Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

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2019 Real Jewish Brides: Introducing Juliette + Matt: How They Met To The Present Day…

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Today on the blog we’re introducing our 7th gorgeous bride from our crop of 2019 Real Jewish Brides! Please give a warm welcome to Juliette, who will be marrying Matt on 9th November 2019 at Ashford Estate in Allentown, New Jersey, USA.

THREE FACTS: (1) Juliette and Matt met in Hebrew school when they were 16 – aww! (2) Juliette and Matt are both Jewish, but they are having a Jew-ish wedding – Juliette’s dad’s side of the family is Catholic, and they want to make sure everyone feels included on the day. (3) Juliette is a member of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club – and she calls STG her “secret weapon” in wedding planning!


How We Met

Matt and I met each other when we were 15 years old. When I was a sophomore in high school my mom signed me up for Hebrew High, which was a program my Reform temple ran for continuing education after your bar/bat mitzvah. I almost never went.

I didn’t grow up with any Jewish kids and I didn’t think it was worth my very precious time as a high school student. However, my mom in her sixth sense genius insisted I start to go more often, because you never know who you could meet. I begrudgingly agreed and sitting in a classroom on a random Wednesday night this cute boy jumped from his seat to answer a question and I was dumbfounded.

Within a week we had found each other on Facebook (see me stalking out his last name and friending him with no mutual friends) and went on a few dates. About a week later we were dating. We went to different colleges in different states, which in the end, only brought us closer. Slowly we built lives that melded together. We now work at the same company and are building our happy little life in the center of Midtown Manhattan.

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A Watters Bride for an Egalitarian Jewish Wedding with Fairy Lights and Sunflowers at The Oakley Court, Windsor, UK

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Jewish wedding The Oakley Court Windsor UK_0068
Is this the perfect English country Jewish wedding, or what? We are totally obsessed with Miri and Jon’s sweet sunflower chuppah — not to mention the bride’s epic flower crown (which she opted for instead of a bouquet) and the charming table centers in repurposed whiskey bottles strewn with fairy lights. It was all the work of florist Gabriella Shem-Tov, who crafted the perfect colorful arrangements to complement the festival vibes and idyllic outdoor setting.

We also love that Miri, a project manager at the British Library, and Jon, community development director for Masorti Judaism in the UK, crafted an ultra-personal egalitarian ceremony totally in step with their values, where they circled each other, exchanged rings, and both smashed a glass.

Don’t miss Miri’s beautiful writeup, or Marianne Chua’s luminous documentary-style photography… and whilst you’re at it, you won’t want to miss our amazing FREE online event for Jewish and Jew-ish Brides happening later today called, ‘The Secrets to an Unforgettable Jewish Wedding”. Sign up here if you haven’t already – I can’t wait to see you there!

Jewish wedding The Oakley Court Windsor UK_0068

Jewish wedding The Oakley Court Windsor UK_0068Jewish wedding The Oakley Court Windsor UK_0068

Jewish wedding The Oakley Court Windsor UK_0068

Jewish wedding The Oakley Court Windsor UK_0068
How we met

Miri, the bride: We had been friends for a few years but then accidentally went on a date, and were engaged a year later!

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A Gemy Maalouf Bride for a Destination Jewish Wedding at Villa Tiberio, Marbella, Spain

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Jewish wedding Villa Tiberio Marbella Spain_0044
Okay, can we talk about beautiful bride Olivia’s AMAZING dress for a quick sec? The elegant plunging neckline, the sleek fit, and, above all, the very modern lace — all trademark Gemy Maalouf.

It’s no surprise she’s a Mirror Mirror bride. One of our favorite bridal boutiques, this London institution — and beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor — is renowned for their wonderful selection and top-notch service (do you see how perfectly that dress fits Olivia?!).

Not that anything about Olivia and Paul’s big day was anything short of extraordinary. The couple’s planner, Dyana Dessar Simmons from STG Recommended Vendor Optimum Weddings, made sure every detail was picture-perfect — and Olivia reports, made their planning “really easy,” even with the wedding being abroad! And STG Recommended Vendor Jeremy Standley took the most incredible photos of the day — he really captures the love between these two, not to mention the dreamy setting.

We especially love Olivia and Paul’s chuppah setup: their stunning floral structure was roofless, meaning it didn’t technically fit the bill, so the pair had four of Paul’s ushers hold a tallit over their heads — no poles, just an edge of the fabric for each usher to hold on to! What a very special, personal way to involve loved ones in the ceremony.

Olivia will fill you in on the rest…

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A Villa in Spain

Olivia, the bride: I picked Villa Tiberio because I thought it was so stunning. I always wanted to get married abroad and because I’ve frequently visited Spain since I was a child it seemed like the best place.

I loved how simple, understated yet timeless the venue was and thought it represented me and Paul well. I actually went to the venue a year and a half before with Paul and I said to him although we weren’t engaged, when we are, we are getting married here! He didn’t have a choice really!

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Your Ketubah, Your Way: Our Top Ketubot for 2019

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Brooklyn Ketubah | Ink With Intent | From $280 | (10% off for members of Smashing The Glass’ Brides Club)

One of my favourite wedding industry developments since I founded Smashing The Glass is the abundance of beautiful, lovingly crafted ketubahs to suit every style you could possibly imagine. 

It used to be that your rabbi would set you up with a plain, standard ketubah – or if you really wanted to go all out, you might strike out on your own and find something a bit more ornate, maybe a traditional floral border. Even ten years ago, the range of possibilities was truly nothing like it is today. 

Now, there are so many incredible ketubah artists putting their personal stamps on the ancient Jewish marriage contract. Whether you go for contemporary or traditional, whether you’re a minimalist or a maximalist, whether you love bright colours, pastels, or neutrals – there’s a ketubah for you. In fact, there are probably lots of ketubot for you.

And it’s not just design that can be customized to suit your style, either. So many ketubah creators offer a range of text options beyond the traditional, whether you’re looking for something interfaith, same sex, egalitarian, or just a little more modern – or maybe you even want to provide your own text that the two of you have written together! These days, the sky is truly the limit.

I’m privileged to work with some amazing ketubah artists, and I want to draw your attention to some of my very favorite pieces I’ve spotted recently – so here are just a few…

Silver Jewel Ketubah | Danny Azoulay | Price available upon request 

This exquisitely elegant paper cut ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Danny Azoulay is truly a work of art. Like museum quality. It’s a true heirloom, with an incredible level of detail.

Geometric Bouquet Ketubah | Ketubata | From $125

If you’re after something with a more playful look, you couldn’t do better than to check out Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubata. Think gorgeous watercolors, sweet botanicals, and totally modern geometric shapes.

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A Pronovias Bride for a Jewish Wedding with a Flashmob at Sefton Park Palm House, Liverpool, UK

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Jewish wedding Sefton Park Palm House, Liverpool UK_0029
There’s not much we like better than hearing from couples that we’ve helped them plan the wedding of their dreams. So naturally we were thrilled to hear from Hannah and Jude that they booked Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor XS Showband on our founder, Karen’s recommendation!

Hannah, soon to be qualifying as a corporate lawyer, and Jude, a sales account manager, even squeezed in one of XS’s trademark wedding flashmobs — at the start of the ceremony, after the guests took their seats, instead of the groom walking down the aisle they found themselves in the midst of a flashmob performing Marvin Gaye’s ‘How Sweet It Is’! We’re so pleased (but not at all surprised) that the couple thought their band, who kept everyone dancing ALL night long, was “incredible beyond words” — some seriously high praise!

And it’s no surprise that a wedding as fabulous as this one was planned to perfection by Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Qube Events and Productions, who, in addition to sorting the gold-themed dà©cor and sourcing appropriate florals to complement the palm house venue the couple report, “took all the stress off” them on the day. Can’t ask for much more than that!

And speaking of that palm house venue — it’s a seriously stunning backdrop, captured to perfection by photographer Rob Clayton and videographer Stefan of YSD Media.

Hannah, who looked radiant in her mermaid fishtail Pronovias, will walk you through the rest, from picking the perfect exotic venue (without leaving home) to selecting flower girls and pageboys from their collective 31(!) nieces and nephews to smashing two glasses – but probably not for the reason you think…

Pssst want to ensure your wedding is as memorable as Hannah & Jude’s? Then make sure you’re signed up to Smashing The Glass’ FREE online event for Jewish and Jew-ish Brides, happening this Monday 21st January – sign up here!

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How we met

Hannah, the bride: I went to Manchester University. I grew really close with the Aish campus family, which was Jude’s brother, Benji, and his wife, Shiffy, and their children. I spent alot of time with them over 4 years and had met Jude in passing but that was it.

I lost touch with Benji and Shiffy and then bumped in to Benji in Manchester 3 years later and he said I had to catch up with them. I went to see them the next week which was when they mentioned Jude to me.

Jude got in touch with me a couple of weeks later and that was it. We got engaged the day after our 1 year anniversary and married 9 days after our 2 year anniversary. Jude’s Auf Ruf was actually on our 2 year anniversary.

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