Unique bohemian Jewish wedding festival

Unique bohemian Jewish wedding festival

I was absolutely delighted to shoot for this couple, having photographed the bride several times before as a celebrant and wedding guest, and even more excited when I heard about their incredibly unique plans. Rachel is a storyteller who works on the festival circuit, so it was fitting that Ben and Rachel chose to really customise their entire bohemian wedding festival. For them, the wedding started from the day before, when a handful of their close friends and family joined them to help set up the DIY elements of their wedding. Their friends and family helped them to make colourful fabric bunting and put up the signposts. Wildstems created their beautiful rustic floristry for the tables. Their caterers Red Moon Roots were an integral part of the wedding, staying on site with us and providing nourishment throughout, including watermelon breaks between learning the songs for the main ceremony day. We were blessed with incredible perfect weather as we set up our tents and worked until it was dinner time served around the campfire. Ben and Rachel also arranged for a surprise ice cream van to treat their friends and family and surprise vegan marshmallows for the evening campfire.

    

Weekender Festival wedding

This won’t be the first time I’ve camped for a weekender festival wedding, and I love staying on site to be able to document a full story beyond the usual wedding traditions. In the morning Ben had a private and intimate Tisch at a ruined church in Clophill, whilst Rachel spent the morning at her Kabbalat Panim.

Outdoor Jewish wedding ceremony

Ben wore a brilliant dark teal suit whilst Rachel wore a white jumpsuit made by a friend and epic golden headdress decorated with moons and hamsas, inspired by traditional Jewish headdress and custom made by Isla Campbell. Their ceremony consisted on many unique touches. They used an “entwine mobile” to take family to the ceremonial tree, they were led in a song and dance processional to meet the couple half way up the path to all continue to the outdoor ceremony space. When they met half way along the path, Rachel wore a ceremonial garment which guests has tied prayers to beforehand. The ceremony itself took place under a gorgeous Chuppah created amongst the tree itself, and the couple did several Jewish wedding traditions such as smashing the glass, reading the ketubah and circling each other.

After the ceremony they had a short canapés and drinks reception during which they had an opening speech from friends and hamotzi.

They also had a first round of ceilidh from the Ceilidh Liberation Front.

All of their amazing food was vegan and sourced ethically and their cake was decorated with chocolate hedgehogs by friends, between the courses they had speeches from both sets of parents, followed by two rounds of open mic cabaret from their super talented friends.

The Ceilidh Liberation Front worked together with Rachel and Ben to create a very special version of a traditional Jewish dance the Briogus Tanz was normally danced by the mother-in-laws as a pantomime of “anger and reconciliation”, but they had everyone get involved and had a lot of fun with it, including a dance move where they took turns to make scary faces at each other!

After the last ceilidh they had a second round of cabaret performances and the after dinner blessings, followed by the cutting of the beautiful hedgehog cake!

Their final dance party was played by The Turbans, who had come straight overnight from Glastonbury Festival!

If you loved this epic Jewish bohemian wedding festival, feel free to check out this fun festival wedding or this DIY festival wedding. I specialise in weekender weddings both in the UK and in destination wedding locations!