Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

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From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks

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Mr-Mrs-Smith-Honeymoons
Close your eyes, let your mind wander and imagine your perfect, have-it-all honeymoon.  If you’re picturing the most spectacular, breathtaking hotel in an intensely beautiful destination – complete with flawless service and a staggering attention to detail, then chances are, you’ve already visited Mr & Mrs Smith.

Mr & Mrs Smith is a brand I’m totally unabashed to say that I’m obsessed with. It never fails to disappoint. There’s nothing better than when a person, place or service exceeds expectations, not just meets them. And that’s what Mr & Mrs Smith do for me. I have been using their slick website for the last 6 years or so to find and book weekend breaks – and eventually our honeymoon – from their incredible collection of world-wide, soulful, boutique and luxury hotels, that range from the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful.

Mr STG and I have weekended at several of their recommended gems. From the love letter in art and architecture that is Villa Cora in Florence, to the insanely grand french Château de Bagnols, complete with fairy tale moat, drawbridge and honey- coloured stone towers, then back to the relaxed city-to-country retreat, The Pig in Hampshire. Each place was as spectacular as the one before and all shared the same impeccable service standards.

And no surprise really given that Mr & Mrs Smith was the brainchild of an inspired husband and wife team (James Lohan and Tamara Heber-Percy) who started the brand after enduring too many frustratingly mediocre breaks in hotels that didn’t quite live up to their brochure description or represent the stars they were brandishing. The chic duo upped the ante and created a real hotel guide for a style and service savvy market.

Chateau-de-Bagnols
Our bedroom at Château de Bagnols (I kid you not!)
Bellevue-Syrene
Our bedroom at the Bellevue Syrene

Booking my honeymoon with Mr & Mrs Smith

Mr STG and I didn’t think twice before booking our honeymoon with Mr & Mrs Smith. We had utter faith that they would deliver perfection when we most needed it. After organising my dream wedding and finding out the wonderful news that we were expecting our first bundle of STG joy, I was exhausted. I wanted some expert guidance on our honeymoon choices and needed the assurance that it would be just right. We wanted to relax, be totally pampered and go somewhere that Mr STG and I hadn’t been before. First destination Mr & Mrs Smith.

And lets just say that since our honeymoon at the Bellevue Syrene in the Amalfi Coast (yes, that’s what we chose!) our love affair with Mr & Mrs Smith has continued….

Amalfi Coast-honeymoon
Me & Mr STG on our Mr & Mrs Smith honeymoon

My top 12 Honeymoon picks

Considering I’m only allowed one honeymoon, I thought I’d live vicariously through you lovely lot and share my top Mr & Mrs Smith honeymoon picks (one of them even has its own kosher restaurant!).

Their honeymoons are literally out of this world — you really can expect celestial massages, starlight dining and earth-shattering services. Whether you want a few weeks of long haul lounging or a mini-moon in a romantic city, their around the clock travel specialists Smith 24 can tailor a trip to your tastes and budget.

And if, like me, you’re the kind of person who relishes and savours impeccable service and style at every turn, join me in the love affair with Mr & Mrs Smith.

Top 3 for Adventurers

TreeHotel-Sweden
If it’s adventure you’re after, TreeHotel, in Norbetten Country, Sweden, is a fabulous choice… This has to be one of the only honeymoon destinations in the world that offers husky drawn sledge rides, ice fishing trips, and a possible peek of the Northern Lights from your treetop den.

AWASI-Patagonia,-Chile
If you’re looking for large doses of peace and quiet, AWASI in Patagonia, Chile is simply perfect. Set in acres of stunning South American countryside, complete with forests, mountains and lakes, you can spy on the dramatic peaks of the Torres del Paine from your bed and enjoy private trips around the national park.

Tsala-Treetop-Lodge
Tsala Treetop Lodge in South Africa is a unique boutique resort giving you a mind-blowing, bird’s eye view of South Africa’s indigenous forest canopy from your luxurious stilted hut. Better still, it’s just 10km from the beaches, bars and boutiques of Plettenberg Bay.

Top 3 for Luxury Seekers

Song Saa Private Island
Live out your castaway fantasies at one of the unspoilt tropical islands at Song Saa Private Island Villas in Cambodia. Think intimate, luxurious and seductive — this place is truly special.

Muse-St-Tropez
Muse St Tropez in France is a boutique bolthole in the heart of Ramatelle. A serene yet stylish sanctuary, away from the St Tropez glitz, you wont even have to leave your room for a massage…

Hotel-Le-Toiny
You’ll have little incentive to ever leave your spectacular French-colonial bungalow in Hotel Le Toiny, St Barthelemy, a serene, hillside beach escape. Perfect, unspoiled sea views, private infinity pool and supreme island dining. The stuff of honeymoon dreams.

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A colourful Jewish wedding at Manhattan Penthouse on Fifth Avenue, New York City, USA

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COLOURFUL-WEDDING-MANHATTAN-PENTHOUSE

Whilst this is a big day in your life, have perspective. It’s a party, a celebration of you and your significant other’s formal bond — there’s no reason to be stressed because really, it’s a celebration.

Sage advice there from the beautiful Elise in this morning’s super chic Manhattan affair. I couldn’t not open with this mantra because I think it’s all too easy to forget amidst the madness of colour themes and dresses and table plans and favours and centrepieces. That’s not to say that all of these bits and pieces aren’t important but more that it’s about you and your partner and the love you have for each other that’s paramount on your big day.

But of course you all know this already. What you don’t know yet is how epic Elise and Michael’s big day was…but you’re about to find out.

I can promise you the sassiest bride, a super cool Manhattan location, fantastic photography, care of Hales Studio, and the most magnificent colourful blooms. In fact the colours of Elise’s bouquet (created by the super talented Floresta NYC) provided the inspiration for the bridesmaids dresses! Elise sent them a picture of the bouquet and asked them to choose a dress (or wear one that they already owned) that would match the flowers. And how wonderfully does it all come together?

Another thing I particularly love about today’s wedding is that Elise and Michael inviting their parents and Elise’s grandparents, married for 41, 44 and 62 years respectively to dance to her grandparents wedding song (A Sentimental Journey) to recognise the stable, long-lasting and loving relationships that they were lucky enough to be brought up around… Too fabulous, right?

Manhattan Penthouse Wedding New YorkManhattan-Penthouse-Wedding
How we met

Elise, the Bride: Mike and I met on Okcupid! We both had tried online dating in the past – both of us did JDate actually, but in the end we met on the free non-religious site. We went for drinks for our first meeting and to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Italian food for our first official date.

Elise and Michael's NYC wedding_0040

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Finding ‘the one’ – my thoughts on the wedding dress industry from a 5 ft 3, size 12 bride

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FRAN-INTRO-2
Say Yes to the Dress is not an accurate portrayal of wedding dress shopping, nor is that episode in Friends where they all go home with a perfectly fitting dress and drink beer together…. that’s what I’ve learnt. Below is a true account of my dress shopping experience — no large black pegs were used in the making of it.

Unsure of where to start, my friend Tanya, who got engaged around a similar time to me, recommended a bridal shop in Essex as a great starter shop. They stock loads of different styles and she said I would be able to really filter out what I liked and didn’t like, so I took her advice and started the hunt there.

On a delightfully dull Saturday morning, my mum, sister and mum-in-law to be set off into the depths of Essex filled with excitement. I had visions of grandiose changing rooms, champagne, plush carpets and bright lights…oh how quickly I learnt that that was not the case. I entered a world of total and utter overwhelmingness. There were so many dresses I literally didn’t know where to start.

The lady who served us was lovely and explained the different styles and I gave her my budget. I decided to try on a range of styles as I literally had no clue. After selecting the dresses we were taken to the ‘dressing room’ which was a tiny, narrow room with a curtain at one end and just enough seats for everyone. It was essentially a broom cupboard. We weren’t offered a drink and I could feel my mouth becoming drier as I became more overwhelmed by it all.

Friends episode wedding dress
At this point I should mention that I am 5ft3 and a size 12. Wedding dresses, unbeknown to me are made for 6ft tall, size 8 people. This was the start of what was quite frankly an exhausting, and at times depressing wedding dress shopping extravaganza that lasted about a month.

To sum up my first wedding dress shop experience, I look like a bowling pin in large ball gown dresses, mermaid style are near on impossible to walk in, and trying to picture yourself on the happiest day of your life with a woman standing behind you attempting to hold you in, do not scream out the romantic, wonderful experience I had imagined.

The second shop on the list (same day I might add, and I recommend you don’t do that, it was exhausting) was still in Essex and I had decided to go because they stocked a designer I liked. This wedding dress shop, amazingly, was worse than the first. Not only did they not have a toilet (we were instructed that the Pie & Eel shop next door were happy for us to use theirs) but there were no private changing rooms. I had to come out in an ill-fitting, ugly dress in the middle of shop with strangers staring at me! This is literally my idea of hell on earth.

The wedding diet was a non-starter at this point and quite frankly I do not love my body. I have lumps and bumps and my tummy sticks out. I didn’t want anyone to see me like this, least of all squeezed into a size 8 glittered up mermaid dress. I find it quite amazing that brides like me are forced to make decisions about the most important item of clothing they will ever buy when the thing doesn’t fit. How do I know if I will be comfortable in it for 11 hours when at this moment in time it is cutting my arm pit like razor blades and the zip hasn’t gone past by bum!

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Chuppah ideas & styling for a modern Jewish wedding

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chuppah-ideas-Jewish-wedding
This is a guest post by Cora Norrey, Category Manager for Weddings at  Not On The High Street
Above image taken from Lemor & Adam’s Jewish wedding by Maloman Studios

Styling your own chuppah can be a fantastic way to stamp your personality on your day, and is also a great way of figuring out what it is you want your day to look like. As the basic structure is set, how you dress it can really start opening up what you want your personal style to be.

rustic chic

Faux flowers and foliage can often evoke a shudder of fear among many, but the industry has come on leaps and bounds in recent years with faux flora often giving the real thing a run for its money. And in terms of value and peace of mind, artificial foliage and flowers will obviously last as long as you need and you can repurpose them in your home or garden later. Wrapping thick and luscious strands of foliage round the supporting poles can create a beautiful focal point and creating an asymmetrical look by concentrating the foliage on one side only, can really help modernise the look. You can then use the same flowers as styling throughout the day in bouquets, button holes and centre pieces really helping to create a strong coherent look.

floral chuppah
Image:  Lisa Rigby Photography

keepsake elements

The rustic look lends itself beautifully to the elegance of the chuppah. Using tree branches for poles, you can create a beautiful lasting keepsake by carving your initials and the date on one of the poles and displaying this as art in your home for years to come.

birch chuppah
Left image: Taylor Lord Photography :: Right image: Gia Canali Photography

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A travel-themed Jewish wedding at Olympia’s Valley Estate, Petaluma, California, USA

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A-Vera-Wang-Bride-for-a-travel-themed-Jewish-barn-wedding-at-Olympia’s-Valley-Estate,-Petaluma,-California,-USA
There isn’t a single thing I don’t love about this wedding. And when I say love, I mean head over heels, squeal-worthy adoration. As I was putting the post together I was genuinely bursting with excitement at how gorgeous everything is, how adorable Jill’s report is, and how fabulous the photography by Chrisman Studios is too. Honestly, I really had to stop myself from including every. single. image. I’m a big fan of Chrisman Studio’s work (I love how they tell a story), and it’s no surprise that I’ve featured their Jewish weddings on the blog many times before.

Jill is a professional photographer herself, and her work played its part in the way she met Mark. It’s a wonderful story and Jill tells it brilliantly. I literally had goosebumps. Although they met in the ‘new way’ (by which I mean over the internet), to me it feels like a truly romantic old-fashioned love story! Have a read and see…

These two married at a gorgeous rustic barn in California, complete with all sorts of travel-related elements (to reflect Jill’s travel photography career) including personalised passports for each guest with all the wedding details and a Jill and Mark crossword puzzle. Fabulous!

I must also single out Jill’s astonishing Vera Wang frock, and a Pop Art ketubah I am literally obsessed with. Indeed I featured it in this round-up of my favourite ketubah designs last year!

This is SUCH a lovely one, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Jewish rustic wedding at Olympia's Valley Estate in Petaluma, California.Jewish rustic wedding at Olympia's Valley Estate in Petaluma, California.
How we met

Jill, the Bride: In 2012, I received my first assignment from National Geographic. They sent me to Sydney, Australia for five weeks to photograph the National Geographic Traveler Guidebook: Sydney. When I got this amazing opportunity I had never been more excited about anything in my entire life.

About one week into my time in Sydney I got a message on OkCupid from Mark. Mark’s email made me laugh. He was thoughtful. His profile was witty and he looked very cute in his photos. He also took the time to find my photography website, stalk me, and tell me what he liked about my work. I appreciated that effort. Something just intrigued me about him.

I wrote him back telling him I would be gone for the next month and that maybe if he was still single when I returned we could go on a date. He did not seem phased by me being gone at all. He said, “Why don’t we talk on Skype and see if we have anything in common and go from there?”

We decided to start off on Skype with no video, just our voices. Our first conversation lasted hours, as did our second and third. Then we turned on the video, which actually was not as awkward as you may think it could be. Our conversations were very easy. I felt like I was myself from the beginning, probably because I felt like I had nothing to lose.

He started serenading me early on, playing his guitar and singing for me. He would ask me what my favourite songs were and within 24-hours he had taught himself how to play and sing them to me over Skype. I became a Skype groupie. I would send him my best photos of the day and we would talk about my solo adventures. We talked everyday while I was away. I would catch myself on the phone just smiling the whole time, and daydreaming about this mysterious Internet man.

We really had a chance to get to know each other, and by the time we had our first real in-person date it felt like we had been dating for a month. We thought our mothers would be proud that we really took the time to get to know each other before jumping into a relationship.

I never would have admitted it out loud, because it sounds crazy, but there was a part of me that knew he would be my husband before we even met. He says the same thing about me.

The day after I returned home from Australia we had our first date. He came over to my apartment (probably not the smartest idea for a first date with someone you met online – but I felt like a murderer wouldn’t have put in so much time talking to me just to kill me). I was jet-lagged, exhausted and wanted a night at home. We went food shopping and Mark made me dinner. The date was so fun – it just felt right.

That night, he asked me if I would be his girlfriend. I was shocked. I was used to men waiting as long as possible to commit to anything solid, and here we were on our first real date and Mark wanted to be my boyfriend. He said, ‘Here is my rationale – we have been talking for a month and I don’t want to see anyone else. If this does not work out, we break up, if it does then great!’

That made perfect sense to me, and I said ok…

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