So, here’s how it works:

From now until Thursday, February 16th at 11:59 p.m. PST, you can submit a photo of a deserving couple. This can be you and your partner, your friends, your son and his fiance — anyone who is engaged and needs a ketubah! Include the couple’s names, their wedding date, and e-mail your photo to alison@theweddingyentas.com by the deadline to be included in the contest. Eligibility allows for only one photo submission per couple.

Voting takes place from Friday, February 17th through Wednesday, February 29th. Any other year, and we would have one less day to vote in February. Take advantage of this extra day! Voting works by leaving a comment on the TBA page with all of the photos of the candidates. The comment should include the name of the couple that the voter would like to win and a reason why. “I vote for Isaac and Rebecca because they are a generous and patient couple!” For extra votes, you can “like” the MP Artworks Facebook page and leave a comment on the wall and “like” The Wedding Yentas Facebook page and leave a comment on the wall. Each comment is equal to one entry for a total of three (two Facebooks and the main page). The photo/couple with the most amount of total votes wins the ketubah prize!

The winner will be announced on Thursday, March 1st!

The winning couple receives $300 to MP Artworks! In most cases, depending on the ketubah the couple selects, this may mean a free ketubah and personalization!

Good luck!!

Breakdown:

• February 1 through February 16: Submit photos to alison@theweddingyentas.com
• February 17 through February 29: Voting begins and continues
• March 1: Winner announced

Fine print: Your wedding must be no sooner than four weeks from Thursday, March 1st to guarantee on-time arrival of your ketubah if you win the giveaway from The Wedding Yentas and MP Artworks. One submission per couple maximum.

The day before New Year’s Eve (so is that New Year’s Eve Eve?) meant an early start to the weekend for both Jordan and me. We figured we’d be home around the same time since we were both done with work at 2:00 or 3:00 that afternoon, but little did I know, he’d been home since noon planning the best engagement ever!

During a usual commute full of stop-and-go L.A. traffic, Jordan called me to find out how far I was from home, but I was on the other line and I didn’t pick up! Oops. I found out later that for 45 minutes, Jordan was sitting on the couch by our window watching for my car to pull into the garage.

I finally turned my key in the door, which probably made Jordan’s heart start to race, and I walked in the apartment, tired from the day and excited about New Year’s weekend. Right in front me, lining the hallway into our place, were rose petals up and down the entry way and 70 photos of us methodically placed in order from the time we first starting dating up until now. Romantic music filled the room. I knew what this was! It was finally happening! I couldn’t wait to find out what would come next! But, where was Jordan? I called his name, but he didn’t answer. Either I had a burglar who was very fond of me, or Jordan was keeping quiet in another part of the apartment.

I kept walking and finally found him sitting nervously on the couch. I think we were both just a bundle of nerves. It’s funny because we both knew this was part of our big, ya know, “life plan.” And we had talked about it so much, we knew it would be happening sooner or later. But on a day when I totally didn’t expect it, with a scene that was right out of a movie, the nerves took over and the adrenaline rush kicked in. That “oh my goodness, this once in a lifetime event is about to happen to me RIGHT. NOW. Must savor it all! Must remember everything!”

But of course, that never happens. It’s all so impossible to remember everything.

Jordan went on to say some really nice things. Add me to the list of girls who don’t remember a word out of the boyfriend’s mouth when he proposes. But the whole scene with Jordan down on one knee and my world turning upside down — in a good way! — in a matter of minutes completely messed with my memory retention.

Of course, I said yes! According to Jordan, he didn’t remember hearing it, so he had to confirm the positive answer a few minutes later. And if the decked out apartment and beautiful, perfect, and sparkly diamond ring weren’t enough, Jordan also had a cookie cake and Champagne on the dining table ready for us to enjoy.

We enjoyed the moment, toasting and laughing at each other and becoming used to our new titles of co-fiance. After about an hour, we started with the phone calls and broke the news to all of our excited friends and family. It was all just so… sweet.

Just in time for dinner, we headed out to one of L.A.’s best steak houses to celebrate. The celebrating continued throughout the weekend with a fabulous New Year’s Eve one night and welcoming all of our closest friends over for a toast another night. It was really the best weekend ever and I know that this year is going to be such a fun adventure. I am looking forward to planning a wedding with Jordan and experiencing the day surrounded by all of our friends and family in my hometown of Chicago. It’s already been so special; I’m excited to find out what else is in store!

I later found out that Jordan caught my entrance on video! The computer was facing the entry way and the web cam, which was pointed in my direction recorded my reaction to seeing the roses and photos lining the hall. Short of having Ashton Kutcher come out of the walls, I had my own personal episode of Punk’d except it was no joke at all! And the ring on my finger is there to prove it!

Their wedding was a mirrored reflection of who they are as individuals and a couple. Even though it was a formal location, they wanted to incorporate a more relaxed feeling throughout their wedding. Spanish guitars played for their outdoor garden ceremony, and lush florals, including real lemons and limes, reflected a distinctly California vibe. Guests sipped on lychee mojitos during cocktail hour and “picked” their escort cards from a lemon tree.

Mazel tov, Elana and Scott!

Venue- Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
Photographer- David Michael Photography
Event Planner & Candy Buffet- Bella Sophia Events
Florals- Tic Tock Couture Florals
Band and Ceremony Music- West Coast Music
Videographer- BGS Productions
Stationery- Boo’Me Creations
Rentals and Lighting- Classic Party Rentals

These are the sounds everyone wants to hear when the groom steps on the glass at his Jewish wedding. What a yummy and satisfying sound and it elicits such a hearty “mazel tov!” from all those in attendance. And bookended by kisses? Yeah, what’s not to love about the breaking of the glass?!

The question is: Can breaking the glass become any more exciting than it already is? The answer is YES. Yes, it can.

Thanks to Mazel Tov Stone, the groom has a ceremony memento that provides a sturdy and volume-increasing surface for the glass to break on with a rapid and swift stomp of the foot. Want even more bang for your buck? The pro tip: Use the heel of the foot for maximum crunch.

A Mazel Tov Stone does more than its job under the chuppah during the ceremony. It also serves as a beautiful keepsake of your wedding because it’s personalized with your information. You have a ketubah as a special symbol of your wedding day, right? A Mazel Tov Stone is another artifact from the happiest day of your life that can live in your home for all the years after.

A few weeks ago, I got to hang out with Robb and Lisa — the genius husband-and-wife team behind Mazel Tov Stone — at Bridal Premiere in California.

It’s always so fun to see friends of The Wedding Yentas in person. To all the rest of the fabulous friends in The Wedding Yentas Vendor Directory, let’s plan a big, flashy party so we can all get together and gush about our favorite thing: Jewish weddings!

Anyway, Mazel Tov Stone set up a picture-perfect booth to complement their beautiful stones and offered real demos of glass-breaking galore. They were also offering a bridal show special on their pricing. Teeeeeeechnically, it was an offer for people who were there that day and that day only. But, because you’re a reader of The Wedding Yentas, mention the bridal show special and you might luck out in the savings department. Wink, wink.

It was so fun to watch all kinds of grooms take a shot at breaking the glass. Even when it’s not a real wedding, there’s something so contagiously happy about it!

Either way, getting ready for the wedding is a fun and girly time to be with your favorite ladies as you prepare to look your prettiest! Many brides hire a makeup artist and hair stylist to come to the room. Some brides enjoy champagne toasts. Other brides just hang out with the girls and chat away about, oh you know, life and take advantage of a milestone together. No matter what, having your photographer capture these moments as you get ready to walk down the aisle is so special and you have fabulous photos to prove it!

Photos of the getting ready details are just as important as the reception details. Love these two inspiration boards from Desiree and Richard’s wedding by Heidi Ryder and wedding by Becky and Diego’s wedding by Katherine O’Brien.

Getting Ready by Heidi Ryder Photography

Getting Ready by Katherine O’Brien Photography