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The best Jewish weddings and Jewish wedding ideas

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jewish-wedding_4Looking for some fantastic ideas for your Jewish wedding? Well, in the run-up to my wedding day in April 2013, I was, and I grew increasingly frustrated with the fact that there was nowhere online to find creative, inventive and original ideas for Jewish (or Jew-ish) weddings. So the Smashing The Glass Jewish wedding blog was born with the aim of being chock full of ideas and inspiration for planning unique and creative Jewish weddings.

I curate all the real Jewish weddings that are submitted to the site to bring you only the most creative, unusual and detail-orientated weddings — ones that I’m sure will inspire you, such as this super- chic Jewish wedding, or this one full of loads of DIY loveliness, or these two that meld and embrace both the bride and the groom’s cultures beautifully: a Jewish/Greek wedding and a Jewish/Celtic wedding. I’m in awe of the creativity and originality that are part of every beautiful real Jewish wedding on the site — and I cover everything from city chic Jewish weddings to destination Jewish weddings, country house Jewish weddings, DIY Jewish weddings, garden theme Jewish weddings and of course lots of Israeli weddings. Have a look though them all for lots of inspiration and ideas.

Aside from browsing through the real weddings, perhaps you’re looking for inspiration to create a meaningful and beautiful chuppah? Well the chuppah ideas page has tons and tons of ideas and is constantly updated with gorgeous chuppot. Chuppah There’s also lots more ideas, inspiration and tips in the Ideas for your Jewish Wedding section, everything from ketubot to food & drink ideas to really original guest books, table numbers, name cards, invitations and stationery, and really useful tips and tricks from real brides.

For music ideas, you might also like to check out the top 10 chuppah entrance songs and the best non-traditional versions of ‘Hava Nagila’ london-zoo-wedding-ketubah If you’re marrying out, or marrying in (or anywhere in between for that matter – I call it Jew-ish!) there are loads of real interfaith Jewish weddings to be inspired by, in addition to a wonderful article entitled ‘The diary of a Jewish bride who married out‘ and on top of that two really useful posts by the awesome Michele Schwartz on the subject of converting and interfaith marriage. Also if you are UK based you may want to contact Rabbi Paul Glantz, one of our awesome Smashing Suppliers, who has married many interfaith Jewish couples.

Talking of Smashing Suppliers, let me tell you a little more about them. They are my handpicked selection of the best brands and services the wedding industry has to offer. I select and verify each Smashing Supplier, and can personally vouch for the fact that every one of them has the ability to turn your Jewish wedding day into something truly special. jewish-wedding_5
Finally, I wrote this piece in December 2013 on the The Top 5 Dos and Don’ts for the perfect Jewish wedding for Pulse Magazine, and if you want even more Jewish wedspiration, follow Smashing The Glass on Instagram,  Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.

And don’t forget, when you do get married, I’d love you to send me your wedding submission afterwards! It’s my awesome readers who ultimately make Smashing The Glass so inspiring and I would absolutely love to hear from you.

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Victoria & Oliver | Super-Creative Back Garden Jewish Wedding in Highgate, London, UK

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back-garden-wedding
Today folks we have back garden glamour abound, with a wedding hosted in  the bride’s parents’ home followed by a reception at the bride’s grandparent’s home. How lovely is that?

There’s loads of super creative DIY, a gorgeous Alice Temperley bride, a Routemaster bus, some swimming pool action, and some immense photography from Richmond Pictures.

Victoria, a creative arts therapist, and Oliver, a theatre producer, met during their time at the Newcastle University Theatre Society where they played two drunks in Kebab! The Musical . What an awesome ‘how did you meet’ opener!
Red London bus wedding
VENUE + LOCATION
Victoria, the Bride: We had the ceremony in my parent’s garden in Highgate. They have a lawn down some garden steps, which makes it feel like a secret garden almost. We then took red London buses to my Grandparent’s house, also in Highgate, as they too have a lovely garden – we had a marquee here. I grew up in both these gardens so both venues had a lot of sentimental value and my fiancà©e loved the gardens too. (My Grandpa died a few years ago but my Grandma was thrilled to host everyone — she danced all night. This was particularly special as she passed away 6 months later. We have such great memories of her as hostess with the mostess!)
garden wedding londonflowers wedding londongarden wedding london 4

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Awesome wedding videography guaranteed

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I am a great believer that wedding videography should be beautiful and subtle (as well as breathtaking of course!). It should echo the mood and feeling of the day but not dictate it in any way. Denis from Denee Motion does exactly that. Based in Central London, but shooting weddings worldwide, he is making some serious waves throughout the international wedding market and likes nothing better than filming gorgeous weddings and being part of a couple’s very special day.

I’ve fallen in love with not only Denis’s beautifully wholesome approach to videography, but his passion for his work, his family and his clients. From speaking to him today, I’m totally convinced he’d be a great videographer to work with.


Says Denis, “We have to ensure clients are 100% happy with the film, so we always discuss their vision and preferences with them. Some clients send over wedding videos that they love and that’s very helpful in understanding whether we are on the same page for the vision of their wedding day.”

As far as working on destination weddings goes, Denis says. “Working with destination couples is always exciting, and our planning starts well in advance, including location scouting and area researching. Outside of the UK, our wedding work has taken us to New York, Los Angeles, various regions of France, Italy, Dubai, Croatia, Indonesia, The Caribbean, Montenegro, Cyprus and beyond. I love traveling the world and discovering new cultures and traditions.”

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18 Unusual and Creative Guest Book Ideas

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original-guestbook-ideas
Image: Alively Photography via Style Me Pretty

It’s wonderful to have a wedding day guest book full of congratulatory messages and memories from guests, but how about mixing it up a little with these alternative ideas to the classic traditional book? These ideas will get guests chatting and mingling at the start of your reception so without further ado feast your eyes on these 18 fabulous and unique wedding guest book ideas to get you and your guests inspired, and check out Smashing The Glass on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for more amazing ideas.

1. Give the guest book a digital twist and make it part of your wedding day’s entertainment in its own right. This Digital Surface allows guests to scribble, doodle and create their own personal messages of congratulations and be as imaginative as they like. Best of all, guests contributions can be turned into a book after the event and reproduced for family members and in-laws.


Digital-guest-book
image: maketheirday.co.uk / Sternberg Clarke

2.Instead of a formal guestbook have a ‘postcard washing line’. Guests pick a postcard and write their messages to you on the back, before pegging them to the line.

GUESTBOOK WASH LINE
image: Joseph Hall / rockmywedding.co.uk

3. Have your guests choose a postcard and write a message on the back. Then after your honeymoon display the postcards in an album or frame them on the wall. A lovely idea and keepsake! Choose from lots of different postcard designs here.

alternative wedding guestbook
 image: S6 Photography / rockmywedding.co.uk

4. Have different colour ink pads and an illustration at the ready and  you’ll end up with a beautiful and personal thumbprint work of art.]

Thumbprint balloons as guestbook alternative
 image: bridesmagazine.co.uk 
Thumbprint guestbook alternative
image: lorynloves.com 

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5 ways to ‘incorporate Jewish’ into your non-Jewish or Interfaith wedding

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jewish_wedding hora
image: Chyna Darner Photography

Mazel Tov, you’re engaged! You are starting to put together Pinterest boards, you’re buying every wedding magazine going and bookmarking all the best wedding blogs. There’s only one hitch – you are Jewish, and your fiancà© isn’t. But no need to worry, because by adding Jew-ish touches to your wedding and reception, you can honour both sides and have everyone “kvelling” in no time.

Here are five simple and fun ways to incorporate Jewish wedding traditions into your special day:

1. FIND AN INTERFAITH KETUBAH: There are Ketubot written in English with no mention of God or religious beliefs. Every couple should agree to love, commitment and laughter (three things the Ketubah represents); it’s good for the soul! interfaith_ketubah [image: Interfaith ketubah from Daphna & Godwin’s Tuscan castle Jewish wedding ]

2. HAVE YOUR PARENTS WALK YOU DOWN THE AISLE: Every Jewish mother dreams of the day she’ll walk her child down the aisle (wearing a dress that’s the envy of all her friends). Don’t deprive her of this proud moment! Plus, your soon to be in-laws will no doubt find it charming, thereby giving you some serious brownie points.

3. HAVE A CHUPPAH: The chuppah represents your new home and forms a beautiful, striking central space for the wedding ceremony. Also, designing a chuppah will be a special way for you both to create something symbolic and beautiful together. Just add it in to the floral budget and enjoy the experience and symbolism. CHUPPAH [image: Chuppah from Lee & Gary’s Jewish Wedding at The Criterion, London / Peachy Productions ]

4. SMASH THE GLASS! Since even Jews can’t agree on why we break a glass at a Jewish wedding, there’s really no reason not to include the tradition. It’s fun! Everyone shouts “Mazal Tov” and everyone claps and hollers. Who doesn’t want a standing ovation on their wedding day?

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