Real Jewish Weddings Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Smashing the Glass

A Rue de Seine bride for a Jewish Wedding under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Simmer on the Bay, Dawes Point, Australia

20/10/2015 by Karen

Nikki and Jem are just the coolest couple and their big day from the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge embraces the most beautiful Jewish wedding traditions whilst maintaining a totally free-spirited, energetic and fun vibe. It’s been sensationally captured by Australian photographer Dan O’Day whose work I adore — I could have filled this feature with every image he sent me and you’ll probably be able to tell I struggled to stop myself from doing just that!

I love pretty much everything about Nikki and Jem’s Jewish wedding but one of my favourite details (that I’ve never seen done before) is the couple choosing to shelve the idea of traditional favours, and instead place custom ribbons with their monogram and date on them at everyone’s place setting. They then invited guests to create their own bouquets from the gorgeous wild flowers that were in front of them, tie them together with the ribbons and take them home. Such a beautiful and thoughtful idea.

Nikki also bought her bride posse (note, Nikki doesn’t call them bridesmaids!) a pair of Converse each, and left them on their seats with “dancing shoes” tags.

Fashion stylist Nikki looks utterly gorgeous in her Rue de Seine gown — the New Zealand designers make the most perfect boho bridal romantic dresses combining rich beading, intricate detailing and sheer draping, and they just seem to design for the coolest, most stylish brides. If you’re looking for a more modest dress they cater for this brilliantly with many of their designs incorporating high necks and long sleeves.

Right, shall we dive into this super cool wedding then? Trust me, you’re going to love it…

how we met

Nikki, the Bride: We met in 2009 through a mutual friend who was trying to help Jem and his buddy get a jeans label off the ground. Our mutual friend suggested that I be their first model (because I was the only person small enough to fit in their teeny tiny samples!) I was interning at Cosmopolitan magazine at the time looking to get a career in fashion so it was a common interest for us both I guess. Jem now works in finance but I’m still in fashion. I was not born Jewish, and as our friendship grew, so did my love for Judaism. Once he found out I was looking into converting he also saw it as an opportunity for us to start dating, and the rest is history.
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A Vera Wang bride for a spectacular rustic-glam Jew-ish destination wedding at a private villa in Phuket, Thailand

13/10/2015 by Karen

From the introductory image above, it’s fair to say that Melissa and Ishay’s Jew-ish wedding is going to be seriously swoon-inducing… and it doesn’t stop with that extraordinary ceremony setting either. Their entire W Day is dazzling from start to finish with a beautiful back story of love crossing continents and eclipsing expectations.

Thai-American Melissa, and Israeli-born Ishay met in an Irish pub in Uganda (yes, really!) and everyone told them they were crazy to think their relationship could last.

As Melissa says, “After our time in Africa, and a year and a half of Skype video chats and international flights around the world, to and from Uganda, Israel, Thailand, and San Francisco, we embarked on a new adventure together – The East Coast. Then one evening when I was on call, Ishay decided to surprise me in my new apartment in New York City with over 400 candles. Who knew Ishay could be so romantic? Of course, I said yes.”

Oh I do love a good international love story (did you know that both my parents’ and my brother’s marriage are the culminations of long-distance relationships?) and the incredible story behind their relationship is told in their own words in one of the most moving wedding films I’ve ever watched – tears in my eyes. You absolutely have to see it – it’s just below.

Super stunning Melissa married the love of her life in a breathtaking Vera Wang gown, and if there is one word to describe this gorgeous couple’s big day then it’s WOW. From the show-stopping fireworks to those beautifully decorated long tables at dinner, to the exquisite displays of flowers and that chuppah on the infinity pool set against the backdrop of the Indian ocean, it all looks spectacular.

But that carefree shot at the end of both of them jumping into the swimming pool in their half-dressed wedding attire? That’s my favourite.

Enjoy this Tuesday treat of a wedding with words by the bride, images by Julian Abram Wainwright and the must-watch film below by David Pritchard from Imageforge Asia

how we met

Melissa, the Bride: It started in an Irish pub in the middle of Uganda. I know, right? Ishay moved from Israel to Uganda to pursue a new life adventure. I took a year off from medical school to engage in medical research in Uganda. True to ex-pat living in East Africa, all good things came out of the regular go-to hang out place, the “local” Irish pub known as “Bubbles.”

It would be nice to say that it was love at first sight for both of us. If you asked Ishay, he would probably say that Melissa just never met anyone like him before. If you asked me, I would probably say that I initially was just not that impressed. Luckily, Ishay is persistent or, at the very least, stubborn. On the second meeting I became intrigued. By our first date, we were both hooked. We just couldn’t get enough of each other. Six months after spending time together in East Africa, what appeared to be the most unexpected love story was expected, by everyone, to end.

I moved back to San Francisco to finish medical school. Ishay stayed in Uganda to continue working. In less than a year, Ishay moved back to Israel to finish college. After a year and a half of Skype video chats and international flights around the world, to and from Uganda, Israel, Thailand, and San Francisco, we embarked on a new adventure together – The East Coast. And then on one fall evening when I was on call (shocking for some but, dermatology residents do take call), Ishay decided to surprise me in my new apartment in New York City with over 400 candles. Who knew Ishay could be so romantic? Of course, I said yes. Over the next two years, we had a civil ceremony in New York City at City Hall, had a traditional Buddhist ceremony in Bangkok, and finally, we had our wedding in Phuket.
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Liora & David | Italian Jewish wedding at the Great Synagogue of Rome and Villa Miani, Rome, Italy

03/08/2015 by Karen

Liora and David met through their parents, when David’s family invited Liora and her family over for Friday night dinner. That sabbath meal led to romance and an even more romantic wedding in Italy.

The magical city of Rome provided the inspiration for Liora and David’s chic destination wedding and there are some really wonderful touches. Take the Italian vespa for their wedding transport, a smorgasbord of Italian desserts instead of wedding cake (hello, lashings of tiramisu), and the choir of the Great Synagogue of Rome providing the music for their ceremony. Oh my!

Mr STG and I traveled to Italy for our honeymoon and it really is one of the most gorgeous places on earth. The landscape, the buildings — what an amazing place to be married. Liora and David held their ceremony at the breathtaking Great Synagogue of Rome followed by a BIG party at Villa Miani with breathtaking 360 ° views over the Rome skyline(and can we all just take a moment to appreciate their entrance song — the super fun A Far l’Amore featured in Paolo Sorrentino’s movie, The Great Beauty, set in Rome).

The whole affair was beautifully planned by our much loved Smashing Supplier, Stefania Zen from the Italian Wedding Company. Liora says that Stefania was literally her right arm throughout the planning process, and knowing how wonderful the Italian Wedding Company are, I can very much vouch for that. Big thanks also to Vinicio Ferri and Alessandro Zingone for the wonderful photos.

Come on, let’s take a look…

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An Ines Di Santo bride for a destination Jewish wedding in the Italian countryside at Relais Sant’Uffizio, Monferrato, Piedmont, Italy

02/06/2015 by Karen

Today we are heading to the region of Piedmont in Italy for a sunshine-soaked destination Jewish wedding. Piedmont is not only breathtakingly beautiful, it’s also a gastronomic gem and famous for its wine production. It was therefore the perfect location for the wedding of self-proclaimed foodie couple, Jacqueline and Florian, who live in New York City.

Theirs is a wedding of pure elegance, creativity and authentic Italian touches. Those touches range from a team of local Piedmont Flag Throwers greeting them at their recessional, to having an actual Nutella bar at the party! Yes, Piedmont is the birthplace of Nutella — the region is full of hazelnut fields and as a tribute to this, there was an actual Nutella bar (I die), and additionally a local bakery made the region’s famous Torta alle nocciole e brindisi con — essentially a hazelnut-filled wedding cake.

I adore the “Recipe for Love” screen printed tea towel save-the-date too — such a great idea for a foodie couple. And I haven’t even begun to tell you about the florals (you need to see the bouquets!), or the fact that these two were actually married by Italy’s first female rabbi, Barbara Aiello.

I think what Jacqueline and Florian teach us is that even if you get married abroad, it can still be a really personal affair, filled with the most important things to you — in their case, that’s family, friends, fantastic food and wine, great music, and an appreciation and respect for a variety of bridged cultures and traditions.

The whole affair was planned lovingly and meticulously by our much loved Smashing Suppliers, Valentina and Ernesto Troncarelli from the Italian Wedding Company. Jacqueline has so much love for them, and rightly so.

Without further ado, I’ll let the beautiful bride transport you to Italy with her detailed report, alongside Gianluca and Mary Adovasio‘s beautiful photography and Riccardo Lavezzo‘s film.

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Lea & Douglas | ‘Costiera chic’ super luxe Jewish wedding at Belmond Hotel Caruso , Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Italy

12/05/2015 by Karen

Romance, art, al fresco disco — and a party that ends up in the infinity pool – today we’re off to one of our eternal favourite Jewish wedding destinations, the Amalfi Coast.

I have a lot of a soft spot for this dreamy coastline (yes, I honeymooned there!) and quite frankly it just keeps on giving and giving.

Lea and Douglas chose the refined, polished, ancient town of Ravello for their day, sitting high in the hills above the dizzying landscape of Amalfi. Stunning, stunning, stunning!

It was so beautiful they rustled up a famous contemporary artist and relative — Jonas Wood — to capture this magical setting and help them create the most impressive and frame worthy invite (and order of service) ever!

An artistic vein ran throughout this Ravello wedding, with a nod to France — where they met — and a rousing chorus of Empire State of Mind for Big Apple born Douglas.

Even though they planned the wedding from afar, amazingly, Lea and Douglas didn’t use a wedding planner, they simply brought their own exquisite taste and personal touches to make the day unique.

I love that they struck such a fine balance between the natural — check out the gorgeous chuppah of green and white flowers — and the ultra glam – those Valentino powder pink heels and that silhouette enhancing, hand stitched, sequinned, wedding gown for a start. Pure Costiera Chic!

Gianni di Natale sums up the day beautifully in these glorious, awe inspiring shots, together with his exquisite wedding film at the end of the post.

A luxury hotel venue that was once an 11th century palace, overlooking the Amalfi Coast

Lea, the Bride: We got married at the Belmond Hotel Caruso in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast for the wonderful scenery (the deep blue sea, the mountains) and the beauty of the village. Ravello is a romantic and very special poetic place. It is also still very authentic by its people (even with the numerous weddings celebrated there all year round) and the food is delicious.