Being a London wedding planner comes with many special perks, among them the spectacular array of venues I plan my couples’ weddings in and the ever-exciting landscape of the city. One of the most wonderful things for me however, is the sense of community within the wedding world here – particularly the London Jewish community, in which I am well known and have planned many a celebration! Nicole and Joey’s wedding at The Grove in February was no exception, the family having come to me after we planned Joey’s brother’s wedding last summer in Italy. This is the story of how we blended London and ..read more

Are you looking for your perfect place to say ‘I do’ in Italy? Couples looking to marry in a gorgeous location under the Italian sun often find the process of searching for a venue overwhelming, quickly discovering that the country is bejewelled with a breathtaking number of characterful venues of all shapes, sizes and styles. I have developed Elegante Curate, your dream Italian wedding venue finder, to help pair you with your perfect place while allowing you to remain in control of your wedding planning.    This new service is brought to you by Elegante by Michelle J. As a luxury de ..read more

As an international destination wedding planner I have the privilege of working with couples from all over the world, across many miles and time zones. Through my years of experience I have planned, designed and delivered incredible weddings throughout Europe, and have noticed a rise in the number of couples in the USA seeking to get married overseas. I’ve created a shortlist of the best European wedding destinations for US couples, helping you narrow down your search and inspire wedding wanderlust. The post Best European Wedding Destinations For US Couples appeared first on Elegante by Mich ..read more

The first step in planning any wedding is deciding on the all-important date. As a planner of Jewish weddings who is also Jewish, I know the importance of choosing a date that doesn’t coincide with certain holidays and days of the week. No matter the level of observance of my couples, we always spend time considering the right time to hold their simcha and this often involves a lot of calendar-scrutiny! To make things simpler for you, I’ve compiled a list of 2024 and 2025 Jewish wedding dates you may wish to avoid (and a couple you might favour!). For clarity, Jewish calendar dates ..read more

The first step in planning any wedding is deciding on the all-important date. As a planner of Jewish weddings who is also Jewish, I know the importance of choosing a date that doesn’t coincide with certain holidays and days of the week. No matter the level of observance of my couples, we always spend time considering the right time to hold their simcha and this often involves a lot of calendar-scrutiny! To make things simpler for you, I’ve compiled a list of 2024 and 2025 Jewish wedding dates you may wish to avoid (and a couple you might favour!). For clarity, Jewish calendar dates begin at ..read more

Italy is a country well known for its breathtaking lake vistas, with the famous duo Como and Garda in the north dominating the destination wedding scene. However, when Natasha and Marc were describing their Jewish destination wedding vision to me, I knew we had to look further afield and off the beaten lakeside path. We settled on the Lucca region, in the Viareggio and Torre del Lago areas, curating a lakeside wedding in Italy unlike anything you’re expecting.    No two Elegante by Michelle J weddings in Italy are ever the same, and as a team we felt very excited to be arriving in ..read more

Last August, Team Elegante took Chicago-based Claudia and Dan and their loved ones to Hampshire’s ‘party palace’ for a weekend of celebrations against an elegant country house setting. Their three-day Avington Park wedding was luxurious, romantic and absolutely packed full of fun and dancing – and we’re taking you back there today to see what it was all about!   Claudia and Dan fell for Avington Park for a number of reasons, among them being its exclusive use status. This meant they could hire the estate for the entire weekend, beginning with a welcome dinner on the Friday evening and cul ..read more

On a beautiful Italian summer’s day earlier this year, nine members of Team Elegante sit at a small, rustic restaurant in the quiet town of Fiesole. They tuck into heaped plates of homemade pasta and the street echoes with their laughter and shared stories. Walking by, you could be forgiven for thinking they were a tourist group venturing out of Florence for the day, perhaps visiting the 15th century Villa di Maiano with its blooming gardens and panoramic view of the city. In reality, they were us and we had just come from the Villa where the grounds were being transformed for an unforgettable ..read more

One of the most important aspects of my wedding planning approach is helping you have the Jewish wedding you want, whilst balancing your wishes with all the religious and familial requirements and traditions that are important to you. I work with Jewish couples across the whole spectrum from Jew-ish to Orthodox, and one of the conversations we regularly have at the beginning of the planning process is around kosher catering and destination weddings. How do we handle kosher destination weddings, and what do we do if you are unable to get or just don’t want to have kosher catering in your chosen ..read more

Elegante ‘Piccolo’ is my signature lighter wedding planning service, small and dainty by name but not by nature. Just ask Jonathan and Katie, whose wedding I planned in a month and a half in the autumn. This way of working with me is perfect if you have got part-way through the planning but need some expert help to bring everything together. Jonathan and Katie opted for this service plus some additional planning support after deciding to have the Jewish wedding celebration they were denied through Covid, and realising they were struggling with how to turn their quirky, blank-canvas wedding ven ..read more