Monthly Archives: October 2011

Real Weddings | Israel

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Alison in Real Jewish Weddings

Jenni and Jino, a JDate success, were featured on Tuesday with a showcase of their Brooklyn civil wedding. But the lucky couple enjoyed a second wedding in Israel. The August religious ceremony in Israel brought the couple’s families together. Jenni’s dad and stepmom, a cousin from France and two bridesmaids joined 150 of Jino’s friends and family! Jino’s grandfather who was a ritual director at a synagogue in Philadelphia for over 20 years led the ceremony and the signing of the Ketubah. Being wed in Israel and by Jino’s grandfather made it so much more special! Jino’s grandfather has a beautiful voice and took such pride in leading the ceremony.

Jino, bass player for NY based rock band, Team of Rivals, used his singing skills to surprise Jenni by singing one of their favorite songs, “Passenger” by the Deftones, with the Israeli Wedding Band, the Bachelors.

While their honeymoon was being able to go to Israel for three weeks, they made a special point to get away to a bed and breakfast in the north of Israel near Lake Kinneret where they had some time to relax. They enjoyed some sights, but mostly their indoor Jacuzzi!

Jenni had recently started her own business making handmade crafts and Judaica and made Hamsa key chain favors for both weddings! They were used as table decorations at the Israel wedding. She wanted to give fun yet meaningful gifts to all of their friends and family who attended their weddings.

Mazel tov, Jenni and Jino!

Venue/Catering/Coordinator/Design – MC2
Photographer – Einav Rimon
Band – The Bachelors
DJ – Laloona
Favors – Lea Joelle Handmade

real-jewish-weddings-israel

Real Weddings | Brooklyn, NY

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Alison in Real Jewish Weddings

Jenni and Jino are another lucky couple who met through JDate! They fell in love instantly after meeting at a coffee shop in the East Village. Unfortunately, Jino had to go back to Israel only a couple weeks after they met. Jino had only moved to the U.S. less than a year ago. He was born and raised in Israel, not far from Tel Aviv. He came to the US to pursue his music career. Luckily, through daily 5 a.m. Skype calls, their relationship only grew stronger and almost one month later they were back together.

Even before their first trip to Israel together they knew they wanted to be married and that their second trip to Israel would be their wedding. Only a few of Jenni’s family members could make the trip to Israel so they knew they would be celebrating twice. Jenni and Jino had a smaller wedding and civil ceremony in Brooklyn and everyone in Jenni’s family was able to be a part of it. Jino’s parents flew in from Israel as well. Even though it was only the legal ceremony, it was important for them to incorporate some Jewish traditions including the blessing over the wine and the breaking of the glass. It was a beautiful evening in the gorgeous backyard of a coffee house in Downtown Brooklyn.

Not only is Jenni crafty when planning a DIY wedding, she also has a business making handmade crafts and Judaica and made Hamsa Key chain favors for both weddings! They were used as escort cards at the Brooklyn Wedding. She wanted to give fun yet meaningful gifts to all of their friends and family who attended their weddings.

Venue/Catering– Linger Café and Lounge
Photographer- Photography by Liam
Officiant- Judie Guild, Civil Officiant
Cupcakes and Cake- Downtown Atlantic
DJ– Molten Pros
Dress– David’s Bridal
Makeup Artist/Hair Stylist– Appease, Inc.
Favors– Lea Joelle Handmade

real-jewish-weddings-brooklyn

From The Expert: Top 10 Things Every Bride Should Know

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Alison in From the Expert

Randy Lehrman is the owner of Real Genius Entertainment, a special events company that specializes in Jewish life cycle events, making every event unique and different while paying close attention to detail and a high level of personal service. With 20 years of experience, Randy uses his personality to drive the party. He also will help you with lighting design, music selections, room layout, and making your wedding exactly how you want it. Real Genius Entertainment is located in West Hills, California and is available for all your party needs!

In this crazy world of wedding event planning, I tell people all the time that these things have become mini-productions. I envision future weddings to be produced like the Oscars or Grammys with staff using walkie talkies and guests giving red carpet interviews. Okay, so I’m kidding, but only a little. The truth is, so many experts go into helping you achieve your dreams of your wedding day and everyone gets to be star of the day at some point. You’ve trusted some of the best pros in the biz to join you on your wedding day –DJs, entertainers, videographer, photographer, florists, caterers — but, there are two more people that are the true celebrities of your special day: You!

For the most part, as an entertainer, I drive a party to its success with the bride and groom as part of my team to deliver the most amazing event it can be. So believe it or not, there are actually many things you can do to make your own wedding even better. It’s really the difference between good and optimal. Follow this Top 10 List and you might float to your honeymoon on Cloud 9!

#1. Dance! That’s right. Even if you and your spouse are as stiff as boards you need to dance and participate on the dance floor. Why did you hire an awesome DJ for your event? To get people dancing all night! But, if you and your new partner are at the bar all night or yapping outside, how do you expect everyone else to get out there? Lead by example. You are the hosts. Monkey see, monkey do. And you guys are the two best dressed monkeys there!

#2. Know when to schmooze! With only a certain amount of time to visit and thank all of your guests, you usually rush around like little bees to thank them, which is very kind of you. But doing it at the right time can be a scheduling nightmare in itself. So my advice to you is to make sure you eat first (you get fed first anyways) and then there is time go chat and thank. You might also have schmooze opportunities at cocktail hour, salad, dinner, and cake cutting to say thanks! And remember, some of your best conversations might be on the dance floor!

#3. Work with your DJ! Don’t be your own! Of course you want your favorite music at your party. Many brides and grooms are focused on their taste in music instead of thinking of dance music. Use the expertise of your DJ to pick music for dancing. If something you like doesn’t work for the dance floor, it shouldn’t be a problem. Utilize it instead as background music during the meal, or as people enter the party. Green Day isn’t going to fill a floor no matter how much you like it.

#4. Don’t play your montage during dinner. Ninety-nine percent of all weddings are four to five hours long. If you are showcasing pictures of the two of you, the worst thing you can do is play it while your 200 guests are cutting chicken. Allow dinner time to be a time to relax and socialize. Set up the slideshow during dinner and after all the plates have been cleared, voila! It’s showtime! It will ensure you have all of your guests’ attention on something that is very special to you.

#5. More sugar! Have a secondary dessert if you can. The longest lull in the party is when the caterer is slicing cake for each and every one of your guests. I suggest having a candy or extra dessert table. That way after you’ve cut the cake, you can send your guests to that goodie table to nosh, and by the time they get back to their table there’s cake there, too!

#6. Bring money! Even if you leave cash or a check with your coordinator, you never want to run out of green. Many DJs require overtime payment on the spot so if you want to keep dancing the night away, have your coordinator take care of that for you. There is literally one instance at every party where you will need some kind of money for someone, whether it’s a tip or overtime. Count on not needing to pay up, but be prepared just in case, and make it easy on yourself.

#7. Beware of offsite photos. Out of the 20+ years of weddings I have worked, one thing has remained constant: when a photographer requests to take the bride and groom off-site for photos, the couple never returns on time. Try to avoid doing this at all costs because guests have already been there a long time and when your doors open they expect to see you introduced within fifteen minutes. If you aren’t at the beginning of your own party it will be uncomfortable for everyone there. We cant start without you, right? You can also schedule a photo shoot with your photographer where you get all dolled up again and take photos at a cool location or favorite spot. Bottomline, take as many photos as you can before the ceremony or the reception. You will be glad you aren’t late to your own party!

#8. Eat! You should get your plates before other guests, so take advantage of this and eat. This is a long and special weekend. You need lots of energy while dancing, chatting, and just meeting new family. Eat and drink water to keep yourself going. The number of times I’ve seen a bride or groom not eat before or during an event? Six. The number of times one of those people has fainted or thrown up? Six. Do the math.

#9. Inform your special VIP guests. All too often there is a mother-son dance where mom is floating at the bar, or there’s the emotional cousin who has just been asked to — surprise! — give a toast and had no idea. Tell your toasters, tell your dance partners, tell the people who are doing the motzi over the challah. Tell all your VIPs that you are honoring them with a special duty and then they’ll be prepared and excited about what they are doing.

#10. Have fun! If you have fun at your own party everyone else will, too! Don’t sweat the small stuff at your wedding reception. All too often, brides become upset over just one song they might not particularly like and and then not even realize that the dance floor is packed. Trust your DJ, smile, take pictures, kiss your new partner, and enjoy the best day of your life.

Wedding Veils and All The Details

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Alison in Jewish Traditions, Planning

Let’s talk about veils. To wear one or not to wear one? If you choose to wear a veil, then which kind of veil should you were? There are, like, a zillion styles. So what should you go with? What’s the terminology? Does the veil have to match the dress?

There’s so much to think about for an accessory that’s pretty to look at and serves a cultural purpose. Read on for information… unveiled.

Camo is a No No
If you choose to wear a detailed wedding gown that sparkles with beading or has serious texture like lace, consider wearing a veil that doesn’t clash or hide those elements. What a shame it would be to select your dream dress and then cover it up with a veil that hides jewels or fancy buttons. An elbow-length veil will still serve its purpose but then also not upstage your dress.

Caw! Caw! Wear a Birdcage
For serious drama or a vintage look, the birdcage veil is a classic. If you want a more traditional veil for your ceremony, you could always model a birdcage piece for photos or the reception. It’s a super-chic look that many brides love, but think they can’t pull off!! Just make sure your dress is in the same category of style. A very full and conservative gown might not mesh (haha, get it?) well with a birdcage veil, so go with a dress that’s sleek or sexy or vintage.

Image courtesy of Holladay Photo

Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Don’t let your dress fight with your veil. Instead, they should complement each other! If your dress has beading or pretty, sparkly doodads on it, then your veil should lean toward the plain side. If your dress provides simple beauty without jewels or lots of lacy additions, then your veil can have elaborate extras. But if you combine both, the veil and the dress will end up in a one-upping competition and you’ll lose the splendor altogether. This goes for your jewelry, too. The more detailed your veil is, the softer and simpler your jewelry must be. All three elements should definitely play well together, and not against each other. There is definitely such thing as too much of a good… bling.

Color Me Bride
Make sure to color coordinate! While you don’t want your dress and veil details to be too matchy-matchy, you definitely have to make sure your colors are! If you are wearing an ivory dress, it would be no bueno to wear a diamond white veil. Many bridal salons will offer you swatch samples to compare and be sure that both items match. There is no wrong color — it’s up to you to decide what works for your style and skin tone — but you definitely want to be sure that the color is consistent for both beauties.

Veil Types
You’d think that a drapey piece of mesh would be a no-brainer shopping experience. Wrong! If you’ve just started shopping for a veil, you’ll start to hear lots of body part-centric lingo that you didn’t know could describe a wedding day accessory. Basically, many veils are described by the body part they reach. There’s shoulder length, elbow length, fingertip length, knee length, and floor length (not a body part, but toe-length just sounds weird). Then, there’s church lingo that describes two other varieties of veils and let’s face it, Hebrew school didn’t prepare you for that kind of information. Chapel length veils extend to the floor, about seven feet from the top/head piece. A cathedral length veil trails anywhere from one to three yards behind the dress. The most formal style of veil is the cathedral length.

Bride, Groom… and Veil Photos?
You and your beloved will be taking a day’s worth of photos together. From posed shots to candid snaps, the two of you will get total paparazzi treatment and it’s your big opportunity to be fierce! Your veil can be a character in your photos, too! From romantic to playful, make sure to include your veil in your happy day. You’ll be happy you did… from head to toe. Here are some camera must haves to run by your photographer.

Image courtesy of eight20 photography

Image courtesy of Meghan Aileen Photography

Image courtesy of Jessica Claire

Image courtesy of Brian Dorsey Studios

Image courtesy of Jennifer Bowen Photography

From the Expert: Vintage Wedding Gowns

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Alison in Uncategorized

It’s so exciting to have an expert in the house! Personally, I’ve always loved antiques and historical items. I may not be a mathematician (when I hear “pi” I think pumpkin and apple), but I do know this: vintage styles + wedding = gorgeous! Today, Mill Crest Vintage is on board to help us all out in a Q&A series all about how to shop and wear vintage wedding styles. Paula Cooperman, owner of Mill Crest Vintage, has spent three decades hand selecting each piece to add to her amazing collection of vintage bridal wear for both the traditional and non traditional bride. She has an amazing eye for detail and a great passion for finding what makes a woman feel the most beautiful on her wedding day. Offering personal and private bridal consultations in her Lambertville, NJ bridal salon, Paula has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of brides, gaining both experience and expertise in what goes into selecting a vintage wedding dress.

The Wedding Yentas: First thing’s first. We’ve got to know: What does “vintage” really mean? The term is “vintage” is thrown around a lot, but let’s get technical about it.Mill Crest Vintage: For something to truly be considered vintage, it would have to be made between 1920 and 1980. Anything made prior to the 1920s, such as garments from the Edwardian or Victorian era, is often referred to as antique.

TWY: I’ve never really shopped for anything that wasn’t brand new and it’s overwhelming to stray from what’s familiar. So, what’s the best way to shop for a vintage wedding dress?
MCV: The journey to finding the perfect vintage wedding dress often begins with a clear vision of the look and feel of the wedding day and a little bit of inspiration. Brides considering vintage, typically have an idea of what sort of look they want for their wedding and are looking for the dress to set the tone for the rest of the day. They often look to old movies, magazines and books to find inspiration and taking into consideration their own body type, venue and time of year, the hunt commences for the perfect vintage wedding dress.

TWY: What about measurements? If something is already made, how can it be tailored to a bride’s body?
MCV: This is my favorite question and one that I am asked often. One of the very best things about vintage is that nearly every piece can be altered to achieve a customized fit. We all know that a dress can be made smaller. However, what many don’t realize is that a dress can also be made bigger! A professional seamstress, like the one we have on staff at Mill Crest Vintage, can make the appropriate alterations. To keep the integrity of the dress, we recommend the use of vintage fabrics and whenever possible, use fabric from the dress itself. With the extra fabric, gussets can be added under the arm to allow for additional room in the bust. In some instances, it is necessary to think a bit outside of the box to achieve the desired fit. By changing the cut of style of the back of a dress, the shoulder line or the neckline, additional room can be achieved. The most important thing to remember is that it is always best to work with someone who is familiar with bridal or better yet, someone familiar with vintage textiles.

TWY: When I think about vintage dresses, I think about old and delicate materials that were handmade. Is a vintage dress more fragile? How can a bride let loose, dance, and enjoy her day in a vintage dress without having tsuris that her dress won’t fall apart?
MCV: Fragility really depends upon the age of the dress and the quality of design. Most vintage dresses have stood the “test of time” due to their sturdiness of construction and the quality of the materials used. With that said, there are a few types of materials that are a bit more fragile than others. Lace is the perfect example of a fabric known for its fragility, especially if it is hand lace. To add strength to a dress, we recommend starting with the foundation. Adding a lining can fortify a dress. Having a professional seamstress strengthen the construction by adding some stitching to the seams is also a good idea. The most important thing to remember is to choose the right dress for the venue and allow for a bit of wiggle room in the fit of the dress so the seams do not endure too much stress.

TWY: What kinds of materials would a bride most likely see in a vintage dress?
MCV: What a vintage dress is made of will largely depend upon in what era the dress was created, as nearly every decade carries its own distinction. For instance, dresses from the 20’s are typically done in silk velvets, tape lace (also known as Battenberg lace) and needle lace, while vintage dresses from the 30’s are typically done in organza, organdy, cotton eyelet and liquid silk satins. Dresses from the 50’s tend to be done in silk, organza, lace, tulle and voile. In some cases, dresses from the 50’s have a paper lining and the bodices are layered and boned for added structure.

TWY: How do you complete a vintage ensemble? What kinds of shoes and accessories would a bride wear to finish the look?
MCV: Depending upon what look and feel the bride is trying to achieve, really anything goes. Vintage really does allow for the freedom of self expression. Fabulous head pieces from nearly all eras are available. Lovely clutches, shoes, jewelry and veils are also a great way to accessories and complete the overall look.

TWY: Okay, let’s take this to the next level that some Yentas readers might wonder about. For a bride who’s having a very traditional Jewish wedding, how would you suggest she cover her shoulders?
MCV: For the Jewish bride that wishes to cover her arms for the ceremony, but would like to bunk tradition for her reception, she might consider wearing a fabulous cashmere sweater with beading or a simple shrug during her ceremony that can be shed for the reception. Faux fur wraps and caplets are another wonderful option. For the bride who wishes to have full coverage for the entire affair, sleeves can be added to just about any style of dress.

TWY: Covering the shoulders is one thing. There are plenty of options there. But when you’re wearing a vintage dress, don’t you have fewer options? What kinds of shoulder coverings would look appropriate with a vintage dress?
MCV: The appropriate shoulder covering for any vintage dress will largely depend upon the style and silhouette of the dress itself. For instance, a 60s style sheath style wedding dress would look fabulous with a longer cardigan style lace jacket, while an A-line 50s style vintage wedding dress would pair well with a bolero or cropped cashmere and beaded sweater or faux fur stole.

TWY: Oooo! Cashmere! Yum. So stylistically speaking, is it okay to mix and match vintage with modern pieces?
MCV: Absolutely! Have fun with fashion, even on your wedding day!

TWY: Okay, I’m loving the vintage dress idea. So, if I got to have a do-over and I came to you for my vintage wedding ensemble, tell me what the shopping experience is like when exploring vintage dresses at Mill Crest Vintage?
MCV: Being a bride is truly special and nothing is more important, except for the person she will marry, than choosing the perfect dress for one of the most special days in her life. With that in mind, we offer personalized private bridal consultations on Mondays and Tuesdays, when the boutique is closed to the public and we can focus all of our attention on each individual bride. Each appointment is set for 2-3 hours in our fabulous bridal salon.

Upon setting an appointment, we like get to know our brides a little bit prior to meeting each of them in person. We ask about each bride’s vision for her special day. Style, color and measurements are also discussed, so that we are sure to pull the best selection of dresses from our vast collection, which will best fit the style and flatter the figure. During the consultation, we work closely with each bride, as we narrow down the selection and find “the one”. Shoes, hats and other bridal accessories are also available to complete the ensemble. An appointment is then set up with our professional vintage costume restoration specialist for fittings, when needed.

TWY: Wow. Very thorough. I don’t think most brides get that kind of attention at corporate-y stores and salons. What about alterations? And can you ship anywhere?
MCV: We are proud to have an in house vintage costume restoration specialist who is available for fittings and alterations on Saturday by appointment in our bridal salon. We do ship throughout the US and to Canada, the EU, Australia and Japan, but alterations are only offered in our Lambertville boutique.

TWY: Does Mill Crest Vintage carry shoulder coverings, hair pieces, shoes, jewelry, and handbags?
MCV: Our vintage bridal collection includes a wonderful array of bridal accessories and shoulder coverings from nearly every era to complete the ensemble.

TWY: Wearing things that have belonged to other people can be concerning. When shopping vintage, how does a bride know if the dress and other ensemble pieces are clean and in good condition from its previous life?
MCV: To ensure that we bring only the finest in authentic vintage fashion to our clientele, each individual piece is hand selected and scrutinized with exquisite attention placed on every detail from the cut and fabrication of the item to its overall design. We also take great care in offering a full and accurate description of each piece. An explanation of our rating system is provided on our website and we also are available to answer any questions.

TWY: Since you’re the pro of all things vintage, you’ve got to share! What is your favorite vintage look and era?
MCV: My favorite would have to be the strong, sultry and sexy look of 30’s/40’s. I find that dresses from those eras really celebrate a woman’s curves, while offering an aura of strength and confidence. I think it is all in the cut of the fabric used in both eras, especially the bias cut liquid silk satin and the strength pulled from Victorian influences in the design that brings it all together.