Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

How to have a wedding that DOESN’T look and feel like everyone else’s {with Kwame Knight of Events by Knight}

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We’re talking about a topic we’ve never openly discussed before on this week’s Facebook Live, and it’s actually one of the big reasons I started Smashing The Glass, and it’s this: Sometimes Jewish weddings can start feeling a little same-y.
 
If you’re here, I’m guessing that’s not what you’re after. But the question of exactly how to have a wedding that doesn’t end up looking and feeling like everyone else’s can be a tricky one to answer. 
 
The truth is, there are SO many ways to bring your personality into your wedding, from decor to food to venue choice… even the decision to have a destination wedding! But as a wedding planning novice, it’s not always easy to identify them. 

That’s why I’m beyond thrilled that expert event producer Kwame Knight of Events by Knight (who’s also an amazing DJ – I first met him when he spun at my own wedding!) will be chatting with me live on the our Smashing The Glass Facebook page this Thursday, 25 October, all about how to plan a wedding that’s a perfect reflection of you as a couple!Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Kate McDonald Bride for a Book-Themed Jewish Wedding with His and Hers Rain Ponchos at the Julia Ideson Library in Houston, Texas, USA

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We’re totally in love with today’s literary-themed Jewish wedding. Rachel and Paul took full advantage of their library venue with some super cool touches, like library card save-the-dates (stamped with significant dates in their relationship — awwww!) and a library-style card catalog of place cards instead of a traditional seating chart. Is that the cutest, or what?!

Turns out Rachel, who is pursuing a PhD in art history, and Paul, who works for a marketing software company, are not only adorable, but also clever. They knew they didn’t want to miss out on their fantastic catering, and they also knew that couples often get so busy running around and greeting everyone they don’t get a chance to eat.

So they decided to eat their full dinner meal during their yichud during the cocktail reception, making the most of their special first moments alone as a just-married couple. The best part of all? To protect their wedding clothes from any spills, they opted to wear“His” and “Hers” rain ponchos while eating — you’ve got to check out Grant and Laine Daniels’ photos of this adorable moment.

Oh yeah, and Rachel wore a super cool gown from Kate McDonald, one of our favorite new-to-us finds at New York Bridal Fashion Week earlier this month! We are totally digging the cool damask fabric. Rachel picked out totally awesome (and unexpected) wedding shoes too — you won’t want to miss them! Now over to the bride…

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How We Met

Rachel, the bride: We were set up by our close friends who thought we would hit it off, and I guess they were right! That was five years ago, and it was clear we were right for each other right away.  

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Wedding Photography with an Edge: An Engagement Shoot with LUZ

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Back in April, we ran an Instagram competition to win an engagement shoot with one of the very best cutting-edge wedding photographers in the business, LUZ Weddings. Joelle and Jason were the lucky winners of our competition, and we are totally OBSESSED with the results of their fantastic shoot (which ended up taking place post-wedding due to scheduling, hence the bridal attire!).

Shooting around Stratford, London, photographer Shay from LUZ found the absolute coolest backdrops to make these photos really pop — bride Joelle says these images look like artwork rather than just your standard engagement pics, and we could not agree more. 

LUZ are based in Tel Aviv and regularly work all across Israel as well as in the UK. If you’re looking for something a little different for your wedding photography, we could not recommend them more strongly. Their architectural inspiration and artsy aesthetic make for truly one-of-a kind photos, unlike any we’ve seen before.

Now for a few words from the lovely Joelle about what it was like making this fab shoot happen…

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A Festival-Themed Jewish Wedding with a Ball Pit and Mini Golf at Brook Farm Cuffley, Hertfordshire, UK

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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.

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!

Since a festival is nothing without fantastic music (and plenty of it), the pair booked multiple musical acts, including Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor, the incredible Totem.

Our hats are totally off to Rachel (who owns the photo booth company Megabooth!) and Josh for crafting such an utterly unique day, and one that is so obviously, unabashedly them. You won’t want to miss Tom Webb and Dan McCourt’s glorious photos of this one-of-a-kind wedding… or Rachel’s writeup of the “mad party,” as she says!

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How we met

Rachel, the bride: My husband and I were set up by mutual friends. However, the proposal was an interesting one! We got engaged in the desert on a stargazing tour, went for a walk, saw a shooting star, and then he got down on one knee!

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New York Bridal Market Fall 2019 Recap {and Top Bridal Trends for 2019}

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Ines Di Santo’s afterparty at the Baccarat Flagship Photo by JP Yim/Getty Images

5 days, 18 appointments, approximately 57 million Insta stories (if you missed them, you can catch the best bits in our highlights), and countless fantastic dresses later, New York Bridal Fashion week is over for another season. Basically Fashion Week for wedding dresses, Bridal Fashion Week (aka Bridal Market) is easily one of the most fun times of a wedding blogger’s year. 

Some of the collections are presented at full-on runway shows (and Ines Di Santo put on a particularly epic one this Bridal Market, plus the coolest afterparty at the Baccarat Flagship), while others are shown at more intimate appointments for small groups of buyers from bridal boutiques (plus press, of course), sometimes with the designers present. 

Suzanne Neville

Limor Rosen

Ines Di Santo Photo by FIRSTVIEW

I had some fantastic conversations with designers and PR reps, learned a ton about everything from who actually buys those epic but unwearable-looking designs you see on the runway (answer: often no one, since some designs are purely intended for editorial impact and never even make it to production) to the differences between what American and British brides are looking for in a gown (according to Sassi Holford, it’s half an inch: Americans invariably want deeper sweetheart necklines, while the Brits prefer theirs with less of a dip). The more you know!

There’s so much fantastic bridal fashion in the pipeline for next year, and I’m so excited to share it with you, along with my take on some of the top trends we’ll be seeing (or, in some cases, continuing to see) over the next year. From classic elegance inspired by Meghan Markle’s gown to a burgeoning range of alt coverups from capes to ruffs (perfect for under the chuppah!) to unexpected bursts of color, 2019’s going to be an exciting year for bridal. Pin your favorite looks!

Caroline Castigliano 

Suzanne Neville

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