Masha and Dustin had their beautiful ceremony and reception at La Venta Inn on the sunny first day of July!  Flowers were provided by Mulberry Row florists and these gorgeous photographs are courtesy of Dave Richards Photography - click on any of the images below to view more photos of Masha and Dave's big day.

Our latest tasting was a huge success!  Despite the chilly weather, all our future brides, grooms, and their guests enjoyed the delicious food and desserts we laid out in artful displays around the venue.  Here's what we had available for our guests:

Artichoke phyllo cigars, lobster fritters, flat iron steak & shrimp surf & turf, bacon wrapped dates, yellow tomato gazpacho, wild mushroom and brie on polenta, tenderloin crostini, and ahi tartar in a sesame cone

Carrot ginger soup, Italian wedding soup, roasted heirloom tomato soup

Baby spinach salad, oakleaf lettuce salad, Tuscan bread salad, and a mixed grilled vegetable platter

Chicken Toscano, braised short ribs on polenta, and parmesan pesto encrusted sole 

Chilean sea bass, grilled Moroccan salmon, New Zealand rack of lamb, and saffron butter rice

Angus New York strip, roasted pork tenderloin, balsamic glazed turkey breast, london sirloin, and roasted 3 potato medley

Mini lemon meringue, fruit, and strawberry linzer tarts; petit fours with strawberry and apricot filling; mini red velvet, chocolate strawberry, and lemon coconut cupcakes; pistachio, lavender, and rose macaroons

During a Jewish wedding, the groom traditionally wears a tallit -- or prayer shawl -- which is the garment worn during Jewish prayer. In some Jewish traditions, the tallit (or "talis") is wrapped around both the bride and groom during the ceremony, to symbolize their unity

Photo courtesy of Skye Blu Photography www.skyebluphotography.com

A ketubah is a special type of Jewish prenuptial agreement. It is considered an integral part of a traditional Jewish marriage, and outlines the rights and responsibilities of the groom, in relation to the bride.

In a traditional Jewish wedding ceremony, the ketubah is signed by two witnesses and traditionally read out loud under the chuppah. Close family, friends or distant relatives are invited to witness the ketubah, which is considered an honour. The witnesses must be halakhically competent witnesses, and so cannot be a blood relative of the couple. In Orthodox Judaism, women are also not considered to be competent witnesses. The ketubah is handed to the bride for safekeeping. Ketubot are often hung prominently in the home by the married couple as a daily reminder of their vows and responsibilities to each other.

Photo courtesy of Skye Blu Photography www.skyebluphotography.com

The horah, which is somewhat different from that of some of the Eastern European countries, is widespread in the Jewish diaspora and played a foundational role in modern Israeli folk dancing. It was brought to Israel by the Romanian settlers in the second half of the 19th century and became the symbol of the reconstruction of the country by the socialistic-agricultural Zionist movement. It is usually performed to Israeli folk songs, and sometimes to Jewish songs, typically to the music of Hava Nagila.

To start the dance, everybody forms a circle, holding hands, and steps forward toward the right with the left foot, then follows with the right foot. The left foot is then brought back, followed by the right foot. This is done while holding hands and circling together in a fast and cheerful motion to the right. Large groups allow for the creation of several concentric circles. In the early days, Horah was popular mainly in the Kibbutzim and small communities. Later it became a must in group dances throughout Israel, and at weddings and other celebrations by Jews in Israel, the United States and Canada. The dance appeared in North America in the early 20th century, well before modern Israeli independence, brought directly from Eastern Europe by Jewish immigrants.

Photo courtesy of Skye Blu Photography www.skyebluphotography.com