The Wedding Yentas™ | A Guide for the Jewish Bride!™

{Real Jewish Weddings} Palm Beach, Florida

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Alison in Real Jewish Weddings

There’s something magical about picking up and starting married life in a new and special place. Destination weddings get the marriage started, literally, on vacation and that’s exactly what Jillian and David did. This adorable Hoboken, New Jersey couple chose Palm Beach, Florida as their legalized love locale, and it’s easy to see why they selected this region. Natural beauty, enjoyable weather, and a romantically festive vibe all help to set the tone for a lifetime ahead.

Jillian’s parents live locally and they knew they were going to have a South Florida wedding – and they definitely wanted a hotel as over half of their wedding guests were out-of-towners. While Jillian and David did visit several Palm Beach venues, they knew right away that the Four Seasons was the right choice for them. As Jillian explained, the Four Seasons Palm Beach is beautiful, modern yet classic with fantastic service and amazing food. She felt they couldn’t go wrong – and they didn’t!

This spectacular wedding featured several shades of metallic silver in the bridesmaids’ and mother of bride dresses, in addition to the table linens, as well as champagne menu cards, programs, and other details. The bride also wanted a really organic look. This was achieved through the use of branches in the chuppah, to the birch, driftwood and succulents as the centerpieces. All of these ideas were brilliantly brought to life and executed to perfection through the artistic talents of Xquisite Events. The party was rocking all night thanks to the musical talents of Heatwave. Jillian was beaming on her wedding day in a magnificent Vera Wang gown with a belt by Sareh Nouri and finished with sparkling Jimmy Choo shoes.

Mazel tov, Jillian and David!

Photographer: Jeff Kolodny Photography, Inc
Reception Venue: Four Seasons Palm Beach
Band: Heatwave
Cinema and Video: Senderey Video
Dress Designer: Vera Wang
Event Designer: Xquisite Events, Inc.
Ketubah and Kippot: J. Levine

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

{Real Jewish Weddings} Los Angeles, CA

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Alison in Real Jewish Weddings

First comes friendship. Then comes the wedding. Rachel and Garry started off like so many do, and then realized that love happens!

Their storybook wedding ceremony was held at the Los Angeles Japanese Gardens. After their vows, sprinkled with Jewish traditions and surrounded by loving family members and friends, everyone enjoyed a great reception held at the couple’s home. Rachel and Garry had recently re-landscaped their entire backyard in order to host their loved ones. Love and hard work went into planning their big day, and love and hard work also make a successful marriage!

Mazel tov, Rachel and Garry!

Photographer: William Innes Photography
Ceremony Venue: The Japanese Garden
Cake Designer: Cake Monkey Bakery
Floral Designer: Lee Gallison Design
Event Designer: Sharibella Events

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Summer Engagement Photo Session at the Beach

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Alison in Engagement Shoots

While we’re regularly focusing on wedding details and getting inspiration for linens and flowers and dresses, one of the hardest aspects of being engaged is brainstorming for engagement photos.

Engagement photos are so important and yet they’re some of the most intimate moments you’ll spend with your partner during your bridal experience. Without all the hoopla of the wedding day to distract you, it’s easy to feel vulnerable when it’s just you, your betrothed, and a camera which is hopefully handled by a skilled photographer you like and whose photographs you admire.

You’ll put a lot of thought into your engagement photos: the location, the wardrobe, the style. Your trusted photographer should be able to guide you, but looking at other couples’ images may help spark some good vibes for your sesh.

I love Nicole and Pete’s portfolio of pics by New York’s Origin Photos. It’s a perfect mix of playful and romantic, of close-ups and far-aways; of casual and more buttoned up. I like that the couple had just two outfit changes (more than three tends to dilute your options for later use) and sparkled in both posed shots and more lifestyle-like shots. It’s quite clear that these two are deeply in love because it bounces off the lens!

If you’re at all on the fence about doing an engagement photo session — DO IT. It’s a great way to spend some quality time with your photographer, learn about how you like to be photographed or get comfortable being photographed, practice all the on-camera kissing you’ll be doing on the big day, and have a deck of photos to be able to share or incorporate in wedding-related… propaganda! (guestbooks, save the dates, thank you notes, and more).

Smile!

{Real Jewish Weddings} Delray Beach, FL

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Alison in Real Jewish Weddings

Renee and Nick had a festive destination wedding at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. They actually have known each other since kindergarten and had been friends for a long time. They took some of the same classes together all throughout school so they spent a lot of time studying and hanging out within the same groups or friends. When they both applied to college, they were very lucky to both be accepted to Georgetown University.

Both Renee and Nick were thrilled with their choice of venue and all their vendors. Their dream wedding at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens was truly magnificent. With so many colorful details and such a festive atmosphere, Rene and Nick’s wedding was a definitely an affair to remember!

Mazel tov, Renee and Nick!

Photographer: Jeff Kolodny Photography, Inc
Cake Designer: Cakes by Ruthie
Floral Designer: Daniel Events Productions
Transportation: Molly’s Trolleys
Museum: Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens
Dress Designer: Sophia Tolli
DJ: The Mike Sipe Entertainment Events & Productions

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

{Real Jewish Weddings} Los Angeles, CA

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Alison in Real Jewish Weddings

Editor’s Note: I was truly honored to be a guest at Abby and Matt’s wedding. I’ve known Abby since we were 16 years old at Jewish sleepaway camp. We remain good friends and enjoy get-togethers every few months. She is the kindest person who has the most positive outlook on life. She is ridiculously smart and equally ridiculously beautiful! Her wedding was stunning and I am so excited to finally be able to share it here! I previewed it just after she got married, and promised the full coverage! Here we are!

Abby and Matt went to high school together and even sat next to each other at graduation. However they didn’t really connect until a mutual friend set them up after college. Their connection grew and they discovered all the reasons why they’re a perfect match. For example, Matt is the oldest of four and Abby is the youngest of three. She says they’re really like yin and yang to each other; he’s the planner; responsible and organized, and she’s the adventurous one; playful and spontaneous.

Their proposal was so romantic and classic! Matt surprised Abby when she came home from work. She came home early that day, but luckily he was ready. He had decorated the entryway of their apartment with tea lights and rose petals and when Abby came home, she found him standing there with a ring box in hand! She was so surprised that she almost forgot to keep coming in the door! Matt held Abby’s hands and got down on one knee and asked her to marry him.

The vision for their wedding came together during a year of planning. Abby had always assumed she’d have a summer wedding on the beach or in Santa Barbara… or on the beach in Santa Barbara! However, when they got engaged, winter turned out to be the best time for them to get married due to school and work obligations. All of Abby’s former plans and ideas went out the window and she had to start from scratch. She started casually looking through wedding magazines and fell in love with the color scheme of silver, navy, pink, and black and found their venue and wedding coordinator. With those big decisions made, wedding planning took off! Their wedding planner gave them a list of vendors that she recommended and kept them on track with a schedule of important tasks and dates that they should have them completed by. Slowly but surely, Abby’s original idea of a casual beach wedding shifted to a formal winter fete with mercury glass candles, pastel pink and white flowers, birch wood accents in the chuppah and centerpieces, dimmed lighting, and long navy bridesmaid gowns. And what a fete it was! It was truly the wedding of Abby and Matt’s dreams and a magical evening.

Mazel tov, Abby and Matt!