Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog - Page 2 of 255

New York Bridal Market Fall 2020 Recap {and Top Bridal Trends for 2020}

31/10/2019 by Emily Sacharin Leave a Comment

Ines Di Santo | Photo Courtesy of Ines Di Santo

Hello from New York! Emily here, reporting back from New York Bridal Fashion week on all the hottest Fall/Winter 2020 collections.

Viktor & Rolf | Photo Courtesy of Viktor & Rolf / Marijke Aerdens

Bridal Market happens twice a year in NYC, in April and October (you can check out my recap of last April’s highlights here).

Eisen Stein | Photo Courtesy of Eisen Stein

The October show is the bigger of the two, with lots of high-impact runaway shows and all the designers vying to show their latest and greatest.

Monique Lhuillier | Photo Courtesy of Monique Lhuillier

This market, designers were focused as much on weighty topics like inclusivity and sustainability as on aesthetics. Models were more inclusive than ever before, with lots of designers featuring plus-size models, Theia including a model in a wheelchair in their runaway show, and Galia Lahav‘s campaign video for their new collection starring a transgender model.

Peter Langner | Photo Courtesy of Peter Langner

But I know you’re here for the dresses, so let’s go…

Planning A Wedding Without My Dad

30/10/2019 by Smashing The Glass Leave a Comment

Sarah who will be marrying Rich on 21th June 2020 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!

So this is an emotional post, it’s heartfelt and it’s raw and it hasn’t been easy to write. I suppose that my main aim of writing it is in the hope that other brides to be realise that they are not alone in their feelings if they have lost someone special and that there is nothing wrong with having mixed feelings at such a happy time because it is normal. So here goes…

I lost my dad when I was five years old and I also lost my mums sister last year and my nanny, uncle, grandparents and very close family friends over the past 26 years.

For the most part I have always accepted this and been ok with it, even though I have really missed dad and my other loved ones at landmark events on special occasions like graduation, my first job, when I needed a male perspective on various boyfriend dilemmas, when I watched a father of the bride speech at a wedding or a father daughter dance at a wedding. However, I never expected the wave of emotions which hit me when I got engaged.

Getting engaged was one of the best days of my life, I knew that it was the start of a wonderful life with my best friend and the man that I love. However, I had this overwhelming sense of emptiness and loss. I couldn’t understand what was wrong with me? How could I be feeling down at such an exciting and happy time, maybe I’m just not normal?

A Heidi Hudson for an Intimate Second Marriage Destination Jewish Wedding on a Budget at the Mount Zion Boutique Hotel, Jerusalem

28/10/2019 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Gorgeous chuppah alert! We’re obsessed with the way Nicki, head of trust fundraising at a national charity, and Andrew, who runs his own business as in commercial energy surveying and is a qualified pilot on the side, worked with their venue’s already stunning in situ outdoor foliage-laden chuppah, by adorning it with white roses and marking the path down the aisle with pillar candles and eucalyptus leaves. Pure perfection!

This was a second marriage for both members of the UK-based couple, and we love how they kept things intimate and family-focused, with a clear understanding of what mattered – celebrating with their nearest and dearest – and what didn’t. This was really a day all about love, and that comes through so clearly in the wonderful, natural photos from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Herschel Gutman.

With a tightknit guest list of just 50 people and a commitment to spending sensibly, Nicki and Andrew made sure to involve their families in the big day – their four children participated in the ceremony, and other relatives read the Sheva Brachot.

There’s so much more to say, but we’ll leave the rest to Nicki, who looked stunning in her off-the-shelf (and affordable!) Heidi Hudson gown (chosen with the help of her 16-year-old daughter/bridal stylist!)…

How we met

Nicki, the bride: We met on JDATE!

An Adam Zohar Bride for a Laid-Back Israeli Jewish Wedding on the Beach at Al Hayam, Caesarea, Israel

25/10/2019 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

We’re so excited to be sharing the beautiful Israeli beach wedding of our beloved Smashing The Glass Brides Club member Genna to Yoni!

These two were faced with the touch task of planning an epic Jewish wedding thousands of miles from their home in NYC in under five months – and did they ever pull it off! To scroll through their gorgeous photos from Idan Hasson, you’d never guess it all came together on such a tight timeline.

And we’re so delighted to hear that Genna attributes her success in large part to the beautiful community that is Brides Club – which she was introduced to by her wonderful wedding planner, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Vanessa Ohayon, the other key ingredient in bringing this amazing day together seamlessly.

In her own words, on joining Smashing The Glass Brides Club

“I instantly felt a sense of calm that I had a supportive community of women I could bounce questions and ideas off of. I was able to make the quick decisions I needed to by reaching out of the many other brides who were married in Israel.”

Thanks Genna – hearing this makes us sooooo happy!!!

We’re totally in love with the laid-back, totally Israeli beach aesthetic the couple went for – Israeli groom Yoni wanted to make sure the big day kept that Israeli party vibe. There’s a fab chuppah, the most incredible seaside setting, the dreamiest florals… and we’re obsessed with Genna’s bridal style, too. She wore a stunning lace mermaid gown by Adam Zohar (an Israeli designer, natch), and we don’t think she could possibly have looked any more gorgeous.

Over to you, Genna!

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How we met

Genna, the bride: Yoni and I met at a party on December 12, 2012 (12/12/12!) when we were both living in Tel Aviv. We started off as friends, and then dated, at points we were “on and off,” but our relationship grew and morphed into a truly solid, loving friendship and partnership. I moved back to New York in 2016 and he arrived shortly after. He proposed in Central Park in February of this year, after a 6-year relationship full of lots adventure, hard times and plenty of good.

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

23/10/2019 by Smashing The Glass Leave a Comment

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.