INSPIRATION Archives - Smashing the Glass

Set Up the Jewish Wedding Gift List of Your Dreams with Contemporary Judaica

05/10/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

Raw Silk Hand Woven Small Tallit by Yair Emanuel and Modern Kiddush Cup and Plate in Silver by Nadav Art |Photo by Stuart Wood Photography from Bringing the Hamptons to the UK: Jewish Wedding Inspo on Osea Island

It’s no secret that Contemporary Judaica is my very favourite source for stylish, modern Judaica in the UK. But did you know that they also offer a fantastic wedding gift list service (complete with international shipping)?

Trace Chanukiah in Clay by Via Maris

Easy to set up and manage online, with a Contemporary Judaica gift list you’ll have an unrivaled choice of gifts from over 50 Judaica artists worldwide, not to mention full flexibility and exceptional service.

Acrylic Solid Challah Board and Magnetic Matching Knife

Offering kiddush cups, shabbat candlesticks, challah boards, mezuzahs, havdalah sets, seder plates, smash glasses for under the chuppah that can be turned into keepsake art, and so much more, a Contemporary Judaica gift list is the perfect way to ensure you receive Judaica gifts you know you’ll love, the kind that will enhance the Jewish home you’re building together for a lifetime.Continue Reading

Elegant Museum Jewish Wedding Inspo at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK

12/08/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

Here at Team STG, we love a museum wedding (even our founder Karen had one!). And when it comes to Jewish weddings, museum venues don’t get much better than Oxford’s Ashmolean. The Ashmolean Museum, set in the heart of Oxford – the city of dreaming spires – is a magnificent venue for Jewish weddings. The neo-classical architecture, iconic entrance, grand sweeping staircases and opulent galleries offer a wonderful range of stunning and romantic spaces, each offering its own unique backdrop for your special day.

And we’re obsessed with this stunning styled shoot the Ashmolean events team put together showcasing their Jewish wedding prowess – featuring amazing Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendors Rachel Flax Events, Liv and Luc, and Contemporary Judaica (all of which happen to be run by fabulous Jewish women!).

Dating back to 1683, the Ashmolean is the oldest public museum in the world. Displaying half a million years of art and history, all of the museum’s galleries are licensed for daytime and evening ceremonies. Opt for an intimate celebration during the day, or wait until the museum’s magnificent tall blue doors close to daytime visitors, when the Ashmolean can be exclusively yours for an impressive evening reception complete with dinner and dancing.

Since the Ashmolean joined the STG community last year, we’ve been so impressed by their commitment to hosting stunning, unique Jewish weddings.

In the words of Wendy Ball, Head of Events at The Ashmolean, “From our initial conversations with Emily (client relations at STG), we knew we’d found a perfect fit! STG are renowned for helping couples create ‘Your Jewish (or Jew-ish) Wedding, Your Way’ and we are a world-class museum, that values the art of telling human stories across cultures and across time. Adding to this an experienced, diverse and passionate team of event professionals who take time to really listen to couples, getting to know their stories and wishes, we have helped create many memorable and unique celebrations.”

Whether an intimate ceremony with loved ones, an Oxford city elopement, or a luxury wedding reception, the Ashmolean’s spaces, inside and out, provide a stunning and romantic backdrop for a wedding.

Whimsical Country House Jewish Wedding Inspo at Hylands Estate, Essex, UK

15/07/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

There’s nothing like finding an undiscovered gem of a Jewish wedding venue – and even more so when it’s under an hour from London! We’re so glad Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Michelle Jacobs of Elegante by Michelle J – the organizer behind this gorgeous shoot – took some of her pandemic downtime to scout out gorgeous Hylands Estate in Essex.

As of yet, it’s not really on the Jewish wedding radar – but we’re guessing that’ll change fast after these stunning images go out into the world. Hylands was truly the perfect setting for this beautiful, whimsical shoot, which brought together an amazing team, including Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendors photographer Claudine Hartzel, bridal boutique Morgan Davies Bridal, stationer Dimitria Jordan, makeup artist Katy Angelidi, chuppah supplier The Happy Chuppah People, florist Gabriella Shemtov Floral, harpist Noa Davies, and Judaica purveyor Contemporary Judaica.

When Michelle discovered Hylands Estate, she was surprised it hadn’t yet made its way onto the Jewish wedding scene, since it ticks so many boxes for couples looking for a dreamy English countryside wedding. Between the exquisitely renovated stately manor house, breathtaking grounds, availability for dry hire (which means you can bring in your own kosher caterer) and convenient location in Chelmsford, just 45 minutes from North London, what’s not to love?

And speaking of things to love – we are totally and completely obsessed with this stunner of an Ersa Atelier wedding gown provided by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Morgan Davies Bridal.

Luxe Winter Jewish Wedding Inspo at the Four Seasons Hampshire, UK

25/05/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

You know what doesn’t get enough love? Winter weddings, that’s what. Sure, you don’t get the long daylight hours, and you might find your selection of flowers a tad more limited. But there’s something just so magical and cozy about holding your Jewish (or Jew-ish) wedding in this under appreciated season.

That’s why we’re so delighted that master wedding planner and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Michelle Jacobs of Elegante by Michelle J decided to spearhead a gorgeous Jewish wedding-themed shoot that’s basically an ode to the winter wedding.

Set at #STGvendor Four Seasons Hampshire, a gorgeous luxe countryside venue that’s not far from London but feels a world away, the shoot brought together a fantastic team of wedding professionals, including some other beloved #STGvendors like stationer Bigday Designs, makeup artist Philippa Louise, bridal boutique Mirror Mirror London, and Judaica purveyor Contemporary Judaica!

Being a classic country venue, Four Seasons Hampshire‘s obviously got beautiful gardens and grounds (how magnificent is the Walled Garden?!) – and Paulo Santo Photography took full advantage of that fact in capturing some sublime couples’ shots like the one above.

But Michelle and her team really wanted to showcase the venue’s incredible indoor event spaces – and just how memorably they can be dressed up for a totally unique Jewish wedding. (If you want to see what Four Seasons Hampshire looks like for a summer wedding, check out the incredible Jewish wedding of Jessica and Philip that we featured a couple years back!)

Featuring jewel tones and luxe textures, this shoot is 100% pure winter magnificence.

And as if we couldn’t love this shoot any more, Michelle even worked in one of our very own smash glass pouches – doesn’t get much better than that!

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

25/02/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

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, 21^st-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.