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10 Unexpected Facts about Kimpton Fitzroy London

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Are you looking for a London Jewish wedding venue that’s stylish, luxe, and boasts ultra-personal service from a team that knows Jewish weddings inside and out? Kimpton Fitzroy London ticks ALL those boxes – plus some more that you probably wouldn’t expect.

Since opening in 2018, Kimpton Fitzroy London has fast become a favourite venue for STG couples – and it’s easy to see why, between its array of stunning event spaces (including spots perfect for your tisch and badeken), central Bloomsbury location, and luxe accommodations for the two of you as well as your out-of-town guests.

Perhaps most important of all, the wonderful weddings team at Kimpton Fitzroy London is incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Jewish weddings, and their level of serve and attention to detail is truly second to none. We can’t say it any better than real Jewish bride Ivi, whose incredible wedding we featured on STG:

The Kimpton Fitzroy is an absolutely rare gem – its glamorous opulence yet intimate warmth sets it worlds apart from the conventional swanky hotels a stone’s throw away in Mayfair. What we treasured the most is the loving way all of the hotel’s staff made us feel like royalty on our big day. No requests were too big or too small, we were met with smiles and genuine well wishes all day, we truly felt the hotel’s joy and pride of hosting us on the most special day of our lives. We are still pinching ourselves that we managed to get married in such an exceptional and luxurious venue. The Kimpton Fitzroy London will eternally be special to us and we cannot wait to return to spend our first wedding anniversary there!

But beyond the basics, there’s so much more to Kimpton Fitzroy London – and today we’re thrilled to be sharing some of our favorite unexpected facts about this one-of-a-kind London Jewish wedding venue. Read on for all the details!

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Win a Once-in-a-Lifetime Romantic Getaway at the Glamorous Kimpton Fitzroy London

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Are you looking for a London Jewish wedding venue that’s stylish, luxe, and boasts ultra-personal service from a team that knows Jewish weddings inside and out? Kimpton Fitzroy London ticks ALL those boxes and then some.

Ivi and Ben’s Jewish wedding at Kimpton Fitzroy London  | Photo by Fire & Ice

Since opening in 2018, Kimpton Fitzroy London has fast become a favourite venue for  STG couples – and it’s easy to see why, between its array of stunning event spaces, central Bloomsbury location, and luxe accommodations for the two of you as well as your out-of-town guests.

Ivi and Ben’s Jewish wedding at Kimpton Fitzroy London  | Photo by Fire & Ice

Kimpton Fitzroy London offers the perfect blend of modern comfort and classic elegance, and it’s the absolute perfect place to spend a romantic night in high style.

Danielle and Rob‘s Jewish wedding at Kimpton Fitzroy London  |  | Photo by Mike Garrard

That’s why I’m so excited that we’re teaming up with Kimpton Fitzroy London to offer one lucky couple (and you can be single with a plus one, engaged, or married to enter) a chance to experience the luxuries of the hotel.

The lucky winner will be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime stay including all of the following:

  • An overnight stay in a luxury suite
  • Champagne and sweet treats on arrival
  • Pre-dinner cocktails in Fitz’s Bar
  • 3-course dinner with a bottle of wine in the Galvin Bar & Grill
  • Breakfast the following morning
  • The total prize value is £1300 !

Read on to find out how to enter!

All about Kimpton Fitzroy London

Originally built in 1898, Kimpton Fitzroy London offers the perfect package of historical charm, opulent elegance, and bespoke service fit for the Jewish wedding day of your dreams. And we love the flexibility the property offers: it’s equally suited for an intimate micro wedding or a classic Jewish celebration with up to 200 guests, and everything in between.

Needless to say, Kimpton Fitzroy London also offers sumptuous on-site accommodation for your guests, with over 300 beautifully appointed guest rooms designed to provide maximum comfort. The hotel also boasts several luxurious suites that are perfect for bridal parties – there’s no place more elegant to get ready on the big day!

A Jewish Wedding at Kimpton Fitzroy

Did we mention that the wonderful weddings team at Kimpton Fitzroy London is incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Jewish weddings? We can’t say it any better than real Jewish bride Ivi, whose incredible wedding we featured on STG:

The Kimpton Fitzroy is an absolutely rare gem – its glamorous opulence yet intimate warmth sets it worlds apart from the conventional swanky hotels a stone’s throw away in Mayfair. What we treasured the most is the loving way Jen and all of the hotel’s staff made us feel like royalty on our big day. No requests were too big or too small, we were met with smiles and genuine well wishes all day, we truly felt the hotel’s joy and pride of hosting us on the most special day of our lives. We are still pinching ourselves that we managed to get married in such an exceptional and luxurious venue. The Kimpton Fitzroy London will eternally be special to us and we cannot wait to return to spend our first wedding anniversary there!

Ivi and Ben’s Jewish wedding at Kimpton Fitzroy London  | Photo by Fire & Ice

Depending on your needs, you’ll have your pick of a range of delightful spaces – from the dramatic ballroom to eight-intimate rooms and four restaurants and bars, all flooded with natural light and historic details at every turn. With a capacity of up to 200 for a seated dinner and dance floor, or 350 standing, there’s plenty of space for the kind of big bash beloved by the Jewish community.

Ivi and Ben’s Jewish wedding at Kimpton Fitzroy London  | Photo by Fire & Ice

The centre of the property 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 19th-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, an outdoor terrace, and lots of gorgeous greenery — the vibe is conservatory meets lounge meets members club, and it is exactly as fabulous as it sounds.

Kosher Catering

Whether you’re looking for fully certified kosher catering or a delectable kosher-style menu, Kimpton Fitzroy London has got you taken care of. They’re partnered with popular London kosher caterer Ben Tenenblat, serving up modern, innovative KLBD-certified meals, as well as Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Adam Nathan Catering, who provides bespoke kosher-style menus fit for the day of your dreams. 

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A Rosa Clara Bride for an Elegant Ballroom Jewish Wedding at the Kimpton Fitzroy London, UK

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Chloe & Mike, Kimpton Fitzroy London, London, UK

There’s nothing like that feeling when a couple teams up with some of our very favorite Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendors to craft an absolutely jawdroppingly stellar Jewish wedding – which is exactly what our Brides Club member Chloe, a senior internal account manager for an IT reseller, and Mike, who works as a group management accountant for a pharmaceutical company, did!

First off, these two opted to make it official at one of our most beloved London venues, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kimpton Fitzroy London in Russell Square. After taking one look at the hotel’s exquisite ballroom, they knew it was the spot for them – and scrolling through their beautiful photos by David Pullum Photography, can you blame them?!

Kimpton Fitzroy London is known not only for its dreamy interiors but also for its top-notch customer service, and indeed Chloe and Mike can’t stop raving about how amazing the events team was through the planning process – which included not one but two COVID postponements!

We’re delighted to report that the couple found a whole bunch of their other vendors through Brides Club – including fabulous videographer Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Denee Motion and swoonworthy florist Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Alexandra’s Florist. Speaking of Alexandra’s Florist – she’s the one responsible for the pair’s lush floral ketubah in shades of green and white, and how perfect is it?!

Chloe and Mike also opted to work with Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Adam Nathan Catering, Kimpton Fitzroy London’s kosher-style catering partner, who was “a dream to work with” – and whose food is still getting rave reviews from guests!

Finally, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Toastmaster Jango “took care of absolutely everything on the day,” – so much so that one of Chloe’s top recs to engaged couples is to book yourselves a toastmaster of your own!

There’s so much more to be said about this wonderful day, but we’ll let Chloe – who looked positively ravishing in Rosa Clara – fill you in on the rest…

Chloe & Mike, Kimpton Fitzroy London, London, UK Chloe & Mike, Kimpton Fitzroy London, London, UK Chloe & Mike, Kimpton Fitzroy London, London, UK Chloe & Mike, Kimpton Fitzroy London, London, UK
How We Met

Chloe, the bride: Mike and I met all the way back in 2014 on a well-known dating app…(Tinder!). I had just graduated university and wasn’t looking for anything too serious, but when we met we just clicked. We are two totally different people! He’s very relaxed and chilled, and I’m the other end of the spectrum but somehow it works wonderfully!

We did long (ish) distance for over 4 years, with Mike living in Essex and me in Hertfordshire. The first few years were tough, with us only seeing each other twice a month. In 2018, Mike made the move to Hertfordshire where he rented a room in a house (on the same road as my parents) which made it so much easier from then on. It was that same year Mike came to me with the idea that he wanted to convert to Judaism, something that we had previously discussed but I never pressured him into. Having already had Jewish ancestry on his father’s side, it was something he was passionate about and wanted to realign his roots. After 18 months of conversion classes and shul on Saturday mornings, Mike converted at Radlett Reform Synagogue . It meant so much more to us standing under the chuppah on our wedding day, knowing that all his hard-work and dedication led us to that special moment, and I will forever cherish that.

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Win a Romantic Night for Two at Kimpton Fitzroy London

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There’s no place like Kimpton Fitzroy London for a Jewish (or Jew-is wedding). If you’ve been following Smashing The Glass for a while, that won’t come as any surprise – you may remember the epic live Jewish music event we put on there over the summer, and then there are the exquisite real Jewish weddings we’ve featured on the blog.

But Kimpton Fitzroy London isn’t only a wedding venue – it’s also an incredible luxury hotel, located oh-so-centrally in Bloomsbury’s Russell Square, and the absolute perfect place to spend a romantic night. 

That’s why I’m so excited that we’re teaming up with 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.

The lucky winner will be treated to a truly swoon worthy stay including all of the following:

  • 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 brand new restaurant Galvin Bar & Grill
  • Breakfast the following morning
  • The total prize value is £1300 !

Read on to find out how to enter!

All about Kimpton Fitzroy London

Kimpton Fitzroy London’s combination of historic charm and modern luxury makes it an incredibly elegant spot – and did we mention the Bloomsbury location is unbeatable? We also love that the property is equally suited for an intimate micro wedding or a celebration with up to 200 guests, and everything in between. 

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 the first Kimpton property in the UK.


A Jewish Wedding at Kimpton Fitzroy

Did we mention that the wonderful weddings team at Kimpton Fitzroy London is incredibly knowledgable and enthusiastic about Jewish weddings? We can’t say it any better than real Jewish bride Ivi, whose incredible wedding we featured on STG earlier this year:

The Kimpton Fitzroy is an absolutely rare gem – its glamorous opulence yet intimate warmth sets it worlds apart from the conventional swanky hotels a stone’s throw away in Mayfair. What we treasured the most is the loving way Jen and all of the hotel’s staff made us feel like royalty on our big day. No requests were too big or too small, we were met with smiles and genuine well wishes all day, we truly felt the hotel’s joy and pride of hosting us on the most special day of our lives. We are still pinching ourselves that we managed to get married in such an exceptional and luxurious venue. The Kimpton Fitzroy London will eternally be special to us and we cannot wait to return to spend our first wedding anniversary there!

Ivi and Ben’s Jewish wedding at Kimpton Fitzroy London  | Photo by Fire & Ice

We also love that, depending on your specific needs, you’ll have your pick of a range of delightful spaces – from the dramatic ballroom to eight-intimate rooms and four restaurants and bars, all flooded with natural light and historic details at every turn. With a capacity of up to 180 for a seated dinner and dancefloor, or 450 standing, it can accommodate a big bash.

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 19th-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, an outdoor terrace, 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.

Ivi and Ben’s Jewish wedding at Kimpton Fitzroy London  | Photo by Fire & Ice

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The Songs You’ll Need for Your Jewish Wedding with Kimpton Fitzroy London and Sensation Band {Facebook Live Recap}

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I’m so excited to share my latest Facebook Live from one of London’s very best Jewish wedding venues, the glorious Kimpton Fitzroy London, featuring favorite Jewish wedding songs performed by our friends from Sensation Band, the world-class wedding entertainment outfit beloved by so many Jewish couples in London and beyond. 

We had such a fantastic team come together to make this event happen, including Adam Nathan Catering, who provided delicious canapes for our live audience of Smashing The Glass Brides Club members; Adrian Stone, who provided his videography services; Claudine Hartzel, who took all the gorgeous still shots of the event you’ll see here; LiT, who handled livestreaming and production; JF Styling, who styled the gorgeous chuppah under which Sensation performed; and Dimitria Jordan, who designed personalized stationery gifts for our wonderful Brides Club attendees!

Sensation Band have performed at hundreds of Jewish weddings of all kinds, and what they don’t know about Jewish wedding music isn’t worth knowing – plus, of course, they’re incredibly talented musicians! So it was really a treat to have them here with us, performing and sharing some of the wisdom they’ve gleaned from their many years of Jewish wedding experience. Sensation prepared a set list of classic songs you might consider incorporating into your Jewish ceremony – both traditional versions and some very contemporary twists! (Scroll to the foot of the post for all the names of the tracks and time stamps).

Processional Tracks

With Guy on vocals and Jason on keyboard, we started with a selection of songs that are popular choices for the groom’s processional. First, we heard “Vehi Sheamda,” featuring lyrics from the Passover Haggadah; then Omer Adam’s “Modeh Ani,” a popular Israeli track; next, “Yesimcha Elokim,” a more traditional choice, and finally, “Meheira,” which takes its lyrics from the Sheva Brachot. 

Hebrew or English?

Then we took a break for some audience questions, and a really important one came up: Can you use English (or whatever language) music in your ceremony, or does it all need to be in Hebrew? Sensation and I agree, this one really depends so much on your officiant – so be sure you discuss it with them. Sensation mentioned that they often set traditional Hebrew lyrics to popular contemporary tunes, which can be a great option – especially if you’re required to use Hebrew music but have your heart set on something different.

Welcoming the Bride

Then Guy and Jason performed their next track, the traditional Israeli love song “Erev Shel Shoshanim.” They suggest it as an option for the grandparents’ processional, and it’s also a popular option for brides to walk down to!

Next up was Boi Kallah, sung to the tune of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” – taken from Lecha Dodi, the lyrics are all about welcoming the (Shabbat) bride, so it’s an awesome choice for welcoming a non-metaphorical bride, too!

Then, continuing the theme of setting traditional songs to modern tunes, Sensation performed another version of “Meheira,” this time set to the tune of “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman.

Wrapping Things Up

They followed that up with “Eishet Chayil,” traditionally sung on Friday nights, about the woman of valor. This track is often played during the circling. First, Guy and Jason did a traditional rendition; then they changed things up by performing it to the tune of Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are”!

Then we were treated to “Mi Adir,” a blessing for the newly married couple, to the tune of “You Raise Me Up” by Westlife. Next was “Im Eshkachech,” traditionally sung just before the breaking of the glass, first sung to the tune of popular track “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav,” then the more traditional version. 

Next it was time for “Siman Tov Mazal Tov,” the lively tune that’s usually sung right after the smashing of the glass!

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