Advice + Planning Archives - Smashing the Glass

Your Ketubah, Your Way: Our Top Ketubot for 2019

17/01/2019 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Brooklyn Ketubah | Ink With Intent | From $280 | (10% off for members of Smashing The Glass’ Brides Club)

One of my favourite wedding industry developments since I founded Smashing The Glass is the abundance of beautiful, lovingly crafted ketubahs to suit every style you could possibly imagine.

It used to be that your rabbi would set you up with a plain, standard ketubah – or if you really wanted to go all out, you might strike out on your own and find something a bit more ornate, maybe a traditional floral border. Even ten years ago, the range of possibilities was truly nothing like it is today.

Now, there are so many incredible ketubah artists putting their personal stamps on the ancient Jewish marriage contract. Whether you go for contemporary or traditional, whether you’re a minimalist or a maximalist, whether you love bright colours, pastels, or neutrals – there’s a ketubah for you. In fact, there are probably lots of ketubot for you.

And it’s not just design that can be customized to suit your style, either. So many ketubah creators offer a range of text options beyond the traditional, whether you’re looking for something interfaith, same sex, egalitarian, or just a little more modern – or maybe you even want to provide your own text that the two of you have written together! These days, the sky is truly the limit.

I’m privileged to work with some amazing ketubah artists, and I want to draw your attention to some of my very favorite pieces I’ve spotted recently – so here are just a few…

Silver Jewel Ketubah | Danny Azoulay | Price available upon request

This exquisitely elegant paper cut ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Danny Azoulay is truly a work of art. Like museum quality. It’s a true heirloom, with an incredible level of detail.

Geometric Bouquet Ketubah | Ketubata | From $125

If you’re after something with a more playful look, you couldn’t do better than to check out Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubata. Think gorgeous watercolors, sweet botanicals, and totally modern geometric shapes.

Big News: Rockstar Israeli Photographers LUZ in London, 18-22 January

03/01/2019 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

If you’ve been following STG for a while, you might have noticed I’m just a little bit obsessed with LUZ Weddings.

LUZ is one of the hottest photographers working in Israel today, and they’re behind some of the most innovative wedding photography around – many of which have been featured on Smashing The Glass (we LOVE their real weddings!).

They’ve got a super cool, ultra-stylish urban aesthetic down that’s all their own. They’re definitely not your average wedding photographers – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to meet with Shay, one of the amazing photographers from LUZ. We met up in Holborn, central London, and we had a fabulous time going for coffee and talking all things weddings. And then we did a little photo shoot, all around the streets of London! Shay was absolutely a joy to work with, and I’m so delighted with the results.

My Must-Attend FREE Online Event for every Jewish and Jew-ish Bride-to-be!

01/01/2019 by Karen Leave a Comment

Woo hoo – it’s 2019! Perhaps that means you can now say “I’m getting married THIS year?!” (so exciting!). Or maybe you’re looking forward to tying the knot in 2020?

And I’ve got some very exciting news of my own to share with you! Yes – on Monday January 21st, I’m taking to the virtual stage for a FREE private online event especially for Jewish and Jew-ish brides-to-be, called ‘The Secrets to an Unforgettable Jewish Wedding’ and I’m SO excited!

That’s because I’m a million percent confident you’ll walk away knowing exactly what you need to do to ensure you have an unforgettable wedding – the wedding you really want (whilst keeping everyone around you happy)

And the best news of all? The live event will be streamed directly to your computer or mobile device, so cosy slippers and a hot chocolate (or a large glass of wine!) are positively encouraged!

The free event is taking place on Monday January 21, 2019 @ 3:00 PM EST (that’s 3pm New York, 12pm Los Angeles, 8pm London, 10pm Israel)

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE AND GET A REMINDER

You’re engaged… and I get it:

You want to be different but fulfil certain expectations.
You want to be cost efficient without seeming to scrimp.
You want to involve friends and family without causing them a ton of work and stress.
You want to throw an amazing party that will appeal to quite a disparate group of people… and across the generations.

I know most of these pressures apply to ALL weddings but there are extra levels of pressure for Jewish weddings – how much of the traditional stuff do you do? How do you cater for kosher guests? The chuppah, the ketubah, the glass, kippot, the rituals, the rabbi…

And then there’s the party itself. How do you ensure it’s one to remember without losing your mind in the process of planning it all? (And by the way you’ll benefit from the event whether you’re using a planner or not – this is an absolute must-attend for every Jewish / Jew-ish bride-to-be!)Continue Reading

Win Tickets to the Berta 2019 F/W Fashion Show Launch {with The Wedding Club}

20/12/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

I’m so excited to tell you about a wonderful new competition STG is running with our friends (and beloved Recommended Vendor) The Wedding Club! We are offering five lucky members of our Brides Club invites to The Wedding Club’s exclusive press launch for the new Fall/Winter 2019 collection from legendary Israeli designer Berta (*SCREAM!*)

Not yet a member of our Brides Club? What are you waiting for? Join now!

Taking place on Thursday, 10 January at 6:30 pm, in the fabulous 5* luxury ballroom of the breathtaking – and brand new – Kimpton Fitzroy in central London, we’ll be celebrating the launch of Berta’s mega-glam Barcelona Collection alongside press and VIPs.

Head designer Berta Balilti’s trademark avant-garde bridal styles are as majestic as ever, and it’s going to be such a thrill to see them in person – I’ll be attending myself, and I would love to meet you there!

Our five lucky winners will each receive an invite (and a plus-one for the guest of their choice!), PLUS an appointment at Berta’s trunk show at The Wedding Club the weekend of Friday 11th – Sunday 13th January – PLUS 10% off the Berta dresses for that weekend! And as always, The Wedding Club’s appointment fee will be waived for Brides Club members.

That’s a LOT of good stuff!

Why York Place Studios’ Street Photography Style Might Be Perfect for Your Wedding

13/12/2018 by Smashing The Glass

This is a guest post by Dom & Liam Shaw of York Place Studios

It’s Time To Stop Saying Cheese

As kids we’re all taught that when someone has a camera we should stop what we’re doing and smile sweetly into the lens. It’s an approach that’s really helpful for group shots but outside of that more formal setting having photographs of people sharing the same fixed smile tells us nothing about who they were or what was really happening.

We all have albums full of friends and family pulling that same pose through the landmark trips and occasions of our lives and we love them: they remind us of happy times and the places we’ve been and show the ways that we and the world around us have changed over time. The thing is though that a photograph has the potential to be so much more powerful than that.

For us a wedding isn’t really about tradition, elaborate settings or decoration (although all those things are wonderful additions!), it’s about sharing something very special with all the people you know and love from all the different phases of your lives so far. In fact it’s probably the only time all of these people will be in the same room at the same time, brought together from all walks of life by one common denominator: their affection for you.

So when we look at a photograph we don’t just want to see practiced smiles and unnatural poses, we want to see the gestures, expressions, private jokes and little personality quirks that remind you who all of these people really were, the dynamic of your relationship with them and what they meant to you.