'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams' (Eleonor Roosevelt, former US First Lady)
From the jazz cafe near Montmartre were they had their first date, Blair and Jonathan had come a long way. Being expats in France meant they both had to learn how to adjust with living away from their community, and this emotional challenge played a huge role in strenghtening their relationship over the years. Tradition for them was how they knew their direction in life, and that's what they asked to honour on their wedding day. Our trusted Rabbi who officiates in and around Tuscany was one of the first services we booked and insisted he wanted to speak to the couple privately to bless them before the event, they couldn't be happier about him.
Turning dreams into reality
The 16th century villa outside Florence turned out to be the perfect scenario for their celebrations. It felt just right, also knowing that they had a close connection with the city, which was where Blair's parents went on their honeymoon many moons before. There's something so heart warming about watching a bride being walked to her partner in life by the man who first taught her how to walk, a very small but significant step of new life opening up and we get to witness that each time. Magical. The party went on in the outdoor terrace with city views of Florence rooftops, and the large group looked very pleased with the kosher lunch and the jolly atmosphere. One of the big perks of choosing a villa in the countryside is to have many areas to cater for the many moments of the day, including great natural backdrops for the photoshoot. We're happy they took our advice on this.
The fix of the day
A big part of our job is to empathise with and fully understand the needs of the couple, and whether possible, to anticipate and manage disappointments and disruptions. We score a very high reliability rate, but mistakes can still be around the corner. Two days before the due date, we were told that Rabbi Jacob could not attend as he was ill, so he sent a valuable replacement. With little time to rehearse, we felt confident to go ahead with the ceremony as planned, and trust that the handover from the Rabbi to his right-hand man would suffice. The event went on with a few unexpected changes and moments of confusion. Blair and Johnathan were not bothered by them, but we certainly felt that a briefing with Rabbi Elijah in the morning could have cleared all doubts. Helga, our superstar WP handled this hiccup with the guests wonderfully, taking over the mic at the end, and apologising for the few missteps. Honesty is part of our business style.
