I was remembering my wedding – how long six months can feel, how quick six hours can pass… How I missed the people who weren’t there, but moreso, how I enjoyed the people who made it to be there…
It occurs to me, since I like giving advice – actually, passing on knowledge (maybe it’s an eldest child thing) – I should publish the information I collected over six months – research, essentially, for having a wedding in Jerusalem, and also, pieces of advice I was given or formed on my own.
Eliesheva’s Wedding in Israel guide.
General advice:
- * Pack for the hotel the day before: water bottles, food, advil, a brush, etc.
- * Hydrate the week before! Day before! But don’t overdo it day of; you’ll drink plenty while taking photographs (smiles hurt!).
- * Bring socks, extra shoes.
- * Have bandaids at the ready (oops).
- * Sheva brachot cards! So easy. Photocopy-enlarge the brachot from a siddur and cut them up and laminate. Helps along the seven blessers.
- * Make sure your ride has gas…
- * Contacts? Bring extras and your glasses.
- * Brides: Have something to hold on to (flowers) at the kabalat panim… You’re bound to be fidgety.
- * Make sure someone is counting how many times the bride walks around the chatan… (oops).
- * Let the adrenaline kick in and run with it. Love the adrenaline.
- * Try not to spill anything on each other in the Yichud room (oops).
- * Breathe when you’re dancing or suffer the wrath of side cramps or lost breath.
- * There will always be silly mistakes; you probably won’t even notice. Get over that from the start (of wedding planning, if possible).
- * Get into the calm mindset the week before; pump it up the day before.
- * However you are is how the guests will react; stay fun and calm and that’s how the guests will feel…
- * HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR!!!
- * It’s just a party. A really big one. The marriage is going to last longer and be way more expensive.
Quick checklist (in not so much of a coherent order):
• Date selection (keep in mind shkiyah if you want a special Hebrew date)
• Venue selection
• Photography
• Videography
• Engagement party
• Engagement ring
• Guest list
• Flights for foreigners
• Décor design
• Music
• Dress
• Invitations
• Pre-invites for out of towners (advanced notice)
• Floral arrangements
• Make up/hair stylist
• Wedding ring
• Transportation to the wedding (for you and guests if it is far out of town)
• Hotel/apartment bookings (you and out of towner guests)
• Kalla/Chatan classes
• Rabbanut:
- o 3 passport pics of each
- o teudat zehut and sepach
- o birth certificates
- o ketubah of both sets of parents
- o 600 NIS (40% discount if one is an oleh or student)
- o 2 witnesses for each (who know you, male)
- o a Rabbi conducting who is registered with the Rabbanut (or register yours)
- o 02-621 4800/4811
- o Rechov חובהצלת, #12, near Yaffo street
- o Sun-Thurs 8:30-12:30/3-4:30
• Registry
• Birchonim
• Menu selection
• Appoint/hire someone a ‘wedding coordinator’ so your parents and friends can enjoy
I also highly recommend this website for wedding planning all over Israel.
Venues:
Beit Shmuel: 02 6200 3405, 02 620 3403 – view of Old City behind, it’s outdoors on the roof (or could be inside)
BibleLand Museum: 02 561 1066 contact@blmj.org (Caterer: Shlomo at שק אירועים 0505234220
Achuza: 02 538 7151 gorgeous set up, Ramat Rachel feeling, might be less money, .
Har Tzion: 02 568 9555 really really pretty, local, different set up options.
Mul HaHar: Ilan: 0504005401 tayelet set up, chupah can go however you want, no minimum, great view behind you.
Novotel: 02 5320000 Idit – 0524470165, swimming pool, porch
Shulchan David – right outside Old City. Yehuda 050 521 7325/026732770
Ein Yael – (by the Zoo) 02 645 1866, outdoors, hidden, quiet
Shoresh – outdoors, pretty, there’s a website
Photography & video:
Sass Video – excellently recommended, great service, great product.
Dov Yarden – great work, great custom albums. 02 676 4223, 0545691123
Itamar Ben Harav: 0546472656
Bands:
Ariel Goldsmith – 052 641 3326
Shlomo Katz – 02 570 9945, 054 316 9888 (Yedidyah, manager)
Adom Atik –
Inyan Acher –
Menachem Herman – mhmusic@netvision.net.il 02 991 8314, 0524704063
Wedding Planners:
Shmuel Bloom: 0547587089
Shani Falik: shoshanafalik@gmail.com
Adina Buchs – B’Rosh Shaket – 0523803048
Dressmakers:
Tamar: 02.538.8558
Elise: 054.498.4540
Aviva: 052.545.5895 or 02.654.1697
Chagit: 054.533.9051 or 02.561.7316
Esti: 054.747.1778 or 02.571.0777
Malka: 02.540.1745
Nora: 052.848.9964 or 02.624.6963
Dorit: 02.651.4840
Tel Aviv bridal:
*It’s all over Dizengoff street, starting from around the 190s. Hard to find classy + modest dresses though. Also a bit more $$.
*Veronic: www.Veronic.co.il – very talented, she can do chic modest dresses
Gmachs:
* Shalshelet/Chasdei Yaela
King George St. They have more than 200 dresses that the bride can use for the minimal price of 400 -800 NIS + dry cleaning. Call for appointment: Racheli: 054-647-2611 or Naomi: 054-630-1189
* Gemach Shoshana
— established in memory of 19 year old Shoshana Zaguri z’l killed in a bus bombing
— to ease some of the financial pressures of making a wedding
— MODEST bridal gowns available
–located in Bayit Vagan
–Please call Paula Mazal Zaguri at 02-6411-795 or 0544-781-293 to schedule an appointment
* Gmach
Rechov Shmuel HaNavi.
For an appointment please call: Pesha Rosenson- 02 582 7936 / 052 478 3675
You may also call Rachel for an appointment: 625-7936 or 0546-472-611
* Wedding dress g’mach
With hundreds of beautiful wedding dresses to choose from. Call Tehilla at 0506 343942 or (02) 625 2924 or e-mail: tiftufya@walla.com
You can always email me for more or to get this in a readable format.
Whadya got: