Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

A Martina Liana Bride for a Colorful Jewish Wedding Celebrating Joy at Tatton Park, Cheshire, UK

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Rachel and Stuart, Tatton Park, Manchester, UK

There’s nothing like an English country house wedding, and we absolutely adore Rachel and Stuart’s! Tatton Park, located near the groom’s hometown of Manchester, made for the perfect backdrop to this very special day – which included a wonderful outdoor chuppah on the grounds.

We love the couple’s focus on joy, beauty, and Judaism in crafting their big day – and how great is it that they made it a family affair, between Stuart’s uncle serving as the chazan and Rachel’s uncle designing the beautiful handmade ketubah! For good measure, Rachel herself designed the invitations, featuring a picture of the venue she painted.

When it came time to choose someone to capture their wedding, Rachel and Stuart chose Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kate Swerdlow. In the bride’s words,

 I loved her relaxed style, which really captured beautiful, natural moments. Kate was also so lovely to work with – our engagement shoot at Aldenham Country Park was so much fun because she made us feel at ease and brought out the best in us. Our wedding photos are just beautiful, and I especially love how she captured the venue and all the little details so perfectly.

Cat Film Service handled videography, and the couple can’t get enough of their modern style and the way they captured the essence of the day.

Now over to Rachel, who looked so glam in her off-the-shoulder fitted Martina Liana gown…

Rachel and Stuart, Tatton Park, Manchester, UKRachel and Stuart, Tatton Park, Manchester, UKRachel and Stuart, Tatton Park, Manchester, UKRachel and Stuart, Tatton Park, Manchester, UK

How We Met

Rachel, the bride: We meet on Jswipe!

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New to Smashing The Glass for May ‘25

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Photo by Christian Gideon Photography 

Here at  Smashing The Glass, we’re constantly thrilled to bring together the best wedding professionals who understand the unique needs of Jewish and Jew-ish couples. This past month, we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming some incredible new Recommended Vendors to our community, and we can’t wait for you to get to know them! 

 

BeatPlayLive | UK and Europe 

If you’re looking for a DJ Live lineup that  brings the energy, style, and sophistication your wedding deserves, look no further than BeatPlayLive. With over 15 years of experience in luxury events worldwide, BeatPlayLive specializes in delivering high-energy, immersive entertainment that transforms Jewish weddings into truly unforgettable celebrations.

Whether you’re after a laid-back, chilled vibe or a packed dance floor, BeatPlayLive customize the music to you — from Israeli favorites to international hits — ensuring your guests stay on their feet from start to finish.

Their signature setup features a 3-piece DJ Live lineup with a  DJ, saxophonist, and percussionist. There’s also the option to add additional instrumentalists — including strings and brass — to create a completely bespoke experience tailored to your vision.

020 3355 7970
www.beatplaylive.com
info@beatplaylive.com
Instagram
Based in London and willing to travel

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10 Unexpected Facts about Kimpton Fitzroy London

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Are you looking for a London Jewish wedding venue that’s stylish, luxe, and boasts ultra-personal service from a team that knows Jewish weddings inside and out? Kimpton Fitzroy London ticks ALL those boxes – plus some more that you probably wouldn’t expect.

Since opening in 2018, Kimpton Fitzroy London has fast become a favourite venue for STG couples – and it’s easy to see why, between its array of stunning event spaces (including spots perfect for your tisch and badeken), central Bloomsbury location, and luxe accommodations for the two of you as well as your out-of-town guests.

Perhaps most important of all, the wonderful weddings team at Kimpton Fitzroy London is incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Jewish weddings, and their level of serve and attention to detail is truly second to none. We can’t say it any better than real Jewish bride Ivi, whose incredible wedding we featured on STG:

The Kimpton Fitzroy is an absolutely rare gem – its glamorous opulence yet intimate warmth sets it worlds apart from the conventional swanky hotels a stone’s throw away in Mayfair. What we treasured the most is the loving way all of the hotel’s staff made us feel like royalty on our big day. No requests were too big or too small, we were met with smiles and genuine well wishes all day, we truly felt the hotel’s joy and pride of hosting us on the most special day of our lives. We are still pinching ourselves that we managed to get married in such an exceptional and luxurious venue. The Kimpton Fitzroy London will eternally be special to us and we cannot wait to return to spend our first wedding anniversary there!

But beyond the basics, there’s so much more to Kimpton Fitzroy London – and today we’re thrilled to be sharing some of our favorite unexpected facts about this one-of-a-kind London Jewish wedding venue. Read on for all the details!

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A Fairytale Jewish Wedding at Castello Bevilacqua, Verona, Italy

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Lyndsay and Bill, Castello Bevilacqua, Verona, Italy

A magical Jewish wedding in an Italian castle? Yes, please! SoCal couple Lyndsay, the podcaster behind The Pain Game Podcast, and Bill, a radio talk show host, had the most fantastic destination wedding in Verona’s majestic Castello Bevilacqua.

They focused on bringing out the fairytale vibes of their fab venue, as well as bringing in lots of lemons, in honor of all the lemons the couple have had thrown at them – and the awesome lemonade they’ve made out of whatever’s come their way!

We also love that, to bring their far-flung guests together, Lyndsay and Bill had a mystery dinner the night before the wedding to break the ice.

When it came time to choose the perfect team to capture their big day, Lyndsay and Bill chose Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Collephoto. Photographer Alessando Colle, second photographer Laura Bongiorni, editor by Serena Rossi, and videographer Damiano Mariotti made up the dream team.  

Read on for the full story in Lyndsay’s own words…

Lyndsay and Bill, Castello Bevilacqua, Verona, Italy Lyndsay and Bill, Castello Bevilacqua, Verona, Italy Lyndsay and Bill, Castello Bevilacqua, Verona, Italy Lyndsay and Bill, Castello Bevilacqua, Verona, Italy

How We Met

Lyndsay, the bride: I was introduced to Bill’s morning talk show in Los Angeles about 12 years ago. Coerced by a friend that I have to listen to him. Whatever! I didn’t do talk radio. I wasn’t in the early podcast scene.  I am a musician!

But then I turned on KFI AM 640 and started listening to The Bill Handel Show based out of Burbank, CA. It is the number 1 morning drive talk show in the United States — Monday through Friday. And he also has a legal show on KFI on Saturdays as well, called Handel on the Law.

I was hooked. I started going to events where he would be, and we just started talking, and it kept going until it turned into something pretty remarkable. US.

A shorter version is: Lyndsay fell in love with Bill as a listener. Bill fell in love with Lyndsay because she was a listener. The End.

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5 of Our Favorites: The Dreamiest Festival Weddings

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Jewish Wedding Brook Farm Cuffley, Hertfordshire, UK_0007

Rachel and Josh‘s Jewish Wedding | Photo by Tom Webb and Dan McCourt

Welcome back to “5 of Our Favorites,” where we share five spectacular Jewish weddings, all curated around a unique theme. This week, we’re diving into the vibrant, energetic world of festival-inspired Jewish weddings.

Festival weddings are full of joy, creativity, and celebration, combining the laid-back vibe of a festival with the love and tradition of a Jewish wedding. From boho-chic tents and flower-filled arches to music, dancing, and colorful decor, these weddings are a true reflection of the couple’s personality and the fun-filled, carefree spirit they want to share with their loved ones.

Whether it’s an intimate gathering or a lively, grand event, these dreamy festival weddings are packed with inspiration for couples looking to infuse their big day with a little extra magic. We can’t wait to share these incredible celebrations with you!

Amy and Richard‘s Jewish Wedding | Photo by Jossef Si

Amy and Richard’s Festival Chic Wedding at The Q, Glil Yam, Israel

Amy and Richard opted to theme their big day around their shared love of music and festivals, and while festival-inspired weddings are by no means uncommon, these two really took theirs to the next level. They combined the basics – candles, gentle lighting, greenery – with some unexpected touches – Amy designed festival wristbands for guests, as well as making over 200 personalised mini dream catchers to use as the table plan/seating cards! And in true boho chic style, the couple’s chuppah was styled like a tent with lace dream-catchers hanging at the back.

Destination-Jewish-wedding-The-Q-Israel

Amy and Richard‘s Jewish Wedding | Photo by Jossef Si

That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the lovely details incorporated into this Jewish wedding, and the couple’s photographer, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Jossef Si, captured each and every one of them – not to mention the love between Amy and Richard and the action-packed party following their beautiful ceremony – in his trademark artistic style. As always, we’re obsessed with his stunning work. 

Destination-Jewish-wedding-The-Q-Israel

Amy and Richard‘s Jewish Wedding | Photo by Jossef Si

Amy and Richard knew it wouldn’t be easy implementing their creative ideas all the way from their home in England, and so they decided to work with beloved wedding planner Vicki Rosen (described by Amy as “the most organised lady you will ever meet”) to make sure everything went to plan, as well as to source the perfect vendors to make the day a success.

Jewish Wedding Brook Farm Cuffley, Hertfordshire, UK_0015

Rachel and Josh‘s Jewish Wedding | Photo by Tom Webb and Dan McCourt

Rachel and Josh’s Festival-Themed Jewish Wedding with a Ball Pit and Mini Golf at Brook Farm Cuffley, Hertfordshire, UK

You know we’re all about “Your Jewish wedding, your way” here at Smashing The Glass. It’s really our mission, and while all the weddings we blog are chosen for their authenticity and individuality, sometimes one really blows us away with its inventiveness.

Rachel and Josh‘s Jewish Wedding | Photo by Tom Webb and Dan McCourt

That’s definitely the case today. Rachel and Josh packed their festival-themed Jewish wedding so full of unexpected fun, from the ball pit (!!!) to the BBQ-style mezze menu to the mini golf course!

Rachel and Josh‘s Jewish Wedding | Photo by Tom Webb and Dan McCourt

Our hats are totally off to Rachel and Josh for crafting such an utterly unique day, and one that is so obviously, unabashedly them. 

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