1. Real Weddings

A Traditional Jewish Wedding at the Calhoun Beach Club in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Natural light radiated throughout the traditional Jewish wedding of Avidan Ackerson, a 28-year-old software engineer, and his bride Sara Baumgarten, a

Natural light radiated throughout the traditional Jewish wedding of Avidan Ackerson, a 28-year-old software engineer, and his bride Sara Baumgarten, a 28-year-old teacher. The couple originally became friends after meeting at a synagogue event in Washington D.C., but didn't start dating until three years later. They married at the Calhoun Beach Club in the bride's hometown in Minnesota and used a vibrant color palette to match the vibe of their summer nuptials. Because the location featured beautiful views and a lot of light, the wedding only needed minimal decorations. Following the ceremony, 170 guests were treated to appetizers and dinner followed by a full night of dancing. Many friends and relatives organized fun things that were included in the celebration, including games and a song parody. The couple admits that planning a wedding can be stressful, but advise others to only focus on the things that matter. "Figure out which parts of the day are important to you and fight for your vision there, then let everything else go," Sara says.

“I knew I didn't want a dress that was too flashy or ornate and was more interested in delicate fabrics,” Sara says.
Sara donned a Megan gown from Wtoo and used extra lace to add sleeves to make it a bit more modest. She also cut off the train so she could move around more easily throughout the day.
Sara carried a bright bouquet that popped against her white dress. “We used a lot of roses because Sara's middle name is Shoshana which is a Hebrew word for rose,” the couple says.
Avidan chose to forgo a tuxedo and wore a blue textured suit with a silver tie instead. “His primary goal was to get something that would be unique (at least for a wedding) and also practical to wear again afterwards,” Sara says.
Sara's bridesmaids donned knee-length cobalt lace dresses and the groomsmen wore their own suits and cobalt ties with silver dots from The Tie Bar.
The couple desired a location with a lot of natural light to match the feeling of their daytime summer nuptials.
“We wanted bright and cheery, but also simple,” the couple says of their wedding decor. “We picked flowers in colors that would really pop, but then were really thoughtful about where we put them.”
The bride and groom exchanged vows under a wedding canopy in a ceremony that honored Jewish laws and traditions.
After starting the afternoon with an array of appetizers including vegetarian spring rolls, vegetable risotto and seared tuna, guests were treated to sit-down dinner.
The couple kept it simple at the reception with blue napkins and white linens. “The space was beautiful and full of light and great views so we did not need a lot of decor,” they say.
The couple incorporated the bride's love for polka dots into many aspects of the wedding, including the place cards, invitations and the groomsmen's ties.
The couple decided to skip a traditional wedding cake and serve individual desserts instead of chocolate cake and strawberry-rhubarb tartlets.
After dinner, guests hit the dance floor with the bride and groom, starting with traditional Jewish dancing and later transitioning into more typical wedding dancing. “Part of the Jewish dancing was schtick, where friends and family entertain the couple with dances or little skits,” Sara says.
“We really wanted a wedding that was fun and gave us an opportunity to celebrate with our friends and family,” the couple says.