In Conversation: Modern Bridal with Karen Cinnamon of Smashing The Glass

When the vision of a luxury, bespoke wedding gown meets the ultimate inspiration for Jewish brides, magic happens. Recently, Caroline Castigliano sat down with Karen Cinnamon, the visionary founder behind Smashing The Glass, for an exclusive chat.

What began as a passion project for a bride-to-be has evolved into the world’s most prominent platform for Jewish and interfaith weddings. In a candid conversation, Caroline and Karen explored the genesis of the blog, the realities of wedding planning, and the secret to navigating family dynamics with grace.

The Genesis of Smashing The Glass

Q. Caroline: I’ve always been a great admirer of you and your platform. But before Smashing the Glass became the incredible community it is today, how did your career start? What was your journey?

Karen explained that her background was actually in design and branding, having run her own consultancy for about ten years. However, when she got engaged in her late thirties, everything changed. As a modern Jewish woman wanting to incorporate beautiful traditions into a highly creative wedding, she couldn't find content that resonated with her.

The gap in the market stayed with her. When she fell pregnant shortly after her wedding, she bought a domain for £50 simply to keep her brain active during her upcoming maternity leave. She started by blogging her brother's wedding to give couples the authentic, creative content they craved, and within three months, the platform completely took off.

Navigating the "Wedding by Committee"

Q. Caroline: When girls get engaged, they're so desperate for information and want to feel confident about the guidance they're getting. What is it that brides look for the most?

Karen noted two major themes among her readers: maximizing the budget and dealing with family drama. Whether a couple has a modest or massive budget, they invariably want a venue or dress that sits just slightly outside of it.

The second, and perhaps most challenging aspect, is managing the inevitable stress of what she calls a "Jewish wedding by committee." A huge part of the Smashing The Glass mission is giving brides the tools to elegantly say no to demanding family members, politely deal with unwanted opinions, and ultimately create a wedding that reflects their own identity rather than outside expectations.

Deciding Your Non-Negotiables

Q. Caroline: It is so true that group decisions make things tremendously hard, and you can always see the bride getting very stressed. What is your advice to brides who are trying to manage that overwhelm?

Karen’s first piece of advice is to validate those feelings—brides are allowed to admit that planning is tough and shouldn't feel guilty about it. To manage the stress, she advises couples to sit down together and establish their absolute non-negotiables. If having 200 guests is the priority, build the wedding around that; if it's simply standing under the chuppah with immediate family, focus on that intimate magic.

She also shared her favorite planning mantra: Better done than perfect. Dealing with unexpected curveballs and learning to handle stress together during the planning phase is actually fantastic preparation for a strong, resilient marriage.

A Wedding at the Wallace Collection

Q. Caroline: Tell me a little bit about your own wedding, because obviously that is what started this all off. You must have found a way to put your own stamp on it.

Karen shared that she and her husband got married at the Wallace Collection in London. While they originally dreamed of an outdoor wedding in Israel, they needed to ensure her husband's 97-year-old grandmother could attend. The Wallace Collection offered a beautiful courtyard that felt "inside-outside," providing a unique alternative to a traditional hotel ballroom.

Because there was no platform like Smashing The Glass at the time, Karen noticed that many couples simply duplicated their friends' weddings to play it safe. She launched her site hoping that seeing just one unique detail—like a bespoke chuppah or an untraditional color palette—would empower a bride to make the day entirely her own.

To discover more about Karen Cinnamon's vibrant community and resources for your own celebration, visit Smashing The Glass

Are you beginning your own bespoke bridal journey? Book an appointment at the Caroline Castigliano Knightsbridge flagship to discover a gown as unique as your love story.