competitions Archives - Smashing the Glass

Win a romantic night for two at the breathtaking Kimpton Fitzroy London, London’s hottest new luxury hotel

05/03/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

I’m so delighted to offer you the chance to win an overnight stay in London’s hottest new luxury hotel: the fabulous Kimpton Fitzroy London.

I’ve attended some fab events at the Kimpton Fitzroy London since they opened, like the BertaF/W 2019 Press Launch last month, and opening of David Michael Bradford’s (who also happens to have photographed the wonderful wedding images in this post) Scribbled Art exhibition featuring a portrait of me!

Both these events were truly spectacular occasions that EVERYONE was talking about after (and rightly so!).

Located oh-so-centrally in Bloomsbury’s Russell Square, the Kimpton Fitzroy London combines historic charm with modern luxury. Originally built in 1898 (on the site of Emmaline Pankhurst’s onetime home — how’s that for a bit of feminist history to add to your wedding?!), Kimpton Fitzroy London undertook a two-year, £85 million refurbishment of the hotel before opening it in April 2018 as their first London property.

And the outcome is truly exquisite, as you’ll see for yourself if you have a scroll through these photos. Every inch is full of the chicest of contemporary details.

It’s truly the most wonderfully special space, and I’m so excited that we’ve teamed up with the Kimpton Fitzroy London to offer one lucky couple (and you can be single with a plus one, engaged or married to enter) an unbelievable prize to experience the luxuries of the hotel to include:

An overnight stay in a luxury corner suite
Champagne and sweet treats on arrival
Pre-dinner cocktails in Fitz’s Bar
3-course dinner with a bottle of wine in the stunning onsite restaurant Neptune
Breakfast the following morning,
Champagne afternoon tea in Palm Court
A 300tc bedlinen set by Tielle Love Luxury (you guessed it, the same luxurious linen used by Kimpton Fitzroy London)
The total prize value is £1300 !

A Jewish Wedding at the Kimpton Fitzroy

It practically goes without saying that the Kimpton Fitzroy London is an incredible venue for an urban glam Jewish wedding right in the heart of London.

With a capacity of up to 180 for a seated dinner and dancefloor, or 450 standing, it can accommodate a big bash, and the wonderful weddings team at the Kimpton Fitzroy London couldn’t be more knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Jewish weddings, with an experienced team with the highest five-star hotel pedigree from The Dorchester, The Savoy, and The Rosewood (to name but a few).

And guess what? The Kimpton Fitzroy London’s marketing manager, Ruthie Berkley, is an STG Bride herself! Her real Jewish wedding is coming to Smashing The Glass later this month and it’s a GOODIE! Watch out for it on Wednesday 20th March…

But back to the glorious Kimpton Fitzroy London: The centre of the property — at least when it comes to weddings — is the ballroom, a grand event space perfect for a standout Jewish ceremony followed by a beautiful reception, boasting a private entrance on Bernard Street, original 19^th-century architectural details, a full wall of windows, and a mezzanine gallery.

And the adjoining Palm Court is the most magical backdrop for reception drinks, with a soaring glass ceiling that floods the room with light, comfortable clusters of seating, and lots of gorgeous greenery — the vibe is conservatory meets lounge meets members club, and it is exactly as fabulous as it sounds. Intimate yet fun, hip yet classic.

I’m seriously in love with this space and it has got to be the best reception space to go with a ballroom wedding that I’ve seen in London. Oh, and did I mention that Kimpton Fitzroy London is offering Smashing The Glass readers 20% off ballroom hire for weddings booked before 31 August 2020 (blackout dates apply)?!

And if you’re a member of Smashing The Glass’ Brides Club (our members club for Jewish and Jew-ish brides) the Kimpton Fitzroy London are generously offering you 25% off ballroom hire for weddings booked before 31 August 2020 (blackout dates apply) and an upgrade to a luxury Corner Suite on your wedding night!

With 334 guest rooms, each featuring 300-thread-count linens, and warm decor that seamlessly blends heritage elements with 21st-century appointments, the Kimpton Fitzroy London is the perfect place for out-of-town guests to enjoy their stay in style too.

Win Tickets to the Berta 2019 F/W Fashion Show Launch {with The Wedding Club}

20/12/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

I’m so excited to tell you about a wonderful new competition STG is running with our friends (and beloved Recommended Vendor) The Wedding Club! We are offering five lucky members of our Brides Club invites to The Wedding Club’s exclusive press launch for the new Fall/Winter 2019 collection from legendary Israeli designer Berta (*SCREAM!*)

Not yet a member of our Brides Club? What are you waiting for? Join now!

Taking place on Thursday, 10 January at 6:30 pm, in the fabulous 5* luxury ballroom of the breathtaking – and brand new – Kimpton Fitzroy in central London, we’ll be celebrating the launch of Berta’s mega-glam Barcelona Collection alongside press and VIPs.

Head designer Berta Balilti’s trademark avant-garde bridal styles are as majestic as ever, and it’s going to be such a thrill to see them in person – I’ll be attending myself, and I would love to meet you there!

Our five lucky winners will each receive an invite (and a plus-one for the guest of their choice!), PLUS an appointment at Berta’s trunk show at The Wedding Club the weekend of Friday 11th – Sunday 13th January – PLUS 10% off the Berta dresses for that weekend! And as always, The Wedding Club’s appointment fee will be waived for Brides Club members.

That’s a LOT of good stuff!

I’m a VIP Expert at ‘Brides The Show’ and to celebrate I’m giving away a pair of VIP tickets (worth Â£100) and 10 pairs of regular tickets!

21/09/2016 by Karen

Attention lovely brides-to-be! I’m super excited to let you know that I’ve been invited by Brides The Show to be one of their VIP Experts this Saturday 1st October. I’m one of several ‘wedding experts’ available in the VIP Lounge to answer any wedding related questions that VIP guests may have and I can’t wait to help.

To celebrate, I’m hosting a contest to give away a pair of VIP tickets (worth £100) and 10 pairs of regular tickets. I hope any UK-based brides will enter as I really would love to meet you at the show. Keep reading until the end to find out how to win (it’s super easy!).

I’m a big fan of Brides The Show as everything is so carefully curated under one roof to help you plan your dream wedding in style. A trip to the show brings you exclusive access to the very best in bridal, from dresses to diamonds, flowers and cakes, as the event brings together top wedding experts and over 150 luxury suppliers.

Expect the freshest ideas, the highest quality craftsmanship and the very latest trends. With hundreds of luxury exhibitors — including STG-faves, Prezola, Potcakes Wedding Planners, Stephanie Allin, The Wedding Shop, and Wedding Smashers, you can tick every item off your wedding to-do list in style.

As well as sourcing top notch suppliers, you’ll also be able to take part in DIY masterclasses in the Imagination Room and enjoy a mesmerising catwalk show featuring all the latest looks and hottest designers including Monique Lhuillier, Halfpenny London, Stephanie Allin (my wedding dress designer!), Ian Stuart and Suzanne Neville.

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Win your wedding photography (worth Â£1950) with Soraya Photography

19/08/2016 by Karen

I love sharing good news and wonderful prizes with you, and today I’m thrilled to be partnering with award-winning wedding photographer, Margaret Soraya to offer one lucky couple FREE wedding photography, anywhere in the world!

I’m a huge fan of Margaret’s work and it goes without saying that she’s one of my handpicked Smashing Suppliers. She specialises in capturing moments, expressions and emotions in a gentle and unobtrusive manner, and having photographed almost 400 weddings she’s seen a huge variety of wedding styles and worked with all sorts of gorgeous couples.

Based in the beautiful highlands of Scotland but shooting weddings all over the UK and beyond, Margaret regularly photographs weddings in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, and the USA. During the quieter winter months she works as a travel photographer and takes on commissions all over the world meaning she is no stranger to travel and is comfortable with photographing your wedding wherever it may be.

Her primary focus at any wedding, be it a large lavish wedding at an exclusive high end venue, or a small couples-only shoot, is to record emotions and real expressions and to produce striking images that are full of love and laughter. She works in a quiet, unassuming manner and is continually seeking out special moments.

If you’re getting married between 1st March 2017 and 1st October 2018, I highly recommend you enter the competition! Margaret would love to shoot your Jewish (or Jew-ish) wedding, so don’t miss all the giveaway details below.

If you’re not fortunate enough to win, Margaret would like to offer you 10% off your wedding photography if you then decide to go on and hire her.

Thank you so much Margaret! Be sure to check out more of her work at Soraya Photography and on Instagram and Facebook.

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116 Pall Mall: an unforgettable London wedding venue in the heart of the West End + 50% Discount Offer

18/03/2016 by Karen

If you’re dreaming of a classic London wedding, can there be anything smarter than celebrating your big day in a majestic mansion in the heart of St James’? It’s not often that you get the opportunity of being the Lord and Lady of one of central London’s grandest Palladian properties (just metres away from The Mall and Buckingham Palace), but as Bride and Groom at 116 Pall Mall you’ll be entitled to exclusive use of this magnificent property for the day or entire weekend of your wedding.

Within spitting distance of all the classic central London wedding venues, the majestic 116 Pall Mall gives you the glamour and opulence of the 5 star hotels without the stuffiness that can sometimes be associated with a hotel wedding.

The triple-award winning venue is home to the entrepreneurial Institute of Directors, and was built by the famous Georgian architect, John Nash, who also designed parts of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, St James’ Park and Marble Arch. The interiors are adorned with an abundance of fine art and beaux art treasures and all manner of breathtaking details that really sets 116 Pall Mall in a class of its own. When I was lucky enough to visit I was particularly taken with the breathtaking exterior, truly spectacular staircase, and the elegant garden — quite a rarity for a quintessential London wedding venue.

Over the past two years the building has undergone major refurbishment masterminded by one of the most renowned interior designers in the business, Russell Sage, whose previous designs include The Hospital Club, Savoy Grill, The Balcon and The Goring Hotel. With the ability to seat up to 250 guests, or up to 200 with a dance floor, the 10 magnificent individually designed event spaces that Russell has redesigned will suit whatever style of wedding you’re after.

The place is steeped in history too — Bond writer, Ian Fleming was a regular at the bar when the building housed the United Service Club and over the years the venue has been used as the backdrop to many famous films and television series including Gandhi, Foyle’s War, The Dark Knight and Downton Abbey.