Outdoor Archives - Smashing the Glass

A Relaxed Summer Jewish Wedding at Micklefield Hall, Hertfordshire, UK

14/06/2019 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Isn’t summer just the best? The sunlight, the long days, the greenery… they all come together to make it a fantastic time for a Jewish wedding. And we love the way today’s couple, Zippy, a social worker, and Danny, a rabbi, really made the most of the season.

Their venue, Mickelefield Hall, has the most picturesque English garden outdoor space, and the couple took full advantage by holding their chuppah in the open air. Warren from Howell Jones Photography captured the beautiful setting so well – not to mention all the emotion and fun of the big day. Zippy says she and Danny chose Warren because “every photo he took tells a story,” and we couldn’t agree more. Videographer Moon & Back made the most gorgeous, moving trailer – don’t miss it!

We love that Zippy and Danny chose the mega-talented The Matzoh Boys – their lead singer is Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Jonny Mosesson – as their band. And how sweet is it that Zippy borrowed her wedding dress from her sister, who’d gotten married months earlier? There’s so much more to say, but we’ll le the bride take it from here…

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How we met

Zippy, the bride: Before we met a number of our people had remarked that we would go well together. Our paths finally crossed when Zippy went to a meditation class that Danny was leading. The rest was history.

A Galia Lahav Bride for a Magical Private Island Jewish Wedding at Osea Island, Essex, UK

12/06/2019 by Karen Cinnamon 1 Comment

Looking for an ultra-memorable venue for your Jewish wedding? How about renting out your very own PRIVATE ISLAND?! That’s what today’s nature-loving couple, Jasmin and Brett, did – their big day took place on the magical Osea Island, a private island off the coast of Essex. Trust us, you don’t want to miss Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Claudine Hartzel’s epic photos of this dreamy day that is full-to-the-brim packed with incredibly talented STG Recommended Vendors.

It all came together with a little help from the wonderful (and multitalented) James Alexander from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor and legendary band Totem, who the couple worked with to plan their big day – and yes, Totem also gave one of their unforgettable performances during the wedding. And how cool is it that, on the coordination end, James brought in none other than master planner Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Michelle Jacobs from Elegante by Michelle J ?

One special touch we’re totally obsessed with: knowing that they wouldn’t be able to talk to each and every one of their 300+ guests, Jasmin and Brett decided to write a little ‘message in a bottle’ (so perfect for the private island venue, right?!) to thank each of their guests for being there.

And how sweet is it that the couple’s rabbi surprised them during the ceremony by calling the bride’s grandfather to read the pair’s beautiful ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubata?

Jasmin knew she wanted to wear an Israel designer, and she found the gown of her dreams – a one-shouldered fantasy of blush tulle and glitter from the inimitable Galia Lahav– at beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Browns Bride in London.

Also, are Jasmin’s luscious locks giving anyone else serious hair envy? Anyway, we’ll hand you over to her now…

How we met

Jasmin, the bride: My husband and I first crossed paths at a mutual friend’s restaurant and the rest is history 🙂

A Pronovias Bride for a Rustic Destination Jewish Wedding at Topnotch Resort, Stowe, Vermont, USA

03/06/2019 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

A destination Jewish wedding doesn’t have to take place thousands of miles from home to have a seriously big impact. For evidence, see the gorgeous rustic wedding of Erica, a content manager in the pharmaceutical industry and adjunct professor in business communications, and Jared, an electrical engineer.

They knew they wanted an intimate wedding that would allow their family and friends – who hadn’t spent much time together due to living far apart – to really get to know each other. So they opted to host #GordonWeddinGetaway in Vermont’s breathtaking Green Mountains – far enough away from their home in Philadelphia to qualify as a bona fide destination while still accessible to their guests.

We love that Erica and Jared really focused on keeping everything low key and fun for their 45 guests, and never lost sight of their ultimate goal for the wedding weekend: connecting with their nearest and dearest – and allowing their family and friends a chill couple of days to connect with each other, too! And based on the wonderful photos from Jesse Schloff Photography, it seems to have gone exactly to plan.

One of our biggest goals here at STG is to make sure all brides (and grooms) to be are able to craft a wedding day (or weekend!) that’s exactly how they want it to be – and we’re so excited to be launching our first-ever FREE Jewish Wedding Planning Bootcamp, starting TODAY, Monday, June 3! It’s going to be full of tips and tools for creating the wedding of your dreams, stress-free (or just about), and it’s not too late to sign up!

Now over to the bride, who looked exquisite in her off-the-shoulder mermaid gown from Pronovias…

How we met

Erica, the bride: Like many others these days, we met online—Jdate specifically. From reading his profile, I thought we had a lot in common (we’re both from the same town). I liked that he said he liked to go mini golfing and play board games—nerdy things that I also enjoy. We also both lived in South Florida; we even went to the same high school in PA but were a year apart.

We set up our first date for October 2, 2015. We went bowling and split a pizza. I thought he was very cute and felt a connection right away. Early on, I could see Jared being “the one.”

A Nitzan Krispil Bride for a Laid-Back Seaside Wedding at Beit Andromeda, Tel Aviv, Israel

31/05/2019 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

We’re always obsessed with Israeli oceanside weddings…. especially when they’re smack dab in the middle of picture-perfect Old Jaffa. Like the gorgeous Jewish wedding of Olga, a graphic designer, and Chen, a programmer, which we’re totally and completely obsessed with.

It’s hard to go wrong when you’re starting out with a venue like Beit Andromeda. Throw in cool, contemporary photography with just a little bit of edge from mega-talented Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Gamba Photographers (the couple have known Gamba’s Avihai since their military service!), and you’ve pretty much got a slam dunk.

And that’s before we even get into the awesome touches the couple added to reflect the fact that their wedding was the day before Rosh Hashanah – in honor of the holiday, Olga and Chen adopted the themes of blossoming and new beginnings, and added sweet details from honey jar favors to fun dancefloor props embellished with floral and fruit motifs (handmade by the bride and her friends in the buildup to the big day – love that!).

We also love the couple’s commitment to making sure they crafted a wedding that truly reflected who they are – so in line with what we believe her at STG, and what we want to make sure all brides (and grooms) to be have the tools to accomplish for themselves. That’s why we’re so excited about our first-ever FREE Jewish Wedding Planning Bootcamp, starting this Monday, June 3 – it’s going to be truly unmissable, so if you’re planning a Jewish or Jew-ish wedding, do sign up!

Now back to Olga, who looked effortlessly romantic in her two-piece Nitzan Krispil…

How we met

Olga, the bride: We met during our military service at a mutual friend’s birthday party, and got married 6 years later.

A Relaxing and Rustic Destination Jewish Wedding on a Budget at Porto Helidoni Villa, Crete, Greece

27/05/2019 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

An international destination wedding on a budget?! Yes, it’s possible – just have a look at today’s gorgeous Jewish wedding for proof.

Nitsan, a lawyer, and Oren, a neurobiologist, live in Israel – just a short flight away from their wedding destination, which they picked not only for its epic coastal beauty, but also as a way to honor the bride’s Greek heritage.

We love how these two focused on what mattered to them and let go of the rest. They made sure to pick out a venue that ticked all their boxes – close to the sea, with a relaxed, rustic picnic vibe – and made the most of it by adding professional lighting above the main table and fairy lights in the trees for a magical touch.

And they didn’t skimp on photography and videography, as you can see from their beautiful imagery and trailer by Andreas Markakis and his team.

On the savings side, Nitsan says she picked her simple gown because it was “the cheapest one I could find,” shopped her own closet for her wedding footwear, and did her own hair and makeup. Oren also opted to wear smart casual clothes he already owned rather than splurging on new wedding attire.

The couple opted for a simple, rustic chuppah that managed to match the rustic seaside vibe without breaking the bank – and it just goes to show you don’t have to go heavy on the florals to create a memorable look.

Now over to the bride…