Show Me Everything - Smashing the Glass

A Berta Bride for an Enchanted Garden Jewish Wedding at the Fairmont Windsor Park, UK

23/10/2023 by Karen Cinnamon

It’s been a long couple of weeks for the Jewish people. In light of Hamas’s horrific acts of terrorism, we’ve taken a few weeks off from our usual wedding content to focus on supporting Israel and each other. While we sadly can’t say things have gotten to a better place, we are feeling more than ever that we need all the Jewish joy we can get – and that includes weddings.

Hence our decision to resume publishing the joyous, life-affirming celebrations of love that are the core of what we do here at Smashing The Glass. And we’re back today with something really special: Bianca and Jordan’s beautiful Jewish wedding at The Fairmont Hotel in Windsor, just outside London – made possibly by a fabulous team of #STGvendors.

Bianca and Jordan turned to Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Michelle Jacobs of Elegante by Michelle J to make their enchanted garden dreams a reality. Michelle planned Bianca’s sister’s wedding a few years back, so the couple knew from the beginning they were working with the best of the best. In Bianca’s words, “She was amazing and really helped guide us through the process and really understood our vision and what was important to us… Any concerns we had Michelle would deal with it for us and we knew we were in the best hands.” You can see for yourself how exquisitely it all came together in the wonderful photos by Paul Santos and the moving trailer by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Denee Motion.

Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Big Day Designs crafted Bianca and Jordan’s invitations, featuring rose gold foiling and wax seals, as well as their wedding day stationery, and Bianca found her stunner of a gown at Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Wedding Club in Knightsbridge. She chose a strapless corset A-line dress by the Israeli designer Berta – which is all the more meaningful in light of the current situation.

Do read on for more Jewish joy, in Bianca’s own words…

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How We Met

Bianca, the bride: We knew of each other as we are both from Essex but we matched on J Swipe; after a few weeks of talking we finally met up and went on a date!Continue Reading

How to Support Your Jewish Friends Right Now: A Guide for Non-Jews

18/10/2023 by Karen Cinnamon

Photo by Suhyeon Choi via Unsplash

Right now, in light of Hamas’s horrific massacre, a lot of us Jews are having a hard time. We’re reeling from the largest loss of Jewish life on a single day since the Holocaust, and all too often we’re feeling alone and wondering why the rest of the world isn’t more outraged and devastated.

If you’re a non-Jew with Jewish friends, family, or colleagues, your support right now would mean so much to the Jews in your life. I know it can be hard to know what to say or do at times like this, and so I’ve put together a list of some ways can help.

Check In

This is an incredibly hard and scary time for us as Jews, and checking in to see how we’re holding up is so appreciated.

So many of us have family and friends living in Israel – and even if not, in a sense all Jews are really one big family. A quick text is all it takes. Just let us know you’re thinking of us, or ask how we’re doing.

Use Your Voice

From silence to Israel-bashing, by and large the responses we’re from non-Jews seeing online and on social platforms are making us feel isolated, vulnerable, and afraid.

If you feel able to speak up for Israel to those in your circle, either on social media or offline, that would be so, so appreciated. It can be as simple as sharing a couple posts on your Instagram feed.

As much as I hate having to mention this, I also want to make it clear that supporting Israel’s right to exist, and its people’s right to life, doesn’t mean you back the current government – and it also doesn’t mean you don’t care about innocent Palestinian lives being lost right now.

Some great Instagram accounts creating shareable content are @henmazzig, @rootsmetals, and, of course @yourjewishlife.

The War Against Israel: How to Feel Supported, Connected and Comforted with Everything Going On Right Now

17/10/2023 by Karen

If you’re feeling isolated, shocked, heartbroken or scared, and unsure how to communicate about everything happening in Israel with your non-Jewish friends, colleagues, or on social media, watch the replay from last Sunday’s community get-together where you’ll learn:

How to handle friends who are outspoken about other issues, but are silent on Israel
Tips for talking about the war in Israel effectively
When to engage and when to walk away
How to handle comment trolls
Self care: How to deal with the stress of Jew hate
Basic history of the conflict, and resources on where to find out more

>> WATCH NOW

Some of the comments that have come in from people who have watched it are:

“I feel very confident now on how to approach others on the topic. Thank you so much”

“I’ve been feeling so alone. I don’t anymore!”

“Loved the ‘Chevruta”

“I might be able to sleep tonight for the first time in more than a week. It is just so nice to not feel alone.”

“Thank you for giving us straightforward ways of dealing with what we are all facing”

“I have felt so alone going through all of this, and now I feel connected + comforted”

“Thank you, you have brought light and made me feel better and hopeful”

“Not to waste time on idiots and trolls. More Jewish Joy and Hope!”

“Thanks for giving feeling of support, tips, just got to know you and love it!”

COMMUNITY GET-TOGETHER: How To Talk about the War in Israel with People Who Don’t Get It

12/10/2023 by Karen Cinnamon

How are you doing? I know that right now many of us are feeling isolated, shocked, heartbroken, and scared – and unsure how to communicate about it all with our non-Jewish friends, colleagues, and on social media.

It’s not easy to engage when we’re confronted with silence, or worse, hostility toward Israel.

But it’s so important that we speak up about what’s really going on – and I want to make sure you have the tools to do so confidently, safely, and effectively.

A Viktoria Chan Bride for a Boho Jewish Barn Wedding with Lot of DIY Touches at Kinkell Byre, St Andrews, Scotland, UK

09/10/2023 by Karen Cinnamon

We love it when a couple plans a Jewish wedding that’s 100% totally them – which is exactly what Glasgow couple Genna, who works for an innovation charity, and Raphael, an architect, did for their big day in beautiful St Andrews.

Celebrating the groom’s Brazilian heritage as well as the couple’s home in Scotland and incorporating so many DIY touches from the couple and their mums, this is truly a wedding to remember.

The groom designed all the wedding stationery plus the ketubah – and also built the couple’s stunning minimalist chuppah – Genna’s mum handmade the kiddush cups over 50 wooden candle holders that were placed around the venue and on the tables, and Raphael’s mum baked the couple’s wedding cake! Don’t miss all the wonderful details in Christian Olliver’s beautiful photos!

Food is important to Genna and Raphael, and when it came time to choose a kosher caterer they went for the best of the best: Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Feast by Ed Shaerf. In Genna’s words, Feast by Ed “absolutely blew us away. Not only was the food incredibly tasty, but the presentation and the professionalism of the staff were also out of this world! Everything was seamless and ran like absolute clockwork.”

There’s so much more to say about this joyous, love-filled day – but we’ll leave it to Genna, who looked so radiant in her minimalist gown by Swedish designer Viktoria Chan – to fill you in on the rest…

How We Met

Genna, the bride: We met through my brother, Adam, who has been Raph’s best friend since they were 10 years old. About 5 years ago, Adam and his then fiance, now wife, Olivia suggested that we go for a drink together because we had ‘lots in common’ – and it went from there! After a few years of a long distance relationship between Glasgow and London, we settled in Glasgow, where we’re both originally from.Continue Reading

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Photo by Suhyeon Choi via Unsplash

Check In

Use Your Voice

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>> WATCH NOW

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How We Met

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How We Met