Chana and Nate’s wedding was a weekend-long celebration blending a disco chic bowling alley party the night before, with a colourful yet glam wedding day. They chose Wave Resort in New Jersey for its sleek coastal aesthetic and open, airy design. From the moment they stepped into the venue, with its exposed ceilings, concrete floors, and signature santal and lavender scent, they knew it was the place. “We never even toured another venue”, Chana said. “It had everything we wanted, and the vibe was just right,”

Chana planned the wedding in just two months. Her goal was just to have a weekend-long party with their favourite people; to look their very best, drink, dance and celebrate.“The planning itself was actually a blast”, she continued. “The hardest part was waiting until the end to start putting things into motion.”

The festivities kicked off the night before the wedding with a welcome party at a boutique bowling alley, just down the boardwalk from the resort. “It was the perfect icebreaker—super chill, ridiculously fun, and way more memorable than sitting through a plated dinner,” Chana explained. The night also gave her an opportunity to wear a custom jumpsuit which she described as “a little Dolly, a little Elvis, and 100% me.”

They kept things simple when it came to the ceremony, which was led by the bride’s dad, a Jewish Rabbi. They also didn’t have a wedding party. “Bridal parties always felt like a lot of pressure for everyone involved. We still got ready with our closest friends and family, but the ceremony itself was just us. It felt so personal and intimate.”

The biggest surprise, and highlight of the weekend, came during the reception when bottle dancers took the floor, balancing bottles on their heads while performing a high-energy routine. “They were AMAZING!” she remembered. “Not only was it a fun performance for our friends and family (regardless of their background), but they led us in the greatest hora I have ever been witness to.”

The couple wanted to avoid trends as much as possible, and to simply plan a wedding which felt reflective of them. “There’s immense pressure to conform”, Chana admits, “which can make people lose sight of what’s actually important. We were lucky to find vendors who understood us, but that’s not always the norm. There needs to be more emphasis on authenticity and flexibility in the wedding industry.”

“Stop thinking about what’s traditional or non-traditional—just do what feels right”, she concluded. “Your wedding should reflect you and your partner, no matter what that looks like to anyone else. Also, highly recommend having your photographer there the night before and the day of. It helps everyone feel comfortable and makes for better photos.”