Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog - Inspired Jewish Weddings

A Charlie Brear Bride for a Fashionably Floral Outdoor Jew-ish Wedding at the Bride’s Parents’ Holiday Home in Old Minster Lovell, Cotswolds, UK

21/09/2018 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

I am absolutely, whole-heartedly in love with today’s Jew-ish wedding. For starters I’m loving the fantastic floral details on the chuppah by STG Recommended Vendor Paula Rooney. They’re luxe while still managing to stay understated, and that coral color scheme? Perfection.

And just the thing for the idyllic Cotswolds setting. Lucky Miriam, a lawyer, and Josh, a banker, were able to take advantage of the bride’s parents’ fantastic holiday home in one of the UK’s prettiest corners, and thanks to fab STG Recommended Vendor Louise Perry Weddings, all the moving parts of this fab marquee wedding came together without a hitch.

STG Recommended Vendor Paul Rogers captured everything about the day so beautifully, from the lovely details to the emotion (you’ve got to see these two under the chuppah!) to that bluer-than-blue sky. Oh, and did we mention that Miriam and Josh found Paul right here on Smashing The Glass?!

Now over to Miriam, who looked stunning in Charlie Brear…

How We Met

Miriam, the bride: We met while studying history at Cambridge University, at the end of our first year. That’s also where Josh proposed!

From Sketch to Dress: A Q&A with Master Bridal Designer Caroline Castigliano

20/09/2018 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

So you’re a newly engaged bride – yaaaaay! What’s the first thing on your mind (after sharing the big news with your family and friends, of course)?

If you’re like us, it just might be the dress. It may even have been on your mind way before you got engaged – how many of us can truly say we’re not guilty of sneaking the occasional peak at a favorite designer’s website, or in their shop window?

Your dress is such a huge component of your wedding style, and we know finding one that’s the right fit for you is of the utmost importance. So what could be better than having a bespoke gown made? And by master wedding dress designer Caroline Castigliano, no less?

One of our absolute favorite designers here at STG, Caroline Castigliano has been working at the forefront of British bridal design for 27 years. She’s known for her ultra-unique bespoke gowns, featuring all kinds of fantastic details from the finest fabrics to the signature hidden corset (designed to define and balance your figure to perfection).

Every Caroline Castigliano gown is a one-of-a-kind piece, and each is handcrafted in the UK, and the dreamy Knightsbridge store is one of the world’s ultimate bridal destinations.

That’s why we’re so thrilled to bring you a Q&A with the Caroline Castigliano team on what you can expect from Caroline Castigliano’s bespoke design process. Read on for some serious bridal fashion inspo.

A Viktor & Rolf Bride for an Enchanted Garden Jewish Wedding at Havat Ronit, Israel

18/09/2018 by Karen Cinnamon 2 Comments

A bridal cape, candy butterflies, tango music… swooooon. Today’s French-Israeli destination Jewish wedding is just SO full of fantastic, unique touches. Sarah, a lawyer (and member of our Brides Club), and Uri, who works in real estate, created the most wonderful, distinctive day – partly thanks to their “wedding bible,” (in Sarah’s own words!) Smashing The Glass!

Sarah reports that she found lots of her vendors through STG, found inspo for details, and more. Our fave quote from her awesome writeup? “It’s a miracle I didn’t find my husband on it too.” LOVE.

But back to the cape. We are OBSESSED. Our friends at fab London bridal boutique and STG Recommended Vendor Mirror Mirror deemed 2018 “the year of the cape” on the Facebook Live they did with us earlier this year, and after seeing how Sarah pulled hers off we’re inclined to agree. Photographer Camellia captured the glorious fashion – plus all the other details of the day – so exquisitely.

Sarah looked just so elegant and distinctive in that cape – obviously her hyper-glam dress (that tiered skirt!) from Viktor & Rolf didn’t hurt either – and we love how it’s an easy way to add that little something extra for the ceremony. And the story of how Sarah ended up with it is pretty cool in its own right.

We also love that Sarah chose to depart from the bridal script and walk down the aisle to… a tango! How’s that for a dramatic entrance (you know, to go with that cape)? Turning it over to the gorgeous bride, Sarah…

How we met

Sarah, the bride: I am French but grew up between Paris and Madrid and moved to New York 11 years ago. Uri grew up in Hertzlyia in Israel, and moved to New York 6 years ago.

We were set up by our only friend in common at the time, we kissed on our first date. 2 years later Uri proposed in the middle of Washington Square Park where we had wandered around on our first date. Our matchmaker was our witness at our civil wedding in New York.Continue Reading

A Nicole Bakti Bride for a Garden Glam Jewish Wedding with an Asymmetrical Chuppah at Sheraton Universal, Los Angeles, California, USA

17/09/2018 by Karen Cinnamon 1 Comment

Gorgeous chuppah alert! We are completely obsessed with Tami and Phil’s asymmetrical chuppah, with sheer fabric draped over bamboo posts, and gorgeous garden flowers for extra wow factor. This chuppah is just so effortlessly elegant, and totally perfect for the couple’s Garden Glam-themed Jewish wedding.

It’s such a fantastic modern minimalist (but not too minimalist!) look. If you want a touch of florals but an ornate chuppah design isn’t your style, this is a beautiful inspiration.

It’s no wonder this day is full of fantastic touches like that: bride Tami is a co-owner of event planning and interior design business Side by Side Design (along with her twin sister!), so she knows a thing or two about planning a wedding. You won’t want to miss The Argus Image’s images of this one, from the dancing to the desserts.

We are also super touched that Tami reports she chose to submit her wedding to Smashing The Glass over other wedding blogs because she loves how we let couples tell their own wedding stories, and what a personal touch it gives. We’re totally blushing over here!

Before we turn things over to Tami, we want to mention that today is her and Phil’s first anniversary! Happy one year, guys!

How we met

Tami, the bride: He sent me a very “cheesy” pick up line on the Hinge app, and we met up for drinks and appetizers at Black Market a few days later. Some might say we should have met long before as we both grew up in the San Fernando Valley, both went to school in Arizona (rival schools), and know lots of people in common.

I knew he was a keeper when we were walking out of the bar on our first date to get our cars from the valet. There was a bit of debris (rocks and such) outside the front door as they were doing construction on the outside patio and my shoes (which I loved and did not want to get rid) had lost all traction. I slipped, and Phil caught me… the rest is history!

An Intimate, Emotional Same Sex Jewish Wedding by the Sea at Beit Andromeda in Jaffa, Israel

14/09/2018 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

This beautiful Jewish wedding is ALL about the love. Okay, and maybe a little bit about that fab ocean view, too.

We adore how brides Avital and Gili kept the focus of their day on what mattered to them. They kept their wedding super intimate – for instance, their rule in deciding who to invite? Only people they really truly love. Aww!

The pair also designed an ultra-personal modern ceremony, with original vows and blessings from family, officiated by one of their best friends.

One other thing we’re all over? The custom jewelry the brides created together to wear on the day (earrings for both brides, plus a necklace for Avital). What wonderful souvenirs, and maybe even future family heirlooms!

Photographer Natalie Schor and videographer Igor from Viditeo did such a fantastic job of capturing all the emotion of the day – you can really see the love between these two in the gorgeous photos and video.

We’ll let the brides take it from here…

A Wedding by the Beach

Avital and Gili, the brides: We got married in Beit Andromeda, Jaffa. We chose it because it is next to the beach, with amazing food, great atmosphere, small and intimate vibe, and great staff.