Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

Create the Jewish Wedding Gift List of Your Dreams with Contemporary Judaica

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Modern Kiddush Cup and Plate in Silver by Nadav Art |Photo by Stuart Wood Photography from Bringing the Hamptons to the UK: Jewish Wedding Inspo on Osea Island

It’s no secret that Contemporary Judaica is my very favourite source for stylish, modern Judaica in the UK. I’m obsessed with their gorgeous holiday popups in London’s picturesque Hampstead Village, and whenever I need a new piece for a holiday, a Jewish gift, or a gorgeous piece of Jewish jewelry, they’re always my go-to. But did you know that they also offer a fantastic wedding gift list service, easy to share with family and friends and complete with international shipping?

Aquila Shabbat Candlesticks by Lou Henry for Nambé

Why a Jewish Wedding Gift List?

Whether or not you want it, you’re going to have some guests who want to buy you Judaica – so you might as well make it easy for them to purchase pieces you’re guaranteed to love by setting up a Judaica gift list alongside your main registry.

Ceramic White Mezuzah with Gold Shin by Yahalomis

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A Same-Sex Jewish Wedding with Lots of DIY at Floriana, Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA

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Hadassah and Natanya, Floriana, Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA

We love a DIY Jewish wedding, and Hadassah and Natanya’s is one for the books! The Jerusalem-based brides, who opted to wed near Natanya’s hometown at Floriana in Ipswich, Massachusetts, added so many incredible handcrafted elements to their day, and we here for it.

Despite the long distance, the duo planned the entire wedding themselves, and it was a priority to make every detail of the day totally, 100% them. They crafted a halakhic same-sex ceremony featuring each bride circling the other 7 times, a modified birkat erusin blessing followed by egalitarian kiddushin, sheva brachot recited by family and friends, and finally a joint smashing of the glass!

And of course there’s all the awesome DIY projects. The couple did their own flowers, designed their ketubah, and crafted custom benchers – and perhaps coolest of all, Hadassah sewed  her own wedding gown from scratch! Don’t miss all the gorgeous details in the wonderful photos by Lana Shevorski.

Read on for the full story in Hadassah’s own words…

Hadassah and Natanya, Floriana, Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA Hadassah and Natanya, Floriana, Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA Hadassah and Natanya, Floriana, Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA Hadassah and Natanya, Floriana, Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA

How We Met

Hadassah, the bride: We met as students at the Joint Program between the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University. We first got to know each other in a class about Martin Buber junior year, and started dating second-semester senior year.

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The Top 5 Ways to Cover Your Shoulders Under the Chuppah in 2026

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Tonic bolero by Galia Lahav

From pearl-dusted couture boleros to barely-there detachable details, shoulder coverage for the chuppah has officially entered its fashion-forward era. Today’s Jewish brides are embracing clever, removable layers that honor tradition and personal style – without compromising on the dress of their dreams.

Ben and Lauren, Kin House, Wiltshire, UK

Lauren‘s shrug | Photo by Natalie J Weddings

Whether you’re drawn to timeless elegance, modern minimalism, or a touch of drama, there are more beautiful options than ever before for ceremony-ready coverage that feels intentional, elevated, and unmistakably bridal. Here are our top five chic, modern ways to cover your shoulders under the chuppah in 2026 – and look effortlessly stylish while doing it.

Sydney-and-Chaim-The-Estate-at-Florentine-Gardens-River-Vale-New-Jersey-USA
Sydney‘s bolero | Photo by Alex Knight Studio 

1. Brilliant Boleros 

A timeless and elegant choice for brides who want to keep their shoulders covered under the chuppah, boleros add structure and sophistication without overwhelming your gown – and there are so many options, whether you’re going for a classic princess look or something sleek and modern. 

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12 Thoughtful Ways to Make Jewish Rituals Inclusive at an Interfaith Wedding {with La Fête}

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Are you planning an interfaith Jewish wedding? If so, you might be thinking about how to find the right balance between honoring the Jewish rituals that matter to you while making sure every guest, regardless of background, feels welcomed and included in the day. 

We sat down with interfaith and multicultural wedding expert Charlotte Ricard-Quesada, founder of La Fête, for a discussion about thoughtful ways to honour Jewish tradition while creating a ceremony that feels inclusive, warm, and genuinely reflective of both partners.

The founder and creative director of luxury wedding planner La Fête, Charlotte followed her dream and created her own events company in 2016, following a career in luxury fashion. She’s become one of London’s most sought-after wedding designers and event planners, and is the recipient of several industry accolades, including Best Wedding Planner at the BrideLux UK Awards 2022.

Charlotte’s multicultural background and fluency in four languages make her a go-to for couples planning interfaith and multicultural weddings, and she has such a wealth of experience to draw on. If you’re planning an interfaith Jewish wedding yourself, this one is truly a must-read.

Explain Jewish Rituals with a Ceremony Program

One of the simplest and most powerful ways to include everyone is to explain what’s happening in a wedding program that outlines the ceremony and explains the various Jewish traditions that are part of the day. There are lots of symbols that can be confusing to the uninitiated, from the chuppah to the ketubah to smashing the glass, and making sure all of your guests are kept in the loop is key to creating a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere for family and friends of all backgrounds. 

Charlotte recently planned an interfaith wedding where the Jewish bride wanted all relevant symbolism explained, in simple terms, in the wedding program – and she shares that it made such a difference in terms of allowing the attendees to feel fully part of each ritual component of the ceremony. 

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A Pronovias Bride for a Timelessly Elegant Jewish Wedding at Cochav Hayam, Caesarea, Israel

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Charlotte and Jonah, Cochav Hayam, Caesarea, Israel

Weddings in Israel are so special, and London couple Charlotte and Jonah had one of the best! To start with, they picked the magical Cochav Hayam as their venue – in the bride’s words, “Sunset beach backdrop, gorgeous grounds, and unbelievable food made it a no-brainer.”

The duo opted to work with Yana Andreev of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Craspedia Events to make planning from abroad “not just possible, but genuinely fun and exciting.” Charlotte and Jonah can’t stop raving about how great Yana and her team were, both in the leadup and on the big day itself.

And then there’s the chuppah. The pair went for an elegant arched all-white floral chuppah set against the venue’s stunning ocean backdrop, creating the most wonderfully romantic ambience. Don’t miss it in the beautiful photos by People Photography!

There’s so much more to say about this very special Jewish wedding – like, how elegant did Charlotte look in her princess ballgown from Pronovias?! – but we’ll leave it to the bride to take it from here…

Charlotte and Jonah, Cochav Hayam, Caesarea, Israel Charlotte and Jonah, Cochav Hayam, Caesarea, Israel Charlotte and Jonah, Cochav Hayam, Caesarea, Israel Charlotte and Jonah, Cochav Hayam, Caesarea, Israel

How We Met

Charlotte, the bride: We met at Cambridge University at the Jsoc on the very first Shabbat of term — I was a fresher, he was a third-year, but we didn’t start dating until a few months later!

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