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Chitter Chatter with Jenny Adjene, award-winning entrepreneur and co-founder of Hip Hip Hooray

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Jenny-Adjene
With the latest addition to our family there’ll be a few subtle changes to the schedule of the blog for the coming weeks while I’m adjusting to life with our new baby.

I’ll still be posting the very coolest real Jewish weddings every week, but there’ll also be a brand new feature running where I interview all sorts of inspirational women in the wedding industry whom I greatly admire. These women successfully combine running their own business with married life and in a lot of cases, raising a young family.

The series is called Chitter Chatter and the twist is is they have to answer my questions in just 140 characters or less….

Today I’m thrilled to be chitter chattering to Jenny Adjene, an award-winning entrepreneur and co-founder of Hip Hip Hooray, one of the UK’s leading wedding and celebration stationery companies. A crafter at heart, Jenny taught herself graphic design and discovered a love and skill for creating gorgeous wedding and party invitations. She spotted a gap in the market for high quality designs at affordable prices, and through Hip Hip Hooray, now offers innovative web based technology which allows brides-to-be to customise their favourite invitation designs online and download as an instant printable, or get it professionally printed and shipped in a few short days. Jenny is married and has two little girls.

What was your first job?

At around the age of 13 I started working as a waitress in the local village pub. I think I was paid around £2.50 an hour!

Tell me more about your career before launching Hip Hip Hooray

Before launching Hip Hip Hooray, I ran another much smaller wedding stationery business which was full of charm but ultimately, not at all scalable.

What made you start Hip Hip Hooray?

I saw a gap in the market for designs where quality is matched by affordability, and which allow brides the flexibility to print themselves or order professionally printed.

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Chitter Chatter with Charlotte O’Shea, Blog Queen and founder of Rock My Wedding

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Charlotte-OShea
Image:  Anna Clarke Photography

With  the upcoming  addition to our family (our due date is Saturday, same as the  Duchess of Cambridge’s no less!) there’ll be a few subtle changes to the schedule of the blog for the coming weeks  while I’m adjusting to life as a mama of  two.

I’ll still be posting the very coolest  real Jewish weddings  every week, but  there’ll also be  a brand new feature running where I interview all sorts of inspirational women in the wedding industry whom  I greatly admire. These women successfully combine  running their own business with married life and in a lot of cases, raising a young family.

The series is called Chitter Chatter and the twist is is they have to answer my questions  in just 140 characters or less….

Today I’m chitter chattering  to  a doyenne… a ‘queen bee’ wedding bloggess, and superstar creative mama. It’s the  one and only  Charlotte O’Shea, founder and MD of Rock My Wedding, the phenomenally  successful UK wedding blog that launched in  2009.  A few years later, the ‘Rock My’ empire grew when Charlotte launched  the hugely  popular  Rock My Style, a lifestyle blog for women  covering beauty, fashion, travel, food, interiors and family.

Charlotte lives in the West Midlands with her husband James, and their one year old daughter, Mabel Rose.

What was your first job?

My first job was in retail with House Of Fraser – I was a Morgan Girl! Think lycra boob tubes and chain mail crop tops (actually don’t – tragic doesn’t even cover it.)

Tell me more about your career before launching Rock My Wedding and Rock My Style

I was an Account Manager for a small yet very successful technology and web design company, I learnt a hell of a lot about everything to do with running a business and then some.

How do you cope with running two growing businesses:  Rock My Wedding and Rock My Style?

I employ a very VERY talented bunch of folks. And endeavour to be as organised as feasibly possible. Oh and biscuits – essential brain fuel.

What inspires you to keep growing and developing your businesses?

My dedicated team and our loyal stylish readers are a constant inspiration, as is my daughter Mabel. No two days are the same – the diversity of what we do generates constant creativity.

Charlotte O Shea
Image:  Little Beanies
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The 10 most romantic restaurants in the world that I’ve been lucky enough to dine at

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Most-romantic-restaurants-in-the-world
I’ll be honest, I’m a soppy romantic, but as much as  I love  Valentine’s Day (even though  of course  it’s a commercial gimmick), the whole manufactured element really isn’t my thing. Although  I do take great pleasure in buying creative  gifts and making  little homemade  surprises for Mr STG on Vally Day (and this year we are celebrating with a cheese fondue at home!) as a concept, it doesn’t sit comfortably with me to promote on the blog.

Personally,  I prefer my love and romance year-round, expressed in small ways daily, and surprising ways unexpectedly. But that’s just me, and I knew I couldn’t get away with ignoring Valentine’s Day, of all things, on a wedding blog. So I’ve decided to tell you about the top 10 most romantic restaurants in the world that I’ve had the pleasure of dining  at together with Mr STG, but do note, that  not one of these dinner dates fell  on Valentine’s Day!

I’m afraid I don’t have pictures of myself and Mr STG eating at all  of these restaurants as we were most probably  too busy enjoying the experience…but I’ve posted the ones that  we did take!

The restaurants are listed in the chronological order that Mr STG and I dined  at them.

I’d love to hear your recommendations too – tell me, what’s the most romantic restaurant in the world that you’ve ever dined at?

1. Meeru Island restaurant, The Maldives

Mr STG and I took our first ever holiday together in The Maldives  in December  2011. Meeru combines everything that the Maldives is famous for; gorgeous sun, expansive sparkling seas, an unbelievably relaxing vibe, and white sandy beaches. Needless to say we had a thoroughly good  time, and felt on top of the world  spending every evening sitting right by the water,  dining on the freshest fish, seafood, and steak. What we loved most about this restaurant was it’s casualness – Mr STG dined barefoot every evening! Whereas I could dress up or down according to how I felt. We had a truly magical time at Meeru, and have the most amazing memories of our time there.

Maldives Meeru
Top: Mr STG and I just before dinner one night :: Bottom: A  typical scene at Meeru

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Smashing New Year!

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2015 gold
Happy New Year’s Eve everyone!  I  wanted to take the opportunity  to  wish you all an incredible  year  ahead. I’ve been privileged enough to have had an  ‘annus mirabilis’ getting to know you all  and  I am so excited for what I have lined up for you over the coming  12 months. Let’s just say that  if you thought Smashing The Glass  was good in 2014 just wait until you see what  wedding wonders  I’ve got in store for you in  2015!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love, support, comments, content and interactions  from all over the world over the  past twelve months.  I’m so thrilled  that we share in the joint inspiration of Smashing The Glass.

See you on the other side…

Love K A R E N  x x x

Juggling motherhood with running a business from home

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motherhood-self-employment
My life–both work and personal–has changed so much in the past couple of years with the appearance of my darling daughter, Sacha, now 13 months old, and the birth of the fast-growing  Smashing  The Glass, just 18 short months ago. I’ve had to strive for a gold medal in  multi-tasking whilst also trying to instil some semblance of balance in my life. And when you work from home, your productivity in all areas is both accelerated  and impeded.

I define myself as a: Wife, Mother, Daughter, Career-Woman, Blogger, Designer, and Adorer of Wonderful People In My Life. With each of those identities comes responsibilities and duties, but  most importantly I’m also blessed to say that they come with a hell of a lot of  fun and fulfilment!  At the grand old age of 39 (yes I turned the big 40-minus-one a couple of months ago), and with the birth of Sacha, I feel like I’ve designed a life where I revel in  every minute and  am surrounded by, and immersed in,  people and  projects I love.

In all honesty  I’m exhausted most of the time but I  also feel extremely privileged  to  have such a satisfying  career and home  life. I know that my daughter will only be little for so long, and I am lucky to get to spend the extra time with her that I do.  I  have part-time child-care but  I’m running  a full-time business so it’s a constant juggle and shifting of priorities. I’m often working around the clock, in the evenings  once  Sacha  is in bed, on weekends whilst  she’s  napping, and pretty much anytime I’m waiting, walking or  watching TV  thanks to my multitude of Apple gadgets.

Karen Cinnamon

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