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A Suzanne Neville Bride for an Enchanted Forest Wedding that Brought the Outdoors In at Battersea Arts Centre, London, UK

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Taryn & Louis, Battersea Art Centre, London, UK

Get ready to be wowed by today’s epic London Jewish wedding! Taryn and Louis – both newly qualified doctors who planned their big bash while finishing medical school (!) – put together the most incredible day meshing their two dreams of a chuppah with outdoor enchanted forest vibes and a good old fashioned formal seated dinner in an elegant ballroom.

With their chuppah taking place in a marquee in a family friend’s garden, followed by a reception at the Battersea Art Centre, Taryn and Louis kept their wedding aesthetic consistent throughout the day, bringing those magical woodland vibes to both segments of the day seamlessly – don’t miss the wonderful photos by Blake Ezra!

The pair wanted their wedding invitations to introduce people to the feel of the day, and Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Bigday Designs was the perfect partner in doing just that. In Taryn and Louis’s words, they “were a joy to work with – the process was so smooth and fast even though we wanted to see what felt like hundreds of proofs before print” – and incorporated a watercolor-inspired floral design drawn by Taryn’s sister into the invites too!

Taryn and Louis are self-identified foodies, so finding a kosher caterer who could craft a unique and delicious menu for their big day was a top priority. They found the perfect fit in Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Dvash, who sat down with the couple and planned the menu from start to finish, catering to their tastes and considering every detail. In the couple’s words, “They were so accommodating in creating dishes based on our experiences and preferences and we ended up with a menu that we were totally in love with.”

There’s so much more to say about this fabulous wedding – for instance, how stunning does Taryn look in her dress from Suzanne Neville?! – but we’ll let the couple take it from here…


Taryn & Louis, Battersea Art Centre, London, UK Taryn & Louis, Battersea Art Centre, London, UK Taryn & Louis, Battersea Art Centre, London, UK Taryn & Louis, Battersea Art Centre, London, UK
How we Met

Taryn, the bride and Louis, the groom: We are Taryn and Louis. We have known each other for over ten years and have been together for the last seven! We met at secondary school and were great friends for several years, before we started dating in our final year of school.

We are now both doctors, we both attended medical school in London – at two different universities and we finished our final exams and graduated one month before our wedding. Finishing medical school and planning a wedding at the same time was a huge task but we are so pleased that everything ran smoothly, giving us the most magical day.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Suzanne Neville Bride for a Conservatory Jewish Wedding at Syon Park, London, UK

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There’s not much we love more than seeing a couple work with a mega-talented team of our beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendors to make their Jewish wedding a day to remember – which is exactly what London couple Emma and Arik did!

From the moment the duo chose Lucie and Alex from #STGvendor Ruby J Events as their wedding planners, they were off and running. Lucie and Alex understood the vibe the couple were after and ran with it, sourcing an amazing team of vendors and taking care of all the details so that Emma and Arik “were able to enjoy every minute of planning and every second of the day” – no small feat, especially during Covid!

Another amazing #STGvendor, Sensation Band, provided the perfect soundtrack to the ceremony, with Guy singing the couple down the aisle accompanied by Jason on keyboard. For the reception, #STGvendor Balagan Roaming Band roamed the venue getting the party going and creating an electric atmosphere for the evening!

To capture their day, Emma and Arik opted to work with Promise Photography and #STGvendor Michael Pearl Films. The duo found Michael an absolute delight to work with, and they’re in love with bot their highlights video as well as the full 2-hour version!

Last but absolutely not least, the couple chose #STGvendor Feast by Ed for his mouthwatering kosher catering, and they were bowled over by not only the deliciousness of it all but the beautiful presentation too – and how wonderful Ed himself is to work with, of course!

There’s so much more to say, but we’ll leave the rest to the bride, who looked so elegant in Suzanne Neville…

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How we Met

Emma, the bride: Arik works in data analytics and I’m a nanny, 2 professions that would never cross paths if it hadn’t of been for Hinge! We chatted for a while on the app and then we arranged to go for a drink (neither of us knowing at that point that neither of us drank). We met at Sophie’s bar in Soho and stayed chatting and laughing for hours, which is pretty much how we spend every day now – minus being in Sophie’s bar!

We moved in together 1 year later and spent 2 months living together at my dads at the beginning of lockdown. Arik was sad to leave so that was a good sign! I came home after a long walk with my sister one day (not knowing that Arik had planned this, to get me out the house), to find Arik on one knee in the lounge, surrounded by rose petals, candles and holding a ring. The rest as our rabbi said under the chuppah, is soul music.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Suzanne Neville Bride for an Enchanted Garden Backyard Jewish Wedding in London, UK

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We could not be more thrilled to be featuring the gorgeous Jewish wedding of our beloved Brides Club member Orli! Like so many 2020 couples, she and Ben ended up with a very different wedding from the one they first planned – but in the end, they adored their ultra-personal wedding in Orli’s parents’ garden, calling it “the best and most special decision that we made.” And scrolling through the beautiful images from Promise Photography, you can see why!

We were delighted to hear that Orli and Ben found a number of their fabulous vendors through Smashing The Glass – including Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Function Band, who the pair were set on booking from the moment they got engaged, so much so that they booked The Function Band before they even had a venue. Needless to say, The Function Band created an epic party atmosphere and kept the dance floor packed all night long.

Orli and Ben also found wonderful Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Blue Sky Flowers tight here. From the moment the couple met with founder Liz, they knew they wanted her as their florist – and she brought their enchanted garden dreams to life.

There’s so much more to say about this wedding, but we’ll leave the rest to Orli – who looked so chic in her dress from Suzanne Neville…

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Change of Plans

Orli, the bride: We got married in my parent’s garden and it was by far the best and most special decision that we made. Before the pandemic we had planned to get married at St Pancras Renaissance but with all the uncertainty we wanted a venue that we knew we could definitely have regardless of if the numbers were 15 or unlimited. Moving the wedding to my parent’s garden whilst caused more logistics and stress at the time was hand on heart the best decision that we made.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Suzanne Neville Bride for an Elegant Orthodox Jewish Wedding at the Kimpton Fitzroy London, UK

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Get ready to be blown away by one of the most stunning Jewish micro weddings we’ve seen yet. When Smashing The Glass Brides Club member Ivi and Ben got engaged in February 2021 after Ivi completed her three-year journey toward conversion to Judaism, they knew they wanted to become husband and wife ASAP, pandemic or no. So in just six weeks of planning, they whipped up an absolute dream wedding, split into several events over two days to follow lockdown restrictions.

First, Ivi and Ben held the most magical chuppah for an intimate crowd of 15 at beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Kimpton Fitzroy London, which Ivi found right here on STG! From the beginning, the couple fell head over heels for everything about this venue, from the way it combines opulence with warmth to the gorgeous high-ceilinged ballroom where the chuppah took place to the ultra-attentive personalized service the staff provided every step of the way. Ivi describes the Kimpton Fitzroy as an “absolute gem,” and we couldn’t agree with her more!

Afterward, Ivi and Ben threw an all-day party in a marquee at their garden, with two shifts of thirty guests each attending, so friends and family who couldn’t attend the ceremony were still able to celebrate with them.

Both events were captured by photography and videography team Fire & Ice, and we’re not sure what we’re more in love with, the luminous photos or the ultra-moving trailer. The Fire & Ice team came up with the brilliant idea to record Ivi, a pianist, playing a song to layer over the video – and, in honor of her Chinese heritage and as a tribute to her parents, who live in Malaysia and couldn’t travel to the wedding due to COVID, Ivi chose a classic Chinese love song. How amazing is that?!

Ivi also wore her absolute knockout of a modest wedding gown – customized just for her by the one and only Suzanne Neville – for both celebrations. Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to wear such an exquisite dress twice?!

There’s so much to say about this incredible Jewish wedding, but we’ll let Ivi tell you the rest of the story… And if you love the look of the Kimpton Fitzroy (Ivi and Ben’s wedding venue), you’ll want to tune in to our Jewish wedding music Facebook Live tomorrow, Tuesday June 22, live from the hotel, as one lucky couple is going to win an overnight stay (plus you’ll get to see how truly gorgeous it is for a wedding venue). I’ll see you there!

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How we Met

Ivi, the bride: Previously at British Vogue, now at Publicis Media and a classical pianist, I took a sabbatical from my career in the City in 2016 and worked for a stint as a fitness instructor, teaching high-intensity TRX classes at Heartcore Studios in St. John’s Wood in London. Ben, an owner of a number of jewellery and consumer brands, came to workout at Heartcore and took my classes for nine months before we started dating. I used to shout “Burpees! Burpees!” at Ben on a weekly basis. Ben jokes that he was the fittest he’s ever been when he used to come to my classes!

On our first date, we went for a post-workout brunch that lasted over four hours. We both knew there was something extraordinary between us straightaway. Ben says that he knew I was “The One” after that date. We fell madly in love after a few months of dating, and we discussed how important being Jewish and having a Jewish family was to Ben. Following a thorough period of soul searching and spending time with Orthodox Jewish rabbis’ and their families, I heeded what I now realise was a lifelong calling, to which Ben was the catalyst, to convert to Orthodox Judaism. Hand-in-hand, we spent the next three years undertaking one of life’s most demanding yet spiritually enriching journeys. Ben wholeheartedly embraced and deepened his connection and observance of the faith he was born into.

I completed my conversion to Orthodox Judaism and emerged from the holy waters of the mikveh, reborn a Jewess on 18th February 2021. On a day already bursting with joy and jubilation, after making me my favourite Nutella crepes, Ben got down on one knee and proposed. Less than three months later, we were married in the presence of just 15 of our nearest and dearest.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

A Suzanne Neville Bride for an Elegant Winter Jewish Micro Wedding with a Wild Backstory at Down Hall Hotel & Spa, Essex, UK

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Rafaela-Dan-Down-Hall-Hotel-Spa-in-Essex

By now we’ve heard lots of incredible pandemic wedding stories, but we’re pretty sure Brides Club member Rafaela, and Dan’s takes the (wedding) cake. These two had originally planned a big black-tie wedding at another venue for April 2020 – until COVID got in the way. They initially deciding to postpone for a year, but with Dan’s dad being terminally ill and his health declining, Rafaela and Dan ended up pushing their date forward by three months – and planning their intimate December 2020 wedding with just two weeks’ notice!

You might think that’s enough drama for one wedding – but it doesn’t stop there! With just 48 hours to go, the couple’s original venue had to cancel on them due to changes to the UK’s regional tiering system. Several frantic phone calls later, Rafaela and Dan secured a new venue, Down Hall Hotel & Spa, located in an area with lighter COVID restrictions, just 24 hours before the chuppah!

It was a tight turnaround, but the hotel’s incredible staff and the couple’s vendor team made it happen – you’d never know from Joab Smith’s absolutely stunning photos that it all happened at the very last minute!

There were a few hiccups along the way – not the least of which being that on the morning of her wedding, Rafaela was left without a hair stylist and makeup artist! Luckily, as a member of Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club, Rafaela was able to muster Brides Club’s collective resources to secure the perfect last-minute booking. And as Rafaela transitioned her wedding from spring to winter, a fellow Brides Club member lent out her bridal fur shawl to keep Rafaela warm and in style during the outside photos – how incredible is that?! Don’t miss the ultra-emotional trailer from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Denee Motion, who is so beloved by our Brides Club members – and for very good reason!

Speaking of which… if you’re feeling in need of a little guidance as you navigate your big day, reserve your spot for Smashing The Glass’s virtual Jewish Wedding Planning Party today! There’ll be partying, presents, and music, plus our founder Karen Cinnamon will be on hand to help you figure out everything from making the most of your budget to dealing with challenging family dynamics and beyond  – and to answer any and every question you might have.

There’s so much more we could say about this unbelievable wedding – like, how amazing is Rafaela and Dan’s chuppah? And how exquisite does Rafaela look in her Suzanne Neville gown?! – but we’ll let the bride take it from here…

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How we Met

Rafaela, the bride: I am from Brazil and moved to the UK around 15 years ago, where we met! We have been together around 4 years and despite having grown up in different parts of the world, we are both very similar and have many mutual interests! Dan proposed from a helicopter in the summer of 2018 and we were wedding planning ever since! Continue ReadingContinue Reading

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