Shoshanna & David are a very Modern Jewish Couple!
From the Bride:
I loved our wedding (I did not love the planning. It is a lot of work and no one told me how hard and stressful it would be!). It was so meaningful for us to have our friends and family with us for the entire weekend retreat. We were able to relax and actually spend time with people we care about. The ceremony itself was my favorite part. Our “free range Rabbi” worked with us to create a traditional, yet totally personalized ceremony that included Jewish prayers, a handmade painted silk chuppah (canopy) from David’s high school friend, reading the Ketubah (marriage contract) that we helped to write about building community. I liked that we faced the guests during the ceremony and could see everyone. The rabbi lead everyone in song, did a few lines from The Princess Bride that cracked us up and ended with everyone singing Free To Be You and Me, a song about gender equality that both David and I grew up singing in our childhood.
We had a great time dancing at the reception, doing group circle dance and traditional Jewish songs, including being lifted in chairs. Then David and I had choreographed our first dance (well, Ronald, our dance instructor, choreographed it) to “Somebody” by Depeche Mode. We had a ball doing the dramatic and romantic dance that we had been practicing for weeks. Everyone thought that I made David do it, since I’m a modern dancer, but it was David’s idea because he likes to ballroom dance.
The food was amazing at Airlie. We had mostly vegetarian, healthy, seasonal food that was super creative. Another favorite part was the Saturday night rehearsal dinner when our friends and family put on a talent show and made us laugh till tears ran down our faces.
It was just really really fun and we made it ours- a little bit green/environmental, a little bit elegant, a little bit silly, a lot of tradition and community building. “
Our Favorite Modern Jewish Touch
It’s hard to choose if it would be the recessional sung to “Free to be You & Me” (as I have that on my iPod too!); the Hakafah, where they both circled one another; the guest book the couple created; or the Hand Held Chuppah!
But, in our book the Chuppah wins!
It is a beautiful piece of art, personalized for the couple by a close friend. What better way is there to honor a long standing tradition in a modern way?
Mazel Tov Shoshanna & David.
Vendor Resources; Photographer: Mary Kate McKenna Photography/Reception Venue: Airlie Center/Ketubah: Ketubah.Com/Band: Northeast Corridor/Bakery: Eloise’s Pastries
Thanks for sharing this gorgeous wedding!
It is gorgeous! The thought about everything that went into the wedding is so evident in the pictures you captured. Thank you soooo much for sharing it with us.
So lovely to see such beautiful photos, including a gorgeous shot of my Sea of Love ketubah! Very honored that Shoshanna and David chose my Ketubah art…always wonderful to see where my art lives! I wish them both a lifetime of love~
Michelle “Shell” Rummel
Michelle,
Your work is so beautiful. So, glad you like the feature! I’m always thrilled when I can highlight another Ketubah which is found exclusively at Ketubah.com since they are one of our preferred vendors.