Weddings are back to being big, beautiful affairs with hundreds of guests. Summer is an especially busy time for weddings; there are just a few months of glorious warm weather and the Three Weeks are a blackout time. Even in the midst of a simcha, the plight of the Israeli hostages in Gaza is still at the forefront of our minds. Many weddings are including a physical reminder, like giving printed cards to guests with prayers for the hostages, some with the hostages’ photos and names. More Israeli music is being played, especially a version of “Am Yisrael Chai” by Eyal Golan that has become an anthem for these times.
With summer weather in mind, there is a lot of competition for venue dates. Some couples look for non-traditional venues as a way of getting the date they want. Esther Katz, head of Extraordinary Events by Esther, said there are challenges in choosing that route.
“Non-traditional venues may end up costing more because they don’t have a formal setup for weddings,” she said. “A traditional wedding hall or hotel has everything, including a staff that is a well-oiled machine. If you want something different without investing more money and effort, look for a different location but stay with a wedding hall or hotel for the best value.” Couples should also consider a date during the rest of the year, when each season has its own unique beauty. With autumn, you have a backdrop of beautiful reds and golds in the landscape. Winter white can be stunning. Early spring shows promise with newly budding branches on the trees.
Families are often securing the venue they want when the couple knows they plan to marry but have not yet gotten engaged. There are many reasons to do the planning before the engagement announcement. “The couple might be in college and they don’t have the time to plan, or they don’t want to have an engagement party in the middle of finals,” said Katz. Advance notice to close family gives grandparents and relatives more of a heads-up to make travel plans if they live far away.
Most weddings still have a band and singer for the chuppah, first dance and second dance after the meal. But the last part of the wedding can take on a life of its own as an in-house after-party. Katz said she is planning weddings where she changes the look and sound of the ballroom. For that last hour, she will add supplemental lighting and a DJ to play higher-energy Israeli and Jewish dance music. Some couples include secular music as well. “Many young couples want a different feel,” she said. “The wedding is for the family. The last hour is for the couple and their friends.”
The best way to stay on top of wedding trends, secure vendors and minimize stress for the couple and their families is to get the expertise of an event planner. No matter what the couple’s budget is, Katz said she helps them get the most for their money when she is hired at the beginning of the planning stage. “An event planner is a worthwhile investment. I have the experience of planning many events and an eye for the creative aspects of how to get the look you want. I’m not there to spend your money but to get you the most for your money. I listen to what people want and advise them about how to proportion their budget. For some it may be spending more on the music, and others on the floral arrangements. And within those parameters, I know how to achieve the look, feel and sound they want.” She can also guide families and hold their hands when they have needs beyond the specifics of the event. For one wedding, she guided parents making a simcha for their more observant children through the entire process from the ceremony to sheva brachot.
Katz helped Sophia, a young woman from Teaneck, have a wedding that met and exceeded her dream of perfection. Her mother contacted Katz, who was recommended by friends, after Sophia and Ethan got engaged in October 2023, for a March 2024 wedding. “There were a few things I knew I wanted but Esther helped me figure out my vision and made it come to life. Even when I couldn’t explain it, she got it,” said Sophia. “On my wedding day, I looked at the room and thought, ‘This is how I dreamed it would be, but I didn’t know if it could happen.’ It was perfect.” Sofia said Katz put together many details she didn’t even know she needed so that the look of the room was completely and beautifully coordinated.
Flowers were one aspect of the wedding that was very important for Sophia. She showed Katz many photos of chuppahs and badekens. Katz met with the florist and got Sophia exactly what she wanted—lots of pink flowers, in an ombré effect of different shades.
Katz made the day perfect for Sophia by being a calming presence by her side. “I was nervous about the day and how it was going to flow; there were so many steps and so much preparation and then it would all happen so fast,” the bride recalled. “Esther made the day go so smoothly. She made sure of everything in advance, and during the wedding she was always there so I wasn’t nervous. She made the wedding stress-free for all of us.”
