group of 20, including family and friends who’d flown in from Poland and Dubai, beautifully photographed by the bride’s friend, fashion photographer Anna Stokland.

And we’re in love with the couple’s ketubah, a replica of an Italian ketubah dating from 1768 which they purchased from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubah.com! (PSA to all history lovers: in addition to their fantastic collection of contemporary designs, Ketubah.com also has a wonderful collection of historical designs based on ketubot from all over the world, some dating back to the 1500s.)

There’s so much more we could say about this exquisite wedding, but we’ll leave it to Jacklyn, who looked like an absolute supermodel in Allison Webb, to share the rest…

Jacklyn-and-Jeffrey-InterContinental-Chicago-Magnificent-Mile

Jacklyn-and-Jeffrey-InterContinental-Chicago-Magnificent-MileJacklyn-and-Jeffrey-InterContinental-Chicago-Magnificent-MileJacklyn-and-Jeffrey-InterContinental-Chicago-Magnificent-Mile
How We Met

Jacklyn, the bride: We met through mutual friends. Went on one date and we instantly knew, that night, we were each other’s “one”.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Bright and Colorful Jewish Wedding at Bolton Street Synagogue, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

by

This gorgeous Jewish wedding is ALL about the colors! From the pink and orange florals to the exuberant invitations to the bold mix-and-match bridesmaids dresses to the exuberant Tree of Life ketubah from Shell Rummel via Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubah.com, the nuptials of Heidi, who is dean of instruction at a charter school in Baltimore, and Max, an architecture grad student, is just so vibrant and full of joy.

And we love the simple birch chuppah, artfully adorned with some asymmetrical florals (in pink and orange, natch) and greenery – which just goes to show you don’t have to go all out on the flowers (or the spending) to create a high-impact floral chuppah.

We also think it’s super cute that the pair opted to marry right where they met, at Bolton Street Synagogue! Not only are Heidi and Max members of the congregation, but they laid eyes on each other for the very first time at a musical improv class taking place in the synagogue’s basement – awwww!

Urban Row Photography captured the day so perfectly – don’t miss these joyous, energetic images!

Heidi-Max-Bolton-Street-SynagogueHeidi-Max-Bolton-Street-SynagogueHeidi-Max-Bolton-Street-Synagogue
A Synagogue Wedding

Heidi, the bride: We first met at a musical improv class in the basement of the Bolton Street Synagogue. I was the more experienced improv student, and Max was more of a rookie. But we both loved (and still love) singing and improvising. Funny fact, my mother happened to be in town visiting on the night of our first class.

That night, when our class went out for post-improv drinks, Max met his future mother-in-law on the same night that he met his future wife. Though Max didn’t sit next to me at the bar, we connected briefly by realizing that both of our mothers’ names are Barbara. Getting married in the place we first met and are members of the congregation to this day, Bolton Street Synagogue, was an easy choice of a venue for us.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Galia Lahav Bride for an Industrial Rustic Jewish Wedding at Knockdown Center, Queens, New York, USA

by

Jenny-Zach-Knockdown-Center-New-York

This is SUCH a New York wedding, and we are all over it. Jenny, who works as an associate media director at an ad agency, and Zach, who works in real estate development at a private equity firm, brought the city vibes to their Jewish wedding with everything from their choice of venue – the super cool Knockdown Center in Queens, which manages to combine industrial chic while being able to bring in greenery and rustic sophistication seamlessly – to their decision to bring in iconic NYC eats like Robertas Pizza andthe Shake Shack food truck.

And how incredible is the couple’s floating chuppah?! With all four sides open – so all 375 guests seated in the round could see the couple clearly – it brings some serious enchanted forest vibes to an otherwise urban setting. Photographer Tory Williams captured everything so perfectly.

Now over to Jenny, who looked stunning in Galia Lahav – one of our fave Israeli designers!

Jenny-Zach-Knockdown-Center-New-YorkJenny-Zach-Knockdown-Center-New-YorkJenny-Zach-Knockdown-Center-New-York
Industrial Rustic

Jenny, the bride: We got married at the Knockdown Center in Maspeth Queens.  We were looking for a venue that was “us” and not typical.  We wanted a place we could create what we wanted but that had natural beauty.  Zach works in real estate and loves finding raw spaces and making them beautiful.  This space had the perfect contrast of industrial chic while being able to bring in greenery and rustic yet sophisticated beauty.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading