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The Songs You’ll Need for Your Jewish Wedding {Facebook Live with Kimpton Fitzroy London and Sensation Band}

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Mark your calendars for Tuesday, June 22, at 7:15 pm GMT (3:15 pm EST/12:15 pm PST), I’m so as excited as I’ll be going live at one of my very favourite London venues, Kimpton Fitzroy London, with the fabulous Sensation Band, the world-class wedding entertainment outfit beloved by so many Jewish couples in London and beyond, and incredible catering by Adam Nathan Catering!

A firm favourite with STG brides, Sensation Band is truly the very best (their version of Boi Kallah below has had more than 100,000 views on YouTube – you have to listen to it if you haven’t already!) – and when it comes to Jewish wedding music, their knowledge is positively encyclopedic. And they’ll be sharing it all with us, as they perform a multitude of songs from different traditions that you may consider including at various points on your big day. Sensation is here to help you choose the right music for your Jewish wedding, so this is your chance to ask away!

There’ll also be delectable nibbles on hand from Adam Nathan Catering, Kimpton’s preferred partner for kosher-style catering – Adam Nathan is truly one of the best in the business, and we’re consistently blown away by both the quality and the creativity of everything he and his team cook up.

Kimpton-Fitzroy

Interspersed with Sensation Band’s unforgettable Jewish music will be a live Q&A, where you can ask me,  Sensation, and the Kimpton Fitzroy London weddings team anything you’ve ever wanted to know about either Jewish wedding music OR this in-demand Jewish wedding venue. Definitely not to be missed!

We’ll be filming live from Kimpton Fitzroy London’s magical Palm Court, complete with a soaring glass ceiling that floods the room with light, comfortable clusters of seating, and lots of gorgeous greenery — the vibe is conservatory meets lounge meets members club, and it is exactly as fabulous as it sounds. Intimate yet fun, hip yet classic.

But that’s not all! Once we’ve wrapped up with Sensation, we’ll be launching straight in to Facebook Live #2 of the evening, a venue tour of the Kimpton Fitzroy London starting at 8:00 pm GMT / 3:00 pm EST / 12:00 PM PST.

Located oh-so-centrally in Bloomsbury’s Russell Square, the Kimpton Fitzroy London combines historic charm with modern luxury. It’s a mega-luxe, uber-stylish place, with every inch full of the chicest of contemporary details.

There’s no place like it for an urban glam Jewish wedding in London, and I can’t wait to take you along as I tour through all the stunning spaces on offer for your big day.

In between it all, we’ll be enjoying delectable canapés and drinks from Adam Nathan Catering, Kimpton Fitzroy London’s preferred partner for kosher-style catering.

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Why We Love Kimpton Fitzroy London for Jewish Weddings, from Micro to Mega

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It’s no secret that the Kimpton Fitzroy London is one of my very favourite Jewish wedding venues. Located oh-so-centrally in Bloomsbury’s Russell Square, the Kimpton Fitzroy London’s combination of historic charm and modern luxury makes it an incredibly elegant spot equally suited for an intimate micro wedding or a post-pandemic celebration with up to 200 guests.

Originally built in 1898 (on the site of Emmaline Pankhurst’s onetime home — how’s that for a bit of feminist history to add to your wedding?!), Kimpton Fitzroy London undertook a two-year, £85 million refurbishment of the hotel before opening it in April 2018 as the first Kimpton property in the UK.

Danielle and Rob‘s Jewish micro wedding | Photo by Mike Garrard

Micro Wedding Bliss

Since then, they’ve hosted some truly exquisite Jewish weddings, from the biggest ballroom bashes to intimate micro weddings like Danielle and Rob‘s that we featured on STG last month. 

For as long as government restrictions on weddings last, Kimpton Fitzroy London offers bespoke micro wedding packages to suit your every need for groups starting at 15 – all while following up-to-the-minute COVID regulations, of course.

Depending on your specific needs, you’ll have your pick of a range of delightful spaces – from the dramatic ballroom to eight-intimate rooms and four restaurants and bars, all flooded with natural light and historic details at every turn. Meanwhile, the Kimpton Fitzroy London is also booking up fast for 100+ person celebrations later this year and in 2022!

And did I mention that the team at Kimpton Fitzroy London couldn’t be more knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Jewish weddings? 

A Space to Suit Every Need

But back to the glorious space that is Kimpton Fitzroy London: The centre of the property — at least when it comes to weddings — is the ballroom, a grand event space perfect for a standout Jewish ceremony followed by a beautiful reception, boasting a private entrance on Bernard Street, original 19th-century architectural details, a full wall of windows, and a mezzanine gallery.

Danielle and Rob‘s Jewish micro wedding | Photo by Mike Garrard

And the adjoining Palm Court is the most magical backdrop for reception drinks, with a soaring glass ceiling that floods the room with light, comfortable clusters of seating, an outdoor terrace, and lots of gorgeous greenery — the vibe is conservatory meets lounge meets members club, and it is exactly as fabulous as it sounds. Intimate yet fun, hip yet classic.

I’m seriously in love with this place and it has got to be the best reception space to go with a ballroom wedding that I’ve seen in London.

Danielle and Rob‘s Jewish micro wedding | Photo by Mike Garrard

Innovative Kosher Catering

For those needing fully certified kosher catering, the Kimpton Fitzroy London is in partnership with Ben Tenenblat as their preferred kosher caterer! And in addition to the stellar in-house team, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Adam Nathan Catering is available for delectable kosher-style menus.

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Five Essential Items for All Jewish Newylweds {with aJudaica}

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There’s nothing like surrounding yourself with beautiful Jewish ritual objects and art to infuse your home with a sense of spirituality. Especially as you begin building your new married life together with your partner, it’s the perfect time to invest in meaningful pieces the two of you both adore. 

And how much more special is it when those special Judaica pieces come directly from Israel? That’s why we love aJudaica, a fantastic online source for the best in Israeli products shipping around the world. Whether you’re looking to purchase some unique pieces for yourself or are putting together a Judaica wedding wishlist, aJudiaca’s got you covered with their outstanding selection. 

Oh, and did we mention that as a Smashing The Glass reader, you’ll receive a 12% discount on all purchases? Just enter the code “STG12”.

Read on for some of our very favorite Jewish home essentials from aJudaica…

Apollo Mezuzah Case by Laura Cowan

Mezuzah

Nothing marks a Jewish home like a mezuzah, a piece of parchment inscribed with two verses from the Torah, placed in a decorative case, and hung on doorposts. A mezuzah represents Divine protection and injects a drop of spirituality into the home right from the moment you enter.  It’s also an eloquent reminder of the importance of the Jewish home as a center for growth, love, and the building of beautiful relationships – So it makes a fantastic wedding gift. Today, there is a fantastic selection of mezuzah cases available – of every material, size, design, and price point. We’re loving this sleek contemporary take by Laura Cowan. Whichever option you choose, don’t forget that for your mezuzah to bring you Divine protection, it must be certified kosher with the parchment and handwritten text meeting certain requirements. So, here’s wishing you a home filled with blessing and protection!

Moon Path Trio Tray by Laura Cowan

Shabbat Candlesticks

Every Jewish home needs a pair of Shabbat candlesticks. Kindling the Shabbat lights before dusk on Friday evening is one of the most beautiful Jewish rituals around, and such a fantastic way to infuse some spirituality into your week. And how cool are Laura Cowan’s multi-purpose Shabbat candlesticks?! This bright young Israeli artist, hailing from England, has designed a gorgeous, sweet dish to grace your table all week long. Come Friday, exchange the candies for tea lights and welcome the Shabbat to your home in style.

       

Slide Magnet Hanukkah Menorah By Laura Cowan

Hanukkah Menorah

A menorah makes a fantastic wedding gift. Its glowing lights during the festival of Hanukkah, with one more kindled each day, are an enduring symbol of Jewish faith, spiritual strength, and the courage to survive.

These days, there’s such a vast choice of menorahs on the market. Whatever your style – traditional or modern, whimsical or minimalist – there’s bound to be a perfect fit for you. For a sleek modern style, we’re loving Laura Cowan’s Slide Magnet Hanukkah Menorah!

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Your Engagement Ring, Your Way: Use 21st-Century Tech to Design the One-of-a-Kind Ring of Your Dreams with Lottie Leigh

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Hands up: who’s sneaking a peek at STG while waiting to get engaged? If that’s you, we’ve got something really special today – a brand new, 21st-century way of making the engagement ring of your dreams a reality.

The CAD Difference

When mega-talented London-based GIA-qualified jewelry designer Charlotte Leigh got engaged herself, she had a vision of what she wanted for her engagement ring – but working with a jeweler to turn her vision into reality proved trickier than she’d expected. Frustrated and feeling like there had to be a better way, she merged her tech know-how with her love for design and came up with a foolproof system using CAD (Computer-Aided Design) and 3D printing to make sure every bride ends up with the ring of her dreams – no disappointments, no surprises, just a one-of-a-kind piece you’ll never want to take off. 

But if your proposal’s already a thing of the past, don’t stop reading – Lottie Leigh also works with couples to create the wedding bands of their dreams (or any other special piece of jewlery, for that matter – necklace, bracelet, earrings, you name it), and if you’ve got any unloved heirloom jewelry tucked away in your drawers she’s got a fantastic jewelry remodeling service to turn those stones into something 100% you, using the same up-to-the-minute CAD approach to make sure your new piece turns out exactly the way you envision it.

Read on to find out exactly how Lottie Leigh works, what sets her process apart, and how you can get started on a journey to create the jewelry of your dreams!

The Forever Yours Journey

If you’re looking to create an engagement ring that’s thoroughly, completely you – whether together as a couple or as a surprise for your beloved – let Lottie Leigh take you on the journey of a lifetime.

The Forever Yours Journey is Lottie Leigh’s four-step path to your perfect engagement ring – and what really sets it apart is the fact that, before committing to your final design, you’ll get an actual 3D-printed model of your ring to try on. This ensures that it’s exactly as you imagined and gives you a chance to make any changes before the real one is made – so you can be sure the finished product will be exactly the way you want it, no disappointments! And no worries if you’re not based in London – the whole process can be done remotely.

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Top Ketubah Trends for 2021 {with Ketubah.com}

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Stunning Henna Princess Papercut by Enya Keshet  | Photo by Julia Pollak of Luria Visuals

As you may have noticed, we are huge fans of Ketubah.com – and so are our couples! There’s no question that this online ketubah emporium – featuring designs to suit all styles, budgets, and types of wedding. Whether your big day is Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, interfaith, secular, and/or same-sex, Ketubah.com‘s got you. They even offer a 10% discount to members of our Brides Club!

Moonstone Hora Square by Hadass Gerson  | Photo by Alex Jardine at Ikonica

Between their incredible range and impeccable customer service, it’s no wonder they are by far the #1 ketubah source among STG readers. And today we’re so excited to be teaming up with our friends at Ketubah.com to fill you in on the top trends they’re seeing in 2020, from sustainability to 3-D to crystals and beyond. 

Sustainability

Renaissance Echoes by Jonathan Kremer

It’s no secret that sustainability is one of the keywords of 2020 – it’s  been trending in bridal fashion, and it’s no surprise that concern for the environment is hitting the ketubah world hard. And Ketubah.com’s ahead of the curve: their ketubahs are made with clean electricity, and even their Toronto office is powered by Bullfrog power, which lowers their carbon footprint and brings renewable energy – and naturally they recycle, seeing as they work with a ton of paper!

Couples who are environmentally conscious may want to consider a washi paper ketubah. Japanese washi paper is not only beautiful, it’s also especially eco-friendly because it is biodegradable and tree-friendly alternative (the fibers are taken from the bark of living trees – most commonly mulberry – no chopping required). Ketubah.com has an awesome selection of designs on washi paper.

Crystals

Adventure of a Lifetime II by Shel Rummel

Crystals are all the rage these days. There is a belief that crystals can affect energy in your life – and, therefore, your wedding day too. Who among us can’t use some positive vibes for the big day (not to mention in your home forever after)?

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