Advice + Planning Archives - Smashing the Glass

How to Find the Perfect Dress for Your Jewish Wedding

30/06/2022 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Photo by Varna Studios

Wedding dress shopping… it’s one of the most exciting parts of wedding planning, yet it can also be one of the most overwhelming. For those of us who aren’t in a position to buy couture on the regular, wedding dress shopping will likely be a whole new world. There’s lots to learn – and, potentially, lots of pressures to navigate, too.

That’s why I’ve chatted with Maria Yiannikaris, cofounder of beloved London bridal boutique Mirror Mirror London, about some of her top tips for making your shopping experience as smooth as it can be. Mirror Mirror is one of the very best options for finding your dream dress in London – or even, dare I say it, the entire world!

And with over 30 years of experience running Mirror Mirror, Maria knows more about the ins and outs of wedding dress shopping than just about anyone. Plus, her ethos of helping each bride to look and feel her most beautiful, confident self on her wedding day couldn’t be any more aligned with ours here at Smashing The Glass!

Photo by Voyteck Photography

Do Your Research

Get a Sense of Your Preferred Styles

Figuring out what looks you like best -and which brands design them- will make it easier to decide which bridal salons to hit up. You can find inspo on Pinterest, in bridal magazines, in past real wedding features on Smashing The Glass, and on boutiques’ websites. And be sure to note any designers (and even style numbers) you’re particularly smitten with.

Knowing which designers you like and which don’t speak to you as much will also make it easier to figure out which shops to visit. A lot of boutiques will carry the full spectrum of styles – Mirror Mirror carries a fabulous range of 8 international designers, showcasing styles from classic minimalism to soft boho vibes or a truly opulent gow – but some have a more narrow focus.

Photo by Voyteck Photography

Shop Your Closet

Well, not exactly. But taking a look at the clothes you already own can be helpful in trying to decide what silhouettes will work best for you. If there are certain similarities in a lot of the items you already own, let those elements guide you. It can also be helpful to think about physical features you’d like your dress to highlight.

Photo by Varna Studios

Brush Up on Dress Terminology

It’ll be easier communicating your preferences at appointments if you know a mermaid from an A line.

Photo by Varna Studios

Know Your Wedding Theme and Venue

Knowing your venue and vibe before you start shopping will make it easier to choose the right dress.

Photo by Varna Studios

Find Out about Religious Restrictions

If you’re having a religious ceremony, check with your rabbi to find out if there are any attire guidelines you’re required to follow, such as covering your shoulders for the chuppah.

If you do find yourself in need of a chuppah coverup to add to your bridal ensemble, it’s smart to shop someplace where the team is experienced working with Jewish brides. Mirror Mirror, for example, has a wonderful, longstanding relationship with London’s Jewish community, and all of their stylists are well-versed in the needs of brides from Orthodox to Jew-ish.

Photo by Varna Studios

Figure Out Your Budget

Before your first appointment, figure out how much you’re able to spend on your gown – and choose where to shop accordingly. For instance, Mirror Mirror offers gowns ranging in price from £1850 – £8000.

Photo by Varna Studios

10 Beautiful Jewish New York Wedding Venues

02/06/2022 by Karen Cinnamon

There’s no place like New York City for a Jewish wedding. The Big Apple is chock full of options to suit couples of all tastes and styles – and nowhere is that more evident than when it comes to venues!

While you might associate NYC with glitzy ballroom Jewish weddings – and it’s certainly got plenty of amazing options for those – the city that never sleeps is also full of hidden gems, from outdoor garden venues that’ll have you feeling like you’ve been whisked away to the country to the edgiest converted warehouses and factories.

In fact, there are SO many gorgeous Jewish wedding venue choices that we really struggled narrowing ourselves down to just 10 – but we hope you’ll take this list of just a few of our favorites as a starting point.

Image by Ira Lippke

How to Handle Wedding Planning Stress, Anxiety, or Overwhelm {Instagram Live Recap with Michelle Jacobs of Elegante by Michelle J}

10/05/2022 by Karen Cinnamon

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Who’s having a hard time with wedding planning stress or overwhelm right now? ???? If that’s you, my latest Instagram live is an absolute must-watch.

I spoke with the wonderful Michelle Jacobs of Elegante by Michelle J, all about how to handle wedding stress, overwhelm, and anxiety – not to mention all those (often unwanted) opinions!

Michelle is the ultimate Jewish wedding planning expert, and I love sharing her knowledge and expertise with you. A London-based planner focusing on destination Jewish weddings – both abroad and in the UK – she’s passionate about creating magical experiences for couples and their families and guests.

Chloe and Danny‘s Tuscan Jewish wedding, planned by Michelle! Photo by David Bastianoni

All About Overwhelm

In this Live, Michelle and I talk through some easily actionable tips to make your wedding planning as fun and stress-free as possible. We opened the discussion with a focus on wedding overwhelm – something that very often comes up when Michelle first speaks with her couples. It’s especially common at the beginning of a couple’s wedding planning journey, but even all the way through overwhelm can be a big issue.

Michelle shared some great tips on how to deal:

Remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint – it’s true there’s a lot involved in planning a wedding, but no one’s expecting you to do it all at once.

Michelle also recommends that before you get started you sit down and have a conversation with your partner about what sort of wedding you really want and what your priorities are. The clearer a picture you have of what you’re aiming for, the easier it will be to figure out next steps and make choices.

Jasmin and Brett‘s Osea Island UK Jewish wedding, planned by Michelle! Photo by Claudine Hartzel

Getting Clear on Your Priorities

In terms of figuring out what it is that the two of you want – Michelle strongly believes that every wedding should reflect the couple behind it, so she’s a big supporter of looking inward before you look outward. First have a think about what you two like to do, what your home is like, what your ideal day out would be, and after you’ve done that start looking at Instagram, Pinterest, Smashing The Glass’s real wedding archives etc.

Some things to think about: Do you want a country or city wedding? Small or large? Local or destination? Casual or formal? Ballroom or barn? Those are the big-picture issues. You’ll also need to have a sense of how much you want to spend so you won’t waste your time looking at vendors and venues that are out of your price range – or a venue that’s the wrong size for your crowd. It’s smart to share this vision with your family upfront and get everyone on the same page before you dive into planning.

A Leanne Marshall Bride for an Oceanfront Jewish Wedding at Casa Marina Resort, Key West, Florida, USA

25/04/2022 by Karen Cinnamon

We always say there’s nothing like a Jewish wedding on the beach – well, today’s couple, Kimberly and Darren, went one better and planned a full-fledged wedding weekend away from it all in beautiful Key West!

Chill island vibes, a chuppah on the beach, ‘20s Spanish-style architecture galore, all so beautifully photographed by Karrie Porter Photography – what could be better?!

And we’re obsessed with the couple’s gorgeous ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubah.com. Kimberly and Darren picked a design by artist Shell Rummel, featuring an infinity symbol with the phrase “I Carry Your Heart” from the poem by EE Cummings – and as it turns out, the couple have a line from that same poem engraved inside of their wedding bands! So special.

Before we hand you over to the bride – who looked so elegant in Leanne Marshall – we’ve got to say we love that one of her main bits of advice to future brides and grooms is to book a day of coordinator! We are BIG fans of handing off logistics on the day to a pro so that the two of you can relax and enjoy the day, and we’re always so glad to see couples going this route.

Over to you, Kimberly!

How we Met

Kimberly, the bride: Darren and I met at a restaurant we were both working at. I had just graduated college and was serving, Darren had just come back to Florida after serving in the IDF and was a line cook. We had seen each other but didn’t go on out first date until after working together for a few months. Darren messaged me on Facebook and we discussed a mutual interest in poetry and writing. On our first date, I actually brought a collection of some of my favorite poetry books for Darren to read!

After dating for a year in Florida we decided on adventure and moved across the country to Denver, CO with our two cats. There Darren finished law school and I began a career in nonprofit work. Fast forward to now and Darren is a civil litigation attorney and I am in marketing for a nationwide nonprofit.Continue Reading

Instagram Live Recap: Handbags to Hold Your Jewish Life {with Designer Sharon Wilkes}

31/03/2022 by Karen Cinnamon

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I’m delighted to share with you my latest Instagram Live with the wonderful Sharon Wilkes, an incredibly talented handbag designer with awesome new line of bridal handbags – plus some truly fabulous Jewish-themed bags!

https://sharonwilkes.com/collections/allbagsview/products/jerusalem-marilyn

She’s filling a much-needed gap with her show-stopping bags with a personal touch.

A committed Zionist, Sharon’s a longtime supporter of Shenkar College in Israel, and she’s worked with some up-and-coming young talents from Shenkar on some of her designs.

A Smashing Beginning

Sharon and I first connected when we featured her daughter Micaela’s wedding on Smashing The Glass – Sharon designed and sewed Micaela’s beautiful gown, and also crafted this adorable custom bridal bag for her featuring the couple’s beloved beagle Loki recreated in sequins! Though Sharon’s long worked in fashion, it was that Loki bag that inspired her to get into bridal bags in a big way – and I’m so in awe of what she’s accomplished!

All in the Family

We chatted about Sharon’s incredible family story working in couture in Vienna before the war – and how her grandparents’ Italian fashion contacts helped them escape Austria in 1939.

Quality Construction

Then we got to see some bags! I’m absolutely obsessed with Sharon’s sparkly Tel Aviv evening bag – and the quality and craftsmanship is absolutely exquisite. All of Sharon’s bags are manufactured ethically in Italy, and the level of workmanship is just beyond.

Sharon showed us some of the details that really show the quality of her bags, and it’s just incredible. I also love her commitment to working with factories that treat their employees well and pay them fairly – such a rare thing in today’s world, but so important.