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Home > Wedding Planning > Page 3

Dreaming of a Jewish wedding in the South of France? It has to be Provence…

29/01/2016 by Karen

Jewish-Wedding-Provence
If you’re dreaming of an outdoor wedding there’s probably no setting more stylish and idyllic than Provence. Forget the billionaires and big boats of the French Riviera, Provence is now the place to hold your Jewish wedding in the South of France.

Tuesday’s real Jewish wedding, planned by the flawless Lavender & Rose illustrated the region’s timeless elegance brilliantly, and you simply must take a peek if you haven’t already (might I just add that all the images of Provence weddings in this post are from weddings planned by the fabulous Lavender & Rose).

A lot of people think of the South of France for a destination wedding, and immediately think of the Cà´te d’Azur as the place to hold it, but there are so may reasons why, for me, Provence eclipses its glitzier neighbour.

Aside from the obvious advantage of being better value for money than the Riviera, it’s actually more of an authentically French setting. The sprawling vineyards, lavender fields, exquisite architecture, stunning al fresco venues, and exclusive hotels makes for a dream destination wedding backdrop.

There are so many beautiful Chateaus, vineyards and country houses in the region, and accommodation is far more reasonably priced than the Riviera, so it’s more economical for your guests to stay there too. The gastronomy and wines are exceptional even in the smallest of bistros and more of the venues in Provence work on a dry hire basis with less strict exclusive vendor relationships so you have more freedom in terms of which suppliers you work with.

Jewish Wedding in Provence_0036Jewish-Wedding-in-Provence_0035
Jewish Wedding in Provence
Images from Provence weddings planned by Lavender & Rose. Clockwise from top left:
Alban Pichon / Greg Finck / Alban Pichon / Greg Finck / Greg Finck / M&J Photography / Greg Finck

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Considering getting married in Italy? Then I’ve found your perfect wedding planner…

21/01/2016 by Karen

SposiamoVi
I’ve made no secret of the fact that if I were to marry Mr STG again, it would be in the gorgeous ‘boot’ of Southern Europe.  There is simply something magical about Italy. It feeds the soul. It conjures up a world in our imagination and touches so many thanks to it’s art, fashion, culture, food, climate and collection of insanely contrasting but always stunning vistas.

A destination wedding in Italy is one thing but trying to choose where to have it is another.  How to pick from the sun-drenched Tuscan olive groves, Venice and all its romantic splendour, Florence and its history and elegance, Rome and its Dolce Vita cityscape, the sophisticated glamour of the Amalfi coast or snowy, classy Cortina D’Ampezzo?

SposiamoVi_
But, like reading a book, everyone comes away with their own interpretation of Italy’s best bits.

And that’s why if you’re thinking of having your Jewish wedding there, I think it’s a pretty good idea to turn to a group of experts who can take on the challenge of understanding your vision, building on it and ultimately realising your dream  wedding.

Well today’s your lucky day because I’ve found exactly who you’re looking for:  SposiamoVi  are superior Italian wedding planners who I first discovered through Olivia and Jacob’s breathtaking Jewish wedding  that took place in Florence. I blogged it last year  but  this is a  wedding that will stay with me for a very long time and you must check it out if you haven’t already. The, style,  planning and delivery of it are  simply astonishing. Once  I had seen what SposiamoVi were capable of  with this wedding,  I snapped up them right away  as Smashing Suppliers.

SposiamoVi was set up ten years ago by Alice, an interior designer and Cinzia, an event organiser and they currently boast offices in Florence, Portofino and Amalfi.

They’re an awesome team of high-achieving and inspired wedding planners. Armed with a golden rolodex of trusted suppliers right across Italy, they provide local knowledge and know-how and with a team of creative directors, stylists and designers to hand, they can turn your wedding into an art form.

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Ciao bella! Super stylish Italian weddings with the Italian Wedding Company

21/05/2015 by Karen

Weddings-in-Italy-2Is there any place more instantly connected with romance than Italy? The land of enchanting lakes, rolling green vine-covered hills and azure-blue sea. It’s certainly a country of contrasts, from its cosmopolitan historic cities, up to the majestic snow-topped Alps and back down to stunning heat-seared coastlines… with, of course, peerless cuisine and wines to make them the envy of the world.

I’ve blogged my fair share of Jewish Italian weddings on Smashing The Glass already, and in a couple of weeks time there’s another gem coming that was planned by the  Italian Wedding Company  – I can’t wait for you to see it! The Italian Wedding Company are really something special.  I snapped them up as  Smashing Suppliers, and today  I want to tell you a little bit more about  why I’m so fond of them.

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Dates in 2026, 2027 and 2028 to avoid for a Jewish wedding plus a 12 Month Wedding Planning Monthly Checklist

09/01/2015 by Karen

Photo by Lacy Gabrielle Photography

Mazal tov on your engagement! There’s so much to do before the big day (start with trying out Brides Club, our ultra-supportive community for Jewish and Jew-ish brides), it can feel overwhelming to keep track of everything. That’s why I’ve condensed it all into one neat checklist, laying out the biggest tasks that need to be taken care of in chronological order. You’ll find that further down the page, but first things first – you need to pick a date! 

DATES TO AVOID FOR A JEWISH WEDDING IN 2026, 2027 + 2028

Below you can see all the dates that should be avoided for your Jewish wedding in 2026, 2027 and 2028, according to the Jewish calendar.


Jewish Wedding dates to avoid in 2026


Avoid Purim: March 3rd, 2026 (at sunset) to March 4th 2026

Avoid from Passover:  April 1st 2026 [from sunset] to April 9th 2026. Traditionally, no Jewish weddings take place between Passover and Shavuot except on Lag B’ Omer (that’s the date I chose for my wedding in 2013!) which in 2026 falls on 4th May (from sunset) to 5th May 2026

Avoid the 3 weeks leading up to and including Tisha B’av: July 2nd 2026 (from sunset) to July 24th 2026. Jewish marriages are not allowed during the period of three weeks leading up and including to the Fast of Tisha B’av

Avoid Rosh Hashana: September 11th (from sunset) to September 13th 2026

Avoid Yom Kippur: 20th September (from sunset) to 21st September 2026

Avoid Succot: 25th September (from sunset) to 27th September 2026

Avoid Simchat Torah:  2nd October (from sunset) to 4th October 2026


Jewish Wedding dates to avoid in 2027


Avoid Purim: March 22nd, 2027 (at sunset) to March 23rd 2027

Avoid from Passover:  April 21st 2027 [from sunset] to April 29th 2027. Traditionally, no Jewish weddings take place between Passover and Shavuot except on Lag B’ Omer (that’s the date I chose for my wedding in 2013!) which in 2026 falls on 24th May (from sunset) to 25th May 2027

Avoid the 3 weeks leading up to and including Tisha B’av: July 21st 2027 (from sunset) to August 12th 2027. Jewish marriages are not allowed during the period of three weeks leading up and including to the Fast of Tisha B’av

Avoid Rosh Hashana: October 1st (from sunset) to October 3rd 2027

Avoid Yom Kippur: 10th October (from sunset) to 11th October 2027

Avoid Succot: 15th October (from sunset) to 22nd October 2027

Avoid Simchat Torah:  23rd October (from sunset) to 24th October 2027


Jewish Wedding dates to avoid in 2028


Avoid Purim: 11th March (sunset) – 12th March

Avoid from Passover:  10th April (sunset) – 18th April. Traditionally, no Jewish weddings take place between Passover and Shavuot except on Lag B’ Omer (that’s the date I chose for my wedding in 2013!) which in 2028 falls on 13th May (from sunset) to 14th May 2028.

Avoid the 3 weeks leading up to and including Tisha B’av: 1st July (from sunset) to 1st August 2028. Jewish marriages are not allowed during the period of three weeks leading up and including to the Fast of Tisha B’av

Avoid Rosh Hashana: 20nd September (from sunset) to 22nd September 2028

Avoid Yom Kippur: 29th September (from sunset) to 30th September 2028

Avoid Succot: 4th October (from sunset) to 11th October 2028

Avoid Simchat Torah:  12th October (from sunset) to 13th October 2028

Danielle-David-Terra-Mia-Vineyards-Paso-Robles-California-USA

Dani and David‘s Jewish wedding | Photo by Derek Preciado Photography

 12 Month Wedding Planning Monthly Checklist

So now you are in the know about dates, let’s lay out the biggest tasks that need to be taken care of in chronological order. If you’d like a more comprehensive guide, you can download our Ultimate Wedding Checklist here.

I’ve used a 12 month timeline as that’s the length of the average UK and USA engagement. It’s just a guide obviously – I myself only had 6 months to plan my wedding and others will have a lot longer.

9-12 months before the wedding

  • Join Brides Club, our members-only community for Jewish and Jew-ish brides to be, for tons of support, guidance, and inspo as you delve into wedding planning!
  • Create a wedding folder and a Pinterest board and start collating ideas for the style of your wedding that appeals to you.
  • Determine your budget and work out how expenses will be divided.
  • Reserve a date (see Jewish wedding dates to avoid, above in this post) and send out a save the date. This could be beautifully designed card or e-card and set the tone for your event, or it could be a simple beautifully worded email.
  • Start to envision your ceremony. Do you want it to be long and symbolic or short and sweet? Do you want to include all the traditions or just a select few?
  • If you have a particular rabbi in mind, book him or her once you’ve decided on a date. If you haven’t got one in mind, find a rabbi or officiant who suits your style and spirit.
  • Start a guest list and work out an idea of the number of guests you’ll have as this will generate the most accurate cost estimates.
  • Brainstorm ceremony and reception ideas and book a venue.
  • Decide on whether you want a wedding planner, and if you do, hire one.
  • Research photographers, videographers and entertainment. The really good ones can get booked up early so be sure to commit when you find a supplier you love.
  • Ensure that any band or DJ you book plays Jewish wedding music.
  • Research caterers and decide if it’s important for you to have a kosher menu or a non-meat ‘Jewish friendly’ ‘inoffensive’ menu.
  • Start thinking about your wedding dress and enjoy the experience of shopping and finding your dress!

Gaby-Alex-The-Langham-London-UK

Gaby and Alex‘s Jewish wedding | Photo by Mike Garrard Photography

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To wedding planner or not to wedding planner, that is the question…

18/08/2014 by Smashing The Glass

Is a Wedding Planner necessary
Image: David Bastianoni

Today I’m delighted to be introducing  a very awesome  guest poster,  the divine Anna MacDougall from Bride & Glory. Lovely Anna  has written a very enlightening piece  on the  hows, whys and wherefores of wedding planners. Should you, shouldn’t you, what should you be looking for if you do want one, and what exactly will you be getting for your wonga? Anna has all the answers…

Hello my Darling STG readers — I couldn’t be whooping with joy any louder for having the pleasure of writing to (and for) you today. I have a habit of yacking, so I shan’t ‘preamble’ too much and will dive right in. If, however, you do want to know more about why I may know a thing or two about this topic, just have a look here.

HIRE OR FIRE

Soooo — to hire a wedding planner or not, that is one of the questions you may or may not have been contemplating on your wedding planning journey. Please don’t think “oh here we go, a hidden sales piece”. This truly isn’t — it’s just to give you a little insight and perhaps food for thought.

And if you only take one nugget of information away from this then please please let it be that no, wedding planners are not like the movies (I’m really nothing like J-Lo) and we’re also not clipboard-wielding tyrants who will take over your day. At least most of us aren’t.

Is a wedding planner necessary
Jennifer Lopez in the 2001 romantic comedy, ‘The Wedding Planner’

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