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Real Jewish Bride: Sarah on The Emotional Side of Postponing

28/04/2020 by Smashing The Glass

Sarah will be marrying Rich on 20th June 2021 at Tikitano Beach, Marbella, Spain. Click here to read all Sarah’s planning posts to date.

THREE FACTS: (1) Sarah knew Rich was the one when he brought a gift of dog treats for her toy poodle Nuala along to their fourth date! (2) They are crafting an amazing destination wedding weekend in Marbella with beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended vendor optimum weddings as their planner. (3) Sarah is a member of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club!

So, since my last blog post was written and published in March, a lot has changed! I look back now and find it surreal that I was writing about being optimistic about sticking to our June 2020 date and how it would all be ok. Needless to say, that is not exactly how it played out in the weeks that followed.

A few weeks ago Richard and I had to make the hardest decision yet, to postpone our wedding. We initially spoke to our amazing wedding planner Dyana from optimum weddings and we decided to pencil in September 2020.

However, after looking at the somewhat bleak possibility of Covid-19 being resolved by then, the chances of everyone being able to fly to Marbella and the general stress of being in the “will it or wont it’ category (known as wedding limbo), we decided to do what was best for our guests’ health and our sanity and we postponed until 20^th June 2021.

A Spiritual, Magical Florida Backyard Jewish Wedding Reimagined Due to COVID-19

24/04/2020 by Karen Cinnamon

Today’s Jewish wedding is so unbelievably, jaw-droppingly, breathtakingly gorgeous, it’s hard to believe it wasn’t the couple’s Plan A all along. But believe it or not, bride Ganga, whose work combines counseling, astrology, ritual, and ecological design to support clients through change and loss, and Seth, a strength and conditioning coach who draws on a similarly interdisciplinary background, pulled together this intimate, impromptu wedding in the bride’s mother’s back garden after their original plans were waylaid by coronavirus.

These two had a bigger wedding at an eco-retreat all lined up – and they still plan to hold that bash, with their original lineup of vendors, next year – but when the pandemic hit, they changed their plans to this pared-down backyard celebration with a focus on spirituality.

The couple, who are both training to be inter-spiritual ministers, poured themselves into developing a ceremony that felt deeply authentic to them both, from their circling around each other to the Adon Olam, to adapting the seven blessings to reflect poems and blessings from many traditions to reciting their own vows.

We also love the thought they put into selecting their gorgeous Gingko Spiral ketubah by Temma Gentles from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor ketubah.com: the ginkgo has been around for over 300 million years, meaning it’s a true adaptor and survivor – just what we all need to be in these uncertain times.

And would you believe these exquisite photos were shot by a first-time wedding photographer? Ganga’s bridesmaid – the only one who was able to make it in the end – just happens to be mega-talented photographer Thais Aquino, who’s clearly a natural at weddings!

Now over to Ganga, the bride…

How we met

Ganga, the bride: We met through my best friend who had been one of Seth’s students, on New Year’s Eve 2016. The first thing I remember asking Seth was what his intention for 2017 was, to which he replied, “just to be love.” That immediately told me we were on the same page in our approach to life, and within a few weeks we were learning how to be love, together.

Can You Postpone a Jewish Wedding Because of Coronavirus?

23/04/2020 by Karen Cinnamon

Rabbi Paul Glantz officiating Laura and Gio’s wedding

We’ve been hearing that some of our STG Brides Club members have been getting pushback from friends and family when discussing the hard decision to postpone their Jewish wedding due to COVID-19.

You may even be getting messages from well-intentioned loved ones that it’s forbidden by Jewish law to push back your wedding date. But chances are, the people giving you flack about postponing are struggling to give you a solid reason for their objections.

So we wanted to clear things up for you once and for all. We chatted with our resident expert in all things Jewish law, Rabbi Paul Glantz (who has officiated many beautiful STG real weddings), and he says it’s 100% fine to postpone a Jewish wedding.

It’s absolutely fine to postpone a Jewish wedding for Covid-19

Although it’s true that there’s a strong custom not to postpone under normal circumstances, it’s just that: a custom. There’s absolutely nothing in halacha (Jewish law) prohibiting it. While some very strict rabbis are taking the stance that, even amidst the pandemic, Jewish weddings shouldn’t be postponed, it’s important to know that that’s a very strict interpretation.

Rabbis who are advising couples to avoid postponing may be relying on the tradition of not delaying joyous events – which, while a strong theme in Jewish law, absolutely does not override the stronger principle of pikuach nefesh, the idea that the preservation of human life takes priority over just about all other Jewish laws and customs. Given the danger of gatherings at this time, it’s pretty clear that by waiting to hold your wedding until the pandemic has receded, you are honoring pikuach nefesh – and there’s not much more Jewish than that!

Real Jewish Brides: Alexandra On Postponing her Wedding

22/04/2020 by Smashing The Glass

Alexandra will be marrying Ian in May 2021 at La Corte Dei Messapi in Ostuni, Puglia, Italy. Click here to read all Alexandra’s planning posts to date.

THREE FACTS: THREE FACTS: (1) Alexandra and Ian are planning an intimate black-tie destination wedding for 60 of their nearest and dearest in Puglia, Italy. (2) Alexandra is Jewish, and Ian is in the process of converting to Judaism. (3) Alexandra is a member of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club!

In a turn of events that will surprise no one due to what the last month has looked like under quarantine, we had to postpone our wedding that was to be on 5-10-20. It was the perfect date but it was not meant to be. Everything was ready to go. We just had to do a few more small things like write our wedding vows, buy gifts for the parents and the bridesmaids, get my wedding dress fitted, and accessorize Ian’s tuxedo.

While it’s very disappointing to have to pull the brakes, we have been trying to focus on the bright sides. What’s nice about being so far along in the process is that we are way ahead of the game for next year. It also gives us time to think of new fun details to add to the wedding.

Why Quarantine is the Perfect Time to Nail Down Your Bridal Beauty Routine

16/04/2020 by Karen Cinnamon

Photo courtesy of Susan Yates

One good thing about quarantine? It’s the perfect time to squeeze in some self care and make sure your skin and hair are in tip-top shape for your wedding day… even if right now you’re not 100% sure when that will be.

To find out the best ways to go about it, I chatted with a panel of our resident beauty experts, consisting of London-based makeup artists Szilvia Balog and Susan Yates, Israel-based makeup artist Keren Rimon, and Israel-based hairstylist and makeup artist Liat Ben Shimshon. All agree that this is a great time to prioritize taking care of yourself, and they’ve shared some great tips on things you can do right now to get your skin and hair wedding ready.

Photo courtesy of Liat Ben Shimshon

Don’t Stress About Your Skin

First off, our experts agree that the stress we’re all facing right now can trigger a whole host of skin issues, from irritation to acne. Try not to worry about it if your skin is looking a little worse for the wear lately – more stress won’t do you any good – and remember that, like coronavirus, this will pass.

Photo courtesy of Szilvia Balog

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

One of the best things you can do for your skin is staying hydrated! Liat Ben Shimshon recommends drinking at least one and a half liters of water per day, plus making sure to eat lots of veggies and fruits for both their liquid content and vitamins. And Susan Yates – who admits to regularly checking in with her brides to make sure they’re drinking enough water as they prep for their weddings – attests that “the difference in skin is incredible when a bride has upped her water game in the run up to the big day.”

Keren Rimon‘s makeup for Shelly and Harel’s wedding | Photo by Noa Magger

Treat Yourself

Times are tough right now. That means this is the perfect time to pamper your skin – and yourself. In addition to your daily routine, Susan Yates recommends “supercharging your skincare on a weekly basis with a pampering session; exfoliating, massaging, moisturizing, using those eye masks, face sheets, and whatever you have readily available. Don’t forget it’s not just your face on show on the big day – remember those elbows, hands, arms, and of course your chest and neck. You want everything to be gorgeous, hydrated and glowing!”

Szilvia Balog’s also a big fan of self care via face mask: “On days when I dedicate extra time for pampering, I put face masks on while I’m doing some other activity like meditation or even housework – just be mindful not to appear on a conference call with one by accident! Whoops!” She also recommends a gentle scrub every few days to get rid of impurities stuck in the pores.

And Keren Rimon recommends not neglecting your regular hair and makeup routines – even if you’re not leaving the house. Feeling good about yourself is key to keeping your spirits up in this weird rollercoaster of a time!

Photo courtesy of Szilvia Balog

Nail Down Your Bridal Style

Keren Rimon thinks this is the perfect time to think about what kind of look you want for the big day – take advantage of the time to browse Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram and see what speaks to you.

Photo courtesy of Szilvia Balog

Spring clean your makeup stash

Susan Yates says, “Now is the time to make like Marie Kondo and declutter your makeup and skincare. Date check your products (oh hey mascara from 2017, I see you). Purge anything that doesn’t serve you well, flatter you, or work for your skin. And anything you haven’t used in 18 months, bin. Be. Ruthless. Group products into your everyday ‘go-to stash’ for easy access and keep separate to your less used products. This will not only make your day to day routine much more efficient but the whole process can be therapeutic.”