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Home > Wedding Dresses

Facebook Live Recap: Jewish Wedding Checklist Essentials {with JScreen and FAB Styling}

23/11/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

I’m delighted to share with you my latest Facebook Live, all about two elements that I think are absolute wedding planning essentials: finding a gown you feel great in, and genetic carrier screening.

Last month, I chatted with Hillary Kener Regelman, Director of National Outreach at JScreen, a US-based not-for-profit at-home education and carrier screening program for Jewish genetic diseases, and New York-based bridal stylist Farrah Arrenson of FAB Styling, who specializes in helping busy brides find the dress of their dreams, stress-free. These two topics – dress shopping and genetic screening – are the ones I get the most questions about from brides, so I thought it made sense to bring them together into one fabulous session!

Hillary and Farrah are both incredibly knowledgeable in their respective fields, and they both care so much about keeping couples happy – with Farrah focusing on the big day, and Hillary focusing on the years to come after you make it official. 

I’ll start by summing up some of the bridal fashion wisdom Farrah shared with us!

ABOUT FAB STYLING

FAB Styling‘s Farrah Arrenson is devoted to providing brides with a custom-tailored dress shopping experience so that they can find their dream gown with minimum stress. She brings her own Jewish background plus work experience at some of NYC’s leading bridal salons (including Kleinfeld – yes, she’s been on Say Yes to the Dress!) to the table, and her full-service approach carries through to the wedding day itself, when she’s on hand to tend to your every need, keeping you happy, calm, and photo-ready throughout. No one knows bridal fashion like Farrah does.

Wedding planning is overwhelming, but finding your dress shouldn’t be. 

What should every bride know about before she starts looking for her dress?

First of all, Farrah wants brides to know that there’s a dress for everyone! That said, in order to find it, it’s important to be open-minded: what you think you want isn’t always what you’re going to end up with (in fact, Farrah reports this is the case for a whopping 9 out of 10 of her clients!). So don’t pigeonhole yourself – you might be surprised what dress you’ll fall in love with! 

I also love Farrah’s advice, when considering what styles to try on, to focus on what you love about your body and how you can accentuate that, rather than on the things you don’t like as much.

Ultimately, Farrah says, wedding dress shopping should be fun! Don’t let it stress you out, and trust your instincts.

What bridal fashion trends are coming up for 2022/23?

Reporting live from bridal fashion week, Farrah could not have been better positioned to fill us in on what’s hot and what’s not! She reports that styles are fashion-forward this year, with emphasis on sharp lines; clean, striking silhouettes; and richly detailed fabrics. Farrah’s seeing lots of statement sleeves (and lots of detachable sleeves too – a great option for brides who need to cover up for the chuppah). Modest brides rejoice: high necklines are coming back! And for the edgier brides, crop tops and hi-lo hemlines are in. 

What’s in for chuppah cover-ups?

Farrah’s favorite chuppah cover-up of the moment is something she affectionately refers to as “the doughnut” (love the name!) -basically, tons of tulle wrapped around the bride’s shoulders to provide coverage. She’s also seeing boleros, shawls, fur stoles for winter weddings, and even white leather jackets! She reports that capes – which were having a serious moment a couple years back – are out (but if you love the look, don’t let that stop you! Your Jewish wedding, your way!).

Which designers are great for modest brides?

For brides looking for modest gowns, Farrah especially loves Designers: Sareh Nouri, Rita Vinieris, Ines Di Santo, and Anne Barge – both for their timelessly elegant styling, and the fact that all of them are great when it comes to customizations.

What are some awesome options for affordable bridal attire?

Farrah’s favorites for brides on a budget are BHLDN (Anthropologie’s bridal brand) and Net a Porter’s bridal section (yes, believe it or not, their bridal stuff’s surprisingly reasonably priced – and also a great choice for brides on a tight timeline). 

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The Hottest Wedding Dress Trends for 2021/22 {Instagram Live with Mirror Mirror}

13/07/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

With weddings on their way back in a BIG way, it’s time to get excited about bridal fashion again! And to help us do exactly that, I’m turning to the best of the best: this Thursday, July 15, at at 8 pm GMT / 3 pm EST / 12 pm PST I’ll be going live on Instagram with Maria Yiannikaris, owner of beloved London bridal boutique Mirror Mirror and designer of in-house bridal line Mirror Mirror Couture, all about what’s going to be in as we get back into the swing of weddings!

Image courtesy of Pronovias

Maria’s got the scoop on some of the season’s hottest gowns: she’ll be giving us the very first reveal of some luxe pieces from Pronovias’s exquisite EDEN 2022 line, modeled by members of the fab Mirror Mirror team!

Image courtesy of Yolancris

She’ll also be sharing some dresses from Yolacnris’s new collection, plus an exclusive first look at a brand new Mirror Mirror Couture style (so fresh off the presses we can’t even share a photo with you yet)!


Image courtesy of Yolancris

We’ll also be chatting about how to make your dress your own, whichever style you choose – Mirror Mirror are the absolute masters customization, so whether you need some tweaks for a little extra coverage under the chuppah or whatever else, they’ve got you!

Image courtesy of Pronovias

We’ll be chatting in real time, so you can ask Maria and me anything you want during our live broadcast, or you can submit a question in advance by emailing karen@smashingtheglass.com. 


Tune in this Thursday 15 July, at 8 pm GMT / 3 pm EST / 12 pm PST to instagram.com/smashingtheglass

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How to Find Your Dream Dress During Lockdown {Instagram Live with Mirror Mirror}

24/02/2021 by Karen Cinnamon

Photo by Stuart Wood

Are you a bride-to-be wondering how you’re going to find the dress of your dreams while in lockdown? There’s no question that wedding dress shopping is a different experience right now than it used to be. But even without being able to go into shops, it’s still possible to shop effectively – and even have fun doing it! No one knows this better than our friends at Mirrror Mirror London, one of our very favourite luxury bridal boutiques in the UK (and a beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor).

Photo by Stuart Wood

This Monday, I’ll be going live on Instagram with Maria Yiannikaris, owner of Mirror Mirror and designer of in-house bridal line Mirror Mirror Couture, about what you should know before you begin wedding dress shopping, what you can expect, and what extra considerations you may need to keep in mind.

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Good News: Some of Our Favourite London Bridal Boutiques Are Reopening!

11/06/2020 by Karen Cinnamon

Jewish wedding Villa Tiberio Marbella Spain_0044

This news has Team STG almost as excited as Olivia and Paul after they smashed the glass! Olivia found her STUNNING Gemy Maalouf gown at Mirror Mirror, which reopens 4 July

As lockdown regulations loosen throughout the UK, we’re reaching an exciting milestone for the wedding world: bridal boutiques are starting to reopen! Over the next month, some of London’s very finest – including Morgan Davies Bridal, Katya Katya, The Wedding Club, Andrea Hawkes, and Mirror Mirror – will start seeing brides for in-person appointments again for the first time in months, and we are ready for it!

The experience will look a little different than before – like most places these days you can expect plenty of masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and social distancing measures, and boutiques are taking a variety of extra safety measures including the following:

  • Limiting each bride to one guest – although most boutiques are more than happy for you to Facetime the rest of your crew so they can participate virtually
  • Requesting that brides bring their own shoes to try on with gowns, and that the bride’s guest help dress her rather than a member of the team
  • Disinfecting fitting rooms and common areas between appointments
  • Steaming and sanitizing gowns between appointments

But one thing’s going to be just the same, and that’s the absolute magic of finding the dress of your dreams. That, and the absolutely above and beyond service all of these wonderful shops provide for each and every bride. Read on for the details.

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Why Andrea Hawkes is the Perfect Bridal Designer for Your Jewish Wedding

06/02/2020 by Karen Cinnamon

I’m obsessed with the cool, contemporary look of Andrea Hawkes Bridal. British designer Andrea Hawkes – who I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over my years at STG – is at the forefront of British bridal fashion, and I couldn’t possibly recommend her precision-crafted minimalist designs any more highly. 

Every Andrea Hawkes Bridal piece is designed and manufactured at her studio in London using the highest quality natural silks and lace, and the service you’ll receive at their Islington flagship is second to none. 

I am consistently impressed by how meticulous and kind Andrea is, and how she truly goes above and beyond – nothing is too much for her! Plus, of course, she’s a stellar designer – while always being mindful of each bride’s individual needs. She’s the kind of person you just want to be around! 

That’s why I’m so thrilled to bring you a Q&A with Andrea Hawkes herself all about her design ethos, how she got her start, and, most importantly, why her designs are just the thing for the Jewish bride looking for an elegant modern gown. If you’re looking for something sleek, simple, and totally stunning to wear on your big day, read on. 

Smashing The Glass: Are there differences in what you see Jewish vs. non-Jewish brides looking for in a dress?

Andrea Hawkes: Our Jewish brides tend to go for a classic, refined yet modern look. They are often looking for more coverage/something that adds more coverage that they can take off later. Higher necklines, covered backs, and an overall more modest look and feel are also common asks. Jewish brides will usually wear a veil. In cases where they are adding an additional piece for more coverage during the chuppah, our Jewish brides are always seeking a seamless look that appears as one whole dress. Sheer coverage/lace is a popular choice with our Jewish and non-Jewish brides alike.

STG: Are there any styles that are especially popular with Jewish brides? 

AH: Any of our strappy designs with a lace top or jacket are popular. India, with its high neck-line and long sleeves, is also a lovely option for a more classic covered look.

STG: What do you offer for brides looking for a more modest look?

AH: We have a varied selection of lace tops, capes, overskirts and veils that our brides can add to our dresses for an added layer of interest or indeed a more modest look. Our India dress with long sleeves and a high neckline, and Wallace also with long sleeves, and Juno with beautiful sheer coverage. Our made to measure service also means that if a bride would prefer to add a cap-sleeve, long sleeves, raised back or raised neckline, we are perfectly happy to do so. And if a bride has a specific idea and wishes to create a more modest look from scratch, we will work collaboratively with the bride to create her dream dress from initial sketch, toile and silk fittings, to the finished dress design.

STG: And how about for those brides who may need to cover their shoulders for the chuppah but might want a more revealing dress otherwise?

AH: We have a varied selection of lace tops, capes, overskirts and veils that our brides can add to our dresses for an added layer of interest or indeed a more modest look.The bride can then remove this additional piece revealing a whole new look underneath. We can build a lace top or overdress over the top of a strappy fitted design or something that is a little more open for the evening.We would of course make sure this looks integral to the dress – a seamless finish that would blend effortlessly into the dress as a whole.

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