Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog - Page 250 of 301

Keren & Asaf | ‘swimming pool & popsicles’ Israeli wedding at the Ghetto Fighters’ Kibbutz, Western Galilee, Northern Israel

05/05/2015 by Karen

You can tell from the way that Keren and Asaf approached the planning of their big day that they’re a fun-loving laid back couple. For a start, they followed the STG mantra of making their day personal to them by getting ready together and welcoming friends and family into their home, enjoying coffee and cigarettes, before walking down the aisle to their chuppah hand in hand. Untraditional but pretty damn cool I’m sure you’ll agree.

I really love their big day for so many reasons: the tribute to the bride’s grandmother in the chuppah design, Keren’s amazing oversize floral crown, popsicles instead of wedding cake, outdoor frolics in the swimming pool, and of course the dreamy, luminous portrait shots of the pair of them in the kibbutz where they held their wedding.

I have a feeling you’ll love it too…

All of the gorgeousness was captured perfectly by the very lovely Gamba Photographers.

how we met

Keren, the Bride: Asaf lives in Northern Israel, and at the time, I lived in Tel Aviv. I was up North on holiday and a mutual friend introduced us. It was the most fun that either of us had ever experienced, and nothing could separate us for three days after that.

It took Asaf six months to convince me to move up North with him, and after a year of living here, I just regret not moving earlier.

Chitter Chatter with Jenny Adjene, award-winning entrepreneur and co-founder of Hip Hip Hooray

01/05/2015 by Karen

With the latest addition to our family there’ll be a few subtle changes to the schedule of the blog for the coming weeks while I’m adjusting to life with our new baby.

I’ll still be posting the very coolest real Jewish weddings every week, but there’ll also be a brand new feature running where I interview all sorts of inspirational women in the wedding industry whom I greatly admire. These women successfully combine running their own business with married life and in a lot of cases, raising a young family.

The series is called Chitter Chatter and the twist is is they have to answer my questions in just 140 characters or less….

Today I’m thrilled to be chitter chattering to Jenny Adjene, an award-winning entrepreneur and co-founder of Hip Hip Hooray, one of the UK’s leading wedding and celebration stationery companies. A crafter at heart, Jenny taught herself graphic design and discovered a love and skill for creating gorgeous wedding and party invitations. She spotted a gap in the market for high quality designs at affordable prices, and through Hip Hip Hooray, now offers innovative web based technology which allows brides-to-be to customise their favourite invitation designs online and download as an instant printable, or get it professionally printed and shipped in a few short days. Jenny is married and has two little girls.

What was your first job?

At around the age of 13 I started working as a waitress in the local village pub. I think I was paid around £2.50 an hour!

Tell me more about your career before launching Hip Hip Hooray

Before launching Hip Hip Hooray, I ran another much smaller wedding stationery business which was full of charm but ultimately, not at all scalable.

What made you start Hip Hip Hooray?

I saw a gap in the market for designs where quality is matched by affordability, and which allow brides the flexibility to print themselves or order professionally printed.

Valerie & Jason | Colourful, rustic bohemian Jewish Wedding at Hotel Atitlan, Lake Atitlà¡n, Guatemala

28/04/2015 by Karen

Ok forget your to do list for a second folks and step away from the mood board for your own big day. I have a little bit of allure and tranquility for you this week to calm, revive and reignite your senses. Are you ready to be transported away?

Once described by Aldous Huxley as ‘the most beautiful lake in the world”, it doesn’t get much better than the captivating glory of volcano-fringed Lake Atitlà¡n in Guatemala. Put it this way, the location’s so good that even Tel Aviv paid a visit… I’ll let Valerie explain that one!

Both Guatemalan born, it was the perfect choice. The wedding party entered to a string quartet rendition of Home, the invitations were hand made locally, the garlands, and table dressings were all indigenous flowers, fruits and vegetables — strictly vividly coloured ones. Pastels, and in fact anything bland, was banned!

I love the whole vibe of this wedding and I’m especially drawn to that floral crown — I mean, wow – so striking and daring but so natural and simple too. It just works…

Daniel Lopez Perez’s photographs capture this rare gem of a wedding in such a crisp way that I’m sure you’ll be just as enchanted as I was by the rich colour, vivacity and freshness of this magical Central American dream.

a volcanic lake venue in the Western Highlands of Guatemala

Valerie, the Bride: We got married by Lake Atitlà¡n in Guatemala We have always gravitated more towards natural surroundings and even though we wanted to do it in some places that were further away, they were not prepared for bigger parties. Plus my mom (jokingly) threatened not to go if it meant travelling more than three hours…. (like a normal jewish mum)

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Chitter Chatter with Charlotte O’Shea, Blog Queen and founder of Rock My Wedding

23/04/2015 by Karen

Image: Anna Clarke Photography

With the upcoming addition to our family (our due date is Saturday, same as the Duchess of Cambridge’s no less!) there’ll be a few subtle changes to the schedule of the blog for the coming weeks while I’m adjusting to life as a mama of two.

The series is called Chitter Chatter and the twist is is they have to answer my questions in just 140 characters or less….

Today I’m chitter chattering to a doyenne… a ‘queen bee’ wedding bloggess, and superstar creative mama. It’s the one and only Charlotte O’Shea, founder and MD of Rock My Wedding, the phenomenally successful UK wedding blog that launched in 2009. A few years later, the ‘Rock My’ empire grew when Charlotte launched the hugely popular Rock My Style, a lifestyle blog for women covering beauty, fashion, travel, food, interiors and family.

Charlotte lives in the West Midlands with her husband James, and their one year old daughter, Mabel Rose.

What was your first job?

My first job was in retail with House Of Fraser – I was a Morgan Girl! Think lycra boob tubes and chain mail crop tops (actually don’t – tragic doesn’t even cover it.)

Tell me more about your career before launching Rock My Wedding and Rock My Style

I was an Account Manager for a small yet very successful technology and web design company, I learnt a hell of a lot about everything to do with running a business and then some.

How do you cope with running two growing businesses: Rock My Wedding and Rock My Style?

I employ a very VERY talented bunch of folks. And endeavour to be as organised as feasibly possible. Oh and biscuits – essential brain fuel.

What inspires you to keep growing and developing your businesses?

My dedicated team and our loyal stylish readers are a constant inspiration, as is my daughter Mabel. No two days are the same – the diversity of what we do generates constant creativity.

Image: Little Beanies
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Naomi & Adam | country garden Jewish wedding in a tudor barn in Cheshire, North West England, UK

21/04/2015 by Karen

This wedding had me the moment I saw the chuppah. I just love the trickling white, yellow and orange Gerberas trailing down from the canopy. So very pretty, so very simple and so very effective.

It’s safe to say that Naomi and Adam’s wedding is also the first I’ve seen where the badeken takes place on a bridge in a Japanese garden. A badeken is the ritual where the groom veils the bride, and is often the most emotional moment of a Jewish wedding. It’s where the bride and groom see each other for the first time, a few minutes before the main ceremony begins under the chuppah. Badeken ceremonies often take place in a nondescript room next door to where the chuppah is taking place, but again, this wedding shows that you can be really creative with where you choose to hold it, and a bridge in a Japanese garden is as good a place as any (in fact probably the most original badeken location I’ve ever seen!)

Essentially I love the informal vibe of this relaxed affair, sunshine, smiles and brightly coloured blooms provide the perfect backdrop for what looks like an amazing party (check out the very final shot at the end of the post to see what I’m talking about).

This gorgeous set of images, as spirited and dynamic as the big day, produced by STG regular Blake Ezra, will ensure that all those fantastic memories stay fresh and vibrant for many years to come.

how we met

Naomi, the Bride: We actually met 10 years ago at a friend’s birthday party. I had always heard Adam’s name (through mutual friends) due to the fact we shared the same surname, but I had never met him. The night we first met, I told my friend ‘he will be mine one day’. We then became friends and I genuinely pursued him for 7 years! To make a very, very long story short, he finally asked me to be his girlfriend, and then he proposed on our 3 year anniversary!