Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

Home > Sponsored

Building a Jewish Home: Must-Have Judaica for Newlyweds

by

Starting your life together as a married couple is such an exciting time, filled with beautiful new beginnings. Your engagement and the start of your marriage are the time when you’ll build so many key foundations for your life together, establishing meaningful rituals and traditions that will sustain you for years to come.

That includes building your Jewish home together – both figuratively, by figuring out what Judaism is going to look like in your married life, and literally, as you acquire Judaica objects to adorn your living space and enhance your Jewish life.

This week, we’re chatting with Jared Green, the Boulder, Colorado-based founder of Green Judaica, all about the essential must-haves for setting up a newlywed Jewish home filled with love, tradition, and connection to heritage – all without sacrificing on contemporary style, of course!

Handmade Judaica for a Meaningful Life

Green Judaica has thoughtfully curated a collection of high-quality, handmade Jewish ritual objects that epitomize Jewish tradition with a modern twist, combining our ancient heritage with contemporary innovation, technology, and design. Green Judaica’s items are both timeless and contemporary – making them the perfect pieces to invest in as you begin this new chapter of life. Here are seven must-have pieces of Judaica that will make a meaningful impact on your home and help establish traditions you can carry through the years.

Wedding Cup

We love that Green Judaica’s got a special wedding kiddush cup designed to use under the chuppah. Elegantly inscribed with “Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li” (I am my beloved, and my beloved is mine), this porcelain cup features a sleek, modern design and smooth finish. After the big day, keep using it as a kiddush cup for Shabbat and holidays – it’s the perfect memento of your wedding to bring out each Friday night.

Shabbat Candlesticks

Lighting Shabbat candles each week is one of the most cherished Jewish traditions of all, and Green Judaica’s elegant Shabbat are the way to welcome peace into your home every week. Their modern yet timeless styling is sure to make every Shabbat and holiday feel extra special.

Challah Tray

We can’t get enough of the sleek design of Green Judaica’s wooden challah tray. Beautifully handcrafted from solid hardwood, it makes a perfect centerpiece for your Shabbat table.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Enter the Ring: Our Top Men’s Wedding Band Trends for 2024

by

Engagement rings tend to get all the love, but wedding bands are more of an opportunity for self-expression than we give them credit for – and that’s true even for the guys! Long gone are the days when the only options for wedding rings were a narrow selection of the same old metals – and we’re all for celebrating your marriage with a symbol as unique as the love it represents!

To keep up with what’s trending in men’s wedding rings for 2024, we chatted with Thorum, a jeweler committed to crafting unique wedding rings since 2012. Founded by Caleb Martin and wife Steph in their garage, Thorum now boasts over 200 unique designs for men and women made from extraordinary materials like meteorite, whiskey barrel, and even ancient dinosaur bones. Based in Tampa, Florida, and shipping all over the world, Thorum’s rings are anything but but standard – and they’re on the pulse of what’s next in wedding bands. So with our further ado, let’s get to the trends!

Natural Wood

The Aloha

Natural wood has long been an unusual material in the world of wedding rings, but it’s becoming more and more popular, and for good reason. Wooden wedding rings are durable and lightweight, and Thorum has a fantastic variety of different (and conversation starting!) woods to choose from, like prehistoric oak, American walnut, Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrel, and California redwood.

The Aloha is inlaid with Hawaiian Koa, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful timbers in the world. This stunning, warm wood is paired with a brushed plumb black, beveled Tungsten carbide band for a sophisticated and unusual look. 

Rare Materials

The Gibeon

Unusual materials are trending in ’24, and Thorum has a truly fantastic selection (featuring everything from dinosaur bone to whitetail antler!).

We’re especially smitten with The Gibeon, featuring shards from the Gibeon Meteorite, which fell to Earth from space thousands of years ago and was discovered in Namibia in the early 1800s. With striations of grain on the rock running from highly concentrated nickel and iron through trace amounts of copper, wedding bands don’t get more unique than The Gibeon.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Win a Stay in Kosher Paradise at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, the Caribbean’s Ultimate Jewish Wedding Destination

by

If you’ve been here awhile, you know how obsessed I am with Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in the Bahamas. Team STG member Sam couldn’t stop raving about her epic weekend visit, and I just love the fact that there’s now a luxury hotel in one of the most gorgeous spots in the Caribbean that’s SO perfect for Jewish weddings.

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is the only luxury hotel in the Caribbean offering in-house kosher catering for your big day, kosher wedding specialists on hand to help you every step of the way, on-site kosher restaurants, and even the option to cater a kosher Shabbat dinner for your guests before or after the main event. And that’s before we even get to the pristine white sands, crystal-clear water, blue skies, and flamingos (more about that later).

I’m absolutely thrilled to offer you a chance to win three nights’ stay for two at the Caribbean’s hottest Jewish wedding destination, so you can experience it all for yourself!

The dreamiest destination in the Caribbean

Surrounded by gorgeous beaches, tranquil water, and warm sun, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is the perfect setting for a stunning wedding weekend where you and your loved ones can get away from it all to celebrate the big day distraction-free. And it’s just a few hours’ flight from the East Coast of the US, with nonstop flights available from many US cities. 

It’s a truly epic destination for an unforgettable Jewish wedding in tropical paradise, and I’m so excited that we’ve teamed up with Grand Hyatt Baha Mar to offer one lucky couple (you can be single with a plus one, engaged or married to enter) a chance to experience the luxuries of the hotel, including:

  • A three-night stay in a standard king room
  • A $200 gift certificate for one dinner at Cinko Asian Latino Grill, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar’s kosher restaurant
  • Site tour available upon request 
  • Total value = $2600

 

A Jewish Wedding at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is a truly one-of-a-kind venue for a Jewish wedding. There’s no place else in this kind of lush Caribbean setting that makes it SO easy to throw a kosher wedding. 

Grand Hyatt Bahar Mar perfectly combines local color (literally – you can even have the hotel’s friendly flock of pink flamingos join you for a meet and greet during your cocktail hour!) with classic luxury, incorporating the culture and spirit of the Bahamas while attending to all the nuances that make Jewish weddings special. 

When you (and your guests!) need a little downtime, you can take advantage of the resort’s eight exquisite pools, get cozy in a private poolside cabana, or enjoy spa treatments at the 30,000-square-foot ESPA at Baha Mar – and for those seeking more active pursuits, there’s golf, water sports, a luxe beachfront waterpark, cooking classes, and so much more.

Spectacular Service every step of the way

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar’s kosher wedding specialist handles all the details to elevate your wedding, from helping you build Jewish and cultural traditions into your day to private Shabbat dinners overlooking the ocean. 

You’ll receive a full range of unparalleled services to help you personalize your Jewish wedding your way, and you’ll have help with all the details that will elevate your day, from helping you select decor and vendors to delivering gift bags and late-night snacks. Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Why We Love Kimpton Clocktower Hotel for Manchester Jewish Weddings

by

If you’re planning a Jewish wedding in Manchester, UK, there’s no better place to do it than the fabulous Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, an extraordinary luxury hotel where Victorian grandeur meets contemporary elegance. 

Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is such a breath of fresh air to have a venue option combining the chicest of surroundings with rich Jewish wedding expertise. Grounded in history matched with peerless contemporary style, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel’s events team has the knowledge and experience to ensure every aspect of your day runs flawlessly.

A JEWISH WEDDING AT KIMPTON CLOCKTOWER HOTEL

Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is truly the perfect venue for an urban glam Jewish wedding right in the heart of Manchester. Every inch of the property is steeped in 19th century history: Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is housed in a magnificent terracotta Grade ll-listed building, complete with oak panelling, dramatic chandeliers, and high ceilings.

I’m obsessed with Kimpton Clocktower Hotel’s array of swoonworthy spaces filled with character, with plenty of options for building your perfect day whatever the size and style of your big day. For a big bash (we’re talking up to 700 guests!), there’s no place better than the majestic ballroom, perfect for entertaining and dancing the night away.

Or for something a bit more intimate,  natural light pours through the stunning double-height windows of The Whitworth Rooms, creating magical moments for your wedding ceremony.

The intimate oak panelled Directors’ Suites offer a luxurious space for smaller celebration meals or your badeken, while the Post Room is the perfect location for a tisch.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Win a Luxury Three Night Stay for Two in Kosher Paradise at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, the Caribbean’s Ultimate Jewish Wedding Destination

by

Alright, here it is: our biggest giveaway EVER! I’m so thrilled to offer you a chance to win three nights’ stay at the Caribbean’s hottest Jewish wedding destination, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar.

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is not only one of the most stunning wedding venues in Nassau, it’s also the only luxury hotel in the Caribbean offering in-house kosher catering for your big day, kosher wedding specialists on hand to help you every step of the way, on-site kosher restaurants, and even the option to cater a kosher Shabbat dinner for your guests before or after the main event. 

The dreamiest destination in the Caribbean

Surrounded by gorgeous beaches, tranquil water, and warm sun, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is the perfect place to throw a stunning wedding weekend where you and your loved ones can get away from it all to celebrate the big day distraction-free. And it’s just a few hours’ flight from the East Coast of the US, with nonstop flights available from many US cities. 

It’s a truly epic destination for an unforgettable Jewish wedding in tropical paradise, and I’m so excited that we’ve teamed up with Grand Hyatt Baha Mar 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, including:

  • A three-night stay in a standard king room
  • A $200 gift certificate for one dinner at Cinko Asian Latino Grill, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar’s kosher restaurant
  • Site tour available upon request 
  • Total value = $2600

 

A Jewish Wedding at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is a truly one-of-a-kind venue for a Jewish wedding. There’s no place else in this kind of lush Caribbean setting that makes it SO easy to throw a kosher wedding. 

Grand Hyatt Bahar Mar perfectly combines local color with classic luxury, incorporating the culture and spirit of the Bahamas while attending to all the nuances that make Jewish weddings special. 

Spectacular Service every step of the way

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar’s kosher wedding specialist handles all the details to elevate your wedding, from helping you build Jewish and cultural traditions into your day to private Shabbat dinners overlooking the ocean. 

You’ll receive a full range of unparalleled services to help you personalize your Jewish wedding your way, and you’ll have help with all the details that will elevate your day, from helping you select decor and vendors to delivering gift bags and late-night snacks. 

The Perfect Spaces for Your Jewish Wedding

With flexible indoor and outdoor event spaces, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar’s got the perfect backdrop to suit your vision for your big day – whether it’s a tranquil beach setting, a ceremony in the waterside terraces, or an intimate poolside affair. Grand Hyatt Baha Mar has spaces for all of your wedding celebrations, from private yichud rooms to spaces for the groom’s tisch. 

Unforgettable Shabbat Dinners & exquisite Good Bye Brunches

One of the most special things about whisking your loved ones off to Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is the opportunity to craft a truly immersive wedding experience that goes beyond the day itself. And there’s no place better than one of Baha Mar’s elegant ocean view terraces or elegant dining rooms  for a beautiful private Shabbat dinner or goodbye brunch for your guests.

Unbeatable Kosher Catering at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

Of course, one of the best things about Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is their unprecedented kosher dining options. It’s truly incredible to see a luxury property offering the range and quality of kosher options you can experience at Baha Mar.

In addition to a fully glatt kosher banquet kitchen to prepare a delectable menu for your wedding, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is home to two sublime kosher eateries – including a kosher food truck! 

Cinkō, Baha Mar’s sit down meat restaurant, pairs the rich culinary diversity of Latin cuisine with bold Asian flavors. 

Then there’s Knosh, Baha Mar’s kosher dairy food truck. The first dining venue at Baha Mar featuring a fully vegetarian and pescatarian menu, Knosh’s menu includes vegetarian and pescatarian flatbreads, bowls, sandwiches, patties and a variety of savory cheese fry creations.

Both Cinkō and Knosh are kosher certified under the strict supervision of Chabad of The Bahamas.

Seven Reasons Why We Love Grand Hyatt Baha Mar for Your Jewish Wedding

♥Full glatt kosher banquet kitchen

♥Kosher dairy food truck, Knosh, on property

♥Kosher meat restaurant, Cinkō Asian Latino Grill, on property

♥Private Shabbat dinners available for your guests 

♥Private spaces available for ketubah signing, tisch, aufruf, and more

♥Designated kosher wedding specialist to guide you every step of the way as you plan the day of your dreams 

♥Kosher certified under the strict supervision of Chabad of The Bahamas

For the full story about weddings at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, email  kosherevents@hyatt.com or call 242-788-7339.

Continue ReadingContinue Reading