Online dating success story Archives - Smashing the Glass

Real Jewish Brides: Janine Is Planning Her Wedding From Afar

06/11/2019 by Smashing The Glass Leave a Comment

Janine will be marrying Paul on 26th July 2020 at Fasque Castle, Scotland, UK. Click here to read all Janine’s planning posts to date.

THREE FACTS: (1) Janine and fiance Paul met on Bumble. (2) The two of them are planning an interfaith Jew-ish wedfest weekend, to include everything from a whiskey tasting to mini highland games! (3) Janine is a member of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club!

Our Vision for Our Wedding

From the day Paul and I knew that we wanted to get married, way before we were engaged, we decided that we didn’t want to get married in London; we wanted to marry in a place with meaning.

I recall the day that we got our inspiration – we were watching a rom com, which Paul claims to hate, but I know that he secretly loves; maybe not for the content but for snuggling up on the sofa and relaxing.

The film, Leap Year, showed a beautiful wedding set against a lake with a mountainous backdrop, that’s when I exclaimed, we should marry in Scotland(!) – I have Scottish heritage, it’s a beautiful place, and will be ideal for the small wedding that we wanted. That’s when we set about on our mission to find our perfect venue…

Our search began with a very long list (Paul likes to have options), which we whittled down to six venues. On December the 19th last year we set off in my car on the long drive to Scotland.

Our plan involved viewing six venues in three days across different parts of Scotland, of varying styles, but all exclusive use venues because we want our wedding to be a party with just our families and friends, it was a busy trip but we were determined to find THE place for us!

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Planning A Wedding Without My Dad

30/10/2019 by Smashing The Glass Leave a Comment

Sarah who will be marrying Rich on 21th June 2020 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 this is an emotional post, it’s heartfelt and it’s raw and it hasn’t been easy to write. I suppose that my main aim of writing it is in the hope that other brides to be realise that they are not alone in their feelings if they have lost someone special and that there is nothing wrong with having mixed feelings at such a happy time because it is normal. So here goes…

I lost my dad when I was five years old and I also lost my mums sister last year and my nanny, uncle, grandparents and very close family friends over the past 26 years.

For the most part I have always accepted this and been ok with it, even though I have really missed dad and my other loved ones at landmark events on special occasions like graduation, my first job, when I needed a male perspective on various boyfriend dilemmas, when I watched a father of the bride speech at a wedding or a father daughter dance at a wedding. However, I never expected the wave of emotions which hit me when I got engaged.

Getting engaged was one of the best days of my life, I knew that it was the start of a wonderful life with my best friend and the man that I love. However, I had this overwhelming sense of emptiness and loss. I couldn’t understand what was wrong with me? How could I be feeling down at such an exciting and happy time, maybe I’m just not normal?

A Heidi Hudson for an Intimate Second Marriage Destination Jewish Wedding on a Budget at the Mount Zion Boutique Hotel, Jerusalem

28/10/2019 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Gorgeous chuppah alert! We’re obsessed with the way Nicki, head of trust fundraising at a national charity, and Andrew, who runs his own business as in commercial energy surveying and is a qualified pilot on the side, worked with their venue’s already stunning in situ outdoor foliage-laden chuppah, by adorning it with white roses and marking the path down the aisle with pillar candles and eucalyptus leaves. Pure perfection!

This was a second marriage for both members of the UK-based couple, and we love how they kept things intimate and family-focused, with a clear understanding of what mattered – celebrating with their nearest and dearest – and what didn’t. This was really a day all about love, and that comes through so clearly in the wonderful, natural photos from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Herschel Gutman.

With a tightknit guest list of just 50 people and a commitment to spending sensibly, Nicki and Andrew made sure to involve their families in the big day – their four children participated in the ceremony, and other relatives read the Sheva Brachot.

There’s so much more to say, but we’ll leave the rest to Nicki, who looked stunning in her off-the-shelf (and affordable!) Heidi Hudson gown (chosen with the help of her 16-year-old daughter/bridal stylist!)…

How we met

Nicki, the bride: We met on JDATE!

A Galia Lahav Bride for an Interfaith Jewish Wedding at the Pomeroy Delta Kananaskis Hotel, Alberta, Canada

07/10/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

Okay, so today’s interfaith Jewish wedding just might have one of the most stunning locations we’ve seen yet, in the breathtaking Canadian Rockies. It also happens to be the wedding of our beautiful Brides Club member Rebekkah to Jakob, so we’re extra obsessed – and so in love with the incredibly artistic images from Abbey Raine Photography, which totally look like they belong in a glossy magazine.

These two truly had one of the most gorgeous ceremonies we’ve seen, and while the majestic mountain backdrop obviously had more than a little to do with that, the couple’s simple birch chuppah adorned with white flowers, beautiful papercut ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubah.com, and inclusion of sweet personal touches – like making sure their beloved dogs were present for the chuppah – really made the day.

Rebekkah, who looked stunning in Galia Lahav, also offered the great tip that when things are held up for whatever reason, use that time to take extra photos!

Take it away, Rebekkah!

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How we met

Rebekkah, the bride: We met through a mutual friend and Tinder simultaneously. We had our first date walking our dogs along the river and have been inseparable ever since, and that was four years ago.

2020 Real Jewish Brides: Introducing Jos + Daniel: How They Met To The Present Day…

02/10/2019 by Smashing The Glass

Today on the blog we’re introducing our 5th gorgeous bride from our crop of 2020 Real Jewish Brides! Please give a warm welcome to Jos, who will be marrying Daniel on 28th June 2020 at Hackney Town Hall, London, UK.

THREE FACTS: (1) Before meeting Daniel, Jos was known for her torrid dating tales – so much so that her friends used to call her Bridget Jonestein! (2) Daniel proposed to Jos in the Greek island of Naxos! (3) Jos is a member of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club!

How you met to the present day

My friends used to call me Bridget Jonestein. I was always the single one at the wedding, the last (wo)man standing in my groups of friends. I would go on date after date with unsuitable men and eventually came to the conclusion that I was happy single.

I decided I was an independent career woman, but would still enjoy regaling my friends with my torrid dating tales. They were so good (or bad), that one of my best friends declared she would pay £9.99 a month just to read them and who was I to disappoint?

So, having decided I was happy being single, but with an expectant audience, I continued to lazily browse the dating apps until one day, I matched with Daniel on Tinder.

I’d love to tell you that it was love at first sight and we had an incredible first date, but neither of us would describe it as that. Our first date was in fact, awkward.

We went to an average pub in Hampstead, both sent our meals back and I spent much of the evening walking around the pub with my phone torch on, looking for an earring that I thought I’d lost (turned out I’d left it on my dressing table).

However, despite the awkwardness, Daniel made me laugh and after a few dates I decided I was really quite fond of him.