Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

A Willowby by Watters Bride for a Reimagined Jewish Micro Wedding at a Private Airbnb in Malibu, California, USA

by

Nina and Lee, private residence, Madison, CT

We could not be any more excited to share the absolutely incredible micro wedding of our beloved STG Brides Club member Nina to Lee! I know we’re all tired of hearing the word “pivot” at this point – but thes two truly pulled off one of the very best pandemic pivots we’ve seen.

Initially, Nina and Lee had planned to have two big celebrations this summer: one in Israel, where Lee’s family lives, and the other at Nina’s family’s home on the beach in Connecticut. When it became clear that neither of these festivities would be able to go forward as planned, rather than scaling things back or postponing, the couple opted to totally change course and do something totally different.

And in just three weeks, these two managed to plan the most gorgeous micro wedding with 14 guests (friends only – since Lee’s family was unable to travel from Israel, the pair opted to have all relatives participate via Zoom) in the hills of beautiful Malibu – a place neither of them had so much as visited before! – to be followed up by a two-week RV honeymoon driving up the California coast and then east to their engagement spot of Steamboat, Colorado! With all the traveling involved in their original wedding lineup, Nina and Lee hadn’t been planning on a honeymoon at all, and they count being able to go on one as their biggest replanning win.

We’re also obsessed with the couple’s beautiful chuppah canopy, which the bride’s mother knit by hand into an intricate pattern with hearts hidden in the details, so that with the sun shining overhead during the ceremony it cast heart-shaped shadows all around Nina and Lee! What an incredibly special touch – don’t miss it in the exquisite photos by photographer Jess of We are Matt and Jess. And how gorgeous is Nina and Lee’s colorful ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubah.com?! They wanted something out of the box, and we think they found just the thing to match the vibes of their laid-back boho day.

There’s so much more we could say about this awesome wedding, but we’ll let Nina, who looked effortlessly chic in Willowby by Watters (turns out the dress she’d picked for her wedding in Israel worked perfectly for Malibu!), fill you in on the rest…

Oh… and just before we hand over to Nina – make sure you join our Wedding Planning Bingo Challenge which starts today! A must for every Jewish and Jew-ish bride, you can sign up here.

Nina and Lee, private residence, Madison, CTNina and Lee, private residence, Madison, CTNina and Lee, private residence, Madison, CTNina and Lee, private residence, Madison, CT
How we Met

Nina, the bride: Lee and I met the way many couples meet these days…on a dating app!  When we matched, Lee was living in Colorado and I was living in Boston.  Lee was in Boston for a week for work, and while we didn’t have time to meet before he went back to Colorado, it just happened that I was headed to Colorado for a work trip the very next week!

The only time Lee and I had to meet face to face was while I was at a bar with company…Lee brought a friend and swung by the bar where I was hanging out.  We chatted for a bit, went on a walk around the block just the two of us.  The next week Lee flew back to Boston and took me to a matinee performance of The Blue Man Group and then out for Israeli food!  From that point on, Lee and I were all in.

We did a few weekend trips going back and forth between Boston and Colorado, skiing, going to concerts, and eating delicious meals (all of our favorite things).  A few months later, Lee made the decision to relocate to Boston and after 5 months of dating we moved in together!  One year later we were engaged and just about a year later we were married!  When you know, you know.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Ten Ways to Create a Meaningful Jewish Home {Part Two}

by

Jewish Wedding Spirituality

Photo courtesy of Micaela Ezra 

Last week, we shared Part One of our list of top ideas for creating a meaningful Jewish home – something that’s on a lot of our minds right now during COVID. No matter where you are in terms of your background, knowledge, or level of Jewish observance, there are so many beautiful and non-intimidating ways to ground yourself spiritually during this unsettled time for the world – last week we covered observing Shabbat, collecting Judaica that sparks joy, celebrating holidays, participating in Rosh Chodesh groups, and tuning into the Jewish calendar – and this week we’re back with five more ideas to get you going.

Build a Jewish Library

Jews are the people of the book, after all! There are so many incredible Jewish books, and whatever your interests trend toward, there’s something out there for you – whether you’re looking for Torah, Jewish life, history, philosophy, Jewish law, fiction, poetry, or even a cookbook!

Jewish books are a popular discussion topic in the Smashing Life Facebook group – a few titles that come up again and again are Anita Diamant’s Living a Jewish Life and Harold Kushner’s To Life – and if you’re looking for inspiration, there are all kinds of great Jewish book lists out there to get you building that reading list. 

Also – if you have children PJ Library is the most wonderful free resource.

Put Up a Mezuzah 

One easy way to add some Judaism to your home is to put up a mezuzah, a piece of parchment inscribed with two verses from the Torah, placed in a decorative case, and hung on doorposts.

It’s traditional to put a mezuzah up on all doorways in your home, but if you want to go for just one – whether on your front door or bedroom door, whatever you like – that works too!

Mezuzot serve as a clear marker of a Jewish home, and just seeing your mezuzah as you come and go is a wonderful reminder of our Jewish identity – as well as the fact that are homes are places of holiness.

And there are so many beautifully designed cases available these days, whatever your style!

Start a Prayer Practice

I know this one might seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! While it’s true that Judaism has a lengthy and complex liturgy, there are so many ways to approach prayer Jewishly. It doesn’t have to take a long time, and it doesn’t have to involve Hebrew. 

You can pick a prayer that speaks to you, to get in the habit of reciting in Hebrew or English (or whatever language is most comfortable for you) – the Shema, an affirmation of belief in God’s oneness commonly considered the most essential prayer in Judaism, is a great place to start, but if that doesn’t do it for you there are so many choices. Modeh Ani, a short prayer traditionally recited on waking up each day thanking God for giving another day of life, is another wonderful option – one of our Smashing Life members even made a recording of this prayer her alarm, so she now wakes up to it each day! You could also opt to recite blessings over food – or one of these little known but very cool Jewish prayers! The sky is really the limit. 

And of course, you can also talk to God in your own words – you don’t need to feel constrained by the liturgy. After all, that’s how Jewish prayer began – it was only with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem that structured prayer as we know it today really began to take form. 

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Real Jewish Bride: Sarah on a Covid-19 Silver Lining

by

Sarah will be marrying Rich on 20th June 2021 at Tikitano Beach, Marbella, Spain. Click here to read all Sarah’s planning posts to date.

THREE FACTS: (1) Sarah knew Rich was the one when he brought a gift of dog treats for her toy poodle Nuala along to their fourth date! (2) They are crafting an amazing destination wedding weekend in Marbella with beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended vendor optimum weddings as their planner. (3) Sarah is a member of  Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club!

It has a been a while since I last blogged but I’m back! It has been quite the few months and I will be exploring that in my next blog. In the meantime, I thought it is a good time for some positivity because I think we could all do with it!

Last November, I finally secured my training contract after three law degrees and countless unsuccessful applications. I felt relieved that I had fulfilled my purpose having undertaken all my legal training. I was lucky enough to work with a group of really lovely people and make lifelong friends, I acquired a wealth of knowledge and was given many fantastic opportunities, I won the first case I worked on and I will always be grateful for this experience.  To all extents and purposes, I was fulfilling my “dream” … or so I thought.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Bringing the Hamptons to the UK: Jewish Wedding Inspo on Osea Island

by

Eight months into the pandemic, and I think most of us are experiencing some serious wanderlust. So today, we’re taking you on a little holiday to the Hamptons, navigated by master wedding planner and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Michelle Jacobs of Elegante by Michelle J, who spearheaded this gorgeous Jewish wedding-themed shoot!

Wait, sorry, this actually isn’t the Hamptons – despite what you might assume from the chilled out ocean backdrop, the soft beachy color scheme, and the Adirondack chairs! But we ARE headed off on a fabulous journey that will be of particular interest to all of you UK couples out there dreaming of an immersive destination wedding but hesitant to make plans abroad, thanks to Michelle and a fantastic team of wedding professionals, including some other beloved #STGvendors like stationer Dimitria Jordan, makeup artist Katy Angelidi, florist Gabriella Shemtov, and bridal boutique Mirror Mirror London, and Judaica purveyor Contemporary Judaica!

Today’s destination is actually the UK’s magical Osea Island! A small, privately owned island just off the Essex coast and accessible via a tidal causeway (and only a little more than an hour from London!), Osea Island is offered for exclusive hire for weddings and special events – and it’s truly a venue like none other. 

Michelle and her team fell in love with the cool, casual vibe and Hamptons-style interiors abundant on Osea Island – and she should know, as the planner involved with this incredible Jewish wedding featured on STG last year – and we’re betting you will, too. 

There’s something incredibly calming about these exquisite photos, courtesy of Stuart Wood Photography – thanks to the idyllic setting, tranquil coastal color palette, and sophisticated yet understated design scheme – and who couldn’t use a little bit of that right now?

Even though Osea Island isn’t far from London at all, it really does feel like another world – and as such, it’s absolutely the perfect option for couples in the UK who want the feel of an immersive destination wedding without the hassle (and, in COVID times, uncertainty) of international travel.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Svetlana Bridal Bride for a Modern Winter Jewish Wedding at Glen Island Harbor Club, New Rochelle, New York, USA

by

Samantha-Eugene-Glen-Island-Harbor-Club-New-Rochelle

Okay, HOW gorgeous is this purple floral chuppah?! And to think that Smashing The Glass Brides Club member Samantha, a lawyer, and Eugene, an investment banker, only ended up with it as their plan B after the bride’s grandmother objected to their first choice of a lucite canopy! Sometimes grandma really does know best…

Not to say that we don’t love us some lucite! And we’ve got that in common with this modern design-loving couple, who took cues from their apartment décor to combine their contemporary vibes with bright colors they knew would bring cheer to their winter wedding. Don’t miss the joyous pics from Jovon Photography.

We’re obsessed with their beautiful gold-trimmed ketubah by Stephanie Caplan of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Ketubah, who Samantha and Eugene found right here on STG, and we love all the special touches these two added to make their day unforgettable, from hashtag stirrers in their signature drinks to a glitter canon on the dance floor to a caviar station. There were even banana pudding cups as favors at the end of the night, in honor of Samantha’s trademark dessert.

We’ll let the bride – who looked stunning in her custom gown from Svetlana Bridal – fill you in on the rest…

Samantha-Eugene-Glen-Island-Harbor-Club-New-Rochelle-NYSamantha-Eugene-Glen-Island-Harbor-Club-New-Rochelle-NYSamantha-Eugene-Glen-Island-Harbor-Club-New-Rochelle-NY
Keeping It Close to Home

Samantha, the bride: Our venue was Glen Island Harbor Club, New Rochelle NY. I grew up 10 minutes down the road, my Bat Mitzvah was right next door (at the New York Athletic Club) so it seemed like a good spot. My husband jokes that we live in “Westchester South” a/k/a the Upper East Side of NYC so we played off of this.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading