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Beautify Your Jewish Home with Heirloom Judaica from Avi Luvaton – Now Open in Cedarhurst, New York!

12/10/2021 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Seven Species Challah Cover

Your wedding is the perfect time to start (or continue) investing in heirloom-quality Judaica pieces that will grace your space forever after. And you can’t do any better than to check out the gorgeous luxury Judaica from Israeli artist Avi Luvaton. Plus, we’ve secured an incredible discount just for STG readers through the end of 2021: 30% off full-price items with the code smashing 30, and an additional 10% off already discounted items with the code smashing10!

Dor Tallit

Luvaton’s designs are the epitome of luxury – they’re absolute statement pieces, and each one is a work of art in its own right. The brand is committed to helping Jews perform mitzvot in a beautiful way – and do they ever succeed!

The Maayan Washing Cup

We’re obsessed with the way Luvaton’s designs blend tradition with modernity, bringing timeless Jewish rituals squarely into the 21^stcentury. And of course we love that most items can be customized to suit your unique needs and tastes – your Judaica, your way!

Brown Agate Challah Board

And now, in addition to Luvaton’s online shop and bricks-and-mortar locations in the heart of Jerusalem, in the David Citadel Hotel and at Mamilla Mall,, couples in the New York area can now shop in person at a brand new shop in Cedarhurst, New York, which just opened this past May.

The Jerusalem Plaque

Set Up the Jewish Wedding Gift List of Your Dreams with Contemporary Judaica

05/10/2021 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

Raw Silk Hand Woven Small Tallit by Yair Emanuel and Modern Kiddush Cup and Plate in Silver by Nadav Art |Photo by Stuart Wood Photography from Bringing the Hamptons to the UK: Jewish Wedding Inspo on Osea Island

It’s no secret that Contemporary Judaica is my very favourite source for stylish, modern Judaica in the UK. But did you know that they also offer a fantastic wedding gift list service (complete with international shipping)?

Trace Chanukiah in Clay by Via Maris

Easy to set up and manage online, with a Contemporary Judaica gift list you’ll have an unrivaled choice of gifts from over 50 Judaica artists worldwide, not to mention full flexibility and exceptional service.

Acrylic Solid Challah Board and Magnetic Matching Knife

Offering kiddush cups, shabbat candlesticks, challah boards, mezuzahs, havdalah sets, seder plates, smash glasses for under the chuppah that can be turned into keepsake art, and so much more, a Contemporary Judaica gift list is the perfect way to ensure you receive Judaica gifts you know you’ll love, the kind that will enhance the Jewish home you’re building together for a lifetime.Continue Reading

Win a Romantic Night for Two at Kimpton Fitzroy London

28/09/2021 by Karen Cinnamon Leave a Comment

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 19^th-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

And if you’re a member of Smashing The Glass’ Brides Club (our members club for Jewish and Jew-ish brides) Kimpton Fitzroy London are generously offering you 20% off ballroom hire (blackout dates apply)!

Get Inspired for Your UK Wedding at The National Wedding Show (PLUS Exclusive Discount for STG Readers!)

10/09/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

Looking to get inspired for your Jewish or Jew-ish wedding in the UK? Then have we got a treat for you! The National Wedding Show – the UK’s leading wedding show – is holding three fantastic events over the next couple months, and they’re offering an exclusive discount on tickets just for STG readers.

Take in the show at London Olympia (18-19 September), London ExCeL (16-17 October) and NEC Birmingham (29-31 October), and save on tickets too – read on to the end to find out how!

The Must-Have Ticket for Brides- and Grooms-to-Be

The National Wedding Show is the perfect wedding planning day out. Whichever event you choose, there’ll be plenty of wedding inspo, full-scale catwalk shows, fantastic suppliers of all kinds to meet with, hundreds of dresses and suits to try on (no appointments needed!) – even an Inspired Bakes Gallery, featuring the dreamiest wedding cakes.

It’s truly the ultimate in wedding planning fun, whether you attend with your partner, your bridal party, or a friend who’s also planning their wedding! Oh, and did we mention there’s a fab Viktor & Rolf Champagne Bar, where you can grab a glass of bubbly to sip while you take it all in?

Be a VIP

There’s also an option to book VIP tickets and receive exclusive benefits to make your day even more special: you’ll get to relax in the VIP lounge with a complimentary glass of bubbly and pick up your VIP tote bag filled with goodies from the likes of Lancôme, plus there’s reserved catwalk seating so you’ll be able to get the best view of the latest in bridal fashion!

Win a Stay at the Kimpton Fitzroy London – Just by Watching Today’s Jewish Wedding Music Facebook Live!

22/06/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

Struggling to hit just the right notes when it comes to picking music for your Jewish wedding? Then I’ve got just the Facebook Live for you… and it’s happening TODAY, Tuesday, June 22!

At 7:15 pm GMT (2:15 pm EST/12:15 pm PST), I’ll be going live (click here to watch it) at one of my very favourite London venues, Kimpton Fitzroy London, with the fabulous Sensation Band, the world-class wedding entertainment outfit beloved by so many Jewish couples in London and beyond, and incredible catering by Adam Nathan Catering!

What’s more, one lucky person watching the Facebook Live will also win a FREE overnight stay at the Kimpton Fitzroy London for themselves and a guest! It’s super easy to enter but you’ve got to be watching live to find out what to do – and you have to enter whilst I’m live too!

A firm favourite with STG brides, Sensation Band is truly the very best (their version of Boi Kallah below has had more than 100,000 views on YouTube – you have to listen to it if you haven’t already!) – they’ll be not only performing some favorite pieces from their vast repertoire of Jewish music but also helping you choose the right tracks for YOUR Jewish wedding.

There’ll also be delectable nibbles on hand from Adam Nathan Catering, Kimpton’s preferred partner for kosher-style catering!

Interspersed with Sensation Band’s unforgettable Jewish music will be a live Q&A, where you can ask me, Sensation, and the Kimpton Fitzroy London weddings team anything you’ve ever wanted to know about either Jewish wedding music OR this in-demand Jewish wedding venue. Definitely not to be missed!

But that’s not all! Once we’ve wrapped up with Sensation, we’ll be launching straight in to Facebook Live #2 of the evening, a venue tour of the Kimpton Fitzroy London starting at 8:00 pm GMT / 3:00 pm EST / 12:00 PM PST.

And then, after the venue tour, I’ll announce the details of what you need to do to be entered in our competition to win a night’s stay at the Kimpton Fitzroy London for you and a guest!