Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

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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A Jewish Micro Wedding with the Most Breathtaking Floral Chuppah at Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, Massachusetts, USA

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Gaby and Michael, Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, Massachusetts, USA

We see a lot of cool chuppahs around here, but the one Gaby, a life and career coach, and Michael, an investment advisor, dreamed up for their big day at Jacob’s Pillow in the picturesque Berkshires really takes the (wedding) cake. Filled with gorgeous flowers, centered on an otherwise empty stage overlooking the mountains surrounding the venue, it’s really, truly, 100% #chuppahgoals. We’re absolutely obsessed with the dreamy photos by Lauren Foley of 309 Productions, and we’re guessing you will be too.

Gaby and Michael had initially planned a 200-person wedding, but when the pandemic hit they had to scale their day down to just 20 guests. Luckily, the couple had incredible wedding planner Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Tara Consolati on their team to redesign the day to perfectly fit their new, smaller event. Together, they came up with a unique “interactive” ceremony that included participation by 32 guests (including some of the 300 who attended virtually via Zoom)! Friends and family gave musical performances, mini speeches, and blessings, and lit memorial candles. What an incredibly special way to make guests really feel a part of things – especially those who are physically far away!

Another wonderful touch is that Gaby’s step-sister Rachel painted the most gorgeous border on the ketubah they purchased from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor ketubah.com, incorporating lots of personal touches with special meaning to the couple.

There’s so much more we could say about this fab day (did we mention that Gaby found her dress by chance off the rack at Bloomingdales, for 1/10 of the price of the bridal gowns she’d been looking at?), but we’ll leave it to the bride to fill you in on the rest…

Gaby and Michael, Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, Massachusetts, USA
How we Met

Gaby, the bride and Michael, the groom: Gaby and Michael met on the dating app, Hinge, in the summer of 2018! After only a few messages back and forth they met for drinks at La Pecora Bianca in Midtown Manhattan. The night was perfect and was filled with many laughs, stories and glasses of wine. Even more fitting, Gaby went to her family home in the Berkshires the weekend afterward, a place that proved incredibly important to our relationship given we lived there for nearly 7 months during the pandemic.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Stella York Bride for a Classic Country House Jewish Wedding at Hedsor House, Taplow, UK

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Kim and Josh, Hedsor House, UK

There’s nothing quite like a good English countryside Jewish wedding. And Kim, a secondary school maths teacher, and Josh, a quality manager, threw the absolute perfect bash at Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Hedsor House, which, despite being located conveniently just outside London, feels like it’s worlds away.

Family-run stately home Hedsor House ticked all the couple’s boxes: classic feel; exclusive hire for 150 people; rooms for the bridal party to sleep in, and ability to bring in a great kosher caterer. And if you scroll through the gorgeous images from Richard Galloway Photography, you’ll see that Hedsor could not have been a more perfect spot for Kim and Josh’s special day.

We’re in love with the couple’s exquisite lace effect chuppah (to match Kim’s lace gown!), supplied by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Happy Chuppah People, which has held up by Josh’s ushers during the ceremony.

We’re also totally taken with the couple’s Jenga “guest book,” a custom Jenga tower with Kim and Josh’s names and wedding date engraved into each block, which guests could then write messages on. The pair plans to bring it out for a game every year on their anniversary – how sweet is that?!

Now over to the bride, who looked stellar in Stella York…

Kim and Josh, Hedsor House, UKKim and Josh, Hedsor House, UKKim and Josh, Hedsor House, UKKim and Josh, Hedsor House, UK
How we Met

Kim, the bride: We met online on ‘Plenty of Fish’.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

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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Real Jewish Brides: Charlotte on Her Almost Wedding Day

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Charlotte will be marrying Adam in September 2021 at Swynford Manor in Newmarket, UK. Click here to read all Charlotte’s planning posts to date.

THREE FACTS: (1) Adam proposed to Charlotte on holiday in Cyprus (2) Charlotte and Adam met at work in London (3) Charlotte is a member of STG Brides Club!


25th April 2021 was meant to be the day that Adam and I said ‘I Do’ and become husband and wife. Sadly, this day was not meant to be and instead as our almost day came around there was still 140 days to go.

25th April 2021 was not the day either of us expected it to be but, it was a day that we will remember and for all the right reasons. During the build-up to our almost wedding day I had thought about what I want the day to be like. I didn’t want to spend the day having a normal Sunday, doing our normal Sunday routine. I wanted it to be special to us and a day we would remember for something wonderful.

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