Jstyle Weddings 2007

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WEDDINGS 2007 WWW.JSTYLEMAGAZINE.COM

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Ready to say“I do” ?

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WORLD CLASS WEDDINGS, EVERY TIME.

Weddings are personal. Elegant, refined, gracious. We, too, want everything to be perfect. If your dreams include a world class celebration, please allow us to be of assistance. Customized menus, an international culinary team, fine china and crystal, luxurious accommodations and an unwavering commitment to details. Especially on your wedding day.

Do you live an InterContinental life?

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  ...

“They say a picture says a thousand words,but a thousand words can’t even explain how I felt on my wedding day.”

Picture a day of relaxation; picture personal wedding planners catering to your every need; picture a day that you will remember forever;picture luxurious surroundings;picture beautiful gourmet cuisine paired with perfect wines, champagnes and cocktails; picture your wedding with the Chagrin Valley Athletic Club.

Let us make your day unforgettable, contact our wedding planner, Mark Anderson at 440.543.5141 ext. 106 to schedule your personalized tour.

ChagrinValley Athletic Club           ,  - .. ..

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| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

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The first glimpse alludes to a special place.

Downsizing doesn’t mean you have to give up luxury.

Where luxury is not compromised.

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Featuring 28 exquisitely appointed Country Manor Homes

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INSIDE

010_contents

14 editor’s letter FEATURES

20 mexican wedding by alan smason 24 despite setbacks, love flourishes by susan h. kahn 28 couples renew their vows by lauren e. sable 34 a tale of two ketubot by rob certner 38 coming together on ‘wings of song’ by violet spevack

40 the guy proposes…creatively by amy newman smith 46 making white weddings green by laura m. walter PLANNING

54 60 68 72 74 78 84 90 94

bridal wave by margi herwald zitelli capturing it all by noëlle bye determined to dance by rachel hoskins pre-marital counseling by june scharf your presence is requested by stephanie garber wrapped up in wedding baskets by christine gordillo love at first site by lila hanft by any other name by lauren e. sable wedding favors by sue angell

STYLE

96 here comes the…perfect dress by jennifer daddario 100 fairytale fashion 104 beyond memories, preserve your gown by jennifer daddario

106 eyes on the bride by dana fine 108 penguin suit be gone! by douglas j. guth 112 sneak peek TRADITIONS

114 jewish kitchen culture by joan kekst 116 ‘mikveh lady’ revels in joy of mitzvah by jane lefko 118 mazel ‘stuff’ 120 a wedding rich in tradition by amy newman smith 124 tradition, tradition! by riva pomerantz 125 wedding glossary

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CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS

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A UNIQUE WEDDING REQUIRES AN EQUALLY UNIQUE HOTEL. At the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, you’ll find all the touches that will accentuate this magnificent moment in time for you and your family.

UNIQUELY RENAISSANCE.SM

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Make your dreams a reality at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel. From napkin rings to the champagne toast, the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel assures every detail will be perfect.

Choose from three classically appointed ballrooms, spacious enough to accommodate 2,000 guests and invent a unique menu with our accomplished catering staff to create an exquisite reception sure to impress. Out-of-town company

marriott_light_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;',./ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP QRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:"<>?_©®™— marriott_lightitalic_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;',./ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:"<>?_©®™— marriott_medium_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;',./ABCDEFGHIJKL MNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:"<>?_©®™— marriott_mediumitalic_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[];',./ABCDEFGHI JKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:"<>?_©®™—

will appreciate the luxurious accommodations and impeccable service at Cleveland's landmark social address.

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24 Public Square Cleveland, OH 44113 To inquire about our customized wedding packages, please call 216.696.5600 or visit us online www.renaissancecleveland.com

CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS

| JSTYLE | WEDDINGS 2007 | 13

014_letter

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jstyle

WEDDINGS www.jstylemagazine.com

SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Ronna A. Novello CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Rob Certner EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT - EDITOR

Cynthia Dettelbach

PLANNING a wedding involves numerous decisions. Where

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT - ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Jennifer R. Woomer

will the ceremony and the reception take place? How do you choose

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Frida Kon

the caterer, florist, photographer and videographer that’s right for you?

GRAPHIC ARTISTS

Where can you find the perfect wedding dress for yourself as well as

Reuben LeVine Shelley Schloss

for your wedding party?

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Sharon Ulsenheimer

jstyle WEDDINGS gives you the answers to many of these ques-

CITY EDITOR

tions, plus a lot more. Learn about time-honored traditions surround-

Margi Herwald Zitelli

ing the Jewish wedding. Read what other women have to say about

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Janet Dery

changing their name – or not – when they marry. And our own Margi

EDITORIAL STAFF

Herwald Zitelli offers some advice on how to handle the “bridal insan-

Ellen Schur Brown Jennifer Daddario REPORTER Arlene Fine SENIOR REPORTER Douglas J. Guth REPORTER Lila Hanft ASSISTANT EDITOR Susan H. Kahn SENIOR REPORTER Marilyn H. Karfeld COPY EDITOR Roberta Sears REPORTER; WEB PRODUCER Alan Smason CAVALCADE Violet Spevack SPECIAL SECTIONS ASSISTANT Carol M. Splaver EDITORIAL ASSITANT Tybee Zuckerman FAMILY EDITOR

REPORTER

ity” that inevitably seems to accompany the whole process of wedding planning.

Find everything to make your special day a wonderful one to remember in this issue of WEDDINGS. Ronna A. Novello, Special Sections Editor

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Martha Rosenfield SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Marsha Ettinger Ron Greenbaum Laurie Mandell

O N T H E C OV E R

The perfect wedding starts with the perfect gown. Designer Fyodor Melnik created this sumptuous gown modeled by Janet Dery.

The off-white gown, fashioned from silk satin, has a bodice trimmed with Swarovski crystals, and a full pick-up skirt, $4,500.

Feathered headpiece has crystal accents.

Overseeing everything in the workroom is Caesar, the Melniks’ pug. Photographed at Fyodor Atelier by Beth Segal. Hair styled

by David Porris, make-up by Olga Powkhnyuk, both from Studio MZ.

ADVERTISING STAFF

Paul Bram Rhoda Brooker ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Anne Garson ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Nell V. Kirman ADVERTISING SALES ASSISTANT Sheila Lash CLASSIFIED SALES Bernice Levine CUSTOM PUBLISHING COORDINATOR Laura Malto ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Alita Michael ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

CLASSIFIED SALES

ASSISTANT PRODUCTION MANAGER

Christine Ulsenheimer PRODUCTION STAFF

Beverly Mindlin Matt Narby Jesus Rosado Glenna Rosenberg MARKETING DIRECTOR

Dianne Palmer BUSINESS MANAGER

VOL. 106 NO. 4 CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS (ISSN-0009-8825) is published weekly, with additional issues in January, March, May, July, September, November and December by The Cleveland Jewish Publication Company at 23880 Commerce Park, Suite 1, Cleveland, Ohio 44122. Single copy $1.00.

Periodicals Postage paid at Cleveland, OH. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Cleveland Jewish News, 23880 Commerce Park, Suite 1, Cleveland, Ohio 44122

Sherry Lapine ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Diane Adams Aida Brifman MANAGER Tammie Crawford RECEPTIONIST Alice Fingerhut RECEPTIONIST Marilyn Tobin

ASSISTANT BOOKKEEPER

CIRCULATION

SR BOOKKEEPER; CREDIT

14

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

The Cleveland Jewish Publication Company a not-for-profit corporation

www.clevelandjewishnews.com

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PHOTO THOM ABEL

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A GIFT THAT DOES A WORLD OF GOOD.

Wedding Gift Registry Linens China Silver Strong Jewish Future

Give the gift to a special bride and groom that will help create a strong Jewish future. Gifts to a philanthropic fund, endowment fund, the annual campaign or the Centennial Initiative can honor a special occasion and strengthen the Jewish community at home and around the world.

For more information, please contact a member of the Philanthropic Planning staff.

4110

Live Generously.

ÂŽ

1750 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44115 (216) 566-9200 ¡ (888) 467-1125 philplan@jcfcleve.org www.jewishcleveland.org

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mexican wedding

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a fitting destination for local couple by alan smason

IN JUNE 2004, Pepper Pike residents Cristina “Cristy” Llaguno, a sandy-haired, dark-eyed Mexican beauty, and Eduardo Milrud, a tall, courtly Jewish Argentinean flew to Cristy’s hometown of Querétaro, about two hours drive from Mexico City. The purpose of their trip: a private, civil wedding ceremony.

Once back in Cleveland, the couple began planning a larger, more formal ceremony and reception, also in Querétaro, to celebrate their union.

“We didn’t want it here (in Cleveland) because all of my family was in Mexico,” explains Cristy. “We thought it would be a good idea to invite all of our friends from Cleveland to Mexico.”

The two hoped that the event would soon follow, but they ended up postponing the date for two years.

Like most of her friends in the 16th-century town of Querétaro, Mazel tov and felicidades! The groom, Eduardo Milrud, top left, breaks the glass as his new wife Cristy and Rabbi Steve Segar look on. Mariachi madness after midnight, bottom left. Top right, besamé mucho: Rabbi Segar, left, applauds as the bridal couple, wearing a tallit, kiss under a chupah.

Cristy had been raised in the Catholic faith. But, when she accepted Eduardo’s proposal, she understood the importance he placed on their having a Jewish home.

The couple joined Kol HaLev, the Reconstructionist community of Cleveland, and Cristy began instruction in the concepts of Judaism with Rabbi Steve Segar.

CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

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020-023_st21_mexico 1/5/07 10:30 AM Page 4

At the reception, Eduardo Milrud and Cristy Llaguno

“I

felt

we

were both on the

mony, which was followed by the wedding ceremony, held

same page,” says

in an open-air courtyard bedecked with floral arrangements and

Segar. “They intend-

trimmed with beautiful hanging fabrics.

ed their household to be a Jewish household, and if there were chil-

Large white candles added romantic glow to the outdoor setting.

dren, they would be raised as Jews. And both of them were willing

Candles in special holders were given to guests as they entered the

to study with me as part of the process.”

courtyard. “When everybody was holding their candles, that was the

Cristy was a natural student with an inquisitive nature. “I liked many things about Judaism,” she says.

signal we were ready to start,” Cristy says. The bridal couple then walked down the aisle with their own candles.

Planning a wedding in a foreign country was an extraordinary

Eduardo’s brother Pablo, a talented guitarist and cellist, played a

challenge for the couple. Since Cristy’s mother, Cristina Montes

special piece on cello to set the mood. “The music was very impor-

Llaguno, is a caterer, she offered to oversee the food preparation.

tant,” Cristy stresses.

Best man Guillermo “Willie” Rosenberg arranged via e-mails

Various musical themes punctuated the night, including an hom-

with Rabbi Segar for a Spanish translation of the couple’s ketubah

age to Spanish music. When that band retired around 2 a.m., a tradi-

to be read aloud simultaneously with the Hebrew text the rabbi

tional marriachi group continued the revelry until nearly dawn.

would read.

Two local newspapers, AM and Diario de Querétaro, devoted a

In addition, Cristy composed a bilingual program in Spanish and

large amount of coverage to the wedding. “The fact that it was a

English, explaining the many elements of a traditional Jewish wed-

Jewish wedding had major interest,” explains Cristy. “They really

ding ceremony to the guests, many of whom were attending their

wanted the story.”

first Jewish wedding.

“Everybody owned a little piece of it,” Eduardo says, “The real challenge was to bring all of these parts together.”

Rabbi Segar and his wife Andy Getz and several other Clevelanders made the journey to the Mexican nuptials on Nov. 12.

“I was so proud of my hometown, because everybody talked about how nice and how beautiful it was,” says the bride. “I was bringing colonial Mexico into the ceremony – the real Mexico – and it made me feel very proud.”

Eduardo, seeing his bride surrounded by her hometown family

Friday night services attended by 50 guests were led by the rabbi

and friends and her new friends from Cleveland, also beamed with

at the Hotel Meson de Santa Rosa, where the wedding was slated for

pride. “The wedding was as if to say, ‘This was a conclusion of a

the next night. The number of guests, 160, is a very small wedding

phase of your life, and a new phase is starting,’” Cristy says. ❤

for Mexico, according to Cristy, where typically 300 to 400 people are invited.

22

Rabbi Segar conducted the indoor formal ketubah cere-

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

020-023_st21_mexico 1/10/07 3:12 PM Page 5

I Gotta Have a Maya For My Wedding!

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Beautiful, sophisticated, whimsical many one-of-a-kind handmade works of art and fine craft.

Jewelry and Accessories Kakadu Designs of Israel

Special gifts for the discriminating couple.

Register with Sue and Jacquie

The Mall at ETON

Pennello Gallery 12404 Mayfield Rd. Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (216) 707-9390 www.pennellogallery.com

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F E AT U R E

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Friedman and Viny Barb and Lee Friedman of Orange Village and Rose and Steven Viny of Russell Township announce the engagement of their children, Alyson Hillary Friedman and Aaron David Viny. Ms. Friedman is the granddaughter of Leslie Friedman of Pepper Pike, Joyce Wiesenthal of Mayfield Heights, and the late Bernard Wiesenthal. Mr. Viny is the grandson of Bluma and Joseph Polonski of Omaha, Neb., Ruth Viny of Beachwood, and the late Myron Viny.

Despite setbacks, love flourishes by susan h. kahn

ALYSON Friedman and Aaron Viny won’t be getting married

through his junior year at the University of Michigan when the

until May 2008, but the pair has already been tested by several of

unthinkable happened – he developed acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

life’s difficult circumstances mentioned in the traditional wedding

He came home from Ann Arbor and entered The Cleveland Clinic for

vows.

treatment. Eventually he underwent a successful bone marrow trans-

in sickness and in health …

Because their families have been friends for years, it seems to Aly (Alyson) and Aaron that they have always known each other. Their fathers were tennis partners, and Aly is close friends with Aaron’s younger sister. But until 2003, their long acquaintance was only that.

Aaron, a biopsychology and cognitive science major, was halfway

24

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

plant. But Aaron faced a long recuperation.

When he finally came home from the hospital, Aly and her mother paid him a visit. Aaron was hardly at his best – bald, reed thin and so weak he could hardly get up off the couch. He was watching a movie when the Friedmans arrived, but he recalls perking up when he saw Aly.

Document1

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2:21 PM

Page 2

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“I hadn’t seen her in about five years,” he says. “She’d grown up!”

sound asleep while watching a movie in Aaron’s hotel room. They

As the two conversed, they found their mutual interest growing.

awoke to discover their backpacks missing and the sliding-glass bal-

By the time the visit ended, Aaron knew he wanted to see her again.

cony door ajar. They reported the theft to the hotel management and

But while his immune system was slowly recovering, Aaron had to

embarked on a search of the grounds.

avoid crowds. Their first date would have to wait.

Before long, they spotted their discarded backpacks in a woodsy

Soon Aly began her sophomore year at Ithaca College, where she

area. Their money and cameras were gone, and among the scattered

was majoring in musical theater. She and Aaron nurtured their bud-

contents lay an empty ring box. Aly spotted it and recalls thinking,

ding relationship via phone and e-

“Oh my God! He was going to

mail. By Thanksgiving, Aaron had

propose! I can’t let him know that

recovered enough to plan “the per-

I know.”

fect, low-stress first date,” a Cavs

Calling home to arrange for

game with another couple.

more money and new credit

“The day before our date, I was

cards, Aaron says, “Our parents

so anxious,” says Aaron. “I couldn’t

got big news, but not the news

wait, so I asked Aly to lunch.”

they were expecting.”

That lunch sealed the deal for

Despite the upsetting turn of

Aly. “Something clicked; I couldn’t

events, Aaron was undaunted. A

stop thinking we were supposed to

few days later, following a

be family.”

Bedouin dinner with their tour

In January 2004, a healthy Aaron returned to Michigan. He

Joseph and Bluma Polonski, Aaron’s grandparents, gave him the heirloom diamond for Aly’s engagement ring.

graduated in May with his class and

they take a walk under the stars.

Once they were alone, he said:

in the fall, entered The Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine.

“I know you know what was stolen, but what you don’t know is that

for richer or for poorer …

the diamond was my grandparents’ stone. But it wasn’t their engage-

Over the next two years, Aly and Aaron maintained their long-distance relationship, managing to see each other almost every other weekend.

By February 2006, Aaron was sure he wanted to propose. When he announced his intention to his family, his maternal grandparents offered him the diamond from his grandmother’s first engagement ring.The Polonskis are Holocaust survivors who got engaged in a displaced persons camp.

“When they arrived in the US, they were so poor, their wedding bands were donated by the congregation in Omaha where they married,” says Aaron. “On their 10th anniversary, my grandfather bought my grandmother a diamond. It was an honor for me to take it.”

ment ring. They got engaged without a ring, and they married and had a beautiful, loving family.They didn’t need a ring and neither do we.”

Then Aaron got down on one knee and asked Aly to marry him.

Once they were home, replacing the ring was easy. Luckily, Aaron had insured it the day before leaving. More difficult was breaking the news to Aaron’s grandparents.

“They were just glad we were safe,” says Aaron. “Although they regretted the loss of something meaningful to them, they agreed the ring was ‘just stuff.’”

to have and to hold …

For the time being, the couple must still cope with separation. Aly

In June, following Aly’s graduation, the couple went to Israel

is pursuing her acting career in New York, and Aaron has two-and-a-

with the birthright program. Aaron had the heirloom diamond reset,

half more years of medical training in Cleveland. Despite the cir-

and he planned to propose on the third day of the trip in Safed.

cumstances, the duo is upbeat. They are already experts at keeping a

However, on the second night of the trip, the jetlagged couple fell 26

group, he suggested to Aly that

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

long-distance relationship flourishing. ❤

024-027_st09_courtship 1/10/07 3:13 PM Page 5

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F E AT U R E S

028-033 st11_renewVOWS 1/8/07 1:21 PM Page 2

Couples from The Temple-Tifereth Israel renew their vows outdoors at a synagogue in northern Israel.

couples renew their vows by lauren e. sable

SHE’D had her eye on him since second grade; he didn’t know

couple; their children, David and Sheila Lovinger and Diane and

her until a mutual friend introduced them on the back of a streetcar

William Kaye; and their six grandchildren. Daughter-in-law Sheila

years later. When they tied the knot on May 30, 1937, they expressed

and daughter Diane had decided that a big celebration was the way

their love in a small, intimate ceremony with family in Rabbi Abba

to celebrate the couple’s staying power, and they invited friends and

Hillel Silver’s study at The Temple.

relatives to share in the occasion.

Fifty years later, on May 30, 1987, Rose and Carl Lovinger

While Rose and Carl didn’t have a traditional wedding ceremony

renewed their marriage vows in a large, traditional ceremony at

the first time around, on their 50th, they had all the trimmings.They

Temple Ner Tamid.

exchanged their vows on the bima under a chupah, and Carl broke

In the presence of nearly 100 guests, Rose and Carl reaffirmed their love for each other following a procession that included the 28

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

the glass to cheers of “Mazel Tov!” A friend played the anniversary waltz on his violin, and Carl danced with Rose.

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028-033 st11_renewVOWS 1/8/07 1:21 PM Page 4

The invitation for the Lovingers’ renewal ceremony featured their 1937 wedding picture.

“My husband finally danced with me,” quips Rose. “He never danced.”

Like every May 30 for the 49 years prior, Rose says the day was beautiful. She and Carl were blessed with a long and enjoyable life before he passed away eight years ago.

“We had a wonderful life,” Rose Lovinger says. “Seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren came out of that marriage. We were a very lucky couple. We always held hands, and we were always

30

Rose and Carl Lovinger on their 50th anniversary are joined by their children and grandchildren at the chupah.

ing their first anniversary. In the final hours leading up to the ceremony, the “rest of the gang” was surprised to learn that they would all be brought into the celebration, says Haim.

In a synagogue in northern Israel’s Katzrin, Haim and Barron and nine other couples renewed their vows, surrounded by their children and other mission participants. Haim both led and participated in the ceremony, during which the couples exchanged rings.

“I had the couples turn to each other and put their hands on their

very much in love.”

spouse’s head and bless each other,” Haim says. “It was very sweet.

ISRAEL is special and meaningful for Rabbi Rosie Barron Haim

Our kids watched and were the photographers for the moment.They

and her husband Marshall Barron. As a result, it became an essential

all crowded around us and took pictures.”

part of rededicating themselves to each other after 19 years of mar-

After the ceremony, the kids, including Haim’s 13-year-old

riage. The last time the couple traveled to Israel together, they cele-

daughter Shira, went off in their own direction while the adults

brated their third wedding anniversary. Since they would again be in

toasted their renewed vows for a few more hours at a nearby winery.

Israel for their June 21 anniversary, they decided that they would take

The extra time alone as couples was a special way of making the day

time out to renew their weddings vows.

even more of a celebration, says Haim.

As long as they were planning to rededicate their vows, Haim

“Being in Israel for our anniversary and helping other couples

opened the offer to the other couples they were traveling with dur-

celebrate the added connection they felt to each other by sharing the

ing a ten-day family mission with The Temple-Tifereth Israel. Fellow

Israel experience just felt like one of those holy, special moments,”

mission-goers Alison and Michael Arkin were celebrating 25 years

says Haim. “Everything is more special in Israel.”

together, while Sharona Hoffman and Andy Podgurski were celebrat-

EVIE Safran feels lucky to have spent nearly 50 years with the love

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

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| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G 2 0 0 7 | 31

028-033 st11_renewVOWS 1/8/07 1:22 PM Page 6

Gordon and Evie Safran on their wedding day in 1957, flanked by Rabbi Armond Cohen of Park Synagogue, left, and Rabbi Barnett Brickner of Fairmount Temple.

of her life, Gordon. After meeting on a blind date, the couple mar-

The Safrans renewed their vows on their 45th wedding anniversary.

children – 11 guests in all – stood by them.

ried in a ceremony at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple on July 14,

The Safrans stood under a chupah, held on its four sides by their

1957. Theirs was the first wedding ceremony held in Fairmount’s

four children. Each child also recited one of the sheva brachot (seven

new sanctuary. While the ceremony was beautiful and meaningful,

blessings).

says Safran, it lacked many of the traditional elements of a Jewish wedding.

“Our ceremony was extremely Reform,” she explains. “I had never even heard of a wedding ketubah, and we didn’t know what a chupah was.”

One reason for renewing vows on the couple’s 45th anniversary four years ago, Safran says, was to add some of that Jewish content absent the first time. As the mother of four adult children, she wanted them to appreciate the relationship their parents enjoy. “Children sometimes tend to view their parents as they did when they were

“We happened to have seven children (counting in-laws) at the time, and each said a blessing and gave us their own blessing,” Safran says. “It was perfect, with the seven blessings and the four corners of the chupah. It was really kind of meant to be.”

Safran says the entire ceremony was emotional, especially the renewal of vows. Both she and Gordon wrote their own vows, which expressed their feelings on their marriage and their lives together.

Following the ceremony, the Safrans hosted a celebratory dinner surrounded by their greatest accomplishments – their children, Mindy and Martin Davidson, Neil and Inna Safran, Lee Safran and

children,” she says, “and we wanted them to understand us as a married couple.”

Anshe Chesed’s Cantor Sarah Sager was instrumental in arranging the ceremony and bringing meaning to the event. She met with the couple and helped them flesh out their ideas to make their renewal ceremony personal and special. They decided to stage the ceremony in the temple’s Gray Garden gazebo, where their children and grand32

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

Nicholas Wellington, and Haleigh and Glenn Raff, and their grandchildren, who now number five. Their children also presented them with a very special keepsake – an anniversary ketubah bearing each of their signatures, which now hangs in the Safran home.

“The ketubah is so beautiful and meaningful to us,” Safran says. ❤

028-033 st11_renewVOWS 1/11/07 3:31 PM Page 7

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F E AT U R E

034-037_st23_certner 1/5/07 11:15 AM Page 2

a tale of two ketubot by rob certner photography by shane wynn

ANYONE who’s helped plan a wedding knows there are count-

34

as laid-back a person as you’re likely to meet.

less details to consider: location, caterer, menu, flowers, The Dress,

When I asked him how he was doing during the months prior to

who’s sitting where, who can’t sit next to someone else, the ketubah,

the wedding, his stock answer was, “I’m fine; Becky’s handling

the rabbi. The list seems to go on endlessly.

everything. I just need to show up on time.” I love this guy!

This past summer, my daughter Rebecca married the man of her

Becky and I are probably much more alike than either of us

dreams, Adam. Becky is an intense young woman. She’s been detail-

would care to admit. She gets some of her best qualities from her

oriented seemingly forever, and very little escapes her. Adam, on the

mother and some of her other best qualities from me. One of the lat-

other hand, the owner of a hip clothing company,

ter is the complete inability to let details pass us by. Our motto? “No

Destroy NYC (parental privilege for the plug), is

detail is too meaningless not to deserve our complete and undivided

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

034-036_st23_certner 1/5/07 10:53 AM Page 3

Becky and Adam, top left, show off the infamous ketubah that finally made its way to Puerto Rico.

Above, Becky and dad Rob Certner, whose job it was to bring the ketubah. Left, bride and groom with their wedding party.

attention.” That’s not to suggest we can’t see the big picture, it just means we like the “picture within the picture,” too.

too convenient. Rincón.

I’m guessing some of you will be looking at MapQuest to find

So the wedding plans began. The first decision – other than

out where this little piece of paradise lies. Here’s a preview: In the

whom to marry? Location, location, location. Cleveland (where I

middle of nowhere and nothing. Turn right, and you’re there. It’s the

live), Manhattan (where Becky and Adam live), Akron (where

kind of place where you’ll need to keep an eye out for chickens,

Becky’s mom lives), New Jersey (where Adam’s parents live), or any

lizards, horses and even the occasional cow while driving down the

other place in the continental United States?

often only partially paved and almost always unmarked road. It’s also

Nope.This was to be a destination wedding, and Puerto Rico was our destination. Not San Juan, of course. San Juan is too accessible,

the kind of place most of us would visit and say, “I want to live here the rest of my life.”

LUS

IL TO PHO T TRA ION BBY

/ DE RAP RT OPO

CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 35

034-036_st23_certner 1/5/07 10:53 AM Page 4

Imagine an isolated paradise with lush foliage, beautiful beaches,

ed until Monday to hear back from her. Meanwhile, I literally tried

warm tropical breezes, and crystal clear water; where no matter what

to iron out the creases in the ketubah with a wet towel and hot iron.

time of day, you’ll likely not see any other footsteps in the sand of the

It didn’t repair the damage; it just made it look presentable in the

human variety.

likely case the replacement wouldn’t arrive on time.

Wherever it’s held, an important component of the traditional

Monday morning came and went without word from the artist.

Jewish ceremony is the signing of the ketubah, the marriage contract.

Unfortunately, I forgot she was on Pacific Time and I on what now

It’s at the precise moment when bride, groom, rabbi and witnesses

seemed to be Panic Time. Lo and behold, at 11 a.m. (8 a.m. her

sign this often-artistically beautiful and colorful document that the

time), the artist e-mailed me saying she would be able to get a

marriage officially occurs. Pretty important, you might say.

replacement to the shipper later that day.

Becky and Adam chose a beautiful design by California artist Rachel Deitsch. Her design captured both the tradi-

The first piece of the problem was being resolved.

tional feel and contemporary flair for which they

The next piece was to get it delivered, damage-free,

were hoping. The bride- and groom-to-be wanted egalitarian language. Sort of like, we’re equal partners in everything in marriage. With the help of

The ketubah was completely ruined.

Creased. Bent. Dirty.

to my home.

UPS really came to the rescue. After acknowledging their unacceptable earlier performance, the local

someone very close to me (that would be Debby),

office supplied me with three contacts, all of whom

the four of us helped craft the language and got the

personally assured me the new ketubah would be

Hebrew spelling correct for everyone named; bride, groom, father

handled properly and absolutely, positively would get there on time.

and mother of each. With little time remaining, we approved the text

In fact, they offered to deliver it to Rincón if necessary on Sunday

and gave the artist the green light.

morning so the ceremony would not be disrupted.

Fast-forward a few weeks to June 1. As I arrived home that

Let’s get back to Becky and Adam for a second. Remember Becky’s

evening, I noticed a mailing tube in my driveway. Must be the

attention to detail? Then it won’t surprise you that she asked about

ketubah, I thought, and it’s here in plenty of time. One more thing

the ketubah daily until it arrived. That is, the original ketubah. There

to check off the to-do list.

was no way I could tell her it was damaged. In the wedding game,

Was I wrong! The mailing tube was crushed flat, one of the end

everyone knows that serious, late-in-the-game problems are as

caps was missing, and it was raining, so whatever was inside was

unwanted as guests in a honeymoon suite on the night of the wed-

likely to be wet.

ding. So, as far as the kids were concerned, the ketubah was in my

The only good news was it wasn’t wet. The bad news was the ketubah was completely ruined anyway. Creased. Bent. Dirty. My heart sank.

hands, in perfect condition, and would be in Rincón for the ceremony. The real secret was safe with me.

From that moment on, everything went as well as anyone could

After more than a few late-night phone calls to the shipper, I had

have wanted. The new, undamaged ketubah arrived at my home on

their full and complete attention.Their initial response was to launch

June 7. Our flights were not delayed (we were even upgraded to first

an investigation. My initial response was to order a new ketubah, a

class). The airline gave both the father and the mother of the bride a

process which generally takes four weeks, and get it shipped to my

congratulatory bottle of wine. Transportation to the resort in Rincón

home in time to take it to Rincón on June 9. The wedding was on

was on time. The rooms were beautiful, and the weather was spec-

June 12.

tacular. Of course, the wedding ceremonies, the real one and “the

Simple, right? Nope. The next business day, Friday, June 2, was

one for everyone else to see and enjoy,” went off perfectly.

Shavuot. The artist was out and wouldn’t be back to her studio until

While the white chupah fluttered gently in the warm Caribbean

Monday, leaving us with exactly four days to accomplish what nor-

breeze and proud parents looked on, each of us with a tear of joy in

mally takes four weeks.

our eyes, Rebecca and Adam were joined in marriage. Things have a

I called and e-mailed the artist a PLEASE HELP message and wait36

I could not believe what I was hearing. She came through for us.

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

way of working out. Isn’t life beautiful? ❤

Document8

1/11/07

11:30 AM

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James Alperin is a Graduate Gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America Terry Krapenc is a Graduate Gemologist from the Gemological Insitute of America and a fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain

F E AT U R E S

038-039_st26_BarrWedding 1/9/07 2:44 PM Page 2

Stylized landscape of Jerusalem’s Old City, left, is the focal point of the turquoise organdy chupah.The center square becomes a detachable wall hanging. Sharon Barr and Hillel Skolnik, right, met during Schachrit services at Brandeis University.

coming together ‘on wings of song’ by violet spevack

WHEN she was 5 and a kindergartner at Solomon Schechter Day

“What does he look like?” queried her mother.

School, high-spirited, precocious Sharon Barr informed her parents

“It doesn’t matter; he davens beautifully,” warbled Sharon.

Laurel and Chanan Barr that she was going to be a rabbi when she

Sharon and Hillel were kindred souls with similar backgrounds.

grew up. As the years flew by, she never wavered from that childhood

Each had attended a Schechter day school; his in Manhattan, hers in

goal. It never entered her mind, though, that along the way she

Cleveland. Each had a parent who was in the clergy. They were pas-

would meet and wed a handsome young scholar who also aspired to

sionate Jews who loved Israel.

be a rabbi.

It was ordained, one might say, “on wings of song.” In 2002,

tory repeating itself, in a sense, since Sharon’s parents met and fell in

while davening at the Shacharit service at Brandeis University, she

love in the late 1970s at Camp Wise, where Laurel was a song leader

heard a phenomenally beautiful voice singing and davening from the

and Chanan, the Israeli shaliach (emissary).

back row. She couldn’t wait to meet the young man with the won-

Sharon and Hillel were married last year on June 18 at

derful voice. She was captivated with Hillel Skolnik of Queens, N.Y.;

Landerhaven in a ceremony conducted by the groom’s father, Rabbi

he was captivated with her. It was beshert (destined)!

Gerald Skolnik, spiritual leader of Forest Hills Jewish Center in

“I met this really great guy,” effused Sharon in a phone call to her parents.

38

The couple became engaged in October 2005. It was family his-

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

Queens, and the bride’s mother, Cantor Laurel Barr of Temple Emanu El here.

038-039_st26_BarrWedding 1/9/07 2:44 PM Page 3

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The ketubah (marriage contract) was read in Aramaic by Cantor Barr’s brother, Rabbi Gary Robuck of North Shore Temple Emanu El in Sydney, Australia. Her other brother, Cantor Allan Robuck of Temple Ohev Shalom in Orlando, Fla., sang the first two of the sheva brachot (seven blessings), with the rest sung by Rabbis Daniel A. Roberts and Steven Denker of Temple Emanu El; Rabbi Karen Medwed, Jewish Theological Seminary; Cantor Adam Frei of Forest Hills; and other family members.

The couple’s passion for the city of Jerusalem was incorporated in the chupah created by Cleveland artist Linda Tirk. Centered on the ceiling of the 6-by-6-foot turquoise organdy chupah trimmed in white was a stylized landscape of the Old City. The red, pink, green, yellow and sand-colored buildings, along with palms, ocean waves and white doves form a circle within a 24-inch square detachable wall hanging.

Inside the circle of buildings is a Hebrew verse from the “Song of Songs”: “Place me as a seal on your heart like the seal upon your arms.”

Following the ceremony, the bride faced her groom and in her gorgeous alto voice sang, “God bless the broken road that led me straight

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to you.” There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

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were the crowning glory of a weekend of great ruach (spirit). At the erev

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Shabbat “Hip Hop” service at Temple Emanu El, where the bride’s

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father played lead guitar in the talented Hip Hop Band, Sharon and

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Hillel’s duet of “Shalom Rav” was captivating.

Some weeks after the wedding, the couple reprised “Shalom Rav” and other melodies at Camp Ramah in Canada, where they were unit directors for a month.

Today, the newlyweds are happily ensconced in their apartment on Manhattan’s West Side and engrossed in their studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where Sharon will graduate and receive smichah (rabbinic ordination) in 2009. Hillel will graduate and get smichah in 2011.

Like our sages Hillel and Shammai, they challenge each other with dissenting views about Torah, even as they remain loving soulmates.

❤

600 North Aurora Road 330.995.0200 www.thebertraminn.com CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

| JST YLE | WEDDIN G 2 0 0 7 | 39

F E AT U R E

040-044_st03_proposal 1/11/07 2:05 PM Page 2

the guy proposes ... creatively

Will

by amy newman smith

GROOMS get a bad rap. For example, a popular greeting card

You

designed to be given at engagement parties and showers reads: “Bride’s To-Do List.” Below is a list of tasks numbering in the dozens, everything from selecting the cake to the band to the site to the officiant to the … well, you get the picture. Inside the card is the groom’s putative to-do list: 1. Get tux. 2. Show up.

It’s a funny card, and there’s truth in the stereotype. But do grooms get the credit they deserve for the time, effort and creativity they put into proposing to their intendeds?

Marry ALTHOUGH a crowded venue is often the perfect backdrop for a memorable proposal, sometimes the only audience a would-be groom wants for his proposal is his bride. That was the case for Scott Herscher when he proposed to Hilary Kushins on Dec. 25, 2005. That night, the two were alone, although Scott is quick to point out a lot of loved ones played a part.

It started with a suggestion from a friend that Scott make the proposal in the form of a present Hilary could keep. Following his friend’s advice, Scott bought five pieces of poster board and wrote a word on each one “Will you marry me?” (The question mark got its own

Me

poster.)

He then took pictures of each poster in settings that were somehow meaningful to the two of them, incorporating himself in one image and his dog Wooly in another. While the idea came together pretty eas-

?

“Will you marry me?,” photos were put into five gift boxes as Scott Herscher’s proposal to Hilary.

ily, Scott says, the implementation was something else. As a less-thanamateur photographer, it took him 40 to 50 shots of each poster to get the image he wanted. And once they were done, he realized that he knew even less about framing than he did about photography.

With the first night of Chanukah looming two days away, he was

040-044_st03_proposal

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| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 41

040-044_st03_proposal 1/5/07 11:08 AM Page 4

Al Corwin popped the question to girlfriend Lynn during the final curtain call of the interactive play she was in.

desperate to have the project done in time. Luckily, a second friend,

LYNN Corwin says that for her, one of the most amazing parts of

one who just happened to have worked for a museum, had the req-

her husband Al’s marriage proposal was how out of character it was

uisite framing expertise to get the job done in time. He bought all

for him. Ironically, although he was out of character, she was in char-

the materials and put together a professional-grade gift in less than

acter. Lynn explains that she was playing the role of Aunt Lil in an

24 hours.

interactive play. Her then-boyfriend Al was the stage manager.

The jeweler, however, couldn’t be rushed, so the ring wouldn’t be done in time. Unthwarted, Scott found a third friend with a talent for origami and had a giant paper ring made as a placeholder.

The timing of the engagement was suggested by his sister, who was getting married the morning of Dec. 25. “Love is in the air,” she told her brother. “There’ll be good wedding karma at work.”

doesn’t like to talk in front of people.”

In the play “Much Ado About Murder,” members of the audience had the opportunity to question the cast in an attempt to solve the murder.

Lynn was shocked when, at the play’s final curtain call, she heard

After the wedding and the traditional Jewish Christmas Day

a voice saying, “I have a question for Aunt Lil.” At that moment, Al

movie-viewing experience, Hilary and Scott went back to Scott’s

appeared on stage, got down on one knee with a ring in his hand,

place, where he presented her with five packages. He instructed her

and asked Lynn to marry him.

to open them in order and not to say anything until after she had opened all of them.

Laughing at the memory, Lynn says it was so unexpected, she was absolutely speechless. As the question hung in the air with no answer,

Hilary says she knew what was happening as soon as she opened

a member of the audience finally shouted out, “Say ‘yes’ already!”

the first package but waited until the end to answer in the affirma-

She did, and they are celebrating 10 happily married years together.

tive. The pair will wed in July.

Scott touched her heart, she says, by creating a memory that was personal and thoughtful, capturing the essence of who he is, who she is, and who they are as a couple.

42

Behind-the-scenes jobs are perfect for her husband, Lynn says. “He

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

Lynn says that even after all this time, it still touches her that Al did something so outside his comfort zone for her. “It’s a very special memory to me, and I’ll never forget it.”

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040-044_st03_proposal 1/5/07 11:08 AM Page 6

Mark Lackritz’s proposal to Marcy was part of the play at a murder-mystery weekend show.

Sheldon Pierson decided he’d marry Phyllis the first time he saw her.They posed for this golden anniversary photo nine years ago.

MARCY and Mark Lackritz aren’t the only people for whom their engagement is a special memory. Mark had won a trip to an inn in Mohican State Park for a special solve-the-mystery weekend some months before, and although Marcy didn’t know it, he had been using those months to engineer a memorable engagement.

It started with Mark’s phone call to the inn, inquiring whether they could have his proposal to Marcy written into the script the actors use to drop clues for the inn’s guests. The innkeepers were happy to oblige.

The weekend started Friday afternoon, and by Saturday night’s dinner, Mark was so nervous, he only managed to push his meal

OF COURSE, it doesn’t always take months of planning to cre-

around his plate. Marcy, having no clue as to what was about to hap-

ate an engagement story that people will talk about for decades to

pen, ate with a hearty appetite.

come. In 1947, a pair of students at Ohio State University, both

Suddenly, Marcy says, one of the actors came into the dining

young Jews from Cleveland, crossed paths at a summertime picnic

room and said, “Guard! Guard! The safe has been opened, the sword

being held by a university club. There, Sheldon Pierson met a young

Excalibur is missing, and this box was left in its place.” A second

woman named Phyllis. He told his roommate, “That’s the kind of girl

actress took the box and began showing its contents around the

I’d like to marry,” and he asked her out for the following weekend.

room, saying, “Oh my, what a very beautiful piece of jewelry; someone must be married very soon.”

As she approached Marcy, Mark dropped to one knee, with Marcy asking him what he was doing. Marcy was so surprised, she recalls,

44

After just a few dates, sitting in the rumble seat of the roommate’s car, Sheldon risked a kiss. For Phyllis, who describes herself at the time as “sheltered and naïve,” that could only mean one thing: She asked him, “Does this mean you want to marry me?”

she began hyperventilating and started to feel ill. It wasn’t until Mark

Sheldon had kept his cool as a military medic in the Pacific the-

took her outside for some fresh air that she was able to compose her-

ater, but that night, he says he could only gulp and stammer, “I guess

self and say “yes” to his proposal. Back inside, the couple had more

so.” After Sheldon worked several months to earn enough for an

than 100 instant friends with whom to celebrate their engagement.

engagement ring, the two were officially engaged. And while the old

The couple recently marked their 12th anniversary, and Marcy

saw maintains that if you marry in haste, you repent at leisure, the

says Mark still works to keep her on her toes with romantic

two report they are still happily together and looking forward to

surprises.

their 59th wedding anniversary in April. ❤

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

Document1

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F E AT U R E

046-049_st07_greenWedding 1/11/07 11:05 AM Page 2

Courtney Rose and Matt Thompson carefully planned their earth-friendly wedding.

making white weddings green by laura m. walter

AN ENVIRONMENTALLY conscious couple can find

When Sharon realized how important it was for her daughter to

plenty of ways to tie the knot and still remain true to their principles.

avoid serving meat on her wedding night, however, she decided to

Everything from menu, invitations, china, rings, and the wedding

go along with a vegetarian menu.

marvelously meat-free

gown can be carefully tailored to match the couple’s environmental ideals.

Courtney and Matt selected a mozzarella and tomato salad, bread-

Courtney Rose and Matt Thompson, who married last Memorial

sticks, fresh fruit, spinach and sun-dried tomato tarts, vegetarian

Day weekend, created an earth-friendly wedding. Their efforts show

dumplings, and roasted Portobello mushrooms stuffed with saffron

that with a little planning, anyone can make a white wedding green

couscous. Sharon says she still hears from guests who raved about her

– without sacrificing any of the beauty or elegance of the big day.

daughter’s unique and delicious menu.

changing tradition When Courtney Rose, who now lives in Baltimore, announced

offer a vegetarian option. Marlene Leitson of Café 56 says that at the

she wanted her wedding to be entirely vegetarian, her mother

weddings they cater, about 15% to 20% of guests request a vegetar-

Sharon initially balked at the idea.

ian entrée. Representatives from Executive Caterers at Landerhaven,

“I thought it would be nice to give people a choice if they’re not attuned to vegetarianism,” she explains. She worried that friends and

46

Even if your wedding isn’t entirely meat-free, it’s still smart to

Café 56, and Lockkeepers all said that they could happily plan a vegetarian menu.

family, most of whom were accustomed to traditional Jewish wed-

A couple deciding to serve vegan courses – vegetarian dishes

dings and wedding fare, would feel uncomfortable or unsatisfied

without dairy or eggs – must plan the desserts and wedding cake

with the event.

with extra care.The Web of Life Natural Foods Market in Westlake has

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

046-049_st07_greenWedding

1/11/07

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046-049_st07_greenWedding 1/8/07 4:26 PM Page 4

a vegan bakery and deli, and Nature’s Bin in Lakewood also prepares

economically responsible alternative to mining new gold, or from

some vegan food. Wedding organizers can find pareve (with no

gold mined in a sustainable, fair-trade program. Lab-created dia-

dairy) pastries and cakes at Unger’s Kosher Market, where owner

monds, which are chemically, physically, and visually identical to

Moshe Rosenberg says he can prepare some selections without eggs

mined diamonds, present an alternative to the environmental and

to satisfy vegan patrons.

social conflicts that surround the diamond mine industry.

a green makeover

embrace the spirit

Of course, a green wedding isn’t limited to what’s on the table.

It’s true that some guests might be a little unsure of the nontra-

Consider having your wedding in a park or garden,

ditional aspects of a green wedding at first,

so you can celebrate in the great outdoors. Arranging

but a little advance information can help

transportation, such as a bus or trolley, is a great way

them understand the significance of the

to minimize the number of cars and pollution. If the

changes. Courtney and Matt included an

wedding is held in a synagogue, family and guests

explanation in their wedding invitation,

can still get a feel for nature by organizing a hike the

and they also set up a wedding website to

day before the wedding, as Courtney and Matt did.

further inform guests and get them pre-

To reduce paper waste, use recycled paper for

pared (and excited) for the big day. In the

wedding invitations and programs. Courtney and

end, they say, their wedding even brought

Matt went a step further and ordered their invitations

their two families closer together.

from WomanCraft, a social enterprise of a Chicago

After overcoming her initial uncertainty,

women’s shelter. All WomanCraft items are handmade

Sharon Rose was thrilled with her daugh-

by current or former shelter members from 100% post-consumer recycled paper, and proceeds help

Handmade invitations of 100% postconsumer recycled paper benefit a women’s shelter in Chicago.

women create new beginnings.

ter’s wedding. She advises other parents to “embrace the spirit of your children” while planning a wedding. After all, if exchanging

Table centerpieces and favors can also undergo a

vows in an environmentally friendly way is

green makeover. Courtney and Matt used potted herbs as center-

important to the bride and groom, it only makes sense to honor their

pieces, so guests could later plant them and enjoy cooking with fresh

wishes and celebrate the day with a little green. ❤

herbs at home.

When it comes to favors, consider socially conscious gifts.

Courtney and Matt, for example, made a contribution in every guest’s

Bonnie Davis Catering, 216-831-7909

name to the American Jewish World Service.

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Executive Caterers at Landerhaven, 440-449-0700

elegant gown made from hemp or organic fibers.

Unger’s Kosher Market & Bakery, 216-321-7176

Wedding rings can be made from recycled gold, the socially and

48

For information call:

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

046-049_st07_greenWedding 1/11/07 3:53 PM Page 5

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050-053_VA_VENUES 1/11/07 1:25 PM Page 2

Party…

Cleveland Botanical Garden

The InterContinental Hotel

Hilton Garden Inn, Cleveland/Twinsburg

Visit the area’s premier banquet facility!

Extraordinary cuisine, incomparable service and convenient location. Serving up to 570 guests. Hilton Garden Inn, Cleveland/Twinsburg.

330-405-4488.

Featuring the largest and most elaborate collection of ballroom and event space in the city to make your event memorable.

Renaissance Cleveland Hotel 216-696-5600.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

Dance among the stars and party like a rock star for one glamorous evening in this awe-inspiring architectural gem.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum 216-781-7625.

House of Blues hosts all types of celebrations. Delicious menus feature Southern-style American cuisine.

State-of-the-art sound, lighting and staging guarantees a richly unique and memorable experience.

216-274-3326.

Blue Point Grille Delmonico’s Steakhouse

Rehearsal Dinner?

Wedding Shower?

We’ve got you covered – In Style – at Blue Point Grille or Delmonico’s Steakhouse in Independence.

Customized menus – numerous private dining options.

440-356-7202.

The Bertram Inn & Conference Center

The Bertram Inn & Conference Center has multiple venues to accommodate 10-500 people.

Toll free 877-995-0200. www.thebertraminn. com

Renaissance Cleveland Hotel

The lovely Japanese garden at Cleveland Botanical Garden is a favorite spot for wedding ceremonies. Cleveland Botanical Garden 216-721-1600 www.cbgarden.org.

House of Blues

The InterContinental Hotel in Cleveland offers impeccable wedding experiences including customized menus, gourmet cuisine, stylish surroundings and detailed service unparalleled in the city.

216-707-4168

50

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

Mustard Seed Market & Café

Chagrin Valley Athletic Club

050-053_VA_VENUES 1/11/07 1:26 PM Page 3

Make your special day unforgettable at the Chagrin Valley Athletic Club, with personal wedding planners catering to your every need. 440-543-5141.

Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland

Severance Hall Severance Hall, one of Cleveland’s most renowned landmarks, is available for your elegant and distinctive wedding reception, ceremony or photos. Contact Bob Bellamy at 216-231-7421.

Signature of Solon At Signature of Solon, our dining is worldclass. Our event Management staff works closely with you to ensure your event will exceed your expectations. 440-498-8888.

Executive Caterers at Landerhaven

At Hilton Cleveland East/Beachwood our receptions get quite the reception.

With over 16,000 sq. ft. of event space for receptions up to 500 people.

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Picture your wedding at the award-winning Marriott Cleveland East, in our luxurious Ballroom, pampered by personal service to make your day one to remember.

Call 216-378-9191.

Wondows on the River

Marriott Cleveland East

Hilton Cleveland East/Beachwood

At the Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland, your wedding will feel as unique and special as your undying love for each other. For more information call 216-623-1300.

Mustard Seed Market & Café. A unique natural foods market and café offering catering and reception spaces for special events.

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Montrose: 330-666-7333.

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The magic of Landerhaven.

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440-449-0700.

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216-861-1445.

| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 51

Park Synagogue

Park Synagogue. From ceremony to celebration, the wedding of your dreams begins at Park Synagogue Main or Park East. Call Wendy at 216-371-2244, ext. 135.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Let the 33,000 picturesque acres of Cuyahoga Valley National Park be the memorable backdrop for your wedding day.

330-657-2909 x103. www.cvnpa.org.

The Restaurant at Sinergy

The Restaurant at Sinergy.With its blending of simple elegance, exotic cuisine, and exceptional service Sinergy has everything you need to make your day even more special.

216-363-1130.

Courtyard by Marriott Cleveland Beachwood

Courtyard By Marriott Cleveland Beachwood A small, intimate room to entertain your outof-town guests for dinner or brunch.

Contact our sales associate at 216-765-1900.

Cleveland Mueseum of Natural History

Cafe 56

A unique atmosphere for your unique event! Dine & dance among the dinosaurs!

Create your event in one of our spectacular galleries.Visit www.cmnh.org for additional photos & rental information.

216-231-4600.

52

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

Glenmoor Country Club

Embassy Suites Beachwood

As the premiere location for weddings in Northeast Ohio, Glenmoor Country Club’s unique style, impeccable facilities, and incomparable culinary staff will dazzle your guests at your destination wedding!

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| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 53

PLANNING

054-059_st17_margi 1/11/07 9:44 AM Page 2

A deep breath before the plunge: Margi awaits her wedding.

bridal wave The joy, sorrow and chaos of planning a dream wedding by margi herwald zitelli photos by LCD photography

IT ALL went off without a hitch.

Seriously, it did. The catering manager even came up to my dad and told him she’d never seen a wedding go so smoothly.

The dinner intended for the guy who didn’t show up went to the

54

they’ve ever heard.

Yes, my recent wedding to Matthew Zitelli was perfect.

The 11 months before it, however, were an insanity I can barely describe.

date some other guy unexpectedly brought, even though he had

Everyone will warn you (unsolicited) that planning a wedding is

RSVPed as a single.The cake was delicious, the flowers wowed every-

a hellish experience that will make you want to elope. Not true. Most

one, the band had all 201 people up and dancing, and guests are still

of it is actually quite fun. (Notice I said most.) But, no matter how

talking about how our ceremony – written and performed by a dear

organized, centered and/or in love you are, once you’re caught up in

friend of ours – was one of the most heartfelt and heimish (warm)

the Bridal Wave, all bets are off.

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

054-059_st17_margi 1/11/07 9:44 AM Page 3

The dads, Basil Zitelli, left, and Gary Herwald, bless the challah at the start of the reception.

the early bird books the band

help them help you

Matt and I got engaged on New Year’s Eve 2005. We wanted to

Matt and I knew early on what we didn’t want at our wedding.

plan a fall 2006 wedding in under a year, so we started immediately.

These things included, but were not limited to: bells; the color

A mere four days after getting engaged, we were checking out

orange; “Pachelbel’s Canon”; an old-fashioned banquet-style head

venues. Matt would frequently develop a slightly horrified, glazed-

table; the Chicken Dance; and really anything that looked like some-

over look and plaintively ask if it was really necessary to start plan-

thing you would see at everybody else’s wedding. That said, we

ning so soon. As it turns out, it was.

didn’t much know what we did want.

By mid-January we had booked the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel

Picking a vendor is not unlike casting a play. If you select the right

as the site of our wedding. By the end of February, we had secured a

people – talented, hardworking, experienced, and on the same page

block of hotel rooms for our guests, booked the band, florist, string

as you – the rest takes care of itself. My event coordinator from the

quartet, and narrowed down our photographer options.

hotel, the leader of my band, my florist, and my photographer all had

Not one of these vendors said to us, “You have plenty of time.”

Most said, “You’re lucky I still have that weekend open.”

But once I had checked off nearly everything on the “One year to

one very important quality in common. They all uttered the following words to me: “I’ll take care of all those details; you won’t have to worry about a thing.”

six months before the wedding” checklist in my fancy planning

Did you know that your florist also provides your table linens,

book, I stopped thinking it was absurd to be this deeply involved so

runs your wedding rehearsal, and cues the bridal party when to

soon after getting engaged. From April to August my wedding plan-

begin the march down the aisle? Did you know your bandleader or

ning duties and appointments were sporadic; all the big stuff was out

DJ devises a schedule for your reception, determining the best times

of the way. It was worth being crazed the first two months to have

to cut the cake, cue toasts, begin dances?

such later activities as cake-tasting and registering be leisurely and fun.

Did you know your liaison at your wedding venue coordinates everything from accepting delivery of your cake to putting out your CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 55

054-059_st17_margi 1/11/07 9:44 AM Page 4

addresses and a dress

guest book and place cards and reminds you that you have to provide food to feed your band? Well, they do. Or at least they should. And if

Every bride loses it at least twice during the wedding-planning

it is ever suggested to you, my fellow brides, that you or someone in

process. Likely one of these instances will be triggered by nothing

your family should handle any of the above, do not hire that vendor.

whatsoever. Some brides cry or throw tantrums. I did cry a little, but

Matt is a graphic designer, so he was able to listen to my Faulkneresque babble and translate it into very specific ideas for our invita-

However, there will also be at least one moment when a bride

tions and cake. But, let’s face it, most people don’t know bickham

goes justifiably nuts. For me, that moment involved bridesmaid

font from trajan. Most people have no idea what colors orchids come

dresses.

in or whether or not they’d look good in an arrangement with hang-

Bridal shops – often decorated with lace doilies, frilly pillows and

ing amaranthus. And if you know off the top of your head whether

china trinkets – are strange places.You stand on a pedestal with your

you want fondant or gum paste decorating your cake, then you’re a

bra showing while your friends and family cry, and a stranger insists every dress is “perfect for you.”

better bride than I. I

I bought my dress at a relaxed and friendly store

work for an organization that publishes a bridal magazine,

No fondant on the Zitelli cake. Elegant icing designs suited the couple best.

but found my attendants’ gowns at a different shop.

When it came time to order the dresses, we were

and I wasn’t even

met by an ancient saleswoman with a bad wig and

entirely sure what

penciled-on eyebrows. While being measured, my

organza was until I

maid of honor (a fashion design major) sagely

was wearing it.

offered advice to Eyebrow Lady, such as, “That’s not

But, I did know I

where you measure the bust line” or “That’s not my

liked blue and laven-

waist.” Later, I found Eyebrow Lady had copied the

der. I knew I liked

style number of the dress wrong.

things that were sim-

Seven weeks later, when the shop failed to ship

ple yet elegant and

out-of-town bridesmaids their dresses, I went ballis-

unique. I knew the-

tic. Justified and warranted.

matically my wed-

Less justified was my meltdown over addressing

ding was going to be

the invitations. I hate to refer to a couple by the

more Shakespearean

man’s name only, as in “Mr. and Mrs. Jon Smith.”

romantic than vin-

However, there is no grammatically correct way to

tage glamour or fairy

keep the formal honorifics of Mr. and Mrs. while

tale. It took several

using both spouses’ first names.

hours with each ven-

In the end, I compromised, addressing older rel-

dor, but each offered

atives and friends of my parents’ the formal way and

insightful

those of my generation the informal way. Not one

sugges-

tions and shaped my vague ideas into a specific design. In the end,

guest noticed. But at the time, the issue was the most important and

without knowing anything much about flowers, lighting, fonts,

gut-wrenching thing in my world.

paper thickness, frosting or dress fabrics, I managed to design exactly what I wanted … with a little help.

56

I mostly relied on streams of hysterical profanity.

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

To the average person, this may all seem ridiculous. But brides know, every little wedding decision is a triumph and/or a trauma.

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| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 57

054-059_st17_margi 1/11/07 9:44 AM Page 6

mrs. zitelli’s advice for brides

plans, keep them involved, and have them take the lead on the

• Wear high heels, makeup and sparkly jewelry when trying on wed-

rehearsal dinner.

ding dresses. It will help give you a better idea of how you will look

• Be understanding and sympathetic when your bride-to-be goes off

on the big day. Also, bring a hair clip so you can see how dresses look

the deep end (because she will). If you still think she’s adorable in

with an up-do.

the midst of insanity, you’ve clearly made the right choice.

• Plan where you want to register and do a reconnaissance mission

mrs. zitelli’s advice for guests

at each store before you actually make your selections. Don’t let sales-

• RSVP and make hotel reservations early. As soon as you receive the

people talk you into household items you don’t need (Do you really

invitation, in fact.

need glasses for red and white wine? Will you ever use that fondue

• If the couple has a wedding website, check it. The answers to most

pot?).

of your questions will

• Take notes, especially

be there.

when

interviewing

• Look at how your

potential vendors. Some

invitation is addressed.

venues don’t allow red

If

wine (it could stain the

names are not there,

carpet) or lit candles

they’re not invited. If it

unless they’re in high-

doesn’t say “and guest,”

sided glass holders. Ask

you’re not free to bring

about everything!

a date. If you have a

•

serious

Get a video. You’ll

worth it to go back and watch

the

Margi and Matt Zitelli see each other for the first time on their wedding day.

significant

was an oversight that the couple left his or her name off the invita-

events

unfold.

tion, call and ask before RSVPing for two.

• Don’t forget that, even though the reception takes a lot of work,

• Purchase a gift early and have it sent to the bride and groom before

the ceremony is the most important part of the day. Don’t put off

the wedding day.

meeting with your rabbi or other officiant, crafting your ceremony,

• If you bring a gift to the wedding, place the card inside the box or

or writing your vows. That’s where your heart should be.

make sure it is securely attached to the outside of the package. If it

mrs. zitelli’s advice for grooms

58

children’s

other and you think it

miss so much on the wedding day, it’ll be

your

falls off, the couple will have no idea what you gave them or if, in

• Be involved … to a point. Matt took an avid interest in certain

fact, you gave them anything.

things, like food, photography and music. In other areas, such as

• Upon leaving the wedding, make sure you not only thank the cou-

flowers and decorative touches, he was happy to have me do all the

ple, but their parents, even if you’ve never met them before. Believe

work (provided he had veto power). That’s exactly what your bride

me, they will notice.

wants. She wants you to care and take an interest; it is your wedding,

In the end, it doesn’t matter if the day goes perfectly or if your tipsy

too. However, it’s still her show, so don’t try to make it yours.

uncle falls face first into the cake.The important thing is that you and

• Be a liaison to your family.You can be a huge help by asking your

the one you love are happy with the choices you’ve made – from the

parents what they want to contribute financially. Update them on

menu to each other. ❤

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

054-059_st17_margi

1/10/07

2:51 PM

Page 7

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PHOTO / MYRON PHOTOGRAPHIC ELEGANCE

060-065_st12_photography 1/5/07 3:38 PM Page 2

capturing it all Many couples are opting to have themselves photographed the entire wedding day by noelle bye

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60

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

060-065_st12_photography 1/5/07 3:39 PM Page 3

PHOTOS / MYRON PHOTOGRAPHIC ELEGANCE

Bridesmaids decorate sneakers for the bride to wear at the reception, left, and lace her into her gown.

Photographers catch the groom straightening his tie and checking out the wedding ring.

YOUR WEDDING day is probably one of the most important days of your life. And it can fly by in a blur.

That’s why you hire a photographer: to capture all those precious memories.

and his guys while they shoot some rounds at the golf course.

Stephen Cutri, owner of Cutri Photo Arts in Cleveland Heights, strongly recommends the additional pre-wedding coverage in all of his packages. He sees it as a chance to tell a story in the final wed-

But do you really want your memories to be just a bunch of

ding album. Even though most people today are getting married

posed shots? Many couples want to remember it all, from giggling

after they’ve lived on their own for a while, Cutri still likes to convey

with the bridesmaids to the final hours of bachelorhood spent with

the traditional rite of passage in his albums, of a couple leaving their

the boys. So, they have the photographer cover it all.

parents’ homes to start a home and family of their own.

Most photographers are willing to spend a full day following the

He tells it symbolically, with photos of, say, the bride leaving her

bride and groom as they get ready for the big event. Sometimes that

house to go to the ceremony and later, the bride and groom leaving

means photographing the bride while she’s getting her hair and

the reception hall at the end of the day, setting off for a new life

makeup done at home or the salon, or tagging along with the groom

together.

CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 61

060-065_st12_photography 1/5/07 3:39 PM Page 4

The overall idea is to capture plenty of candids of both the bride

according to several local photographers. After all, she has the most

and groom and their friends going through those last-minute nerves

prep work to do, from the makeup to the jewelry to the fabulous, to-

and strong emotions, says Divine Saleh, owner of Divine

die-for dress.

Photography in Mayfield Heights.

What the photographer will cover is ultimately up to the couple,

Those pre-wedding moments are the best part of his job, says

says Scott Gloger, president of Myron Photographic Elegance in

Cutri. Especially that classic moment when the bride steps out of the

Beachwood. “Brides are making a commitment time-wise and finan-

dressing room and her father sees his little girl all grown up, wear-

cially to have us follow them the whole day.”

ing her wedding dress.

“Many of the toughest fathers’ eyes well up with tears at that moment,” Cutri says.

they need to find out in advance whether or not their photographer offers unlimited photos as part of the package. The additional coverage could result in 150-200 extra photos being taken, and that can

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Usually, the bride is the star in those before-the-wedding photos,

If a couple wants this kind of extended coverage, Gloger explains,

Photographers use unusual angles to create special shots. An “aerial” view shows bride Jamie Bill surrounded by her bridesmaids.

62

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

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060-065_st12_photography 1/5/07 3:41 PM Page 6

Jamie Bill shows off her sparkling wedding sandals, top. Handholding bride and groom.

Brian Bill sweeps his bride Jamie Kessler off her feet on their wedding day.

get expensive if the photographer charges extra after a certain number of pictures are taken.

The extra photos open the door for more creative album layouts

Sometimes the packages can go beyond the big day itself to

,too, says Alberto Dick, owner of Alberto Photography & Video in

include rehearsal and rehearsal dinners, says Michael Lichterman,

South Euclid. For a more modern look, Dick will use some of the

owner of Clifford Norton Studio in Cleveland. He once shot a wed-

pre-wedding photos as part of a collage of photos in the wedding

ding with continuous coverage from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. He ended up

album.

with about 1,200 images. For those larger projects, he’ll sometimes bring in additional photographers, he says.

Lichterman estimates about 70% of his couples choose full-day 64

coverage.

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

Captured on film or video is “the experience of being a bride, being the ‘number one’ of the day,” Cutri says. “I love to capture that.” ❤

060-065_st12_photography 1/11/07 3:47 PM Page 7

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| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

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| JSTYLE | WEDDINGS 2007 | 67

PLANNING

068-071_st02_dance 1/8/07 4:29 PM Page 2

Berinthia and Mark LeVine, with Dick Blake, left, took lessons before their older daughter’s wedding.

Now they’re practicing for their younger daughter’s marriage.

determined to dance by rachel hoskins

IT’S MONDAY night, and Dr. Mark and Berinthia LeVine are dancing the cha-cha in the Beachwood dance studio of Dick Blake.

They started taking dancing with Blake seven years ago in prepa-

before their daughter’s wedding, and they have been taking 30minute, weekly lessons ever since.

ration for their older daughter’s wedding, but by the way they’re gaz-

“It made us enjoy a happy occasion even more. We felt like we

ing at each other tonight while dancing this vibrant salsa, they could

were a part of the wedding celebration and not just observers,” says

pass for newlyweds.

Berinthia, a vice president at the Jewish Community Federation of

“It was important for us to take dance lessons before the wed-

68

So, the Shaker Heights couple signed up about nine months

Cleveland.

ding,” say Berinthia and her husband, a dermatologist. “We didn’t

Now Blake is teaching the LeVines and their younger daughter,

want to get out there (on the dance floor) and not know how to

Cyrena of San Antonio, Texas, who is getting married this summer,

dance.”

specific dances so they’ll be ready for this wedding, too.

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

068-071_st02_dance

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| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 69

068-071_st02_dance 1/8/07 4:29 PM Page 4

When Cyrena is in town visiting her parents, Blake has been teaching Dr. LeVine and Cyrena a swing for the father/daughter dance.

“She didn’t want me to look like an idiot,” Bruce says half-jokingly, nodding to his wife.

Now the groom’s parents are taking lessons, as well, and several

Just as much a part of the wedding reception as the toast, the wedding dance can be one of the most feared moments of the nuptial events. But this special moment need not be a nerve-wracking

other relatives are thinking about joining the dance bandwagon. “I think we started a trend,” says Nancy.

Learning to dance has been a childhood dream come true for

occasion. With a little time and effort,

Nancy. Bruce, meanwhile, was inspired

dancing with your spouse or newly

by watching “Dancing with the Stars,”

married child can be just as enjoyable

an ABC television show that pairs

for you as it will be for your guests

dancers with celebrities in a dance

who are watching.

competition.

Do not fool yourself into thinking

“Nancy would be watching the

you can get out there and wing it by

show with me, and after a few

swaying or shuffling around. “You can

episodes, I started to think it looked

look quite corny doing the wrong

like a lot of fun,” admits Bruce.

dance moves,” says Blake. “Hugging

Many families start the dance por-

while moving in circles doesn’t cut it

tion of their reception with the hora

anymore.”

and other traditional Jewish dances.

Today’s in-vogue wedding dances

Later in the evening, they move into

differ from those of yesteryear. The

ballroom and contemporary styles.

father/daughter dance used to be a

That way there is a little something for

waltz, notes Blake. “Today it’s a swing

everyone.

or a jitterbug because we have fathers

If that sounds like a plan for your

today who are physically fit. Fifty is the

or your child’s wedding, then hopeful-

new 30.”

ly, after the cake has been eaten and the

Similarly, the bride and groom’s first dance need not be the box step.

traditional songs played, you will still Nancy and Bruce White practice dance steps for their daughter’s upcoming wedding.

be dancing the night away with confi-

Many couples today are opting to go

dence, inspiring your guests to stay on

with a foxtrot or even a salsa. Blake rec-

the dance floor a little while longer,

ommends opening the reception with the introduction of the bride and groom, followed by their first dance. This shows off the newlyweds and heightens the celebratory mood of the occasion.

To get dance-ready for the big day, you can opt for private lessons

enjoying the moment.

“The more we danced, the more other people danced, the more the band played,” says Dr. LeVine of his eldest daughter’s wedding.

“It was infectious.” ❤

or take group lessons like those offered at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Northfield Center (which also offers private lessons).

Nancy and Bruce White of Orange Village are taking weekly dance lessons in preparation for their daughter Allyson’s April wedding.

70

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

For information call: Dick Blake, 216-831-5463

068-071_st02_dance

1/11/07

3:24 PM

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PLANNING

072-073_st05_counseling 1/5/07 11:34 AM Page 2

pre-marital counseling

hat

YOU seriously think counseling is only for relationships on the

and resolving them with the couple. She also works to create a com-

rocks? Au contraire. Seeking some support or therapy before you stand

fort level and a role for family members who are new to Judaism. She

under the chupah is not indicative of a problem, according to local

likes to clarify religious symbolism and define some cultural differ-

rabbis and therapists. It’s a smart, proactive way to sort through a few

ences.

As part of her counseling, she strongly encourages couples to take

issues while they’re still in their infancy, before they grow up and out of control.

the Prepare-Enrich inventory which is a “test” or assessment cover-

As loyalties switch from parents to a spouse, and as couples estab-

ing various marital issues. These include expectations, communica-

lish themselves as a united pair, friction can arise from multiple

tion, financial management, children and parenting, family and

sources. Rabbi Rosette Barron Haim of The Temple-Tifereth Israel has

friends, couple flexibility and spiritual beliefs.

The results, she says, point out where some “growth areas” might

provided premarital counseling to many couples; she has learned where some of the pitfalls lie. They often first manifest themselves when the couple begins to plan the wedding.

be.

Two uniquely Jewish issues she raises relate to the couple’s new

“You’re trying to please three sets of people – yourselves, your

home and to possible offspring. She recommends not waiting until

parents and your in-laws.You’re also dealing with established family

children come along to practice religious rituals in the home. She

cultures and patterns,” says Haim. With these potential sources of

also suggests that couples undergo Tay-Sachs genetic testing to deter-

tension in place, “you can create residual issues after the ceremony.”

mine what their chances are of producing a child with the disease.

Haim tries to arrest that process by talking about any flashpoints 72

by june scharf

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

She firmly believes that counseling “is not something couples

072-073_st05_counseling

1/11/07

2:53 PM

Page 3

should pull in at the end of the wedding planning process as a drastic measure.â&#x20AC;? Instead, they should remember that rabbis are a resource they can draw on whenever necessary.

Supplemental support, however, is typically not required in an extended way. Dr. Ellen Casper, a psychologist in Beachwood with 30 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience, recognizes this, along with a coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s need for â&#x20AC;&#x153;honest, direct communication with a trained professional present.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Little things can take on a life of their own if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not discussed,â&#x20AC;? she warns. She works with couples to define where conflicts are and how they might be reframed so they can be managed. Seeing a counselor to problem-solve at an early stage is, in fact, a show of strength and an act of confidence, she notes.

In her experience with couples, several universal issues arise. One of them is tension surrounding family finances. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It can become a highly charged emotional issue,â&#x20AC;? she says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also about control,

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Also, spending habits vary, so couples need to be mindful of each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preferences and must discuss what is comfortable for both of them.

Another area where she works to diffuse potential strain is with household maintenance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You might think chores and responsibilities are trivial, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not,â&#x20AC;? she cautions. Problems can grow out of one

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With respect to their sexual lives, Casper finds that couples tend to enter marriage being more sexually confident and compatible these days. After some time goes by, she cautions that greater mental involvement and creativity become necessary.

Another issue often raised early in a coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationship is annoying habits such as talking on the phone at great length, spending time on the computer until the wee hours, leaving laundry (both dirty and otherwise) laying around, and eating or drinking too much.

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| JSTYLE | WEDDINGS 2007 | 73

PLANNING

074-077_st06_invitations 1/11/07 10:42 AM Page 2

.. . d

e t s e

s i e

u q re

c n se

PHOTO COUR TESY/IN

VITATION STU DIO

r u yo

e r p

The ultimate wedding invite is nestled in a satin-lined box. Delicate dotted swiss bag holds the invitation.

by stephanie garber

YOUR

WEDDING

day is the minutely choreographed production of your own fairy tale.You

at her Invitation Studio in Solon.

Selecting the invitation that’s perfect for you isn’t easy. In fact, it’s

select the “costumes” (styles, colors, fab-

not unusual for a bride to spend two or three hours in the process,

rics); “props” (flowers, candles, settings,

says Eisner. And that’s understandable, because there is such a vast

chupah); “fare” (light brunch? rich banquet?); and music.

array of choices: Tactile: delicate onionskin-type paper, or thick, tex-

But first, your wedding invitation welcomes others to witness this important event marking your beginning of happily ever after.

“You want everyone to feel special about coming to your wedding, and your invitation is what conveys that message,” notes 74

Beverly Eisner who sells exclusive, higher-end designer invitations

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

tured handmade paper? Foundational color: a delicate ecru or pristine white? The embellishments: custom-dyed ribbons; tiny, sparkling rhinestones; hand-beveled, foil or colored-edges?

At the highest end of Eisner’s invitations is a white, satin-

074-077_st06_invitations

1/11/07

1:20 PM

Page 3

You are cordially invited to view a unique selection of upscale Save the Date Cards Shower Invitations Wedding Invitations Thank You Notes Personalized Stationery & Gifts

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“The Wedding Of Your Dreams” | JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 75

074-077_st06_invitations 1/5/07 11:44 AM Page 4

PHOTO

COUR TESY/IN

VITATIO

N STU

DIO

Bows, textured paper and elegant fonts let brides stamp invitations with personality.

covered boxed ensemble,

Most couples are

embraced by a taffeta bow.

also opting to send

Nestled inside the box’s

save-the-date

exquisite, pillowy folds is the

announcements, which

invitation, the reception card,

go out way before the

and a response card and enve-

invitations. “They’re espe-

lope.

cially helpful for out-of-

While the boxed invitation is

town guests who will have

admittedly out of the price range

to make hotel and airfare

of most, the wedding invitation is

reservations,” says Finkenthal.

one area where brides refuse to

Save-the-date announcements range from

compromise on quality.

The current trend is toward invita-

spond with the most spectacular wedding invitations, says Jean

tions that are both more expensive and

Spinosi-Rond, vice president of Sobella Paper Boutique. “it’s really a

more traditional, says Amy Garnitz of A.L. Wain Co. “The choice of

preference call, but almost all couples decide to use their engagement

wording is more formal and traditional, and the fonts are much

picture in the announcement,” she notes.

fancier than they have been in the past.”

Today’s most popular color choices are black and chocolate brown, and bronze and copper metallics, she adds.

“Brown is the new black, so brown and champagne are showing up a lot in both bridesmaid’s dresses and wedding invitations,” concurs Bob Gentile of Sensational Celebrations.

76

whimsical refrigerator magnets to cards that corre-

While wedding invitations are mailed six to eight weeks before the wedding date, save-the-date cards go out six to eight months prior, says Spinosi-Rond, “and that heads-up can really make a significant difference in airfare prices!”

Most couples keep a copy of their invitation, often having them framed or set into a clock, says Doll Bloom of Notoriety. So, she cau-

Specializing in invitations for almost 20 years, Amy Finkenthal

tions, the most important thing to keep in mind when selecting your

has also seen a noticeable trend toward the fancier in “everything

invitation is to choose something you’ll be proud of for years to

from bows to fonts” at her Exclusive Invites.

come.

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

❤

1/10/07

2:31 PM

Page 5

PHOTO COURTESY/SOBELLA PAPER BOUTIQUE

074-077_st06_invitations

Tri-fold invitation features the couple’s names and wedding date on the outside of the invitation.

an attitude of gratitude BECAUSE a note of thanks is “a reflection of you, sending it in a timely manner is as important as selecting the perfect wedding dress,” says Doll Bloom of Notoriety.

To stay within the parameters of politeness, etiquette experts like Emily Post say thank-you notes should be sent preferably within ten days of the bridal shower and two weeks after the honeymoon, but no later than three months after the wedding.

“The sooner, the better is the nicest way to be,” says Bloom.

“Especially if a gift is mailed, it’s important to acknowledge receipt as soon as possible so the sender knows you received it.”

While a lot of brides want to match their thank-you notes to their invitations, it’s really not necessary, says Amy Garnitz. “I always tell people, ‘Your thank-you note doesn’t go with you to the reception!’”

Nevertheless, Bloom and Garnitz admit brides usually do match thank-you notes to invitations – if only because they love the latter so much.

While invitations are trending toward more formal fonts and styling, thank-you notes are becoming less so. “More often couples are selecting thank you notes that are from ‘Susan and John’ instead of ‘Mr. and Mrs.,’” says Bloom. But, however casual they might be, Bloom cautions, it’s always important to use either blue or black ink only when writing them.

“And keep in mind that you can never overbuy thank-you notes,’” Bloom points out. “You can always use them in the future for other occasions that require an expression of thanks!”

❤

CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 77

PHOTO / CULINAIRE PAVANE

PLANNING

078-081_st27_baskets 1/9/07 1:58 PM Page 2

Gourmet cookies, chocolates, crackers and jam provide great snacks for out-of-town guests.

wrapped up in wedding baskets by christine gordillo

WHEN you’re planning the perfect wedding, it’s all about the

items representative of Cleveland-area companies, such as

details. From the shoes on the bride’s feet to the miniature couple on

Humphrey’s Euclid Beach popcorn, Cleveland Indians peanuts from

the top of the cake, it all adds up to the most memorable day of a

Peterson’s Nuts, and a bottle of wine from a local winery.

Another way to make your baskets stand out is to

couple’s life.

personalize the contents, says Foxman. She has helped

But don’t forget to make the event memorable for

create baskets that include the bride and

guests as well, particularly for those coming from out of town. For the out-of-towners,

groom’s names as well as a photo of the

welcome baskets offer a special touch that

happy couple on candy bags or wine or

says “thank you for coming and making the

water bottles. To top it off, the couple may write a personalized message to each

extra effort.”

“It’s a very nice surprise” to have the

guest, attached as a gift tag on the basket.

baskets waiting in the guests’ hotel rooms

The baskets also can be used to impart needed information to out-of-towners. A copy of the

when they arrive, says party planner Sherri Foxman, founder of Party411.com. The gesture also helps set the PHOTO / EDIBLE ARR

tone for the festive weekend ahead.

The contents of the welcome baskets can be

weekend’s itinerary, from rehearsal dinner to Sunday

Edible flower arrangements are a whimsical variation on the traditional fruit basket.

tailored to the theme or style of the wedding

brunch, as well as maps from the hotel to the various destinations are helpful and welcome additions to the basket. Throwing in a single-

weekend. For instance, a summer wedding that may include golf out-

use digital camera is also a fun way to get the guests involved in the

ings for the weekend could include a box of tees or a small box of

weekend and capture some great candid moments, adds Foxman.

golf balls in the baskets.

Cleveland-themed baskets welcome out-of-towners with all the 78

EM ANG

TS EN

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

For those who want to add a Jewish touch to the baskets, Miriam Blum of Blum’s Party Goods in South Euclid suggests Israeli-themed

078-081_st27_baskets 1/11/07 2:59 PM Page 3

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PHOTO COURTESY / CHOCOLATE EMPORIUM

PHOTO / INITIALLY YOU,TOO

078-081_st27_baskets 1/11/07 10:37 AM Page 4

Treat guests with a taste of Cleveland, left. Above, a basket of chocolates are a delicious welcome.

matchbooks for the Friday night lighting of the candles. “People also really like the little chocolate squares that say mazel tov,” she adds.

Blum can also provide gift bags with a Star of David on them for those who opt for something smaller than a gift basket.

Chocolate seems to be the universal ingredient in any wedding-

Most party-basket purveyors prefer if the client touches base with them at least two months before the event to go over cost, contents, and other details. They’ll touch base again a week or two before the big day to finalize everything.

themed gift basket.There are chocolate bars, chocolate-covered fruit,

Most hotels will deliver the baskets for you. If you reserve a block

chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate-covered popcorn, chocolate-

of rooms, and the guests have pre-assigned room numbers, many

covered nuts, chocolate- … well, you get the picture. You can’t go

hotels will have the baskets waiting in the rooms for guests (just

wrong with chocolate.

make sure the baskets are clearly labeled with names). Some will

At Chocolate Emporium in University Heights, owner Eleanor Newman has her clients roam around the store and handpick their favorite chocolate items for the baskets.

For those who want to try and keep the calorie-bingeing weekend down to a minimum, a welcome bouquet from Edible Arrangements is one alternative. Owner Matt Adkins of the Edible

charge a few dollars per basket for the service.

If the baskets can’t be waiting in the room upon arrival, they can be picked up at the front desk when the guests check in. Either way, the touch of a welcome basket will be like the icing on the cake for the wedding weekend.

❤

For information call:

Arrangements’ Lakewood store likes to call his fruit bouquets “func-

• Blum’s Paper Goods, 216-381-7273

tional flowers.” Heart-shaped and chocolate-dipped fruits are popu-

• Chocolate Emporium, 216-382-0140

lar selections for weddings. Edible Arrangement stores are also locat-

• Culinaire Pavane: The Art of Food Design, 440-942-1180

ed in Twinsburg and Mentor.

• Edible Arrangements, 440-615-9200

While the bride and groom and their parents are inundated with

80

of a gift to the bridal couple).

• Initially You Too, 216-831-0007

wedding planning details, a good friend or family member might

• Party 411.com, 216-514-5411

offer to organize the baskets (and possibly even pay for them as part

• Unger’s Kosher Market & Bakery, 216-321-7176

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

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082-083_VA_JEWELRY 1/11/07 10:54 AM Page 2

82

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PLANNING

084-089_st19_websites 1/9/07 2:15 PM Page 2

wedding websites: love at first site by lila hanft

Kirk and Anya Hodgson’s creative website reveals a warm couple from different backgrounds who are not afraid to make fun of themselves.

WHEN they got married last September, Anya (née Leybovich)

their warm, sepia-toned website are easy for computer novices to use

and Kirk Hodgson had a Russian-style wedding reception. Instead of

as well. According to Hodgson, what makes a good wedding website

glasses of champagne, there were bottles of vodka; instead of a buf-

is simplicity and sincerity, not fancy Web functions.

fet, different food courses appeared at 25-minute intervals for several hours.

Enjoying a party like that takes stamina, so Anya and Kirk dedicated a page of their wedding website to a description of what their guests could expect from “The Russian Reception” (subtitle: “Eat, drink, and be merry, and drink a little more”).

gives you about 30 different pages you can build and choose to make active,” she explains. “We knew exactly which pages we wanted to use and didn’t clutter the site with anything else.”

making it yours As for the content of the website, Hodgson suggests “making it a

“OK, so here’s where many an American has gone wrong,” Anya

representation of who you really are.” In Hodgson’s case, that meant

Hodgson wrote. “We beg you, please do not eat before the reception;

sharing information about her Russian-Jewish family and her late

come hungry and pace yourself.”

mother, who passed away when Anya was in her late teens. “We

Hodgson evaluated four or five different wedding websites before

would like to dedicate our wedding to the loving memory of Bella

choosing WeddingWindow.com. “It seemed to have the most options

Leybovich, Anya’s mother,” Kirk and Anya wrote. “We know that

and was the easiest to set up,” she says. She chose a package that cost

despite her absence from our wedding day, she will be the one who

$60 for a year’s use of all the site’s features, rejecting the two most

is surely dancing the most and singing the loudest.”

popular free websites because they didn’t offer all the features she wanted.

A professional event planner, Hodgson may be a bit more mediasavvy than the average bride. But most of the tools she used to create 84

“When you build the website, WeddingWindows.com actually

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

Some couples hesitate to reveal a lot about themselves in a website, but Hodgson disagrees. “Include your family and friends and anyone who is really important to you and is helping you with the wedding,” she says. “It really makes them feel good about being part of it.”

084-089_st19_websites

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Page 3

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084-089_st19_websites 1/9/07 2:15 PM Page 4

wearing identical face paint at a

too convenient to do without

Browns game, speak volumes. So does the quote from Rita Rudner

Jill Minger, a fourth-year med-

that they slipped into the body of

ical student at Case School of Med-

their welcome page: “I love being

icine, and fiancé Ben Stulberg, a

married. It’s so great to find one

third-year law student at Case, have

special person you want to annoy

a website on TheWeddingChan-

for the rest of your life.”

nel.com, which is “mostly infor-

If they’re overdone, wedding

mational” rather than decorative,

websites can become a form of

Minger says.

online voyeurism. There certainly

“We thought it would be the

On their site, Anya and Kirk wrote about their love for family and friends; their love for each other comes through in photos.

easiest way to communicate with

is such a thing as too much sharing, like the mother of the groom

guests without having to call everyone a million times or take a

who wrote in the online guest book, “We finally have one son get-

bunch of phone calls ourselves,” she says.

ting married. We still have two more, if anyone’s interested.”

Other couples we talked to agreed.

It’s unlikely, though possible, that a total stranger would stumble

Shaker Heights native Jordan Bishko, who wed Miriam Gershow

into your website by mistake. To find a wedding webpage at most

this past August, believes their wedding website prevented them

sites, you must know either one person’s first and last name or both

“from having to answer a lot of repetitive questions” about hotels

of the couple’s first names. Most sites offer password-protection on

and travel directions, for example.

features such as the guest book and RSVP service, and some allow

Gershow thinks wedding websites are just as beneficial for guests and have become an expected rather than an optional feature of weddings. “I just lost the save-the-date card for a friend’s wedding and thought I’d check the date on the website. I was really annoyed when there wasn’t one,” she says.

to share or not to share?

you to set up your website so only those people with your password can view any information at all.

destination details Several couples suggested that before creating a wedding website, you make decisions about what its main function is and how much

Even the simplest wedding website provider will give you the

information to include. “Establish the goals of

opportunity to add a personal touch. Minger and Stulberg’s website

the website in advance,” Bishko advises.

is mostly simple text, but a couple of photos, including one of them

Minger and Stulberg suggest “having all the information you want people to have ready and uploaded before you announce the website.” A malfunctioning or incomplete website will frustrate your guests and you.

Gershow and Bishko dreamed of “a wedding location where they could spend the most amount of time as possible with their guests.”

They chose Black Butte Ranch in Oregon, “an incredible, beautiful natural setting where our guests (many coming from across the country) could make a whole vacation of it,” says

The straightforward websites of Ben Stulberg and Jill Minger, above, and Miriam Gershow and husband Jordan Bishko, right, convey each couple’s personalities and interests.

86

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

Bishko. They put the website up eight months before the wedding.

“We knew this was not what our parents’

084-089_st19_websites 1/11/07 2:44 PM Page 5

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084-089_st19_websites

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Page 6

generation was used to, not a synagogue or a hotel near an airport,”

sites encourage couples to link to the online stores where they have

Gershow explains. On the site, “We put a ton of information about

registered. “Some people think that’s tacky,” said Gershow, “but it

travel, accommodations, and things to do so that people could

worked for us.”

plan.”

One caveat about wedding websites and online registries: Not all

“We were asking people to spend a fair amount of money (to come to the wedding), so we wanted to make it worthwhile.”

to register. That’s why former Clevelander Eryn Synder, who will

Their website contains little information about the bride and

marry Adam Oakley this coming June, created websites on both

groom. “I was not into the ‘We’re going to tell the whole story of

TheWeddingChannel.com and TheKnot.com. “I chose the websites

our relationship on the website’ thing,” Gershow adds. “We didn’t

based on the stores I registered with,” Snyder explains.You can also

need to tell the people whom we’d invited to our wedding how we

list any additional stores where you are registered as helpful infor-

met or who we are – they already know.”

mation for your guests.

e-vites, no; e-registries, yes Despite recent advice from online wedding gurus that electronic invitations are a great way to save money, none of the couples we

conclusion Will wedding websites cease to be a convenience and become another detail that brides will obsess over until it is “just right”?

interviewed chose electronic invitations over paper ones or elected

A blogger on the The New York Observer website recently con-

to use the online RSVP services offered by many sites. Some said

fessed to “staring glassy-eyed” at her computer as she clicked

they liked the formality and permanence of a written invitation, and

between her wedding website and an online china catalog. She

all of them worried that not everyone would be able to use the

couldn’t choose a china pattern yet because she was still deciding

online RSVP function correctly.

whether Verdana or Garamond was the right font for her website.

Gift registries were another story. Although it’s poor etiquette to put gift registry information on printed invitations, wedding web-

88

websites have relationships with the online stores where you’ll want

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

Was she lost in cyberspace?

Spending so much time in cyberspace was causing “a mid-wed-

084-089_st19_websites

1/11/07

1:45 PM

Page 7

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PLANNING

090-093_st24_names 1/8/07 12:12 PM Page 2

by any other name … by lauren e. sable

WEDDINGS require endless decisions: gown, reception, location, guest list, menu. But another major decision goes hand in hand with walking down the aisle – which name will the couple use following the marriage?

While tradition previously dictated that a wife take her husband’s

Hillary Stone-Friedman added her husband Ian’s last name to her own.

name, couples today are exploring new and unique options for creating their married identities, says Rabbi Hal Rudin-Luria.

The associate rabbi at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun speaks from

Erika Rudin. When they married in 2000, he strongly felt they

personal experience. He was Hal Luria when he met his future wife,

should create a name reflecting both their histories.The couple, who always knew children would be a part of their future together, also felt their kids should have the same name as both parents.

“Both of us really value our family and our family heritage, and this was a beautiful way to carry on tradition for us and for our family,” says Rudin-Luria.

The decision, says Erika, was an easy one. The order of their names was never an issue – they just seemed to flow together.

The Rudin-Lurias moved to Cleveland within a year of their marriage, so they transitioned into the community with their new identity already in place. The couple says they do field questions about what their children, Ari, 7 months, and Jacob, 3-1/2, will do with their names in the future.

Josh Mayers and Lisa Cynamon Mayers and daughters Ellie and Nina.

90

| C L EV E LA ND JE W ISH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

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090-093_st24_names 1/8/07 12:13 PM Page 4

“I wouldn’t say it (the name change) took getting used to for me,

“I would never get indignant about someone calling me Mrs.

but it took getting used to for other people,” says Rudin-Luria. “I’m

Gearity,” Moskowitz adds. “It’s not my name, but it’s just not a big

still not sure if people realize our name is a combination of my name

deal.”

and my wife’s.”

Lisa Cynamon, who married Josh Mayers in 2001, grew up with

Hillary Stone was 36 when she tied the knot with Ian Fried-

parents who had different last names. It wasn’t until her junior year

man in 2005. As department chair for interior design and historic

in college, when she was the subject of a friend’s paper on names,

preservation at Ursuline College and owner of her own interior

that she really explored the issue.

design consulting business, she was well established in the professional world.

“I

have

“My friend later reminded me that I said I’d never take my husband’s name,” says Cynamon Mayers. “I saw Hillary Clinton as my

always

role model, because

been known as H.M.

she took her hus-

(for Michelle) Stone

band’s

in my educational and

professionally

professional life,” says

was known by both

Mrs. Stone-Friedman.

her maiden and mar-

“Professionally, it was

ried names.”

much easier to add

Lisa’s

Friedman

than

to

she

she

maiden

couldn’t

part

Stone-

with it, she admits.

Friedman has tried to

Having three brothers

maintain the profes-

who got to keep the

sional identity she

family

created prior to mar-

played into her deci-

riage, she says she is

sion. “If they can

very proud to be known

as

Mrs.

name

also

keep it, why can’t I?” Suzann Moskowitz, with husband Scott Gearity and Jacob, kept her maiden name.

Lisa

Friedman outside the workplace.

Maintaining her identity was the impetus for keeping her maiden name when Suzann Moskowitz married Scott Gearity in 2003.

“My name is a clear signifier of my identity, as the person I’ve been for most of my life,” Moskowitz says.

92

but

name is so unique,

drop Stone.”

While

name,

and

Josh

decided to use the Cynamon name in the family they’ve created together. Their first daughter’s middle name is Cynamon.

While there are no rules about what to do with surnames following marriage, Cynamon Mayers advises couples to maintain consistency in order to avoid confusion.

The attorney and new mother of son Jacob says her husband had

“I’ll call the doctor, and he won’t know how to look me up, and

no objection to her decision. They agreed their children would take

I’ve stood at the airport while they’ve had trouble finding my reser-

the Gearity name. Carrying different names, they insist, makes them

vation,” says Cynamon Mayers. “Whatever you decide to do is pretty

no less of a family.

much accepted, but just be consistent.”

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

❤

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| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 93

094-095_st04_favors 1/11/07 9:47 AM Page 2

PLANNING

wedding favors by sue angell

ALTHOUGH they may seem like a modern invention, wedding

couples use ribbon that has been stamped with their names and wed-

favors have played an important role in traditional wedding cere-

ding date to tie their wedding favors. Other couples include personal-

monies throughout history.

ized messages on the ribbon, says Eisner, who recently was asked to

In ancient times, brides would give each guest five almonds,

create a ribbon that read: “Thanks for helping us tie the knot.”

which signified fertility, longevity, wealth, health, and happiness. Dur-

If you don’t like the idea of giving out candy as a wedding favor,

ing the Middle Ages, wealthy families provided exquisite bonbons as

what else can you do? Plenty, says Doll Bloom, who owns Noteriety, a

wedding favors – a rare delicacy at a time when sugar was quite

giftware shop in Cleveland. “Small picture frames or themed notepads

expensive.Today, wedding favors are a way for the newly married cou-

are popular gift options,” she says. “So are personalized seed packets

ple to thank wedding guests for taking part in their special day.

or decorative clay flower pots.Today’s brides are tending toward sim-

“Wedding favors are a token of appreciation. They leave guests

pler, more tasteful favors.”

with a good memory of a happy event,” says Eleanor Newman, owner

Many brides are trying to incorporate their favors into the theme

of Cleveland’s Chocolate Emporium. “Candy is still a popular option

of the wedding. For example, says Eisner, June brides have been

with brides, but it’s not uncommon for

known to pass out small paper fans with

them to choose something like a tastefully

the wedding program printed on them – a

wrapped bag of popcorn or pretzels to

unique way to combine both programs

give as a wedding favor.”

and favors, especially when hosting an outdoor wedding.

No matter what they choose to give their guests, today’s brides have become

Other whimsical ideas for wedding

extremely concerned with its presenta-

favors include saltwater taffy, candy corn,

tion. Tulle netting, once used to wrap

chocolate fortune cookies, chocolate-cov-

almonds and mints, has been replaced by

ered pretzels, and wine stoppers.

Chocolate Emporium’s Newman, who

tiny gift boxes wrapped in ribbon and topped with bows. Small charms are often

Heart-shaped boxes open at the center to reveal a sweet take-home treat.

than 20 years, recalls that several years ago

attached to the bows – for weddings, the most popular options include hearts, rings, or doves.

These gift boxes are the perfect size for chocolate truffles which, Newman says, is the number one choice of wedding favor among her

has been creating wedding favors for more

a dentist asked her to make the favors for his wedding. “So I decided to make a set of chocolate teeth on a sucker stick for each guest. Everyone loved them!” ❤

clientele. The boxes can also serve as place cards. “Many brides mark the boxes with table numbers and distribute them to their guests as they enter the reception hall. It’s a clever way to make sure everyone has received a favor, while helping guests find their table.”

According to Beverly Eisner, owner of Solon’s Invitation Studio, personalization has become a big trend within the bridal industry.

Technology has played an important role in the development of this trend, with laser printers making it easy to inscribe everything from ribbons to gift boxes or gift bags with messages designed just for the occasion.

“Personalized ribbon is very popular right now,” she says. Many

For information call: • Blum’s Paper Goods, 216-381-7273 • Chocolate Emporium, 216-382-0140 • Culinaire Pavane: The Art of Food Design, 440-942-1180 • Edible Arrangements, 440-605-9200 • Exclusive Invites, Plus, 216-831-1266 • Initially You Too, 216-831-0007 • The Invitation Studio, 440-349-1178 • Noteriety, 216-839-0000 • Sensational Celebrations, 216-292-1836 • Unger’s Kosher Market & Bakery, 216-321-7176

94

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

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STYLE

096-099_st18_fashionbrides 1/8/07 12:22 PM Page 2

here comes the â&#x20AC;Ś perfect dress by jennifer daddario

096-099_st18_fashionbrides

1/11/07

2:30 PM

Page 3

Fit for a queen: at left, strapless beaded bodice above an A-line satin skirt. By James Clifford. Below, luxurious wedding gown features a pulled-up skirt accented with crystals. From Mary’s Bridal.

EVERY decision the bride makes in planning a wedding is big,

sewn throughout the dress.

but choosing her dress is, arguably, one of the biggest. The CJN

Designer Rina DiMontella, who recently showed her gowns along

recently spoke with bridal designers and salespeople to get the inside

with Clifford’s in a fashion show at Catan Fashions, typically uses silk

track on the newest trends.

and organza fabrics. Mika Inatome, another designer, says silk and

James Clifford, a designer who has dressed brides for over 40

organza are easier to work with than other materials. In addition,

years, has seen the fashion revolving door in action. But the one

they are lighter fabrics than satin or tafetta, allowing brides to “dance

thing that remains constant, he says, is that “every bride wants to

around all night,” she says.

look elegant.”

This season’s bridal gowns incorporate elegance in every fold, from fabrics to tiny details such as Swarovski crystals strategically

Lace, a fabric that gives dresses a gentle, antique look, DiMontella says, is beginning to appear in bridal wear. “Lace was out of style for a while, but it’s coming back big time,” Clifford says.

CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

| JST YLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 97

096-099_st18_fashionbrides 1/11/07 10:41 AM Page 4

At the recent bridal market in

“Either it gets bigger or a little

New York, Donna Pickett, owner

bit slimmer and lighter, no in

of local bridal store Brides by

between,” Inatome says.

Donna, saw many dresses with

An A-line dress lends itself to

lace embellishment. Pickett has

another trend in bridal fashion,

also had many brides specifically

Inatome says: being comfortable

asking for lace embellishments in their dresses.

and practical on the big day. She Designer Rina DiMontella gives brides sparkle by adding Swarovski crystals and hand beading to her gowns.

Colors have been finding their

inspiration

for

her

designs,

way into bridal fashions, and not

because “they’re moving a lot, and

just with the bridal party.

I want to make sure all my brides

Designer Inatome has been using a variety of colors in her dresses, from light pastels to even creating a red dress on request.

Lyily Abdulla, co-owner of Matina’s at Woodmere, says a majority of her brides stay away from stark white, purchasing instead an ivory gown. “Ivory is a little warmer on the skin,” she says. “White

98

frequents the ballet, she adds, for

are graceful when they’re moving, not stiff-looking.”

Strapless gowns are still “in,” but “it won’t always be,” Clifford notes. “There was a time when everyone wanted sleeves.”

Matina’s Abdulla has seen many companies slowly beginning to use a plunging neckline or V-neck.

isn’t as easy to wear as ivory. Ivory is a little more accommodating.”

Inatome, who also custom designs many long-sleeved gowns for

Bobbie Lopez, a seamstress and salesperson at All Brides Beautiful

Orthodox brides, creates dresses with detachable sleeves to give

in Hudson, has seen many brides looking for a subtle splash of color

brides “different looks.” “With a lot of customs or religious require-

on their dresses. One solution is a colored sash, which can be coor-

ments, they can’t show their collarbone,” she says. “But they defi-

dinated with the color of the wedding party.

nitely want to look stylish.”

When it comes to the dress shape, some brides still opt for a full-

DiMontella says she sees two different kinds of brides: some

skirted ball-like gown, but the latest trends include slim, sleek A-line

want an understated look; others want a full, traditional look. Either

silhouettes.

way, she says, “they all want a little bit of glitz.”

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

❤

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1/11/07

3:08 PM

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| JST YLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 99

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fairytale fashion

100-103_st01_GOWNS 1/8/07 1:00 PM Page 3

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Gown with lace bodice and feather skirt on opening pages by Enzoani.

Clockwise from left, strapless ballgown has a richly embroidered skirt accented with a pink overlay, by Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bridal. Beaded bodice with a beaded tulle skirt from Angelique makes an elegant statement. Pink gown, with pick-up skirt and laced back from Alfred Angelo could be worn for another occasion.

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| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

100-103_st01_GOWNS 1/11/07 10:50 AM Page 5

Clockwise from top left, slim silhouette features pleating on bodice and skirt. From Alfred Angelo.

Metallic ballgown accented with beaded bodice and sash by Allie Renee. A taupe sash accents this lace and silk tulle gown with three-quarter-length sleeves from Enzoani.

CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 103

104_st30_preserving 1/5/07 11:47 AM Page 2

STYLE

beyond memories,

preserve your gown by jennifer daddario

SOME brides dream of walking down the aisle in the

months, you will see a spot.”

same wedding gown their mother wore and then hand-

After the dress is cleaned,

ing the gown down to a daughter, beloved niece or sis-

the preservation process

ter. But unless the dress is properly preserved and kept in a bridal chest, the dream may never become

begins. The

gown

is

inspected and steamed to release any wrin-

reality.

kles, and then

A gown that is properly cleaned and preserved

it is placed

by a cleaner can be worn again. A dress that just hangs in a closet will change color over time

inside

from the original white, warns Vicky Wright at Al

bridal

& Fran Cleaners.

chest, “a special acid-

Before a dress can be preserved, it must be

free cardboard

properly cleaned to remove any stains or soils, even if they aren’t noticeable, says Alex Shvartshteyn of London Cleaners. “Champagne for example, is usually invisible, but if you hang it in the closet and look at it after six

a

box designed for gown preservation,” Shvartshteyn explains. Inside the box, the gown is stuffed with acid-free tissue to maintain its shape.

After the gown is properly placed in the box, it is vacuum sealed to make it airtight. The box should be stored out of direct sunlight or bright light and in a space where temperature is controlled. Wright suggests that a good spot to keep it is underneath a bed.

The preservation will last until the box is opened, but then will need to be redone. Because it is done by hand, preserving a wedding dress is costly, Wright says, (between $250 and $350) but worth it.

❤

1/11/07

Mother of the Bride

105_VA_MOTHERS

11:10 AM

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| JSTYLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 105

STYLE

106-107_st13_inshape 1/8/07 4:54 PM Page 2

eyes on the bride that’s why it’s important for her to be trim and fit by dana fine

A JEWISH girl has three times in her life where she feels she has to look absolutely spectacular: her bat mitzvah, meeting her boyfriend’s mother, and most importantly, at her wedding.

Her wedding is the one time that every eye in the room is on her, making it a must for the bride to look and feel beautiful. Besides looking the part, the bride should be in tiptop physical shape, as

However, nutrition is only half the battle. It is also crucial to exercise in order to gain stamina and maintain the weight loss.

To begin getting in shape for the nuptials, start six months to a year before the wedding, counsels King.

Yoga, a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, and hydraulic circuit training are all good ways to get in tiptop shape.

Yoga gives brides and grooms an outlet for their stress before

well.

Many brides want to lose a few pounds before the big day.

Foolishly, some feel that the easiest way to lose weight is to starve themselves for a few days. However, nutritional experts, as well as personal trainers, say that starving is the worst idea.

“Not eating is the worst thing you can do because it slows down your metabolism,” says Ed King, of Kings Gym in

their wedding. Breathing and stretching techniques as well as an uninterrupted, low impact workout help relax the couple.

Sandy Gross, of Evolution Yoga in Woodmere, says she had a client who received yoga lessons as a pre-wedding present. “Yoga is good for weight loss, tone-up, relaxation and posture,” says Gross.

Many couples hire a personal trainer to help them look and feel in shape at their wedding. King, who gets two to three future

Bedford Heights.

It is essential to eat properly. Stay away from saturated fats at all times and from carbohydrates later in the day unless you are fasting for religious reasons.

It is also important to eat lean protein throughout the day.

brides and grooms a year, believes a workout that is a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise is the perfect equation for looking like a king or queen while walking down the aisle. Aerobic activity focuses on cardiovascular work, while anaerobic exercise consists of high repetition weight training as well as resistance training.

In her women’s-only gym, Leah Dicker, of Freedom

Fitness

in

Lyndhurst, uses hydraulic circuit training, which is based on resistance

PHOTO / EVOLUTION YOGA

106

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

106-107_st13_inshape 1/11/07 2:25 PM Page 3

training; yoga and abs classes; as well as other exercises. She employs different exercises to make sure people don’t get bored with their workout. Dicker believes it is important to come to the gym three or more times a week. She also believes that weight loss is a slow process and should not be rushed.

“Two pounds a week is a good, healthy weight-loss plan,” says Dicker. “If you lose five pounds or more a week, you are losing water and then losing muscle mass, which is not good.”

Becky Barak, 24, a biology teacher from Albany Park in Chicago, recently wed her high-school sweetheart. Six months before her wedding she decided she needed to get in shape.

“I went on South Beach, joined a gym, and bought a book called Buff Brides that had weight-lifting exercises,” said Barak.

Joining a gym and eating healthy helped Barak feel good for her wedding. She says she was able to stick with her new lifestyle because her fiancé Yuval Eisenberg did it with her.

“Yuval went to the gym and ate healthy with me, which really helped,” admitted Barak.

Getting in shape for a wedding can be easy for some people because they are extremely motivated.The hard part is staying in shape after the wedding.

Barak tried to stay healthy after the big day, but about a year after her wedding, she went on her honeymoon to Italy and Israel.

“I ate a lot and realized I had to go back on my diet,” said Barak.

“Italy has a lot of carbohydrates.”

King, Gross and Dicker all stress it is important not to think of proper nutrition as a diet, but as a new way of life.

“The problem with working out is you start and you are really gung-ho about it, but then you hit a plateau and stop,” Dicker said.

“Working out for your wedding should lay the groundwork for the rest of your life.” ❤

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| JSTYLE | WEDDINGS 2007 | 107

1/10/07

penguin suit be gone! grooms have clothing options

STYLE

108-111_st15_groomswear

by douglas j. guth

4:26 PM

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1/10/07

4:28 PM

Page 3

PHOTOS COURTESY / TICKNORS

108-111_st15_groomswear

Far left, Side-vented suits create a slimmer silhouette than the broad-shouldered boardroom banker look.

Left, two-button chalk stripe tuxedo jacket is a handsome choice for fashion-forward grooms.

Some grooms are eschewing the traditional bowtie for a long necktie.

WEDDING magazines tend to focus on the bride’s dress. But what about the groom’s suit? After all, an uncomfortable man in an ill-fitting outfit doesn’t make for happy memories or good wedding pictures.

Parents of grooms-to-be need not worry. The traditional black tuxedo is still making its way down the aisle at most American weddings. However, that rented penguin suit is not the only choice out there. Fashion-forward grooms have a wide range of classy, unique clothing available to help them look great on one of the biggest days of their lives.

Vern Ticknor has sold everything from conservative black or navy suits for more formal affairs to Tommy Bahama silk pants and shortsleeved shirts for that ceremony on the beach. The co-owner of Ticknors Men’s Clothier says the majority of wedding attire is trending somewhere in between traditional and casual.

108-111_st15_groomswear 1/11/07 2:25 PM Page 4

The groom’s age is often a determinant when it comes to attire, Ticknor has found. Younger men getting married for the first time

blue or gray and appear on the suit as “broken dashes” instead of solid straight lines.

will likely go with a tux, but older men on their second or third go-

Earth tones are also catching on, maintains Ray Caporale, vice

round (who don’t have frantic parents to worry about) may opt for

president of American Commodore Tuxedo. Grooms are wearing

suits or sport coats.

brown and tan suits for “destination” weddings in tropical climes.

Wide-shouldered, three-button suits have largely been replaced

Sport coats are also making the wedding scene, adds Ticknor. Cold

by a more stylish two-button, side-vented look, notes Randy

weather styles include yak hair, which has the smooth consistency of

Diamond of Diamond’s

Side-vented

suits,

which feature slits on each side rather than a single slit down the middle in back, are a European

PHOTOS COURTESY / TUXEDO WAREHOUSE

Men’s Store.

cashmere.

It’s not enough just to have a dapper suit on your wedding day; accessories are also needed to make that perfect ensemble.Vests, for example, are

import. When paired with

a good way to personalize

flat-front

(no

your suit. While white

pleats), they create a trim-

vests are the most formal,

mer silhouette than the

you may want to choose a

typical broad-shouldered

color or pattern in the

boardroom banker look.

vest that complements

pants

Double-breasted suits

what your wedding party

have also undergone a

is wearing, say fashion

resurgence, and Diamond

experts.

predicts more grooms will

squares can also add a

be wearing them under

splash of color to your

the chupah in 2007. “It’s an

wedding wardrobe.

elegant and refined look for men who want to

Vests are a good way to personalize a suit. Choose a color or pattern in the vest that complements what your wedding party is wearing.

make a fashion statement,” he says.

If you’re having a formal daytime wedding, you may want to forego the standard tux for a dapper morning suit, replete with a

pocket

A suit can also be accessorized with a long necktie instead of a tuxe-

do’s bowtie, maintains Joe Shaner of Tuxedo Warehouse. The tie should be a conservative color or pattern; a solid-colored tie with a black suit is practical yet stylish.

cutaway jacket, gray pinstripe trousers, and an ascot. A summer

Finally, don’t forget the shoes. If you don’t want a rental tuxedo

groom could opt for a white dinner jacket instead of a standard

shoe, find a nice pair of tie shoes in leather that goes with the suit,

black jacket.

Ticknor suggests.

When it comes to suit colors, black and navy are as popular as ever. But don’t forget about pinstripes, says Ticknor. Pinstripes can be

110

Silk

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

A groom who puts together the right ensemble is taking one giant step toward having the wedding he’ll always remember. ❤

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CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS

| JSTYLE | WEDDINGS 2007 | 111

STYLE

112-113 st16_sneakpeek 1/11/07 11:09 AM Page 2

sneak

PEEK

Brittany Newman, ready to try out bridal looks.

Brittany’s hair is curled for the planned updo, featuring a crown of curls.

photography by scott gloger

BRITTANY Newman and Adam Fleeman met four and a half years ago when both worked at the Bravo restaurant in Columbus. The couple will be married August 12 at Signature of Solon. For a preview of Brittany as a bride, we followed her to Beachwood Place. Dino Palimieri hair stylist Inez Goldstein and Saks Fifth Avenue Armani makeup artists Effie Schnieder and Renetta Brown created a glowing look for her wedding day. Paris “True Love” tiara, $565, and two-layered shoulder-length veil with pearls, $485 from Matina’s. ❤

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| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

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Page 3

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| JST YLE | WEDDIN G 2 0 0 7 | 113

TRADITIONS

114-115_st10_Kosher 1/11/07 2:11 PM Page 2

jewish kitchen culture by joan kekst

WHEN we married, my husband insisted we keep a kosher

extending home hospitality, portions to the poor, a sanctification of

home. For the first few years, we lived with his parents, who did

the Sabbath, holidays and life-cycle events all culminate at the table.

keep kosher. My mother-in-law explained the technique of keeping

Science has joined with the kosher food world to create conven-

meat and milk separate.To me, it seemed a nice, nostalgic and rather

ient kosher items, which allow a wide range of cooking experi-

perfunctory procedure.

ences. Easily available, soy substitutions permit the adaptation of

Much later, in adult-education classes, I discovered the real

numerous recipes in the kosher kitchen.

The best time to establish a kosher kitchen is at the

depth and beauty of kashrut. Keeping kosher is far more

beginning of your new life together. If not now,

than a mechanical process or simply a different lifestyle. Kashrut, the ancient dietary laws of the Jewish people, distinguishes a house as a Jewish home. The philosophy behind the laws incorporates a compassion for life and a devotion to the spiritual side of food: the table as altar.

Keeping kosher is far more than a mechanical process or simply a different lifestyle.

when?

Keeping kosher costs a bit more, but nothing in comparison with the huge sums spent on diet workshops, diet books and special eating regimes.

The basics of natural, sensible, healthy eating are inherent in kosher cuisine.

The dietary laws can be understood as an exten-

Like many Jewish traditions, dietary laws are observed to

sion of the “holiness quotient … not mere words, they have resonance in daily life … something to do with the way we forage

varying degrees. One can learn the rules of kashrut much like one

and kill for food, how we prepare our food … how we consume

learns the principles of any cuisine. Couples can consult a rabbi to

food … how we relate to our community,” notes Blu Greenberg,

begin explorations of the new kitchen regimen. Kosher cookbooks

author of How to Run a Traditional Jewish Home.

abound with excellent directions, as well as interesting recipes.

Thus, if we are what we eat, we also are how we eat, shop, entertain, and celebrate. Gratitude for food, restraint from gluttony,

Food traditions transcend the generations and keep the Jewish kitchen culture of American Jews alive. ❤

hints to set up a kosher kitchen

114

• Buy distinctively different dish and silverware patterns for

separating dishes, cutlery and cooking implements is firmly

meat and dairy dishes.

established.

• Coordinate the same colors for the entire group of meat- and

• Shop at a supermarket that you know carries an abundance of

dairy-related items. For example, blue towels, blue dish drain-

kosher items. At the kosher butcher shop, ask questions about

er, etc., for dairy and red for meat.

unfamiliar cuts of meat.

• Select the necessary sets of implements and pans for meat and

• Learn the symbols for kosher canned and frozen items and

dairy. First purchases should be minimal; buy more as needed.

read labels.

• Generally, “good” dishes and silverware are reserved for meat,

• Learn which foods are pareve (contain neither meat nor milk)

which is usually served on Sabbath and holidays.

and can be eaten in combination with any meal.

• Keep a reference book in the kitchen.

• Make choices together, so each partner feels comfortable in

• Label cupboards and drawers on the inside until the habit of

the kitchen.

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

114-115_st10_Kosher

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2:53 PM

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| JST YLE | WEDDIN G S 2 0 0 7 | 115

TRADITIONS

116-117_st14_mikveh 1/11/07 10:51 AM Page 2

‘mikveh lady’ revels in the joy of a mitzvah by jane lefko

DÉCOR at the Mikveh of Beachwood (ritual bath) on Green

Married women do so each month after their menstrual periods.

Road has been described by some as “Middle Eastern/Moroccan”

Others come for different reasons, like the woman who was having

and by others as “Southwestern.” Either way, the glamorous private

trouble becoming pregnant and heard immersion would increase her

dressing rooms, contemporary plumbing fixtures, and heated earth-

fertility. Another, who was being married in an “over the top” wed-

toned marble floors are spotless, warm and welcoming. Warm and

ding ceremony, used immersion as a way to return the spirituality to

welcoming might aptly be used to also describe the “Mikveh Lady,”

her big event. Kushner says some women immerse during their ninth

(attendant) Leah Kushner.

month of pregnancy, believing this will result in an easier labor.

“Going to the mikveh is about rejoicing in being a woman,”

Kusher recalls “falling in love with the birthing process” during

declares Kushner. “I had a wonderful experience when I went to the

the births of her six children, who now range in age from 13 to 23.

mikveh as a new bride. My goal is to make this a positive experience,

As friends asked her to coach them through the births of their chil-

especially for new brides.”

dren, Kushner became a birthing coach, then a lactation consultant.

Out of respect for their privacy, Kushner will speak only in gen-

Seeking “a strong Jewish community and a financially viable

eralities about the women, Orthodox and non-Orthodox, whom she

lifestyle,” Kushner and her husband Zev, a salesman in the steel

has attended as a mikveh lady, first in Cleveland Heights and now at

industry, moved to Cleveland about 17 years ago.While serving as the

the Mikveh of Beachwood.

“full-time, six-nights-a-week” attendant at the Cleveland Heights

Traditionally, new brides immerse before their weddings in a ritual pool of clean water fed, in part, by a natural water source.

116

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

mikveh, the young mother also worked for Blue Cross/Blue Shield and for the Women’s, Infants and Children’s (WIC) programs.

116-117_st14_mikveh

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2:22 PM

Page 3

Finally, with lots of caffeine to keep her going – even now she is recognized and affectionately greeted at a local Starbucks – Kushner enrolled in nursing school at Case, where she was a “non-traditional student and the legacy” of her late mother, Clevelander and onetime Flora Stone Mather student, Florence Roth.

Currently volunteering part-time at the Mikveh of Beachwood, Kushner is available for “special appointments,” occasionally in the wee hours of the morning when a particular woman’s schedule prevents her from immersion at a more traditional hour.

Every so often, Kushner, a labor and delivery nurse at University

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Hospitals, takes the (female) obstetricians she works with on tours of the handicapped-accessible mikveh. A rear

“An unbroken chain, one generation to the next, of women who have come to the mikveh."

door leads directly from each dressing

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There is “an unbroken chain, one generation to the next, of women who have come to the mikveh.What an incredible joy to be part of that chain,” Kushner enthuses. “The greatest joy in my life was being able to hand that tradition and treasure to my eldest daughter before she was married. And I expect to do the same thing when my younger daughter is married.”

To reach the Mikveh of Beachwood, call 216-381-3170, leave a message, and your call will be returned.

❤

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Larry Shane Ginger Shane www.LarryShanedesign.com CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS

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TRADITIONS

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mazel ‘stuff’ photography by beth segal

The Wedding Dreidel, inscribed with the phrase “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li,” from The Gary Rosenthal Collection at Jacob’s Judaic.

Celebrate Chanukah with a handmade menorah fashioned from stirred and fused glass by Israeli artist Doris. Available at Jacob’s Judaic.

Welcome the Sabbath with a handcrafted sterling silver kiddush cup by Shevach Brothers, Jerusalem.Trimmed with Yemenite filigree and blue stones, it is available at Frank’s Hebrew Bookstore.

“Creation Candlesticks” in fused glass by artist Dani Katsir are an elegant way to usher in the Sabbath. From Treasures at the J at the JCC. 118

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

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Stunning sterling silver kiddush cup from Bier has “Ani l’dodi v’didi li” written on the stem.

From Frank’s Hebrew Bookstore.

Candlesticks and matching challah tray, crafted in fused glass by Israeli artist Tamara Baskin, make a wonderful addition to a new home. From Merkaz Judaica.

Sleek havdalah set from Bier features sterling silver cup, spice box and candlestick on a glass and silver tray. From Frank’s Hebrew Bookstore.

Give this glass goblet to the bride and groom to break at their wedding ceremony.Then return the shards, and artist Dani Katsir uses them to create a mezuzah for the couple.

From Treasures at the J at the JCC. CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

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g n i d d n

o e i t i w d a r a in t h c i r

s mith udio an s llack st m new by po my by a ography t pho

WHEN Liz Leeson and Shawn Fink married last August 27, they

and family all thought that was a long engagement, while everyone

wanted their guests, including both non-Jewish and non-Orthodox

else asked, “So soon?”

friends and family, to feel comfortable and knowledgeable about

Shawn notes that Orthodoxy informed the choices they made

their Orthodox celebration. So the pair put together a program that

about their wedding, from beginning to end and from the largest

would explain their traditions.

issues to the smallest details. For example, the average Cleveland cou-

Although the program didn’t mention it, there were a few staples

ple has literally hundreds of wedding locations to choose from. But

of American weddings their guests wouldn’t be seeing. Among them

the Finks could quickly cross most if not all of them off their list

were an identically clad wedding party, a double-ring ceremony, and

because the venues simply didn’t have the layout needed for a tradi-

a bouquet toss. Instead, the day would feature broken dishes and the

tional Jewish wedding.

passing of pens, along with dozens of moments rich in symbolism

In addition to space for the ceremony and another for the reception, the Finks needed a room for the traditional hour-long kabbalat

and tradition.

But before the two could meet under the chupah, there was a lot of work to do, as well as plenty of advance festivities.

where and when

120

alat r guests at kabb e bride greets he th , ract; se nt wi co ck ge clo ria t, From lef ate to seal mar pl a k ea br rs panim; the mothe decken. her father at be Liz is blessed by

panim, a pre-reception where guests give their greetings and best wishes to the bride, as well as a place for the chatan’s tish, a kind of equivalent celebration for the groom.

Liz and Shawn became engaged in February 2006 and set a wed-

The site they chose would also need a proper setting for the

ding date for that summer. Laughing, Liz says their Orthodox friends

tenaim, an agreement to the terms of the wedding between the par-

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120-123_st25_ortho 1/5/07 11:58 AM Page 3

ents of the kallah and of the chatan (bride and groom), and a yichud room, a private place where the pair could be alone for a few minutes after the ceremony. Among those venues that do have the requisite spaces, many charge by the room, which would quickly make the cost of a traditional wedding at such a site prohibitive.

Catering itself was an issue. Although it’s possible to have a kosher catered meal at a site without kosher kitchen facilities, it makes the event exponentially more complex and, of course, more expensive. In the end, the couple settled on having the wedding where Shawn worships: Green Road Synagogue.

The couple’s choice of invitation suppliers was also limited by the need for a dual Shawn signs the ketubah, above.

At bedeken, Shawn lifts Liz’s veil and replaces it.The act is tied to our forefather Jacob, who inadvertently married Leah instead of her sister Rachel.

Hebrew-English invitation, which typically isn’t carried by mainstream printers and catalogue companies. Working with Sarah Spiro, the couple designed an invitation that meshed the traditional with the modern.

Infinitely more important than the invitations, of course, was the couple’s wedding contract, or ketubah. Shawn says they found a beautiful one at Jacob’s Judaica and placed an order for it.When they mentioned that to Rabbi Melvin Granatstein, he asked if it included English text. When Shawn answered in the affirmative, the rabbi explained that it couldn’t be

riage skills, the fine art of compromise.

their official ketubah under the chupah. So, the couple opted to get

Because the two families were not homogeneous in their reli-

two ketubahs: the one they originally ordered, which they had

gious observance, Shawn says, it was always important to accommo-

framed and displayed in their home, as well as a graphically simpler

date everyone’s desires when possible, while staying within the con-

but halachically correct one that contains the actual text of their wed-

fines of religious law. There was an effort to “keep shalom bayis (a

ding contract written solely in Hebrew.

peaceful home) before there was a bayis,” Shawn quips. As an exam-

While many of the couple’s choices were limited by their Orthodox parameters, not all were. One example was the benchers,

ple, men and women sat separately at the chupah but were together at dinner.

books containing the seven wedding blessings and the Birchat

Traditional dancing was also separated by gender, but mixed sec-

HaMazon, or grace after meals, which would be sung at the reception.

ular dancing took place after dinner. That gave those who don’t find

Some “85,000 different benchers are out there,” Shawn says, exag-

mixed dancing in keeping with their observance the opportunity to

gerating only slightly.

share in the celebration and to leave before the dancing started.

the spirit of compromise

Liz’s wedding gown was also a product of compromise to con-

For the reception, they hired Mazal Tov Orchestra from Columbus

form to Orthodox standards of modesty, which dictates that a

because, Liz explained, they wanted a band that was comfortable

woman’s arms and décolletage be covered. Liz explains she found an

playing both traditional Jewish music and popular tunes, as they

off-the-shoulder style dress that had a detachable train, “which I did-

planned to have both separate and mixed dancing.The issue of danc-

n’t want to wear anyway. So one of Shawn’s coworkers turned part

ing gave the pair the chance to practice that most essential of all mar-

of the train into a shawl (to provide coverage).”

CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

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120-123_st25_ortho 1/5/07 12:00 PM Page 4

Clockwise from left, the Leesons carry candles, lighting the way to their daughter’s future. Shawn places ring on index finger of Liz’s right hand. Under the chupah, both mothers and Liz circle the groom.

tradition!

The bride was not the only one in white. Shawn wore a garment, called a kittel, over his suit. The kittel is worn by Orthodox men on Yom Kippur. Because Judaism looks upon marriage as the start of a new life for both bride and groom, the wedding day is called Yom Kippur kattan (a small Yom Kippur). As a result, the two fasted until after the ceremony under the chupah.

Shawn also went to the chupah with empty pockets and with his shoelaces untied. Both were meant to show that he came to the marriage unencumbered and without other commitments.

proper planning In the months before the wedding, both Shawn and Liz took classes to prepare for their new roles as husband and wife. Liz had a

The two mothers, adjourned to the chatan’s tish. Once they arrived, it was time for the signing of the official betrothal and terms of the wedding, known as the tenaim.

series of one-on-one classes with a married woman in the commu-

The mothers show the irrevocability of the agreement by break-

nity. Shawn’s rabbi, Shimon David Abrams, lives in Columbus, so

ing a plate together. Liz selected a china plate which would “shatter

Shawn had his classes over the phone.

into a million pieces on the first blow.” Still, Shawn says, the moth-

Shawn was feted at an aufruf held at Green Road synagogue the Shabbat before their wedding. On that occasion, Shawn was called to the Torah for an aliyah and showered with candy, symbolizing wishes for a sweet life with his new wife.

the life of the party The Finks’ wedding offered plenty of opportunities for close friends and family to fill special roles. The bride’s reception, kabbalat panim, took place an hour before the ceremony. Liz, sitting atop a small stage in an ornate chair, received mazal tovs and well wishes, accompanied first by her mother and Shawn’s mother. When those two went downstairs, Liz’s sister-in-law and a close friend 122

kept her company.

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

ers had to give it eight or nine good whacks on a chair before it cracked.

With the crockery broken, it was time to turn to the ketubah.

Shawn’s rabbi reviewed the terms of the marriage contract. While marriage licenses are signed by the bride and groom, Shawn accepted a pen from the rabbi and then passed it back, an exchange called a kinyan, symbolizing acceptance.

on to the chupah The week before their wedding, Shawn and Liz, following Orthodox tradition, refrained from seeing one another face to face.

With just a few minutes to go before the chupah, Shawn and Liz

120-123_st25_ortho 1/5/07 12:01 PM Page 5

Clockwise from left, Shawn breaks glass at conclusion of ceremony. Liz, at center of a joyous circle of dancers. Liz and Shawn carried on chairs like a king and queen.

saw each other for the first time at the bedeken (the veiling of the bride). A mass of friends and family surrounding him, singing and clapping, Shawn made his way upstairs to the kabbalat panim.

Following an age-old tradition, he lifted Liz’s veil, then replaced it, an act tied back to our forefather Jacob, who inadvertently married Leah when he thought he was marrying Rachel. With the veil in place, Liz received a blessing from her father.

lighting the way On the way to the chupah, both bride and groom were escorted by their respective parents, carrying candles, symbolically lighting

time dancing, the couple left the synagogue, but they didn’t leave

their path to the future.

their wedding celebrations behind. In the days following, a series of

Under the chupah, Liz circled her groom seven times. The pair

dinners was held for them at different locations. The first of these

was joined by the officiant, known as the mesader kedushin, Rabbi

events, known collectively as sheva brachot was held in Columbus the

Abrams. Liz received a ring, placed on the first finger of her right

day after the wedding.

hand. Green Road’s Rabbi Granatstein performed the public reading of the ketubah, and each of the seven wedding blessings was read.

With the smashing of the glass, the now-married couple retired to a private room (yichud), where they were able to relax for a few minutes before joining everyone for photos and the reception.

new faces After concluding the meal with the grace and spending some

One sheva brachah was especially touching for Shawn. Held at Menorah Park, where Shawn does Judaic programming, it allowed residents who were not able to come to the wedding to celebrate with a young man who holds a special place in their hearts.

Shawn felt the post-wedding dinners were a wonderful way to welcome Liz and him in their new roles as husband and wife, into the community. ❤ CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

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TRADITIONS

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tradition, tradition! by riva pomerantz

FORGET “something borrowed, something blue.”

means “calling up”; the groom is called up to the Torah to make a

Jewish wedding traditions offer richness and connection to age-

blessing on the Shabbat before his wedding. At that time, the con-

old customs that add emotion, meaning, and joy to every Jewish

gregation bursts into song and often pelts him with bags of sweet

wedding. A plethora of traditions that exist across the entire Jewish

treats.

cultural spectrum – Lithuanian, Hasidic, Sephardic, and Yemenite,

Since Ashkenazic custom dictates the bride and groom do not see

just to name a few – all bring unique flavor to the wedding experi-

each other for a week prior to the wedding, the bride celebrates sep-

ence. Here’s a sampling of some of these traditions.

arately with a Shabbat Kallah, a gathering of female friends, usually for

hinne

Seudat Shlishit, the third Sabbath meal.

chupah

Ululating chants and elaborate henna designs are hallmarks of a traditional Sephardic Hinne. This vibrant ceremony, which usually

Jews of every culture and origin have always married under a

takes place a week before the wedding, is a mini-wedding in its own

wedding canopy, known as a chupah.The chupah dates back to the first

right, complete with a festive meal, dancing, and musical accompa-

wedding in Jewish history – Adam and Eve’s. It was crafted by God in honor of the first couple

niment.

on earth.

The bride and groom, bedecked in traditional garb

In Jewish tradition, the

that includes fancy head-

couple is married under the

gear, heavy jewelry, and

stars,

elaborately

promise

embroidered

God

gave

the to

robes, are feted by friends

Abraham that his children

and family. Henna, believed

would be as multiple as the

to ward off the Evil Eye, is

stars in the heavens.

dabbed and traced onto the

The chupah is open on

palms of their hands as

all four sides, signifying the couple’s desire to build a

guests bless the couple proHenna, traced on the palms of the bride and guests, is a Sephardic custom.

Embroidered robes and jewelry are also part of the ceremony.

fusely.

home that is open to hospi-

also

tality and good deeds. The

highlights the separation

canopy also demarcates the

The

celebration

between mother and daughter as the latter leaves to join her hus-

couple’s own personal space, as they are about to build a new

band, an event that usually occurred by age 14 in the Arab countries

“home” through their union.

where the custom originated.The name of the tradition, Hinne, is an

Of all the traditions that flavor a Jewish wedding, the most obvi-

acronym for the bride-to-be’s three newly acquired mitzvot: hafrashat

ous and transparent “tradition” is the tangible happiness and merry-

challah (separating challah from a batch of dough), niddah (observing

making that reigns supreme. Sedate-looking, dignified individuals

the laws of family purity), and neirot (kindling Shabbat lights).

become transformed into professional jugglers or break dancers – all

aufruf At the traditional aufruf ceremony, an Ashkenazic custom, henna and heavy jewelry are out, but candy-throwing is in. Aufruf literally 124

symbolizing

| C LE V E LA ND JE WI SH NEWS | JSTYLE | WEDDI NGS 2007

in order to fulfill what is actually a mitzvah – bringing joy to the bride and groom. ❤

1/11/07

3:27 PM

Page 1

BELOW are Jewish wedding-related terms that are used throughout the CJN’s WEDDINGS magazine. aufruf: calling up of the groom to recite blessings over the Torah on the Shabbat before the wedding bedeken: placing of veil over bride’s face; done by groom prior to wedding ceremony beshert: meant to be; intended one; destined bimah: pulpit chatan: groom chupah, chupot: wedding canopy(ies) erusin: betrothal ceremony, first part of the wedding service get: Jewish writ of divorce halachah: Jewish law hora: traditional Jewish folk dance, performed in a circle groom’s tish:Yiddish for “table,” where the groom, his groomsmen and male family members gather for song and dance before the wedding ceremony kallah: bride kashrut: keeping kosher; system of Jewish dietary laws ketubah, ketubot: marriage contract(s) kiddush: blessing said over wine to sanctify beginning of a Shabbat or holiday kipah, kipot: skullcap(s) kittel: white ceremonial robe sometimes worn by groom during wedding ceremony machetunim: in-laws mazel tov: good luck, congratulatory wish mezuzah: handwritten scroll on which are written two biblical passages; affixed to doorpost of Jewish home mikveh: ritual pool used for purposes of purification minhagim: traditions mitzvah, mitzvot: obligation(s) to Jewish faith; meaning “to bind” to God; good deed(s) nisuin: nuptial portion of wedding service shadchan: professional matchmaker sheva brachot: seven blessings said during wedding ceremony and in grace after meals; also refers to week of festive meals

A DV E RT I S E R ’ S D I R E C TO RY

W E D D I N G G L O S S A RY

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ART Contessa Galleries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Elegant Ice Creations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Lee-Hayden Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Pennello Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 BAKERIES Lax & Mandel Bakery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Lucy’s Sweet Surrender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Unger’s Kosher Bakery & Food Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 White Flower Cake Shoppe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 BEAUTY Beachwood Plastic Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Electrolysis & Permanent Cosmetic Center . . . . . . . . 81 Studio Misha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 CANDY Chocolate Emporium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 CATERERS A Taste of Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Bonnie Davis Catering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Cafe 56 Catering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 The Catering Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Contempo Cuisine Kosher Catering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Executive Caterers at Landerhaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 COMMUNITY SERVICES Jewish Community Federation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 DANCE Dick Blake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 EVENT PLANNING Anali Event Productions G.S. Special Events . . . .

North Coast Events . .

Majestic Butterfly . . . . .

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67 47 65 59

FASHIONS Adina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 All Brides Beautiful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Bonnie’s Goubaud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Brides by Demetrios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Catan Fashions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Cutting Room Fabrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Fyodor Atelier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Isle of Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Lisa Moran, Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 London Cleaners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Matina’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Toni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Tuxedo Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 FINANCE Sky Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

following wedding simchah: joyous occasion taharat hamishpachah: laws of family purity tallit, tallitot: prayer shawl(s) tsedakah: charity yichud: “union;” brief seclusion of bride and groom immediately after wedding ceremony

FLORISTS Blooms Design Studio Fleurs de France . . . .

Flowers by Stazzone . .

Miklus Florist . . . . . . .

PF Designs . . . . . . . . .

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FOOD SPECIALTY Edible Arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 CLE VE LAN D J E W I SH N E W S

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FRAMES Framart Galleries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Frames Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Wood Trader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

MUSEUMS Cleveland Museum of Natural History . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

GIFTS Don Drumm Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Frank’s Hebrew Bookstore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Jacob’s Judaic Book and Gift Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Merkaz Judaica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Mulholland & Sachs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Opus Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

PHOTOGRAPHERS Clifford Norton Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Divine Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Herbert Ascherman Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 LCD Photography & Videography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Marc Golub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 MotoPhoto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Myron Photographic Elegance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 New Image Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 NorthCoast Portraits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Pollack Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

HOME FURNISHINGS California Closets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Crystal Illusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Fashion Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Fish Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Floor Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Furniture Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Linen Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Pearl Rug Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Sheraton Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 HOTELS Homewood Suites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Intercontinental Hotel & Conference Center . . . . . . . . 4 Renaissance Cleveland Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,9 INVITATIONS A.L. Wain Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Blum’s Paper Goods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Exclusive Invites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Hope Fromson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Initially You,Too . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Invitation Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Noteriety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Sensational Celebrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Sisters of Celebrations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Sobella Paper Boutique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 JEWELERS Alson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 James Alperin Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Jewelry Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Lee Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Mann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Michael W. Hayes Designer/Goldsmith . . . . . . . . . 71, 79 Nicholas Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Peter Danford Fine Jewelery & Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Rinaldi Jewelry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Robert & Gabriel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 LIMOUSINE SERVICES Unique Limousine Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 MIKVEH Park Synagogue Mikveh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 MUSIC Jerry Bruno Productions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Run Avril Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Special Productions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Yiddishe Cup Klezmer Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

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PUBLICATIONS Cleveland Jewish News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 111 Weddings in Cleveland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 REALTORS/APTS./HOUSING Howard Hanna Pepper Pike, Paul Blumberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Latina Builders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Prudential Select, Donna Glazer/ Pamela Scheer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Prudential Select, Barbara Levine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Realty One, Peggy Garr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Realty One, Adam Kaufman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Remax, Susie Loparo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 RESTAURANTS Bluepoint, Delmonico’s Steakhouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Fleming’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Restaurant at Sinergy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 SPECIALTY RETAIL Legacy Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 TRAVEL Action Travel Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Carnival Cruise Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Elite Tours & Travel, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 VENUES Aqua Charter LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Bertram Inn & Conference Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 B’nai Jeshurun Congregation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Chagrin Valley Athletic Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Cleveland Botanical Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Courtyard by Marriott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Cuyahoga Valley National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Embassy Suites Beachwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Executive Caterers at Landerhaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC Glenmore Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Hilton Cleveland East/Beachwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Hilton Garden Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 House of Blues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Marriott Cleveland East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Mooreland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Mustard Seed Market & Cafe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Park Synagogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Sammy’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Severance Hall/Musical Arts Association . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Signature of Solon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Windows on the River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

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oyster perpetual datejust and lady-datejust

OFFICIAL ROLEX JEWELER ROLEX

OYSTER PERPETUAL AND DATEJUST ARE TRADEMARKS.

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