Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

Hannah & Raf | Laidback, colourful ‘English Garden’ Jewish wedding at The Priory Barn, Little Wymondley, Hertfordshire, UK

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An english country garden jewish wedding
Hannah  and Raf’s  big day  is  bursting at the seams with colour, fun and some very original ideas, and if I had to describe their wedding  in one (ok two) words, it  would be utterly joyous. From Raf’s beaming smile to Hannah’s multi-coloured nails, through to the wild summer flowers dotted about everywhere,  and the most original  first dance I’ve heard about in a long while (I’ll let Hannah surprise you with that one).

I want to be a guest at this wedding. I want to receive a homemade invitation designed by the bride. I want to stand amongst the moorhens  and weeping willows. I want to hear a klezmer version of The Final Countdown. I want to have a slice of hundreds and thousands cake. And I want to have every moment captured by Marianne Chua  whose images are appearing for the first time on STG which I’m so very  thrilled about!

Get ready because you gorgeous lot are going to be pinning until your fingers are raw.

colourful English garden Jewish wedding_0033
colourful English garden Jewish wedding
colourful English garden Jewish wedding_0030
A MIDWEEK WEDDING AT A WONDERFUL GARDEN VENUE
Hannah, the Bride: We chose to get married at The Priory Barn  in  Little Wymondley. We researched various venues, but had difficulties in that a lot of the London venues wouldn’t allow religious ceremonies and we didn’t want a hotel. We also wanted outside space and The Priory has an amazing garden complete with a stream, weeping willows and baby moorhens! We had budget concerns and The Priory had a great midweek deal. Our wedding was on a Thursday but this really didn’t seem to affect turnout.

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To wedding planner or not to wedding planner, that is the question…

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Is a Wedding Planner necessary
Image: David Bastianoni

Today I’m delighted to be introducing  a very awesome  guest poster,  the divine Anna MacDougall from Bride & Glory. Lovely Anna  has written a very enlightening piece  on the  hows, whys and wherefores of wedding planners. Should you, shouldn’t you, what should you be looking for if you do want one, and what exactly will you be getting for your wonga? Anna has all the answers…

Hello my Darling STG readers — I couldn’t be whooping with joy any louder for having the pleasure of writing to (and for) you today. I have a habit of yacking, so I shan’t ‘preamble’ too much and will dive right in. If, however, you do want to know more about why I may know a thing or two about this topic, just have a look here.

HIRE OR FIRE

Soooo — to hire a wedding planner or not, that is one of the questions you may or may not have been contemplating on your wedding planning journey. Please don’t think “oh here we go, a hidden sales piece”. This truly isn’t — it’s just to give you a little insight and perhaps food for thought.

And if you only take one nugget of information away from this then please please let it be that no, wedding planners are not like the movies (I’m really nothing like J-Lo) and we’re also not clipboard-wielding tyrants who will take over your day. At least most of us aren’t.

Is a wedding planner necessary
Jennifer Lopez in the 2001 romantic comedy, ‘The Wedding Planner’

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My interview with Peggy Porschen, award-winning wedding cake designer, and entrepreneur

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Peggy-Porschen-Smashing-The-Glass
I was bowled over by Peggy Porschen, the esteemed wedding cake designer, when I heard her speak at Paperfest a few weeks ago. Her  phenomenal success it an inspiration to all ‘kitchen table’ entrepreneurs and as much as her lecture  was unbelievably inspiring, I wanted to hear  more.

I got in touch with  Peggy after her session and she managed to squeeze me in to her very busy schedule to reveal to me her love for flower markets, designing  Mary Berry’s imaginary wedding cake, her path  to the top,  and much, more!

So Peggy, what’s the ’Peggy Porschen’ story?  How did you start your company and what’s happened between then and now?

I moved from my home in Germany to London in 1998 to study at the internationally renowned cookery school Le Cordon Bleu. After successfully completing ‘The Grand Diploma of Cuisine & Patisserie’, I worked as a pastry chef at London’s Lanesborough Hotel and celebrated caterer Rhubarb Food Design, followed by a position as cake decorator for German master-baker Gerhard Jenne, proprietor of Konditor & Cook.

I set up my business ‘Peggy Porschen Cakes’ in 2003 from my home in Battersea, which I eventually had to move out of as the business grew and grew! The Peggy Porschen Parlour opened in London’s Belgravia in October 2010. It was always a dream to have my own shop and offer my cakes to people on an everyday basis, I also created my own home wares & cake accoutrements range and a collection of jams and loose leaf teas — all inspired by the ingredients used in my kitchen. I opened the Peggy Porschen Academy in January 2011 just across the road from the parlour. It’s a wonderful addition to the company because I am lucky enough to teach all year round and offer a range of different classes and courses to suit every proficiency level. Meanwhile the bespoke design side of the business continues to thrive, I regularly bring out new wedding and celebration cake collections and my brides enjoy visiting our Belgravia bridal boutique — a space dedicated to one-on-one consultation and tasting for those wishing to commission a bespoke Peggy Porschen design.
Peggy Porschen

Now more than ever, standing out and having something unique or different to offer is really important in this industry. How you do feel you’ve done this and do you have any advice for people who want to do the same?

My cakes are renowned for their pretty designs that are traditionally elegant and understated with an emphasis on skilled craftsmanship and most importantly, luxuriously delicious! I pride myself on my dedication to perfection, good taste, an understanding of what people want and the skills to translate this to sugar.

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Rachel & Zach | Intimate City Chic Jewish Winter Wedding at Old Finsbury Town Hall, Islington, London

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LONDON JEWISH WEDDING
Rachel and Zach were married at Old Finsbury Town Hall, which has to be one of the most beautiful wedding venues in London. They threw a really relaxed, fun wedding party and organised most of it via the wonders of the internet from their home in New York.

They ditched a lot of the traditional wedding formalities too: they chose not to have a bridal party, wedding cake, expensive dress or favours, and had some brilliant ideas, like using Rachel’s enormous collection of New Yorker magazines as individual place cards for each guest. They also devised a very traditional, but totally egalitarian, Jewish ceremony with tons of personal twists, and an utterly unique ketubah. They also wrote an inspired wedding program. The beautiful bride, Rachel, elaborates below.

Chris Giles, their photographer, does city chic romance effortlessly, and even the way he captures Rachel’s shoes perched on a side table is like something out of a modern fairytale. Enjoy every one of Chris (and his wife, Laura)’s gorgeous images, and whisk yourself away to a warm-hearted wintery December in London.

Finsbury Town Hall London Jewish Wedding_0012

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Jane & David | Elegant bohemian Jewish wedding at Villa Scorz, Pisa, Italy

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bohemian-jewish-wedding
How beautiful is today’s bride, Jane? I think she has something of the Cheryl Cole about her but she’s actually a far more elegant and ethereal version!  I absolutely adore Jane’s  entire look  — from her delightfully floaty  Pronovias wedding dress to her  custom-made high heels  and her exquisite long veil.

But of course there’s lots more  to love about  Jane  and David’s  wedding captured so wonderfully by the talented STG favourite,  David Bastianoni.

There’s a  dance group performing to a medley from  Grease(!); there’s a  pomegranate theme running through everything from the invitations to the monogram to the ring pillow, to  the wedding cake, to the favours and menus; there’s a wonderfully personalised table plan incorporating  different images of the couple; and there’s a cigar, whiskey and  chocolate corner at the after party (that idea I’m particularly coveting).

But most of all there is so much love…

Pomegranate themed elegant bohemian Jewish wedding at Villa Scorz Pisa Italy_0005

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