There’s nothing like an English country house wedding, and we absolutely adore Rachel and Stuart’s! Tatton Park, located near the groom’s hometown of Manchester, made for the perfect backdrop to this very special day – which included a wonderful outdoor chuppah on the grounds.
We love the couple’s focus on joy, beauty, and Judaism in crafting their big day – and how great is it that they made it a family affair, between Stuart’s uncle serving as the chazan and Rachel’s uncle designing the beautiful handmade ketubah! For good measure, Rachel herself designed the invitations, featuring a picture of the venue she painted.
When it came time to choose someone to capture their wedding, Rachel and Stuart chose Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kate Swerdlow. In the bride’s words,
I loved her relaxed style, which really captured beautiful, natural moments. Kate was also so lovely to work with – our engagement shoot at Aldenham Country Park was so much fun because she made us feel at ease and brought out the best in us. Our wedding photos are just beautiful, and I especially love how she captured the venue and all the little details so perfectly.
Cat Film Service handled videography, and the couple can’t get enough of their modern style and the way they captured the essence of the day.
Now over to Rachel, who looked so glam in her off-the-shoulder fitted Martina Liana gown…
How We Met
Rachel, the bride: We meet on Jswipe!
A Venue with History
My husband, Stuart, grew up in Manchester and had visited Tatton Park as a child. We were looking for a historic venue with beautiful grounds, as well as a venue we hadn’t been to for a wedding before.
Theme
I didn’t have a wedding planner. I love colors, so I tried to make the flowers really colorful without being overstated. I didn’t have a specific theme, but we are both extroverts and wanted our wedding to be about joy, beauty, and Judaism. Stuart’s uncle was our chazan, and my uncle designed a beautiful handmade ketubah, so it was a real family affair!
Invitation
I designed my own invitation – I painted a picture of the venue.
Hair + Makeup
I had an amazing local makeup artist and hairdresser team from Cheshire Makeup Co.
A Martina Liana Dress
It was an off-the-shoulder fitted dress by Martina Liana, it was classic and elegant with a bit of a twist, and I also had pearls on my veil.
Accessories
I had a pearl veil and a small pearl necklace that I always wear.
Shoes
My shoes were by Bella Belle.
Bridesmaids
I had my three sisters, Sarah, Ilana, and Michelle, plus three friends, Lucy, Emily, and Mpula. They all wore baby blue dresses in the same color but different designs from Azazie. My niece Lydia, who was one at the time wore a gorgeous blue floral dress from Next, and my nephew Eli wore little suspenders and shirt, and trousers.
Ceremony & Chuppah
I wanted something simple but impactful. The grounds were so beautiful, and we were so lucky to be able to get married outside. I loved walking down the aisle to my husband’s uncle singing. As it is a public venue, some of the park visitors were watching us with awe, which was a lovely touch.
Ketubah
My uncle Philip designed it! It’s just a hobby for him, but his ketubahs are unbelievably beautiful. He added a few personal touches like a Postman Pat, as I work for Royal Mail, and the crown of the civil service – that’s where my husband works. He does everything from scratch, including the calligraphy, and I loved the intricate design he came up with.
Our music choice
The music was amazing! Pure Showband got the vibe going. I particularly loved being dragged on stage to sing Gloria Gaynor. We also loved the Jewish dancing – our friends brought a lot of ruach (energy) so both Stuart and I were exhausted by the end.
Flowers
We had a local Manchester florist, Mirelle. The flowers were beautiful! She really got my colorful aesthetic, and was so easy to work with.
Photographer and videographer
My mother-in-law found Kate Swerdlow through a recommendation, and we were lucky to meet her when she photographed my cousin’s bat mitzvah a few months before our wedding. I loved her relaxed style, which really captured beautiful, natural moments. Kate was also so lovely to work with – our engagement shoot at Aldenham Country Park was so much fun because she made us feel at ease and brought out the best in us. Our wedding photos are just beautiful, and I especially love how she captured the venue and all the little details so perfectly.
We used Cat Film Service, I loved their style felt very modern and captured the essence of the day.
Food and cake
We had deconstructed chicken tacos, slow-cooked beef, mashed potatoes, and a dessert trio – all by Niru Catering.
Wedding List/Registry
We used The Wedding Shop.
Extra Details
Our rabbi was Rabbi Jason Kleiman. Stuart is friends with his son, so he has known him since he was a kid. He was brilliant! It’s really great to know him as a person. I did make my own speech, which is unconventional, but I am the last of the four sisters to get married – and the oldest – so I thought it was my time to shine.
Honeymoon
We haven’t been yet, but we are going to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Hawaii, and Miami. Will let you know how it goes!
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
Easier said than done! But soon the stress will be over and you’ll only be left with good memories, so don’t sweat the small stuff as planning can be overwhelming. Advice for the women – bring a change of shoes. I wore heeled trainers, which were a lifesaver. Advice for the men – bring multiple changes of clothing as Israeli dancing can get intense.
RACHEL & STUART’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK
Photography – Kate Swerdlow #STGVendor {offers 15% discount on an engagement shoot to all members of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club}
Videography – Cat Film Service
Venue – Tatton Park
Bride’s dress – Martina Liana
Bride’s shoes – Bella Belle
Bridesmaids – Azazie
Hair + Makeup – Cheshire Makeup Co
Flowers – Flowers by Mirelle
DJ – Pure Showband
Catering – Niru Catering
Wedding list/registry – The Wedding Shop
If you’re a Jewish or Jew-ish bride-to-be, you’ll want to join Smashing The Glass’ Brides Club. Guided by the world’s number 1 Jewish wedding expert, Karen Cinnamon, Brides Club is the private community for Jewish and Jew-ish brides that removes wedstress and indecision and gives you what you need to plan with confidence during these uncertain times. Join our Brides Club here.
