Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

Real Jewish Brides: How Erin Proposed To Her Bridesmaids

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Erin will be marrying Josh on 1st November 2020 at Congregation Beth Israel, in Charlottesville, VA, USA. Click here to read all Erin’ planning posts to date.

THREE FACTS: (1) Erin and Josh are planning an outdoorsy fall wedding on a budget in Virginia’s Shenandoah mountains. (2) Erin recently completed her conversion to Judaism, and she and Josh are looking forward to filling their big day with Jewish traditions while keeping it enjoyable and understandable to friends and family from all backgrounds. (3) Erin is a member of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club!


How you met

They say when planning a wedding, you have to think about what your priorities are, both to just generally center what your day will be focused on, and where you will spend your money.

From the get-go, my fiance and I knew that we want everyone invited to our wedding – and especially those who we ask to actively participate in our day – to know how much we appreciate their presence.

That being said, I wanted to do something special to invite my friends and sister to by my bridesmaids. We all live all over the place, and I just wasn’t sure how much time we would get to spend together before the wedding weekend, so I wanted my invitations to help get everyone even more excited and have them feel appreciated.

Therefore, I decided to make an invite box for each bridesmaid with a few goodies and notes. I know this isn’t a completely unique idea, but I decided that I wanted to customize my invitation to the ~vibe~ of the wedding: a fall night in the mountains.

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A Gluten-Free and Kosher Pareve Wedding is a Piece of Cake! {with By the Way Bakery}

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I Dream of Gluten-Free

Most 8-year-old girls dream about their perfect wedding dress, but there was only one wedding detail I had always been fixated on since I was a kid—the cake. Growing up gluten-free and dairy-free in a time where those allergens weren’t on anyone’s radar wasn’t easy. I had always assumed that when I got married I’d miss out on the tradition of having my groom feed me in front of a room filled with our friends and family. While it may not be the most important or even glamorous wedding tradition, it was something that I thought about often with a longing sadness. Just something else I’d have to miss out on.

I got engaged in October 2018, and while planning my November 2019 wedding all of the important details seemed to be easily falling into place. The venue was booked, the dress had been found, DJ secured, flowers chosen; one by one things were getting checked off the list—except for the wedding cake.

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A Pronovias Bride for a Windy City-Themed Jewish Wedding at The Shapiro Ballroom, Chicago Illinois, USA

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We’re so excited to be featuring the beautiful Jewish wedding of STG Brides Club member Leah, a food scientist, and Scott, a middle school science and social studies teacher – and these two might just have the coolest venue story we’ve EVER heard.

You see, back in the ‘60s, Leah’s grandfather owned a movie theater in Chicago, The Alvin – it’s such a big part of the bride’s family’s story that her father was even named Alvin in its honor! After many years of abandonment, just a few years ago the theater was finally renovated and turned into… wait for it… a wedding venue! What more perfect place for these two to wed – especially given that they themed their big day around their love for their home city of Chicago? #livinlavidavenus indeed!

This is just one of the many amazing personal touches that added up to make Leah and Scott’s wedding truly one for the books. How cute are the mini Heinz (in honor of the bride’s workplace, Kraft Heinz, as well as her love for ketchup) ketchup bottles with personalized labels they gave out as favors? And of course we adore the pair’s tree of life ketubah by the wonderful Rachelle of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Delicate Brush!

Jamie & Eric Photography captured all the details – not to mention the emotion – exquisitely, and we can’t get enough of the shoot they did with the couple at all of their favorite Chicago landmarks.

Now over to the bride, who could not have looked more elegant in her classic Pronovias ballgown…

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How we met

Leah, the bride: We actually met 5 years ago through Jcrush! Swiping right really paid off as I married my best friend.

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A Hayley Paige Bride for an Interfaith Jewish Wedding with a Starbucks Kiddush Cup at The Addison, Boca Raton, Florida

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Just when we think we’ve seen it all, along comes a Starbucks kiddush cup to prove us wrong! Yes, you read that right – Samantha, a baker, and Scott, who’s in commercial real estate, really did use a Starbucks coffee cup in place of a standard kiddush cup during their interfaith Jewish ceremony, in a nod to their adorable how-they-met story! Just one of the many little touches that went into making this wedding so personal and special.

For instance, we love how these two brought an English garden vibe to their South Florida venue, as a nod to Scott’s origins in the UK. With plenty of blush pink blooms, leafy greens, and twigs – don’t miss the beautiful chuppah! – we love the ambience Samantha and Scott created, and photographer Starfish Studios captured it all so perfectly.

We’ll turn you over to the bride in a minute, but first we have to rave about her impeccable bridal style – from her lovely Hayley Paige gown to her custom handpainted leather jacket, Samantha totally rocked it!

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How we met

Samantha, the bride: We met at a Starbucks. We kind of just struck up a conversation and continued talking. Most of the time, I’m not one to talk to other people, I like to get in and get out and go on with my day, but there was something about Scott that kept me there, probably his accent if I’m not lying.

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Why Andrea Hawkes is the Perfect Bridal Designer for Your Jewish Wedding

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I’m obsessed with the cool, contemporary look of Andrea Hawkes Bridal. British designer Andrea Hawkes – who I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over my years at STG – is at the forefront of British bridal fashion, and I couldn’t possibly recommend her precision-crafted minimalist designs any more highly. 

Every Andrea Hawkes Bridal piece is designed and manufactured at her studio in London using the highest quality natural silks and lace, and the service you’ll receive at their Islington flagship is second to none. 

I am consistently impressed by how meticulous and kind Andrea is, and how she truly goes above and beyond – nothing is too much for her! Plus, of course, she’s a stellar designer – while always being mindful of each bride’s individual needs. She’s the kind of person you just want to be around! 

That’s why I’m so thrilled to bring you a Q&A with Andrea Hawkes herself all about her design ethos, how she got her start, and, most importantly, why her designs are just the thing for the Jewish bride looking for an elegant modern gown. If you’re looking for something sleek, simple, and totally stunning to wear on your big day, read on. 

Smashing The Glass: Are there differences in what you see Jewish vs. non-Jewish brides looking for in a dress?

Andrea Hawkes: Our Jewish brides tend to go for a classic, refined yet modern look. They are often looking for more coverage/something that adds more coverage that they can take off later. Higher necklines, covered backs, and an overall more modest look and feel are also common asks. Jewish brides will usually wear a veil. In cases where they are adding an additional piece for more coverage during the chuppah, our Jewish brides are always seeking a seamless look that appears as one whole dress. Sheer coverage/lace is a popular choice with our Jewish and non-Jewish brides alike.

STG: Are there any styles that are especially popular with Jewish brides? 

AH: Any of our strappy designs with a lace top or jacket are popular. India, with its high neck-line and long sleeves, is also a lovely option for a more classic covered look.

STG: What do you offer for brides looking for a more modest look?

AH: We have a varied selection of lace tops, capes, overskirts and veils that our brides can add to our dresses for an added layer of interest or indeed a more modest look. Our India dress with long sleeves and a high neckline, and Wallace also with long sleeves, and Juno with beautiful sheer coverage. Our made to measure service also means that if a bride would prefer to add a cap-sleeve, long sleeves, raised back or raised neckline, we are perfectly happy to do so. And if a bride has a specific idea and wishes to create a more modest look from scratch, we will work collaboratively with the bride to create her dream dress from initial sketch, toile and silk fittings, to the finished dress design.

STG: And how about for those brides who may need to cover their shoulders for the chuppah but might want a more revealing dress otherwise?

AH: We have a varied selection of lace tops, capes, overskirts and veils that our brides can add to our dresses for an added layer of interest or indeed a more modest look.The bride can then remove this additional piece revealing a whole new look underneath. We can build a lace top or overdress over the top of a strappy fitted design or something that is a little more open for the evening.We would of course make sure this looks integral to the dress – a seamless finish that would blend effortlessly into the dress as a whole.

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