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How Smashing the Glass Has Impacted My Life

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This is a guest post by Mel Islin, a member of STG’s Brides Club and now Smashing Life.
Above a photo from the Brides Club London Challah Bake meet-up in last October.

It all started with getting engaged…..

When I got engaged in 2016 I was full of emotion and excitement. My boyfriend of 3 years had decided I was the one he wanted to spend his life with – what could be more special?!

We got engaged on holiday so as soon as we got back I went into major planning mode. I couldn’t wait to find our dream venue and set a date. 

It wasn’t until I started planning that I realised what a minefield the world of weddings was. I hadn’t been to many Jewish weddings before, let alone had to plan my own!

It wasn’t long after that I discovered a fabulous website and blog called Smashing The Glass. 

This was the answer to all my prayers! A space to find vendors, understand the customs and traditions of a Jewish wedding, and read all about real weddings. 

A couple of months after discovering this dream site and stalking their Instagram account (which you must follow if you don’t already!) I saw a post about a competition to win loads of Laura Mercier beauty products. I never win anything (not for want of trying) but thought, why not?! So, I entered… and won!

Madness. That was my first interaction with the lovely founder of STG, Karen Cinnamon. 

I then saw a call out for Real Blogging Brides for 2017/18. I’d already thought about blogging my planning journey as I liked the idea of reading back on it in years to come so figured this would be a great way of doing it. I applied and was lucky enough to be chosen. My first blog post went live in May 2017 and I was so excited!

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A Diary of the First Year Of Marriage

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This is a guest post by Mel Islin, STG Blogging Bride. and a member of STG’s Brides Club.
Her 1 year wedding anniversary was yesterday, 18 March!

Our first year of marriage – by Mel Islin

Our first year of marriage. Even just writing it is mad. It feels like just yesterday I was writing my very first blog as a Smashing the Glass blogging bride, introducing myself and Mitch to all you lovely lot. That was nearly 2 years ago (May 2017)! People say you should enjoy your engagement because the wedding comes around quick, they say you should enjoy your planning because the wedding day is over in a flash… but no one tells you how fast time goes after the wedding.


Images above by Chiko Photography
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A Stella York Bride for a Winter Wonderland Jewish Wedding at Warren Weir, Luton Hoo, UK

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Don’t mind us, we’re busy picking our jaws up off the floor after seeing today’s stunning Jewish wedding portraits in the snow. Almost enough to make you rethink that summer wedding, are we right?!

When Mel, a project manager, and Mitch, who works in IT, first chose Chiko Photography, they were drawn to a photo of his with a couple under an umbrella in the snow. Who would’ve thought they’d get to recreate it themselves?!

This is also a special wedding for us because bride Mel was one of our blogging brides but not only that, Mel was also a founding member of our Club for Jewish Brides, and as such, she and Mitch were the very first couple to ever use our own-brand (and super gorgeous!) smash glass pouch for breaking the glass under their chuppah!

We loved following Mel’s wedding planning journey, and we’re so glad to hear that the feeling was mutual. Mel found several of her amazing wedding vendors through Smashing the Glass, from their incredible videographer, STG Recommended Vendor Denee Motion,to another much loved STG Recommended Vendor XS Showband, best known as pioneers of the wedding flash mob!

XS Showband provided entertainment throughout the day, but we can’t take our eyes off Denee Motion’s fantastic video of Mel and Mitch’s very own musical wedding flash mob, just before their ceremony started. They wanted a special surprise for their guests, something to make sure their day really stood out, and we think this more than did the trick. You’ve got to check it out for yourself!

Do also take a moment to read through Mel’s fabulous account of her planning and prep, there are some really useful tips and a generous helping of super advice at the end. Over to Mel now (and by the way we think she looks SO elegant in her lace fishtail gown by Stella York. . . 

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How we met

Mel, the bride: We met on JDate in 2013. After chatting for a while we met for a drink. Our second date was an eight-hour lunch! I thought if someone can keep me engrossed in constant conversation for that long without getting bored then I am on to a winner.

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Real Jewish Brides – Mel: Top Tips for a Jewish Wedding… and my wedding is this Sunday!

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Mel  will be marrying Mitch this Sunday 18 March 2018, in a Jewish wedding at Warren Weir at Luton Hoo, UK.

THREE FACTS: (1) Mel and Mitch met online on JDate (2) Their Jewish wedding will be classy and traditional with plenty of modern touches  (3) Mel is a member of Smashing The Glass’s private members club VIB Club. Not yet a member? Come join us here!


The final countdown

As I write this it is two weeks until the big day. 2 weeks! 73 weeks ago we got engaged and now there’s just a fortnight until I’m married. Cannot. Believe. It.

Everyone said to me when we set the date that time would go quickly. It was well over a year away so felt like plenty of time. They were right. Time has disappeared. Brides — cherish your planning time; it will be over in a flash.

How am I feeling?

For the last few months everyone has asked me the same question; “Not long now until the big day. How are you feeling?”

I’ve lost count the number of times I’ve been asked this. And every time I say the same thing; I get flutters of excitement, anticipation, nerves and fear. It hasn’t quite dawned on me yet that I’m getting married. I’m not sure when it will feel real — I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

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Image by  Daniel Clements from Laura and Steve‘s Jew-ish wedding

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Real Jewish Brides – Mel: The Chance To Be Creative

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Mel  will be marrying Mitch on Sunday 18 March 2018, in a Jewish wedding at Warren Weir at Luton Hoo, UK.

THREE FACTS: (1) Mel and Mitch met online on JDate (2) Their Jewish wedding will be classy and traditional with plenty of modern touches  (3) Mel is a member of Smashing The Glass’s private Jewish & Jew-ish Brides Facebook Group. Not yet a member? Come join us here!

FAMOUS SIMILARITIES

What do I have in common with Albert Einstein, Ben Stiller, and Lisa Kudrow (aka, Phoebe from Friends)? Other than being Jewish, we are all left-handed.

As well as allegedly being more likely to have a higher IQ, they say left-handed people are more creative than right-handed people. How true this I don’t know. But it does (kind of) set the scene for this blog.


Image by Stacey Able from Melinda and Tobin’s wedding
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