Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

Real Jewish Brides: Alexandra’s Search for an Unorthodox Rabbi

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Alexandra will be marrying Ian on 10th May 2020 at La Corte Dei Messapi in Ostuni, Puglia, Italy. Click here to read all Alexandra’s planning posts to date.

THREE FACTS: THREE FACTS: (1) Alexandra and Ian are planning an intimate black-tie destination wedding for 60 of their nearest and dearest in Puglia, Italy. (2) Alexandra is Jewish, and Ian is in the process of converting to Judaism. (3) Alexandra is a member of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club!

My fiance and I are pretty up on the major Jewish holidays. When we scheduled our wedding on May 10th, 2020 in Ostuni, Italy, we thought it would be the perfect time to find an officiant; we were wrong. Most rabbis in Italy are Orthodox and we are getting married during the counting of the Omer when weddings aren’t conducted.

If you are like me, you may not know what the forty-nine day period that constitutes the counting of the Omer is all about. It begins on Passover and ends on Shavuot and we are getting married in the middle of it. The idea of counting each day between the two holidays represents spiritual preparation and anticipation for the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai.

It is considered a time of semi-mourning. During this period, Orthodox Jews are forbidden from getting haircuts, shaving, listening to instrumental music, or conducting weddings, parties, and dinners with dancing.


Image by Maloman Studios  from Lindsey and Corey’s wedding

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Calling All Jewish and Jew-ish Couples: Take the Journey of a Lifetime with Honeymoon Israel

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Photo: Honeymoon Israel

If you’re a regular reader of STG, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I love Israel. From the landscape to the culture to the spirituality to the history to the food (THE FOOD!), it’s a truly incredible country.

Photo: Betsy Biglin / Honeymoon Israel

Being half Israeli myself, it’s a place that’s especially close to my heart – and one I think every Jewish and Jew-ish couple should take the time to get to know a little better.

Photo: Lindsay Arnold / Honeymoon Israel

There’s no question that it’s a fab vacation spot, whatever your interests, and it’s also the perfect place to explore your Jewish (or Jew-ish) identity – whatever your background, connection to Judaism, or political views on Israel.

Photo: Honeymoon Israel

That’s why I’m so excited to tell you about Honeymoon Israel, a fantastic organization on a mission to bring Jewish life and understanding into the home of every Jewish or Jew-ish couple, in a personal, meaningful, and agenda-free way – through highly subsidized couples’ trips to Israel!

Photo: Lara Sparks / Honeymoon Israel

On a Honeymoon Israel trip, the two of you will spend nine exhilarating, romantic, and memorable days exploring Israel in luxury, alongside 19 other couples from your home city. You’ll take in all the classic tourist spots – the Western Wall, Jerusalem’s Old City, the beaches of Tel Aviv – and also catch some unique experiences you wouldn’t get on a standard vacation, like meals with local families and meetings with high-level public officials and business leaders.

Photo: Whitney Kirk / Honeymoon Israel

It’s also a chance for you and your partner to step back, recharge, and take some time to reconnect with each other and with other Jewish and Jew-ish couples at a similar stage in life from your city. A Honeymoon Israel trip will support your exploration of Jewish life and empower you to find your own connection to Judaism, individually, as a couple, and as part of a larger community.

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A David’s Bridal Bride for a Jewish Wedding Steeped in History at The Old Palace, Hatfield House, Hatfield, UK

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What better spot for a history-loving couple to wed than at Henry VIII’s summer palace?! That’s exactly what Natalie, a project manager, and Samson, who works in architecture, did when they opted for Hatfield House as their venue, and we are LOVING IT! Between the stunning 15th-century building and the manicured knot gardens, this venue’s got serious wow factor.

And so does the couple’s chuppah, a wooden structure covered in soft white blossoms (also, how romantic is it that the chuppah aisle was lined with flowers and lanterns?!). And we love that the chuppah canopy was made by a friend, who quilted a design that will be turned into a family tree – and also a family heirloom for Natalie and Samson’s own future children to marry under one day.

Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Luz did the most amazing job capturing the photo and video, as always. The groom, who works in architecture, was especially drawn to the fact that the Luz team bring their own architecture backgrounds to their photography style – and the rest is history!

Natalie and Samson had The Matzoh Boys as their band – whose lead singer is the incredible Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Jonny Mosesson – and the band brought their trademark soulful sound to the day.


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A Venue with History 

Natalie, the bride: We got married at The Old Palace, Hatfield House. Samson and I planned everything leading up to the day ourselves, which included the venue search. Hatfield House was the first venue we saw, and we found ourselves comparing every venue thereafter to it. That’s how we knew we had found the right one. The venue itself is steeped in history. It is King Henry the VIII former summer palace, and the location that Queen Elizabeth I found out that she would be queen. We both love history.

The space itself was incredible. The manicured knot gardens together with the 15th century building meant that the beauty was truly something spectacular. Being Australian, my aim was to pick a venue that our foreign guests would be ‘WOW’ed’ by. I think we achieved that aim!

The team at Hatfield House Hospitality were another massive selling point. They were kind, professional and engaged. I would recommend them to anyone.
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A Sassi Holford Bride for a Scottish-Jewish Wedding at Bait al Hayam, Tel Aviv, Israel

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We love seeing couples find unique, personal ways to merge their backgrounds in their interfaith Jewish weddings – and did Gabby, a doctor, and Jason, an aircraft engineer, ever pull it off! These two had the most delightful Jewish-Scottish destination wedding in Israel, with the perfect combination of the bride’s Jewish and Israeli identity and the Edinburgh-born groom’s Scottish heritage.

With a hora AND a bagpiper, a groom in a kilt, plentiful use of tartan (we’re obsessed with the tartan kippot!), and a meaningful personalized ceremony combining Jewish and Scottish traditions (officiated by Chen BenBrit Shapira, who the couple found right here on STG), this wedding is pure Scottish-Jewish perfection.

Gabby and Jason’s photographer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ori Carmi, captured all the emotion and the special details of the day so perfectly – and also made the couple feel completely at ease on camera, plus delivered super quick turnaround after the big day!

Now over to the bride, who looked fantastic in Sassi Holford…


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How we met

Gabby, the bride: We met in my favourite pub by the River Thames in Barnes on a beautiful March evening just as the sun was setting over the river, and the rest is history.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Have You Saved Your Seat At Our Online Jewish Wedding Planning Party? IT’S TODAY!

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Smashing The Glass’ Brides Club, my secret community where we minimize wedstress and overwhelm, and maximize your wedding budget with discounts and more, turns One this week… Yay!

Our members-only Brides Club is THE place to be for Jewish and Jew-ish brides-to-be, and I’m so proud of how much impact we’ve had this past year. To celebrate, we’re holding Smashing The Glass’ first ever online Jewish Wedding Planning Party today — and you’re invited!

There’ll be music, dancing, presents and drinks (virtual – but I promise, it will be so much fun!) and I’m a million percent confident you’ll walk away knowing exactly what you need to do to ensure you have the wedding of your dreams (whatever that dream looks like) — and the wedding you really want (whilst keeping everyone around you happy). And I can’t wait to show you EXACTLY how!Continue ReadingContinue Reading