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13 Insanely Fun (and Affordable) Wedding Ideas from Etsy

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It goes without saying that every wedding is special and unique – but one thing that our Smashing the Glass couples tend to have in common is their commitment to making their wedding as individual as they are with some lovely unique dettails. Even after all these years and countless real weddings, we never cease to be surprised by a new and original detail that we haven’t come across before. That ethos is the reason we’re such huge fans of Etsy. 

Etsy is a place of endless imagination. Small businesses and sellers lovingly craft a mixture of fashion-forward and traditional wedding wares, which can often then be personalised by the couple to create a one-off wedding-day treasure. While would never dream of denying you the joy of a long Etsy hunt, we have come across a few gems lately that we just couldn’t keep to ourselves. Here are thirteen of our favourite affordable, creative Etsy wedding finds.

1. Have your wedding logo made into a rubber stamp £12

Have a custom stamp made with your wedding logo and have fun branding all the different details of your big day! It’s amazing how simple this is to do and how much fun you can have doing it (FYI I wrote a whole post on how to brand your big day with a logo here.)

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2. Create a custom slogan veil  £37

Say it loud and proud with a slogan veil. This double layered, shoulder-length veil is handmade to order with the word or phrase of your choice (up to 12 characters). I love the idea of having one with your new married name on it!

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3. Create a personalised cake topper £65

Have your names, your new surname, or any phrase you fancy stop your wedding cake!
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4. Have some fun with your dance floor signs £6

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Yukie & Jason’s Moroccan-themed destination wedding, with three designer dresses, at Caesar Yam, Caesarea, Israel

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Yukie and Jason’s Moroccan market-themed Israeli destination wedding was an epic, four-part production, thanks to super helpful mother-in-law, Victoria and their incredibly talented planner, Adena at A to Z Events.

Bright colours abound with lavish gold accents, maximalist patterns and oh my goodness, check out that cake! At Smashing the Glass HQ, we’re also loving the drama of those fantastically opulent thrones for the bride and groom (move over Posh and Becks), and these brilliant stylistic choices are matched only by the loveliness of the couple’s story.

For anyone out there who is living the sometimes taxing reality of the old adage, absence makes the heart grow fonder, take heart – this loved-up pair have proved that long-distance relationships can have a truly happy ending. With a groom from New York, a bride from Tokyo, the groom’s parents from Moscow but living in Israel and most of the guests taking their first trip to the Holy Land for the couple’s wedding, this is a love that brought together cultures from all over the world for a truly beautiful celebration.

The ceremony was custom built for Yukie and Jason. While it was important to them to have a ceremony that was “official” according to the religion, with Yukie having recently joined the tribe, they also wanted it to reflect their own feelings and personal connection to Judaism. Some of the personalised details included a reciprocal ketubah, and when the groom smashed the glass, the bride simultaneously smashed a plate. The rabbi composed his speech by asking the bride and groom for three important memories and three reasons they were each other’s one and only — from this, he created an incredibly moving tribute to their relationship.

Oh, and if you’re not already sick with jealousy over Yukie’s amazing Oscar de la Renta gown, she also had two more gorgeous dresses for the evening parties! Feast your eyes on it below, all perfectly captured by photographer Shabi Kedem and Levi Dovid.

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How we met

Yukie, the bride: I am Japanese and spent my entire life in Japan before I met Jason. We met nine years ago in Tokyo while he was on vacation with his brother.

Although at first I thought he wasn’t my type, once we started talking we got along so well that we had a date every day for the week he was in Tokyo. We kept in touch after he left – he called me every day for the next two years.

We visited each other any time we could — he even came to live in Japan for a year. We kept our long-distance love going for for years between Tokyo and New York.

Then, four years ago, I finally decided to move to New York and we started living together.

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A chilled out backyard Jewish wedding at the bride’s childhood home in Cleveland, Ohio, USA

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When bride Andria met her handsome groom Ilya after a Tinder date that almost didn’t happen, she was so taken with him that she still remembers everything he wore on that ultimately fateful day. Hey, when you know, you know, right?

Despite being one of the most laid back brides to ever grace the Smashing pages, Andria’s gorgeous backyard wedding is full of beautiful, natural and rustic details captured wonderfully by photographers Zeefoto. The couple married in Andria’s parents’ backyard and stuck to a rustic vintage theme. With just three months between the engagement and the wedding, the family went all out, re-doing the entire lawn and planting new flowers, even bringing in sandstone for that Israeli-meets-magical-woodland feel.

At Smashing the Glass, we love it when a wedding includes rare aspects of Jewish culture. The groom, Ilya, is Bukharian. For those who don’t know, Bukhari Jews are originally from central Asia and speak a rare dialect of the Tajik-Persian language. The result of two Jewish cultures fusing is always awesome, and the little touches — the Bukharian band and the eight-course meal (yes, you read that correctly — what would a Jewish wedding be without an extraordinary amount of food?) really made this wedding something special.

It’s worth mentioning that the couple insisted on having vodka on the tables — we admire their spirit (sorry, sorry…)!

Perhaps the loveliest detail of all was Andria’s chilled-out attitude. From absolutely embracing her Jewfro (high five all the Jewfros out there) to wearing her wonderful mother’s veil and a precious symbolism-laiden family heirloom as jewellery, Andria’s approach was all heart, no fuss.

Just you wait until you read Andria’s moving words about her mother (here, have a tissue — you’ll need it).

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How we met

Andria, the bride: Ahhhh, those were the days. So, Ilya and I matched on Tinder except he never said anything to me for six months. He then saw me numerous times out but none of my friends would give him my number since they said I was moving. Then three months before I was leaving to make Aliyah (the process of diaspora Jews moving to Israel) I got a random phone call on October 20 at 5:38 PM from this boy named Ilya. We went on our first date a week later. Ilya was wearing Timberlands, jeans, a grey Cleveland Browns t-shirt (we were watching the game), a red flannel, puffy vest and a black scarf. I told him 15 minutes into the date that if he either of us didn’t vibe with one another we shouldn’t waste our time. We sat at the pub for four and a half hours. I knew the second I saw him he was the one. I still, to this day, get butterflies sometimes. He’s so special and I’m grateful every day to be his wife.

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A Berta Bridal gown and the perfect Jimmy Choos | A glam chic wedding at Villa Padierna Palace Hotel, Marbella, Spain

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Ladies and gentlemen, if you’d please present your boarding passes — I mean invitations — and take a journey with us to Salena and Stefan’s super glam wedding at Villa Padierna Palace Hotel in Marbella, Spain

Captured with aplomb by much-loved and often-featured Smashing Supplier, photographer David Pullum and fabulous videographer AtMotion, Salena and Stefan’s big day was all about friends, family and, of course, the party of a lifetime, which lasted until 3am!

There are so many adorable details to look out for, but this one is particularly steal-worthy! The couple had the genius idea of sending their guests passport invitation packages. As it was an overseas wedding, this was a really fun way to represent that and present all of the necessary information in a cool, chic and creative way. Sticking with their stunning chosen colour palette of duck egg blue and gold, the invitations themselves were styled as boarding passes.

At Smashing the Glass, we love a bride who expresses herself, and wedding singer Salena looked every bit the belle of the ball in her show-stopping Berta Bridal dress, complete with jealousy-inducing Jimmy Choos and to-die-for jewellery. Looking catwalk ready with her perfectly executed hair and makeup, Salena was an absolute shining star.

‘What will be will be’ was this bride’s philosophy, opting to give her epic crowd of loving bridesmaids and her mother the freedom to choose their own styling – which she absolutely loved.

Perhaps the most touching detail of the day is that the bride’s own band, Muzika Showband, flew over to perform for Salena and Stefan’s big day, with dear friends singing them down the aisle.

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How we met

Salena, the bride: We met at my husband’s friend’s wedding where I was the wedding singer. He chatted me up by the cheese board… enough said!

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The Best Israeli Wedding Band Ever!

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We love an Israeli wedding here at STG and have covered everything from spectacular to super casual Big Days, as well as more recently, a heart-achingly gorgeous Jerusalem tale.

For many, Israel is the ultimate Jewish destination wedding; it is the most spiritual place on earth that you could choose to make this special commitment to your partner. And while it carries momentous cultural meaning, that’s just one side of its nuptial allure. Israel is also a place where east meets west, where the sun shines eight months of the year, it’s beautiful, exotic, energetic and FUN. You’d be hard pushed to match the vivacity and heady enjoyment of an Israeli bash — and where there’s a party, there’s music!

If you’re thinking of heading to Israel to marry your beloved, I implore you to follow this amazing Tel Aviv based party band, The Live Band.

This eight-to-fourteen piece outfit really is THE Israeli wedding band. Incredibly professional, energetic, charismatic and super glamorous (think tailored suits and glittery cocktail dresses), The Live Band know exactly how to create a performance that builds energy and excitement throughout the night.

They can whip the crowd up and have them eating out of the palm of their hand with their belting tunes, incredible stage presence and outstanding repertoire. From Hava Nagila to Uptown Funk they will find a playlist to suit you and your guests perfectly. Don’t believe me – just watch!

Have Atmosphere — Will Travel

Luckily The Live Band are set up to do international gigs, so whilst they are Tel Aviv-based, fret not as they can, will and have travelled anywhere in the world to bring the party. So you can have the big band Israel-style delivered to you wherever you are.

Live Band vs DJ

Traditionally, an Israeli wedding is more about the DJ but increasingly people are now turning to bands – as an alternative or as an addition – to give their wedding that extra pizazz, the real showmanship and explosive atmosphere that only live music can bring. And that’s where (aptly named) The Live Band. step in.

The Live Band’s musical signature, lead by founding members Yuval Niv and Yonatan Fridge, in collaboration with incredible vocalists and super talented instrumentalists, is a polished, upbeat sound, delivered with incredible energy and performance. There’s no singing from song sheets like the dreaded wedding singers from films. They are experienced, professional musicians who love what they do and have played with the top singers and bands in the Israeli music industry — Rita, Shlomo Artzi, Idan Raichel, Ivri Lider …

You just cant replicate that magical moment when all your favourite people in the world are all on their feet, dancing to the same (perfectly chosen, well-timed) tune, smiling, singing, hands in the air and of course one of two with their eyes closed, lost in the moment. And that’s what this Tel Aviv band bring. If there is one thing The Live Band knows how to do, it’s how to make a party explode!

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