Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

Home > Maggie Sottero

A Maggie Sottero Bride for a Colorful Modern Glam Jewish Wedding at Hotel Washington, Washington DC, USA

by

Lauren and Ben, The Hotel Washington, DC, USA

We could not be any more thrilled to feature the gorgeous Jewish wedding of our beloved Brides Club member Lauren! Lauren, an associate producer at a media organization, and Ben, the director of annual campaigns for a Jewish organization, had a fabulous, colorful Washington, DC, wedding, and we’re obsessed with their modern vibe and jewel-tone color palate.

Speaking of jewel tomes… how stunning is the couple’s blue watercolor ketubah with gold leaf by Israeli-English artist Rachelle Tchiprout of Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Delicate Brush?! As always, Rachelle did a beautiful job, and Lauren and Ben are so delighted to hang such a meaningful work of art in their home.

Lauren and Ben were also drawn to Adam Mason Photography for his bright, vibrant style, creativity, and eye for in-the-moment candid shots – and we’re totally obsessed with the results!

We’re super touched by Lauren’s words about her time in Brides Club, too: “From seeking advice, to indulging in the occasional (but necessary) vent session, to celebrating wedding planning milestones, it meant so much to join a community of women who were going through many of the same things that I was. Brides Club gave me a space to talk about all the minutiae that would have bored my fiance and friends to tears. I also found our ketubah and kippah vendors through the Brides Club.”

There’s so much more to say, but we’ll turn you over to Lauren now…

Lauren and Ben, The Hotel Washington, DC, USA Lauren and Ben, The Hotel Washington, DC, USA Lauren and Ben, The Hotel Washington, DC, USA Lauren and Ben, The Hotel Washington, DC, USA
How we Met

Lauren, the bride: We connected through a dating app called The League, and after a few weeks of messaging, agreed to meet. We first locked eyes at Crimson, a subterranean whiskey bar in Washington, D.C., where we met for a night cap that turned into several. We drank bourbon and talked until closing time. Within a month, we were in love. Two weeks later, Ben turned down a job in Denver—his beloved hometown—to stay in D.C. It was a crazy decision, but the right one. One year later, on a frozen lake in Whistler, he proposed.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Maggie Sottero Bride for a Jewish Micro Wedding at St Michael’s Manor, St Albans, UK

by


Like so many couples, Melissa, a social worker, and David, a sales executive, had to completely rethink their Jewish wedding due to COVID. And indeed, scaling down from 170 guests to just 15 is no small feat. But with the help of some of our very favorite Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendors – not to mention the wonderful community of Jewish and Jew-ish brides-to-be inside our Brides Club – the pair managed to pull off the most incredibly beautiful day we could imagine.

Melissa also happens to have been the lucky winner of a competition we ran with #STGvendors The Happy Chuppah People and Gabriella Shemtov, and we’re in love with the beautiful floral chuppah they teamed up to assemble for the couple – as well as with Melissa’s beautiful, bright bridal bouquet, also by Gabriella Shemtov. Another wonderful #STGvendor, Alexandra’s Florist, put together autumnal bridesmaids bouquets and table flowers, interspersed with greenery and floating candles. Don’t miss the incredible images by Chris Douglas Photography!

The tight restrictions on guest count meant only close family could attend in person, but Melissa and David opted to livestream their day so that all of their friends and family could watch in real time. The pair worked with Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Event Capsule, whose three-camera set up with live editing it meant that everyone watching from home felt like they were there in the room – in fact, some guests told the couple afterward that they had a better view from the comfort of their screens than they would’ve had they attended the big pre-COVID wedding in person!

Even with all the safety restrictions (no hora!), music was essential to Melissa and David’s vision of their day – and we’re so glad they connected with #STGvendor LDN Entertainment.com, whose micro wedding trios could not be more perfect for a celebration like this one. Despite the hora ban, LDN did a reduced simcha set and the newlyweds jumped around on their own, while their guests clapped and sang along from their seats!

There’s so much more we could say, but we’ll let gorgeous STG Brides Club member Melissa – who looked fab in Maggie Sottero – fill you in on the rest…

Oh, and PS, if you’re dealing with COVID-related planning drama – or just feeling unenthused and uncertain about how to proceed – sign up for our Bye Bye Coronacoaster, Hello Action Plan workshop on Sunday, February 21. It’s guaranteed to help you gain clarity about how to move forward with your big day, even under the most uncertain of circumstances. Slots are limited, so sign up today!

Melissa and David, St Michaels Manor, St Albans Melissa and David, St Michaels Manor, St Albans Melissa and David, St Michaels Manor, St Albans
How We Met

Melissa, the bride: We met at a mutual friend’s baby’s Christening. After the Christening, we all went back to the family’s home for a BBQ and got chatting. It was Dave’s sense of humour that attracted me to him and we spent the evening laughing about stupid things that no one else thought were funny. A few weeks later Dave was working at Silverstone and I was visiting my parents (who live near Silverstone) for two weeks and we met for a drink and then dinner locally.

We spent so much time talking at the pub, that we forgot about our dinner resevation and turned up late. Dave’s a huge car fan, and picked me up in a covertible car, he asked me if I was okay with the roof down (although I’d spent ages doing my hair), I reluctantly said yes; he jokes that this was the moment he knew I was the one. 

Continue ReadingContinue Reading