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A Monique Lhuillier Bride for a Tradition-Meets-Brooklyn-Style Jewish Wedding at Greenpoint Loft, Brooklyn, New York, USA

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Combining Jewish tradition with your own 21st-century style isn’t always easy. That’s one of the reasons Smashing The Glass was founded. So we’re always excited to see couples finding creative ways to merge their contemporary lives with Judaism’s beautiful, if sometimes baffling, traditions.

Today’s couple, a Leigh, middle-school teacher and Ian, an attorney, did SUCH an amazing job of it with their Jewish wedding. Their wedding, at super cool Greenpoint Loft in the trendy Brooklyn waterfront neighborhood by the same name, exudes contemporary cool at the same time as it embraces tradition.

The couple found a kosher caterer able to provide a fun, of-the-moment menu featuring herb and bitters infused cocktails, bao buns, and chicken and waffles. And their music? This duo had a cantor, a klezmer band, AND a DJ to play all their favorite current hits.

Their understated, nature-inspired chuppah, wrapped in greenery with some accent florals, is totally Brooklyn chic, too–and guests got to watch the sun set over Manhattan through the windows behind the couple during the ceremony!

We also adore Leigh and Ian’s playful approach to the day — you’ve GOT to check out their impromptu Oktoberfest photo shoot, brilliantly captured by Unique Lapin Photography. And you won’t want to miss the super fun story of how it all came about.

Leigh, who looked so beautiful in her romantic, long-sleeved lace dress from Monique Lhuillier (purchased from STG favorite Kleinfeld), will fill you in on that, and the rest of the fab details…

Jewish Wedding Greenpoint Loft Brooklyn NY USA_0066

Jewish Wedding Greenpoint Loft Brooklyn NY USA

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How We Met

Leigh, the bride: Although we usually don’t admit it, we met on a dating app, way before they became the dating “norm” that they are today!

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A Maggie Sottero Bride for a Contemporary Cool Jew-ish Wedding at Le Meridien Chicago, Illinois, USA

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Jewish Wedding Le Meridien Chicago USA
Today is a special day for all of us at Smashing The Glass: it’s our first time blogging the Jew-ish wedding of one of our very own Brides Club members! Jeanette had the SWEETEST things to say about the inspiration she found in the Club and on Smashing The Glass:

I absolutely adored Smashing The Glass. The personal outreach, appeal to a specific group of brides, detailed blog posts, and overall eye for uniqueness and quality made it a much more visited website and Facebook page than other wedding blog. I used Facebook Lives and articles from STG to aid in my planning process, such as in writing my speech, deciding on a veil, buying a smash glass (and knowing how to use the pieces after), designing a cake, picking songs, and many other elements I’m forgetting! I can’t think of anything missing from the blog!”

Aw… we’re blushing now… Jeanette, a speech-language pathologist, and Chris, an architect, are all about contemporary minimalist design, and they channeled their passion for all things modern into an ultra-unique wedding aesthetic.

From the geometric hanging centerpieces (!) to the striking cake with metallic geometric dividers between the layers to the stylish stationery (100% designed by the groom!), this wedding has some serious flair. Jennifer Hyde of JHyde Photography did such a fantastic job capturing all the cool touches.

We’re so thrilled that the couple credits STG with helping them do everything from picking songs to writing speeches, but one thing we can’t take credit for? Jeanette and Chris’s brilliant idea to “table hop” during dinner: instead of staying in one place for the whole meal (or, alternately, running around frantically with no time to eat), they chose four tables to sit at, one for each course. That way, they were able to spend time with more of their guests, in a relaxed way. Such a smart setup!

Now over to Jeanette, who looked stunning in her tulle-tastic blush pink Maggie Sottero gown (and matching rose gold hair!)…

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How We Met

Jeanette, the bride: We met in college at Southern Illinois University, at a party one of my now-bridesmaids convinced me to go to!

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How to Turn Your Pinterest Wedding Finds into a Reality Without Blowing Your Budget

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How-to-Turn-Your-Pinterest-Wedding-Finds-into-a-Reality-Without-Going-Overboard
Image: Jasmin and Eliot’s Jewish Wedding

Ahh Pinterest – where would we (as wedding obsessives!) be without its pages upon pages of pretty inspiration? Here at STG we LOVE Pinterest and have many fabulous Jewish wedding boards that we know you’ll love right here.

But if your other half, or your budget, disagrees with your pinspiration, then never fear. You can still go for all the ideas you love on Pinterest without totally breaking the bank balance. Read on!


Rachel and Michael‘s DIY day

Use Pinterest as a self-discovery tool

Pinterest doesn’t have to be taken literally. What we mean by that, is that it can simply be a handy way to work out your wedding likes and dislikes, and a great way to give guidance to suppliers.

If you pin things to a board, on instinct alone, you will soon see a theme or color scheme start to naturally emerge, which is much easier than sitting down and thinking “what’s my wedding theme?” Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A David Fielden Bride for a Shakespearean Jewish Wedding at Bevis Marks and The Underglobe, London, UK

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Bevis Marks and The Underglobe, London, UK
A very Happy New Year to all our Jewish readers as it is, of course, Erev Rosh Hashana tonight! We hope you all have some lovely family plans – we’d love to hear about them in the comments!

What better way to kick off the new year than with a beautiful Jewish wedding at one of our favorite London synagogues, Bevis Marks? Jenni and Rich’s celebration continued at The Underglobe, leading to a spectacular Shakespearean theme, drawing on elements of a Midsummer Night’s Dream for a dimly lit, magical atmosphere. 

The venue even came with its own magical tree – what more could anyone ask for?

There’s so much to love about this lively and exciting celebration, which saw the bride being thrown in the air on a sheet, proving that on your big day, you can do anything – a flying bride! 

All of the magic and detail was captured with expert ease by Miki Studios, including the romantic floral arrangements on the low-lit tables, centered with gorgeous gold candelabras.

Let’s hear from bride Jenni, who looked every bit the boho babe in her lacy David Fielden dress! Take it away, Jenni!

Bevis Marks and The Underglobe, London, UK Bevis Marks and The Underglobe, London, UK Bevis Marks and The Underglobe, London, UK Bevis Marks and The Underglobe, London, UK Bevis Marks and The Underglobe, London, UK
How we met

Jenni, the bride: Richard and I met at King Solomon High School when we were 16 and 17 years old. We were together till we left school and went out separate ways. Richard attended golf college, while I went on year course to Israel. Once I returned we reunited, and the rest is history.
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A fairy-light filled Jewish Barn Wedding with a crowd-surfing Enzoani Bride at Tewin Bury Farm, Hertfordshire

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If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years about Essex couples, it’s that they know how to party – and party is exactly what fun-loving Sammy and Wayne did, with gusto! In fact, they partied so hard to STG Recommended Vendor, Totem‘s, set, that bride Sammy threw caution to the wind, and herself into the arms of her guests, becoming our first crowd-surfing bride!

Sammy, an assistant producer with credits on just about all of your favourite entertainment shows, and Wayne a lettings manager, met as teenagers, and these childhood sweethearts stayed together through thick and thin, tying the knot on their ten-year anniversary.

The pair chose a rustic barn theme, with an abundance of gypsophila and a plethora of twinkling fairy lights, creating an absolutely magical atmosphere. 

Sammy looked sensational in her Enzoani gown, and Jenny Packham heels, which she later swapped for embellished, personalized Converse, echoing one of her favorite films, Father of the Bride. 

All of the details (including that epic crowd surf) can be seen in much-loved STG Recommended Vendor, Denee Motion‘s, film (below) and the gorgeous images by photographer, Reportage By Limited.

We’ll pass you on to Sammy for the full lowdown on her and Wayne’s special day! 

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How we met 

Sammy, the bride: We went to King Solomon High School in Essex, but Wayne was two school years above me and emigrated from South Africa when he was 14 years old. We never spoke at school.

When I was in sixth form and Wayne was on a gap year before university, we met at a mutual friend’s birthday party in a nightclub. We clicked straight away, and went on our first date a week later.

On our first date, we went to a restaurant where we chatted for five hours, we practically got chucked out of the restaurant as we didn’t want the night to end. The rest, as they say, is history.

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