Whether you are planning a Bris, Mitzvah, Wedding or Shiva the Mazel Mamas vendors listed below cater to Jewish families and are experienced as well in blended cultures. We are continually expanding our listings. If you would like to be included, or know someone who would, feel free to reach out to us at hello@mazelmamas.com.
Wedding professional Joseph Salierno is back! He’s got his finger on the pulse of what’s to come in trends for upcoming weddings and how celebrity engagements might influence the trends to come in the year ahead and how some people might have some very strong feelings about potential polarizing choices.
With engagement season quickly sliding into full on wedding planning, the hype and excitement is here. We’ll talk about the rings, the cakes, the dresses and what will be exciting and creating that “wow” moment for your wedding and if mom will be on board for all of it.
Mamas are clearly opinionated when it comes to weddings and disagreements are bound to pop up even when you least expect it. As a bride, how you handle these potential landmines can possibly set the tone for how you and your partner will deal with your mother throughout the life of your marriage.
Allowing mom to be heard and not dismissed will go a very long way in keeping the peace and your stress level low. Family dynamics are always tricky, so while things are being accomplished we want to make sure that no one is feeling excluded.
If you can allow yourself to roll with how things play out on the day of your wedding, the smallest imperfections will not spiral out of control and will help you to remain calm and in control. It is very common for small things to not go as planned, keeping your expectations on not having an absolute perfect day will create a space for you to truly enjoy your day, your loved ones and the person you are committing your life to.
[01:06] Causes of drama during the wedding planning process.
[01:37] Celebrity wedding planning, and keeping it real for your own wedding.
[03:32] Megan Fox’s engagement ring, and how trends affect upcoming weddings.
[07:16] How royal weddings affect trends in wedding planning.
[08:39] Trends in wedding cakes.
[09:47] How to resolve disagreements when planning a wedding.
[15:19] Who takes the lead in the planning — and in the relationship?
[17:25] Mom’s point of view, picking your battles, and assigning tasks.
[19:10] What can you do when things go wrong? Hint: offer a solution.
[21:54] Take charge of what’s most important to you. Delegate the rest.
If you’re a curvy bride-to-be getting ready to go dress shopping you’re going to want to listen to the conversation we had with the expert of plus size brides, Shafonne Myers. The creator of Pretty Pear Bride, Shafonne gives it to us straight when getting ready to bear it all at the bridal salon.
As a bride, fiancée, daughter and woman, chances are you are going to be doing a lot of people pleasing during this process. The dress is something you will select just for you. It’s something that should fill you with joy. So, spend a bit of time thinking about what types of styles you are most drawn to.
Shafonne is a huge advocate for allowing yourself the freedom to try dresses on that mainstream bridal would deem inappropriate for curvier brides. If you love a mermaid dress, see how it will look! Same for a fit-and-flare or even an elegant sheath dress. Shafonne advises again ruling out a particular style before ever even seeing how it actually looks on you.
Ensuring that the salon will have your particular inspiration style in your size can also prove to be somewhat challenging. This is where mom can come in and be a bride’s biggest advocate!
Shafonne also breaks down the way that the bridal industry sizes their gowns. It’s shocking to many brides to learn that often when trying on bridal gowns the reality is that the cut is much smaller than the sizing for street clothing, causing everyone to have to go up from 2 to 4 sizes!
We also discuss what kind of boundaries may need to be set with your wedding entourage when you go dress shopping so that everyone is on the same page.
Listen in to hear Shafonne break down the best way for both mom and bride to arrive in style and with the least amount of mama drama!
[02:20] Shafonne says before dress shopping, think about yourself and what you like.
[04:00] Don’t rule out a particular style because you are plus size, always try it on.
[06:13] How to ensure a bridal salon will have sample dresses for you to try on.
[08:08] Mom can be your biggest advocate in ensuring the salon will have your desired style in your size to try on.
[10:20] The bridal industry does not use the same sizing as street clothing.
[13:02] The benefits of finding a “plus size only” bridal salon.
[14:10] Setting boundaries with your mom while gown shopping.
[15:48] Making sure everyone is heard.
[19:06] Wedding trends for this year.
[20:17] Which wedding designers are actually size inclusive with all of their styles.
[24:20] What Christian Soriano and other designers are doing right.
[29:02] Budgeting for your wedding gown.
[32:12] Dresses for mother of the bride and mother of the groom.
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It’s that time of the year again. It’s engagement season and there are lots of little boxes with sparkly gifts inside waiting to be given. Have you even thought about where you want to have your wedding? Wondering what the wedding landscape looks like for 2022? Matt Silver, COO of the Crescent Beach Club in New York, joins me to talk about all things weddings.
But first, we chatted about his iconic mom, Rhona Silver. She changed the face of Kosher catering and later purchased and ran the legendary Huntington Townhouse.
Rhona’s attention to detail was incomparable. She was a tough business woman who always believed in giving back to the community. Her memory lives on throughout the industry.
It wasn’t necessarily assumed that Matt would go into the hospitality industry, but he found that he loved the work and he still does. He helps hundreds of families to plan amazing events every single year and he knows that there are some key things to consider when you’re planning and budgeting.
First, your venue will be your largest expense. Many of us already knew that, but did you know that EVERYTHING else will essentially add up to your venue expense. So if you spend $10k on a venue, expect to spend the same on food, music, photography, the dress, etc.
Also, if you’re looking to plan a wedding in 2022, you’ll need to be flexible with the date. There are still a lot of 2020 reschedules on their books and they know it’s similar elsewhere so available dates might be hard to come by. Last but not least, prices are definitely going up. Be prepared to spend more than anticipated on your perfect day!
Listen in to hear all of Matt’s tips and advice for planning and executing your dream event!
[01:11] It’s that special time of year again. Did you get a little box with something sparkly inside?
[02:17] What was it like having Rhona Silver, the queen of catering, as a mom?
[04:09] Was it assumed that Matt would join the hospitality industry?
[05:37] Rona was very involved in the business and valued attention to detail.
[06:59] She was a tough business woman but also a very giving woman. Learn more.
[07:56] What is one thing that engaged couples and their moms should know going into 2022?
[09:55] How to approach your budget?
[11:02] Are things more emotionally charged when mom is involved?
[12:16] Does he find himself being the voice of compromise when planning weddings?
[14:23] How mindset about wedding dates has changed due to the pandemic.
[16:56] What do weddings look like now post-pandemic?
[17:55] Are prices going up for planning and paying for weddings?
[20:27] Learn about the things that people forget to plan appropriately for in their budget.
[22:42] Do they disclose prices before having people tour the property?
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What Jewish mom doesn’t want a say in their kids dating life? Of course, they know best! Jeffrey Kaplan, CEO of Just Kibbitz, saw this as a needed service and made it happen. Listen as he shares more about his online dating site and why it’s perfect for Jewish mamas.
While Jeffrey was in school pursuing his Masters in Entrepreneurship, he had an idea for a dating app for Jewish moms. Not for them to find husbands, but for them to help find dates for their kids.
Essentially, a mom would be able to login, create their own profile, and meet other Jewish moms who were also looking for matches for their kids. They’d get to know each other and learn more about each other’s interests, then decide whether or not to set up their kids.
If everyone agreed, their mamas could then split the cost of the date itself. In fact, when millennials were asked if they’d be amenable to going on a date arranged by their moms, 50% said they’d go. When asked if they’d go if the date were paid for, 92% were all in.
Magic!
Listen in to learn more about Just Kibbitz and channel your inner Yenta. This is what you’ve been waiting for.
[01:08] Welcome Jeffrey Kaplan, CEO of Just Kibbitz.
[02:46] How did the idea for Just Kibbitz come to him?
[04:43] I share some of my own dating and mom stories.
[06:23] Jeffrey explains more about the process itself and why they didn’t want it to be too slick.
[09:47] What kinds of questions do they get about the platform?
[10:44] 50% of millennials would be willing to go on a date set up by their moms.
[12:13] The biggest objections they hear from kids about having their mom arrange dates.
[14:37] Have they heard of any tension between moms if things don’t work out?
[15:12] What kind of success rate do they have going?
[16:50] Did he get a lot of resistance as he was building the business?
[20:34] How their eggplant promo video came about.
[22:02] Where are they most popular?
[23:50] What’s next for Just Kibbitz?
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Welcome to the show, the ultimate Mazel Mama, Renée Taylor. She has dominated the entertainment industry from film, to stage, to television, she’s done it all and seriously made her mark. Listen as she talks about her latest film Tango Shalom, what it takes to build a happy, healthy marriage, and what’s coming up next.
Tango Shalom was truly a labor of love and a project that involved the whole family. It was one of the last projects she got to work on with her husband of 52 years, Joe Bologna. It was written by Joe, their daughter-in-law produced the score, and her son directed it. They also had their family friend, Lainie Kazan co-star.
Unfortunately, before the film made it to screens all over the world, Joe passed away after battling with cancer. Their epic love was marked with lots of laughter, food, and sex. Just ask her! She even wrote an entire book about their experiences.
Renée is a bucket of laughs. Her memories of her time in the business and her comedic lens on life were a joy to hear. If you haven’t already, check out Tango Shalom and the new reboot of The Nanny on HBO Max. Just be sure you’re ready for all the laughs.
[00:55] Welcome Renée Taylor, the main mama.
[02:02] Learn more about Tango Shalom and why they played it in theaters.
[03:51] Was it hard creating a new funny, Jewish mom character?
[05:41] Did she help with the writing of Tango Shalom?
[07:33] Learn more about her relationship with Lainie Kazan.
[08:51] Did she know there was going to be a dedication at the end of the movie?
[10:26] Her advice for having a long and happy marriage.
[12:38] Was it challenging bringing together interfaith families 50 years ago?
[14:37] Renée shares about her wedding to Joe Bologna.
[16:41] How did they approach the big religious milestones?
[18:49] Does Renée cook like a traditional Jewish mother?
[20:02] Hear Renée talk about her time on The Nanny.
[22:37] Who was Sylvia Fine based on?
[24:31] She has no intention to slow down.
[26:04] What’s coming up for Renée?
Wish you could include all of your family in your child’s Simcha? With Mitzvah Stream you can. Born out of a need created due to the pandemic, the founders of Mitzvah Stream have created a solution for every family. Listen as they share more about their streaming service and why it’s needed even when we return to life as normal.
Mitzvah Stream is a Bay Area service that allows family and friends to participate in B’nai Mitzvahs, virtually. It all started when Randi attended a virtual Mitzvah for a friend’s child and she couldn’t see a thing.
It was streaming from someone’s laptop and she didn’t feel as if she was included in the ceremony. She knew there had to be a better way.
She called her brother Ben who has a background in videography and sound and proposed a solution. Thus Mitzvah Stream was born.
When Mitzvah Stream shares your ceremony, they are on site with everything you need including cameras and microphones. They provide multiple angles for an optimal visual experience and make sure that your guests can hear every word. Ben and Randi understand this is an important time in your child’s life, and your friends and family want to share the momentous occasion with you.
They’re sharing all the bumps and bruises they experienced as well as tips and tricks for you to get the most out of your virtual Mitzvah no matter where you are. If you’re planning a B’nai Mitzvah and are in the Bay area you’ll for sure want to check them out. Links are below.
[01:16] The pandemic threw families for a loop when it came to celebrating milestone Jewish events. Mitzvah Stream is the solution!
[02:30] I share my experience as a virtual participant through a Mitzvah Streamed ceremony.
[03:27] How Mitzvah Stream started.
[06:17] What Ben initially thought when Randi approached him with the idea.
[07:44] They typically use Zoom, but this one change makes a huge difference.
[09:54] It seems like the majority of families they’re working with are not affiliated.
[11:21] How are people finding them?
[14:40] Some of the concerns people have had before working with Mitzvah Stream.
[16:23] Should families reach out by a certain time in the planning process?
[19:01] Were there any challenges that they weren’t expecting?
[20:58] Do they interact with the kids during planning at all?
[21:56] What are some of the frequently asked questions they get from families?
[24:18] Have they ever streamed the party itself?
[26:21] Will they stream any other ceremonies?
[29:24] Do they travel?
[31:30] Their advice for mamas looking to add streaming to their child’s ceremony.
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Have you ever planned a Jewish wedding? Are you getting ready to need to? Before you get started you’ll want to hear all of Joseph Salierno’s wonderful tips and tricks. He’s the director of sales at Studio 27 and he has heard it all when it comes to weddings.
When it comes down to it, oftentimes, mom and bride have different ideas of what has to happen during a wedding. From the venue to the food to the photographer, expectations may vary.
It’s important for anyone planning a Jewish wedding to keep these differences in mind and verbalize them to all of your vendors!
Once you or your daughter has gotten engaged, first things first is choosing a date. You need to book your venue as soon as possible and without a date or preferred season, this is very difficult.
You can save lots of money if you decide on a day other than Friday or Saturday! Some moms are all about saving the money on the day so that they can spend it elsewhere in the budget. Some moms are set on the day of the week.
This is just a peek at all the amazing tips and advice Joseph shares from his years in the industry. Listen in to hear them all.
[01:56] Welcome Joseph to the show to share all about Jewish weddings.
[02:31] What’s the first thing you should do after you’ve told mom about your engagement?
[03:00] Why having a date in mind is critical to venue shopping.
[04:55] There’s lots of money to be saved if you’re flexible with which day in the week you choose.
[07:37] Mom’s are typically the voice of practicality, but not all will agree to alternative days.
[08:53] Why saving money on day of the week may appeal to the over the top moms.
[09:50] Things to consider when you’re planning in different areas of the country and world.
[12:51] Ways a wedding planner can help keep the peace between mom and bride during the process.
[15:06] How can you find the right photographer for your wedding day?
[17:06] What happens when the bride’s aesthetic doesn’t mesh with mom’s aesthetic?
[18:50] When meeting with the photographer, is in-studio important?
[20:37] How much information should be given in an initial conversation for an interfaith wedding?
[22:34] What questions should families ask of their potential photographer?
[25:32] Should all the cultural milestones be mentioned in the initial interview?
[26:29] Learn different ways mom may bring questions and changes to the choice of photographer.
[28:13] Your photographer choice is all about you rather than for your guests.
[29:12] The couple and moms usually have differences in expectations for deliverables. Learn more.
The holidays present a unique challenge when we start talking about interfaith households. Joining me to share her insights on how to approach these difficult conversations is parenting coach Robbin McManne.
Robbin is the author of The Yelling Cure and host of the Parenting Our Future Podcast and she has a unique and brilliant way of approaching hard topics. More than anything she tells parents to start from a place of love and empathy.
We all love our kids, but we sometimes forget that they’re simply trying to find their place in this world. They don’t ask questions, most times, to be rude or annoying. They genuinely want to piece together their reality.
This process is made much more difficult when they start realizing that other people have completely different traditions and cultures and may not value the same things as them.
I’m asking Robbin the hard questions. Everything from how to discuss Santa Clause with your kids to ways to approach those difficult members of your family. Robbin is amazing at her work and she provides fantastic tips and insights on how we can make this time of year fun and fulfilling for our children and families.
Listen in to learn more.
[01:34] Welcome Robbin McManne of Parenting for Connection.
[02:30] How can we talk to our kids about the different holidays?
[05:39] Is this when you’d discuss different cultures and traditions?
[07:21] Robbin shares her thoughts on using food to share different traditions.
[08:32] What are some different ways that interfaith families can bridge the gap between traditions so no one feels marginalized?
[12:13] How can we create productive conversations around the tree?
[14:15] My husband and I only put things on our tree that have deeper meaning for us.
[16:07] Learn ways you can deal with family members who may judge you for your lifestyle.
[21:48] How to deal with people crossing your boundaries in relation to your children.
[25:47] Honesty is the best policy with most people.
[26:50] Can we manage our children’s expectations around gifts and gift giving?
[32:01] Why the holidays are a great time to introduce giving back and philanthropy.
The Yelling Cure by Robbin McManne
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There’s no better way to kick off this podcast than with my mama, Shellie. She joins me to chat all about the Jewish events she’s had and held in her life and how they’ve changed over the years. Listen in to hear all of her amazing snark and sass while we dive into all of our events from Bris to Shiva.
Shellie was born in the Bronx but was brought up in Queens to an amazing family with a very happy childhood. She decided not to have a Bat Mitzvah because she was so shy. She did not want to be the center of attention at all.
Despite her deep attraction to a nice looking Italian boy, she found the love of her life in my dad. They had a big Kosher Jewish ceremony at the temple and she loved it. Sadly, my dad’s father passed away just five weeks prior to their wedding, but she was still happy to be starting a new journey.
Not too long after that, they were having a naming ceremony for me. They didn’t get to do it in for the first few weeks because I was in the hospital for a while as a premie, but when my brother Larry came, we had a Bris!.
Fast-forward to my 13th birthday and mama was planning her very first Bat Mitzvah. Since mom didn’t have a Bat Mitzvah, it’s hard to tell if mine was significantly different, but they’ve definitely changed since mine!
Listen in to learn why my brother Larry’s Bar Mitzvah was so long and why my wedding was super easy for mom to plan but much more difficult for me.
Mama always says she wouldn’t change a thing about her life. She has no regrets and she’s still unbelievably happy even though we have had to plan and celebrate a Shiva as well. We had so much fun taking a trip down memory lane.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
[01:20] Meet my sassy mama Shellie.
[02:18] Learn more about her childhood and her family.
[04:49] Did she ever date someone who wasn’t Jewish?
[06:30] How did dad ask her to marry him?
[08:16] They had a big traditional kosher wedding.
[09:29] She shares her experience buying her wedding dress.
[10:48] Dad’s dad passed away just before their wedding. Hear the story.
[13:34] The next Jewish ceremony was a baby naming for me.
[14:22] For my brother Larry they had a Bris.
[15:23] Jump 13 years and we had our very first Bat Mitzvah.
[17:07] The Jewish faith has changed a lot since the 80s with regard to the role of women.
[18:06] Why Larry’s Bar Mitzvah was so long and made the boys get a bit rowdy.
[20:27] Did mama have any regrets? Would she change anything?
[21:24] What was the process like for planning our ceremonies?
[22:25] These days the process is much different.
[23:12] Planning my wedding was a bit different because I was already in the event planning business.
[26:02] How pre-wedding counseling has changed from mama’s wedding to mine.
[27:25] What were some of mama’s favorite memories from events that we’ve had?
[28:56] We talk about daddy’s Shiva.
The place for Jewish moms (and those who love them) planning their Jewish Milestone events. From Bris to Shiva and everything in between. Jewish moms are legendary for a reason. We honor them, we celebrate them and we love every single opinionated, inappropriate, guilt inducing second of their overbearing love.
So, If your Jewish is more cultural than congregational there is no judgement here. Reform, Conservative, unaffiliated, interfaith, single or same sex, We are here for it with support, inspiration, and resources galore. We’ll have experts that have dealt with every kind of delicate family dynamic, along with some notable names. So grab a coffee, some cake and join the conversation.
This is Mazel Mamas.
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