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Real Jewish Brides: Amanda – Planning a Jewish Wedding That’s Not Dictated by ‘Shoulds’

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Amanda will be marrying Adam on 25th March 2018 in a Jewish wedding at Braxted Park, UK.

THREE FACTS: (1) Amanda & Adam met outside in a bar in Tel Aviv (2) Adam has a ridiculous sense of humor (as described by Amanda!) and we love him all the more for it (3) Amanda & Adam’s wedding is 100% focused on all the people and things that mean the most to them.


“Wait… but why?”

Adam: “Are there any other roles we can give out on the day of the wedding?”

Amanda: “Well, there’s always the toast to the Queen…you know…where you sing the national anthem….*trails off*”

Adam: “Wait, you do what?! But why?!”

Amanda: “Sing the national anthem?

                                   …actually, I have no idea why we do that…it does feel weird when you say it like that. My mum will know…”

*Calls mum*

Amanda: “Mum, why on earth do we toast the queen and sing the national anthem at weddings?”

Mum: “Good question…I always remember it being a signal to the smokers that the speeches were over so they could go outside.”

Amanda: “But that can’t be the actual reason…

Mum: “Hmm no, it can’t be. I’m actually not sure… ?”

(As it happens, after a bit of further research, I discovered that the toast to the Queen is deemed a mark of respect for the country we live in, immediately following the toast to the State of Israel. I’m still not sure if anybody outside the UK has these traditions? I don’t ever remember hearing of a Jewish wedding in the USA where they sang the Star Spangled Banner…. 

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A Galia Lahav Bride for a Luxe Jew-ish Wedding at Lost Orangery, Euridge Manor, UK

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Rachel and Alex’s Jew-ish wedding took place on a very, very rainy September day – but this fun-loving couple embraced the weather wholeheartedly, and unreservedly had the best day of their lives.

This gorgeous wedding was all about making much-loved guests, who had come for a full weekend in the countryside, feel special and appreciated. Considerate couple, Rachel and Alex, went above and beyond with caring, personalized touches, providing a plethora of fabulous favors, handwritten notes and even hangover kits. 

We LOVE the oh-so-Israeli story of how beautiful bride Rachel found her dream Galia Lahav dress (we won’t ruin it for you, it’s too funny), and the celebration of divine Israeli designers – we’re with you, Rachel! 

Not one, but two of our fabulous Recommended Vendors were involved with this gorgeous big day, including incredible florist, Mary Jane Vaughan and videographer, HD Moments, who shot the stunning, cinematic wedding video below and submitted this amazing W-Day to us.

The details and emotion of the day were captured by the talented photographer, Aga Tomaszek, and the witty writeup below was by Rachel, the bride. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did. 

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Jewish Wedding The Lost Orangery Euridge Manor Cotswolds UK

Jewish Wedding The Lost Orangery Euridge Manor Cotswolds UK
How we met

Rachel, the bride: We met at Movida nightclub. A not-so-classy establishment, but we instantly clicked. While I don’t believe you can ‘love’ someone at first sight, we both just knew that we would have a future together of some kind, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it to be as fairytale-like as it is!

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Facebook Live Catch Up: Wedding Dress Trends for 2018 {with The Wedding Club}

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WOW! What a Facebook Live we had on Wednesday, live from central London’s most prestigious wedding dress store, The Wedding Club.

I spent most of it open-mouthed, taking in the awesomeness of the show-stopping  wedding gowns from some of the most sought-after wedding dress designers in the world. I’m talking Berta Bridal, Zuhair Murad,and Naeem Khan – all Smashing The Glass faves!

We were treated to a diverse range of breathtaking looks, from super-sexy and barely-there on one end of the spectrum, to lavish gowns layered with peplums, beading, sparkles and a ‘modern ballgown’ feel.

We also saw some sensational statement two-in-one styles, and overskirts that brilliantly illustrate how you can create two different looks for your chuppah ceremony and party. These drew virtual gasps in the comments boxes with lots of ‘wooooah’s and wow’s. We ADORED all your comments, questions, interaction and shares. Thank you so much!

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An Emotional Destination Jewish Wedding Overlooking Jerusalem at Olmaya, Israel

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Here at STG HQ, we have to admit that we welled up a LOT while putting together today’s real Jewish wedding. From bride, Jenna’s moving words about their choice to marry in Jerusalem, overlooking the old city, to groom, Jacob’s heart-stopping speech about his love for Jenna, we’re sure there wasn’t a dry eye at the wedding (and there certainly wasn’t one here). 

Their history together explains why. Not a lot of couples can make a long-distance relationship work, but Jenna and Jacob were so sure that they were meant to be, that they did everything in their power to ensure that they could be together. 

The wedding itself looked effortlessly beautiful, with the surroundings and Jenna’s stunning wedding ensemble speaking for themselves. Also, while we’re gawking, we definitely wouldn’t mind one of those Nutella cupcakes!

The intense adoration, which is such a rare find in this life, is so evident in the beautiful spread of photos, taken by much loved STG Recommended Vendor, Luz Weddings, who photography weddings in the UK, USA

We’ll hand over to Jenna for her beautifully eloquent and tear-jerking writeup of her and Jacob’s wedding – we’re sure you’ll join us in wishing them a long and blissfully happy life together.

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Destination Jewish Wedding Olmaya Israel_0032

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How we met

Jenna, the bride: Jacob is from Switzerland and I am from Australia. We met in Israel, as both of us were studying at Tel Aviv University as law exchange students.

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Throwing The Perfect Hen Do / Bachelorette Party… the Non-Traditional Way

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Bachelorette-Party
This is a guest post by Tash Rosehill whose wedding we featured on Smashing The Glass last May

Hands up if you’re planning a hen do (or bachelorette party!) right now? Chances are, if you’re in wedding mode, you’re also in hen mode. If you’re like me and having a bumper year, you have a wedding or hen do almost every weekend during the summer months.

Where to start?

The first thing to think about, unsurprisingly, is the hen herself! What type of things does she like to do? Is she more artsy than outdoorsy? Does she prefer a can of coke over a champagne? Is her Instagram more restaurants than raves? Take a few of her favourite things and try and think up a couple of activities that she might find interesting.

Breaking the ice

If you’re planning a hen, or going on one, you may be worried about bringing different groups of friends together. This is where hen games come in, yes they are cringe but they are supposed to be, so embrace it! Hen games are a great way to help everyone get to know each other a bit more and start the drinking off as well (if you haven’t already!) 

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A Memory Book

A lot of hens also make a hen book, which is a lovely little memory for the bride-to-be, filled with memories. This could be a traditional book with messages, pictures and even recipes, or something entirely different! You could make a collage-style canvas out of the pictures, or get photos, drawings, or messages printed onto pretty much anything!

Hen Game ideas

  • Toilet paper wedding dress – Divide the hens into 2 teams, give them several toilet paper rolls and get them to construct a dress on a model. Make sure the bride is one of the models (or gets to choose the winner!)
  • Cads About Matrimony – if you love Cards Against Humanity – you’ll love the wedding version! You can always instigate a drinking game element too – download and print off here: http://cadsaboutmatrimony.com/product/cads-about-matrimony/
  • Mr & Mrs – Q&A where the bride and groom answer questions about each other – sometimes done as a video. If the bride gets it wrong, she has to drink! (I know this is an oldie but always goes down well)
  • Dare necklace – get everyone in the hen party (and maybe mummy hen too!) to submit some dares. Write these on card, number them from nice to naughty, fold over, hole punch and thread a ribbon through to create a necklace. The bride can complete some/all of the dares during the course of the hen do to win a prize!

Bachelorette-Party

Decor and theme ideas

You might find it helpful to theme the hen weekend or each part of it around things in the hen’s life. For example, I’ve planned a Doctors and Nurses themed hen for a Doctor, been on a safari night for another hen (it was where her now-husband proposed) and completed political hen games for a hen obsessed with current affairs.

Don’t forget the little touches – decorating the venue and yourselves with photos, banners, or even just willy confetti all add to the spirit of the hen do. Sashes, personalised t-shirts, temporary tattoos and even a bouquet made of willies (yes – its a REAL thing and yes, I have bought it for a hen do!) amplify the silliness.  Continue ReadingContinue Reading