Last month, I was honored to co-host the UK’s first-ever Jewish wedding industry lunch with beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kimpton Clocktower Hotel Manchester. The day featured incredible kosher catering by another wonderful #STGvendor Feast by Ed, plus so much more from some of the North of England’s top wedding professionals.
While I’ve been to some wonderful wedding industry events in my time running Smashing The Glass, none has ever made me feel totally seen as a Jewish woman in the business – and I was lucky to find wonderful partners who are just as committed to inclusivity and representation as we are here at Smashing The Glass.
With the event taking place in Manchester, we decided to focus on the UK’s Northern Jewish wedding scene, and it was so special to be able to bring some of the biggest names in Jewish weddings from Manchester and beyond together in one (totally breathtaking!) room.
We worked with an extraordinary team of vendors who made it a day to remember: Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kate Swerdlow Photography captured the beautiful images in this post; Giraffe Flowers was the mastermind behind the gorgeous florals; wonderful live calligraphy by Inkspiration Artist; and String Infusion provided the soundtrack.
Let me walk you through the whole wonderful day – which was truly a celebration of Jewish joy, made possible by such an incredible team of Jewish and non-Jewish wedding vendors alike.
Venue Tour
We started things off with a tour of the extraordinary Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, where Victorian grandeur meets contemporary luxury in the heart of Manchester. It’s such a breath of fresh air to have a venue option combining the chicest of surroundings with rich Jewish wedding expertise, and in my opinion, there’s no better place in the North for a Jewish wedding.
We toured Kimpton Clocktower London’s majestic ballroom – it’s the largest in the North of England, accommodating up to 700 guests! – luxe suites, and more, before heading over to the romantic Winter Garden for drinks and canapes from Feast by Ed.
The Winter Garden was the absolute perfect spot to come together and get to know each other – which for me meant meeting some of the wonderful vendors I’ve emailed and called for so many years face to face for the first time. It also happens to be a STUNNING spot to incorporate into a Jewish wedding – whether you want a badeken space to remember or just an unforgettable photo backdrop, I’m obsessed with this space.
Feast by Ed served up the most delicious canapés – they were truly beyond, in terms of both flavor and presentation! Feast by Ed is Manchester’s premier kosher caterer, and they’re incredibly popular with STG couples not only up north but all over England – for good reason. Ed’s inventive menus are nothing like the old-school kosher wedding food you might remember from Jewish weddings past, and it’s such a breath of fresh air to have such a fabulous foodie option available in the kosher world.
Time for Lunch
After we wrapped up drinks, we headed into the Directors’ Suite for the main event.
The Directors’ Suite is full of Victorian elegance, with rich oak panelling, sparkling chandeliers and high ceilings – it seats up to 60 people, so it’s a great option for an intimate Jewish wedding.
Every guest received a beautiful vinyl single of Elbow’s “One Day Like This” (such a beloved song for weddings!), gorgeously inscribed by Inkspiration Artist.
Nimisha Mistry-Miah, the Inkspiration Artist herself, was on hand to do some custom calligraphy, inscribing each guest’s record sleeve with their name live during lunch!
Nimisha is an incredibly skilled calligrapher and engraver based in Manchester, UK, and it was such a treat to watch her work her magic in real time.
Throughout, we were regaled by the sweet sounds of String Infusion, a mega-talented all-female musical group specializing in acoustic and electric strings. We had a wonderful solo electric violinist, but with String Infusion’s bespoke offerings you can have any group size you like – even up to 20!
I know I’ve already raved about Feast by Ed‘s kosher catering, but I truly cannot say enough about what an epically gourmet feast Ed and his team served up! They are truly the best of the best.
After many years of working together, I was also delighted to finally meet Ed himself in person!
The spaces were gorgeously decorated by Giraffe Flowers, who went with a classic scheme of white blossoms and greenery that perfectly complemented Kimpton Clocktower’s Victorian elegance.
And I can’t say enough about our fabulous photographer Kate Swerdlow, who captured each and every exquisite image you see here. Kate has long been known as one of Hertfordshire’s premiere Jewish wedding photographers, and with her recent relocation up north she’s well on her way to dominating the Manchester Jewish wedding scene too!
It was truly an incredible day – the energy was just beyond, and it was so heartwarming to see so much love for Jewish weddings together in one room. I’m sure just the first of many Jewish wedding industry events to come!
HUGE THANKS TO:
Venue: Kimpton Clocktower Hotel {offers 20% discount on private hire for 2023 and 2024 weddings to all members of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club}
Catering: Feast by Ed {offers 15% discount on an engagement shoot to all members of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club (blackout dates apply)}
Photography: Kate Swerdlow Photography {offers 15% discount on an engagement shoot to all members of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club}
Flowers: Giraffe Flowers
Calligraphy: Inkspiration Artist
Music: String Infusion
