We’ve got a really special Jewish wedding to share with you today! Sophie, a media agency manager, and Jonny, a private chef, had the most beautiful romantic winter wedding at Offley Place just outside London, filled with all the best things in life: food, music, and – of course – family and community.
Given that Jonny’s a chef, the food needed to be top-notch – and he even created the menu himself! And we love that Sophie decided to have a “L-ish” (ladies’ tish) pre-chuppah. In hjer words, “The boys get a drink with their friends before they walk down the aisle, I thought why not do the same with my girls too! It was so lovely to have some of my closest friends around me before I got married, highly recommend getting your hype girlies together to have a little moment and drink before.” How fun is that?
And then there’s the music: Sophie and Jonny wanted the best of the best, and they found it in Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The White Keys. In Sophie’s words, “their energy, talent, and incredible vocals created the most electric atmosphere.” Rounding things out were the couple’s incredible chazzan, Serge and super-talented Josh Nesbitt on the keys, who brought the ceremony to another level.
Photographer Marcus Curry captured the most wonderful images of the day, as did videographer Ayla from Reel All About It – who also created the most beautiful reels for Sophie and Jonny the very next day!
How We Met
Sophie, the bride: The short, not so romantic story, is Hinge! The new version of a matchmaking.
The long story is, we have always known of each other, living in the bubble, we had gone to the same school at some point and the same clubs as children.
As Jonny is slightly older than myself, he used to volunteer looking after and run sessions for younger children at a Jewish youth club called Chigwell Maccabi, ‘Chigs’ for short. My younger sister happened to be a part of this age group Jonny helped. She remembers him as the boy who used to make people laugh and run around in a monkey onesie, he remembers her as being loud and trying to keep her away from the boys.
At this very same club, Jonny’s family donated an award for volunteers each year. After his Grandpa got too old to present it himself, his dad Bradley would present the ‘Mervish award’ to those who had volunteered. My sister was the winner of this award and there has been a picture of my sister, Jonny’s dad and sister up on our wall years before we met!
I say she got the shield, but I got the trophy.
Venue
Offley Place – A beautiful manor house just outside of London.
It ticked every box, it allowed for kosher catering, had enough space to accommodate our guests and was a beautiful space.
A Winter Wedding
We wanted to lean into the romantic winter feel with chandeliers, soft candle light, white flowers & black tie theme.
Hair + Makeup
I have to give a special mention to Gaby Goldring — she was an absolute dream on the morning of our wedding. Not only was she a calming presence, keeping me relaxed amidst all the excitement, but she also brought so much fun and positivity to the room. Her talent, professionalism, and joyful energy made getting ready an unforgettable part of the day, and I couldn’t have imagined anyone else doing my hair.
Plus it stayed in all day despite the partying and sweat!
A Zavana Dress
It was from a designer I had never heard of – Zavana.
I went to What Alice Wore in St Albans having seen one dress I loved but there was just something not quite right about it, so my family and MIL told me to put my one on, which I did (reluctantly).
It was never a ‘this is the one moment’ it was ‘this could be something special’. I had to make some adjustments, once I got my head round this I loved the idea of really making a dress mine, rather than trying to find ‘the one’.
I had ordered extra fabric and had the wrap made for the ceremony, I had small flowers running parallel to the buttons which I had cut from my mum’s headpiece she wore on her wedding day 30 years before (we got married on the weekend of their 30th anniversary!)
I changed so much to really make it feel like mine and I am sooo happy with the outcome!
Ceremony & Chuppah
The chuppah truly felt like cloud nine.
We are incredibly fortunate to still have four grandparents between us, and having them walk down the aisle was nothing short of magical. We were also so proud to have our nieces and nephew walk down the aisle, making the moment even more special and personal.
The badeken on the aisle was a real highlight for us both. Having not seen each other for a few days, it became an incredibly emotional reunion, made even more meaningful as our parents blessed us, before we joined one another under the chuppah — and this was thankfully the moment when Jonny shed a tear or two.
Our ceremony was officiated by Rabbi Jason Kleiman, a long-time friend of Jonny’s parents who knows us both well, which made the experience deeply personal and meaningful.
And then there was the music — just wow. Our incredible chazzan, Serge, supported by the super-talented Josh Nesbitt on the keys, took the ceremony to another level; his powerful, passionate voice made the hairs on the back of our necks stand up. We knew he was good, but he exceeded every expectation and made our chuppah unforgettable. We are so grateful to now call him a very special friend.
Ketubah
Created by Art and Ketubot by Rena, our ketubah beautifully brings together the key places, people, and symbols that define our relationship.
The painting includes elements from the village we’ve made our home, windmills as a nod to Rhodes—the place where Jonny proposed—and the vibrant energy of Tel Aviv, home to some of our closest family and one of our favorite places in the world.
The moon and stars, which hold special meaning for Jonny, and the sea—a place that brings me peace and happiness—anchor the design, tying it all together.
More than just a piece of art, this ketubah is a celebration of us, our love, and the journey we’re creating together.
Our music choice
We had The White Keys, and they were absolutely phenomenal. We chose their 11-piece show band, who were also joined by Serge for Israeli dancing, which added such a special, meaningful (and fun) element to the night, with lots of Israeli flags.
During dinner, the band played a country music set that effortlessly drew everyone onto the dance floor, featuring classics like Country Roads. It was the perfect way to kick off the party.
Their energy, talent, and incredible vocals created the most electric atmosphere. They came highly recommended by our Chazzan, Serge, and we completely understand why.
We ended the night with a final Israeli set, bringing the entire room together in the most joyful way. We finished just as we had at our engagement party, with the song “Salaam”, a hopeful wish for peace for all.
Flowers
Flowers by Alina, she brought our whole vision to life.
The combination of flowers and candlelight set the tone from the moment our guests arrived. The room felt warm, inviting, and beautifully romantic, with every detail adding to the magic of the celebration.
Photographer and videographer
From our very first phone call, we knew we were excited to have Marcus Curry and his team capture our wedding. They instantly understood our vision and were such a joy to have with us on the day — relaxed, fun, and completely in tune with what we wanted.
Our priority was capturing the candid moments: the laughter, the hugs, and the happy tears, and Marcus did this perfectly. Every image feels natural, emotional, and full of life.
Marcus was joined by Ayla from Reel All About It, and we truly have no words for her. She created the most beautiful reels for us the very next day, perfectly encapsulating the energy, love, and magic of our wedding, set to meaningful songs including “Feel the Magic.
Food and cake
With Jonny being in the food industry, he knew he wanted to create the menu himself. From canapés to bowl food in reception, the main course, and even roaming desserts on the dancefloor, we went with our favourite theme — an Asian-inspired menu.
For us no party is complete without chips and sweets (a couple of our favourites) which we made sure went round the dancefloor nearing the end of the night.
Extra Details
I attempted a L-ish (ladies tish). The boys get a drink with their friends before they walk down the aisle, I thought why not do the same with my girls too!
It was so lovely to have some of my closest friends around me before I got married, highly recommend getting your hype girlies together to have a little moment and drink before.
Honeymoon
Our dream adventure!
We both never had the chance to travel or go to the other side of the world, and it has always been a dream of ours, so that’s what we are doing!
We were fortunate to get 4 weeks off work so we are starting in Thailand, then moving to Indonisia, Australia (the Gold Coast) and finally stopping over in Singapore.
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
Just go have the best day. Soak it all in and have fun, you worked hard for this!
If you ever get lost in planning remember you main goal is to get married, in a room full of people who you love. Nothing can go that wrong when you keep that mentality and any little thing you are stressing over you may not even realise on the day.
SOPHIE & JONNY’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK
Photography – Marcus Curry
Videography – Reel All About It
Ketubah – Art and Ketubot by Rena
Venue – Offley Place
Bride’s dress – Zavana found at What Alice Wore
Hair – Gaby Goldring
Flowers – Flowers by Alina
DJ – The White Keys, Serge & Josh Nesbitt
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.
Leave a Reply