The Wedding Club Archives - Smashing the Glass

A Monique Lhuillier Bride for a Modern Rustic Jewish Wedding at The Grove Hotel, Chandler’s Cross, Hertfordshire, UK

07/06/2019 by Karen Cinnamon 1 Comment

It’s always a special day when we get to blog the real Jewish wedding of one of our wonderful Brides Club members, and today it’s Sami’s turn!.

Sami and Toby (#happilywebberafter) had the most wonderful big day, and we’re so thrilled to be able to share it with you. We’re also totally blushing at Sami’s kind words about the club:

“It was so heart-warming to have lots of lovely ladies around you sharing the build up and excitement. I feel like it is one big family and everyone wants the best for everyone else and their wedding!”

We think Brides Club is pretty special too – and the doors are open for new members to join (we now have almost 200 members!). Do come on in and join us too! If you’re planning a Jewish or Jew-ish wedding, it’s truly an incredible resource and community and we are offering 30 free days to every bride-to-be if you join before this Monday 11 June!

But back to Sami’s wonderful wedding – we’re pretty jazzed that she and Toby worked with so many of our very favourite UK-based Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendors, from the amazing Jonny Mosesson, who sang during the chuppah (and we totally agree with Sami’s description of him as having the voice of an angel!) to The Function Band, who created an electric atmosphere that kept everyone dancing from start to finish, and videographer Denee Motion, who not only captured the emotion and energy of the wedding so perfectly (don’t miss their trailer!) but also developed a wonderful friendship with the couple over the buildup to their wedding.

We’re thrilled that Sami had a fantastic experience shopping for her Monique Lhuillier gown at Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Wedding Club – she’d had a preventative double mastectomy prior to the wedding, so it wasn’t a given that wedding dress shopping would be smooth sailing. In fact, Sami’s experience was so wonderful that since the big day she’s left her old job in fashion buying to work for The Wedding Club, where she’s now store manager and runs operations for both of their London boutiques!

As joyful as this wedding was, the fact that Sami’s mum tragically passed away from cancer 5 and a half years prior cast a bittersweet shadow. We love that Toby bought Sami a locket with a photo of her mum to attach to her bouquet so they could still walk down the aisle together – what a meaningful touch.

There’s so much more to this fab celebration, but you’ll have to read Sami’s beautiful writeup (and immerse yourself in Paul Toeman’s wonderful photos) for the rest…

How we met

Sami, the bride: Toby and I met in a club in Birmingham, he was in his first year of university and I was on my gap year. We got on straight away, although at the time I was with somebody else. It started as an incredibly strong friendship, and after a year and a half (by which time my other relationship had ended), it turned into love, and we haven’t looked back since.

Jewish Bridal Style from the Experts at The Wedding Club

28/02/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

Image by Robert Shack from Lauren & Ross’s Jewish wedding

The Wedding Club is one of my very favourite UK bridal retailers – I love their wonderful range of designers and luxurious spaces, I love their ultra-attentive customer service, and I love how much they love Jewish weddings!

One of the world’s leading bridal boutiques, The Wedding Club carries some of the world’s most exclusive British and international designers – including STG favorites like Suzanne Neville, Berta, Savannah Miller, Bliss Monique Lhuillier, and more – plus accessories from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Victoria Percival.

The Wedding Club caters to fashion-conscious brides – many of whom have featured in STG real weddings (we’re constantly getting rave reviews about the level of service!) – but they firmly believe that every bride should follow their heart, not the trends – which is SO in line with our philosophy of “Your wedding your way” here at STG. They want to help each and every bride find a dress that’s truly her, and I couldn’t possibly support that mission more.

Photo by David Pullum from Hannah and Andrew’s Jewish wedding

They’re pros when it comes to working with brides going for modest styling – whether that’s for the whole wedding, or just to cover up a bit under the chuppah. They’ve got plentiful options with sleeves and higher necklines, and truly appreciate the beauty of modest bridal style. Plus they’ve got s serious knack for pairing stylish coverups with gowns is par for the course at The Wedding Club – they’re always on top of the latest trends and innovations.

Photo by David Pullum from Salena and Stefan’s Jewish wedding

With two locations in London – the Knightsbridge showroom is filled with mega-glam gowns from the likes of Zuhair Murad, Caroline Herrera, and Berta Couture, while the South Kensington shop has a slightly more laid-back, boho slant with collections like Savannah Miller and Costarellos – and one in Birmingham, showcasing more classic styles from Suzanne Neville, Jenny Packham, and more, The Wedding Club’s got the full spectrum of bridal styles covered.

A Monique Lhuillier Bride for a Nature-Inspired Jewish Wedding at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois, USA

01/02/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

We love a good garden wedding. And we love it even more when a couple really goes all out in making the most of their natural surroundings, like Jane, an actor and a voiceover artist, and Adam, who works in digital distribution.

Elegance meets rustic in this beautiful Jewish wedding, inspired by the pair’s love of nature and celebration of the changing of the season from summer to fall at their September celebration, from a seasonal, produce-driven menu (incorporating recipes the foodie duo put together themselves!), earthy clay kiddush cups, anda gorgeous painted ketubah reflecting their love of nature and the changing seasons by artist Jessica Kraft, purchased from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubah.com.

And speaking of beautiful wedding design, Jane and Adam were lucky enough to work with one of our fave

luxury stationers, Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor E.Y.I. Love, on their invitations. We’re obsessed with the minimalist chic invitations they came up with together, featuring gold foiled text and gilt edging, a custom cactus print envelope lining, and forest green calligraphy on each envelope. If you love the look as much as we do, be sure to enter the competition we’re running to win your wedding stationery from E.Y.I Love. It closes in a few days – so make sure you don’t miss out!

Now over to Jane, who looked stunning in her beaded strapless princess gown by Monique Lhullier, which she found at wonderful Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor The Wedding Club in South Kensington, London…

Jiho Park from Lilly Photography and Hunter Floyd from Hunter Floyd Films captured all the emotion and elegance of the day so perfectly. Enjoy!

A Garden Wedding

Jane, the bride: We got married at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois, in the USA (2 September, 2018). The venue is located close to the bride’s family’s home. Though then it seemed like a far-away dream, when Jane was around 7, she told her parents that she “would marry either a South-African or British man and get married at the Chicago Botanic Garden.” And so it was, she married a British man and got married at the Botanic Garden!

Win Tickets to the Berta 2019 F/W Fashion Show Launch {with The Wedding Club}

20/12/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

I’m so excited to tell you about a wonderful new competition STG is running with our friends (and beloved Recommended Vendor) The Wedding Club! We are offering five lucky members of our Brides Club invites to The Wedding Club’s exclusive press launch for the new Fall/Winter 2019 collection from legendary Israeli designer Berta (*SCREAM!*)

Not yet a member of our Brides Club? What are you waiting for? Join now!

Taking place on Thursday, 10 January at 6:30 pm, in the fabulous 5* luxury ballroom of the breathtaking – and brand new – Kimpton Fitzroy in central London, we’ll be celebrating the launch of Berta’s mega-glam Barcelona Collection alongside press and VIPs.

Head designer Berta Balilti’s trademark avant-garde bridal styles are as majestic as ever, and it’s going to be such a thrill to see them in person – I’ll be attending myself, and I would love to meet you there!

Our five lucky winners will each receive an invite (and a plus-one for the guest of their choice!), PLUS an appointment at Berta’s trunk show at The Wedding Club the weekend of Friday 11th – Sunday 13th January – PLUS 10% off the Berta dresses for that weekend! And as always, The Wedding Club’s appointment fee will be waived for Brides Club members.

That’s a LOT of good stuff!

A Pronovias Bride for a Glam Garden Party Jewish-inspired Wedding at Laura Ashley The Manor in Elstree, Hertfordshire, UK

19/11/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

Squeal! Proud mom moment… yes, another one of my beautiful blogging brides is married! I’m so sad to say goodbye to lovely Clare, but also delighted to share her GORGEOUS Jew-ish wedding with you today…. and my goodness doesn’t she look gorgeous?!

Clare, a nursery school teacher, and Chris, a planning manager for a property developer in London (#onclouddeeks), started off their Smashing The Glass journey with a session with me as part of my wedding consultancy service. We worked together to to help bring her vision to life for what would eventually become her spring garden-themed day, and Clare reports that gained some incredible vendor recommendations from this session too — awww – that’s the best news!

Neither Clare nor Chris is Jewish, but the couple have Jewish family and opted to incorporate some traditions they found especially meaningful. I love the modernized, personal rewriting of the seven blessings their friends and family read to them (some of the blessings guests came up with are pretty hilarious!) and, of course, the magical birch chuppah with lanterns and candles strewn around the base.

Speaking of candles… the couple made liberal use of luxe scented candles throughout the day, which not only made their venue smell amazing but also made for wonderful memories: Clare reports that every time she smells, say, Jo Malone’s ‘wild fig and cassis’ (one of her picks), it immediately brings her back to the big day. Such a clever idea!

Photographer Catherine Carter and videographer Jeff Woods captured all the emotion — not to mention the fab creative touches — to perfection, and Clare looked beyond stunning in the exquisitely beaded fishtail-style Pronovias dress she purchased from STG Recommended Vendor The Wedding Club in South Kensington (where she had “the most amazing experience” — not that we’re surprised).

Okay, enough from us… take it away, Clare!