Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

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

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Lake-Atitlan-wedding
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.

Lake Atitlan wedding
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)

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

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Charlotte-OShea
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.

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 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.

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

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country-garden-barn-wedding
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.

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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!

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Ori & Shani | Urban-Chic Jewish lesbian wedding at Avigdor 22, Tel Aviv, Israel

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Jewish-lesbian-wedding
Today will brighten up your Thursday whatever mood you’re in. Such joy and happiness radiates from every single image! Ori and Shani look super hot in their four Dany Mizrachi gowns (yes both brides wore two dresses each all by the same designer – how snazzy is that?!).

There are so many pretty decor touches too — I love the cute signage, the mini potted plant wedding favours, and the framed photos of Ori and Shani dotted about their achingly cool warehouse-style venue in the heart of the city.

And of course, not one, but TWO glasses were smashed at the end of their Jewish wedding ceremony!

These two brides have such a sweet proposal story and organised their whole affair in just 5 months. It’s a wonderful day full of smiles and happiness and it’s all stunningly captured by none other than one of our talented Smashing Suppliers, Igor Lubenski.

Jewish lesbian wedding
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Karen & David | Elegant white Jewish wedding at Villa Giusso, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Italy

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Sorrento-Wedding
This morning we’re off to Italy to indulge in Karen and David’s sumptuous Jewish wedding in Sorrento courtesy of Gianni di Natale Photography. Although I’ve blogged Jewish weddings from the Amalfi Coast before, this is the first one I’ve featured that takes place in Sorrento. It’s rather momentous for me to be blogging a wedding that took place in this magical part of the world, as it’s where Mr STG and I spent our honeymoon in 2013.

We loved the sunny climate and the jaw-dropping views of the Bay of Naples, not to mention the incredible Italian food. This wedding has all three in buckets as well as one of my favourite ever Hora (Jewish dancing) images of all time, featuring the bride doing a 180 ° — literally upside down!

And the guests…well if the photos at the end of the night are anything to go by, then it’s clear that they had a darned good time!

If you’re a fan of the classically elegant wedding then this one is for you…the same applies if you’re a bit of a fan of Italy as there’s some fairly stunning shots of the coast too.

Sorrento Wedding
a spectacular villa venue in Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast

Karen, the Bride: David and I got married in Italy, on the Amalfi coast in a town called Sorrento. We instantly fell in love with the house we chose for our religious ceremony and reception called Villa Giusso. The venue was located on the top of a hill overlooking Sorrento bay, and the entire wedding took place in the beautiful garden which surrounded the house. The chuppah was set up outside overlooking the sea and the dinner under lemon trees. We could not have dreamt of a better setting for our wedding.

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