What are the stages of a Jewish wedding?
jewish marriage included a number of steps: first, betrothal (which involved the prospective groom’s traveling from his father’s house to the home of the prospective bride, paying the purchase price, and thus establishing the marriage covenant); second, the groom’s returning to his father’s house (which meant remaining separate from his bride for …
What does you'll need at a Jewish wedding?
- Aufruf. On the Shabbat prior to the wedding, a Jewish couple may partake in an aufruf, which means "calling up" in Yiddish.
- Fasting. Depending on the Jewish community to which they belong, some Jewish couples fast on the day of their wedding.
- Head coverings. ...
- Separate seating. ...
- Bedeken. ...
- Ketubah. ...
- Chuppah. ...
- The processional. ...
- Circling. ...
- Sheva brachot. ...
What to expect at a Jewish wedding?
What to Expect at a Jewish Wedding Ceremony
- Jewish Weddings 101. A time for rituals and symbolism, the Jewish wedding is a time to celebrate the beauty of love and the strength of a budding relationship, not to ...
- On the Wedding Day. The wedding day is widely considered to be the most important day in a young person’s life. ...
- The Wedding Ceremony. ...
- The Post-Ceremony Celebration. ...
What is the Order of a Jewish wedding ceremony?
- Rabbi and/or cantor (stands beneath the chuppah in the center)
- Grandparents of the bride (they are seated in the first row on the right side)
- Grandparents of the groom (they are seated in the first row on the left side)
- Groomsmen (in pairs)
- Best man
- The groom, escorted by his parents (father on his right, mother on his left)
What time of day do Jewish weddings take place?
Typically, Jewish weddings are held on Saturday night, often beginning with a Jewish ritual service called Havdalah, which marks the end of the Sabbath. Jewish weddings are also often held on Sunday afternoon or any other day of the week.
How long is an Orthodox wedding ceremony?
about 30 to 60 minutesA Greek Orthodox Wedding generally last about 30 to 60 minutes. For the most part the following is what you are likely to see. Often throughout the ceremony many things are done in three's, in fact almost everything is done in odd numbers. The number three represents the Holy Trinity – the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
What happens on the day of a Jewish wedding?
During the ceremony, the officiator of the service, usually the Rabbi, will make a speech about the couple and bless them as they begin their new life together. The service also features a prayer, usually sung by a cantor, about the sadness Jewish people at the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem.
How long is a ceremony usually?
between 20 and 30 minutesWedding ceremonies usually last between 20 and 30 minutes, which is ample time to cover the basics (words of welcome, a few readings, your vows, the ring exchange, and the final pronouncement).
What happens at an Orthodox wedding ceremony?
In the Greek Orthodox Tradition, the father accompanies the bride to the entrance of the church, where the groom awaits with her bouquet. The groom offers the bouquet to her, and takes her right hand after her father. Bride and groom then walk together down the aisle, the groom on the right side of the bride.
How long is a Catholic wedding ceremony?
A Catholic wedding ceremony traditionally includes a full mass and communion, all of which can take up to an hour. Some to-be-weds choose to only have a Rite of Marriage ceremony (which doesn't include a mass). It can last between 30-45 minutes.
How long is a wedding from start to finish?
Wedding Length Most weddings don't last more than six hours. That includes time for the ceremony, reception, photos, and any special activities. Usually, the ceremony lasts about an hour, and the remaining 4 to 5 hours are saved for the reception.
How long should a short wedding ceremony be?
20-30 minuteWhile there's no right or wrong ceremony length, the typical 20-30 minute wedding ceremony includes: The wedding party entrance. One or two short readings. Vows.
Is 4 hours long enough for a wedding reception?
Your typical wedding reception runs about 4-5 hours—plenty of time for cocktails, dinner, toasts and, of course, dancing! Follow this foolproof wedding reception timeline to ensure a smooth, fun-filled evening of celebration for you and your guests.
How long is a Russian Orthodox wedding ceremony?
about 40 minutesThe Wedding Ceremony The traditional ceremony itself lasts about 40 minutes and adheres strictly to the church protocol. The priest conducting the ceremony blesses the couple three times and passes them each a lighted candle which is supposed to stay lit until the end of the ceremony.
How long does a Russian Orthodox wedding last?
between two days and one weekA traditional Russian wedding can last between two days and one week. The celebration involves dancing, singing, toasting, and banqueting. The best man and maid of honor are called Witnesses or Свидетели (svideteli) in Russian. The ceremony and the ring exchange take place on the first day of the wedding.
What is Orthodox ceremony?
The Eastern Orthodox wedding ceremony is an ancient rite full of profound symbolism and meaning. The couple is led through the ceremony by their priest and their koumbaros, a best man who remains an important figure in the couple's life. Most rituals are performed three times to represent the Holy Trinity.
What is a Jewish wedding?
A traditional Jewish wedding (called a chatunah, חֲתֻנָּה) is a tapestry woven from many threads: biblical, historical, mystical, cultural and legal. Threads carried from one generation to the next, forming a chain of Jewish continuity which goes back more than 3,800 years. On the cosmic level, our sages teach that each marriage ceremony is ...
What is the ceremony after the Kabbalat Panim?
After the kabbalat panim receptions comes the badeken, the veiling ceremony. A procession headed by the groom goes to the bridal reception room, where the groom covers the bride's face with a veil.
Why is the bride's face veiled?
The bride's face remains veiled for the duration of the chupah ceremony, affording her privacy at this holy time . After the groom veils the bride, the parents of the bride and groom approach the bride and bless her. The groom's entourage then retreats from the room.
What does the cantor do when the bride and groom are standing side by side?
Once the bride and groom are standing side-by-side under the chupah, the cantor welcomes them on behalf of all gathered by singing several Hebrew greeting hymns , which also includes a request for G‑d's blessings for the new couple. After all this preliminary activity, we are ready to begin the actual marriage ceremony.
What does the Rabbi do with the wine?
The rabbi holds a cup of wine and recites the blessing over the wine and then the betrothal blessing, which thanks G‑d for sanctifying us with the mitzvah of betrothal before consummating marriage. The groom and bride are given to sip from the cup. The groom then places the wedding band on the bride's finger.
What is the white kittel on Yom Kippur?
The pristine white kittel, traditionally worn on Yom Kippur, and the bride's white gown, are symbols of G‑d's atonement and perfect purity. Indeed, the Shechinah, Divine Presence, graces the presence of every chupah ceremony.
Why do Jewish brides shed tears?
Brides and grooms shedding copious tears is a common sight at traditional Jewish weddings. This is due to an acute awareness of the awe and magnitude of the moment. It is customary in certain communities for the groom to wear a kittel, a long white frock, during the chupah.
What is the Jewish practice of chuppah?
In Yemen, the Jewish practice was not for the groom and his bride to be secluded in a canopy ( chuppah ), as is widely practiced today in Jewish weddings, but rather in a bridal chamber that was, in effect, a highly decorated room in the house of the groom.
What is the ketubah?
Before the wedding ceremony, the groom agrees to be bound by the terms of the ketubah (marriage contract) in the presence of two witnesses, whereupon the witnesses sign the ketubah. The ketubah details the obligations of the groom to the bride, among which are food, clothing, and marital relations. This document has the standing of a legally binding agreement, though it may be hard to collect these amounts in a secular court. It is often written as an illuminated manuscript that is framed and displayed in their home. Under the chuppah, it is traditional to read the signed ketubah aloud, usually in the Aramaic original, but sometimes in translation. Traditionally, this is done to separate the two basic parts of the wedding. Non-Orthodox Jewish couples may opt for a bilingual ketubah, or for a shortened version to be read out.
What is a Jewish wedding?
A Jewish wedding is a wedding ceremony that follows Jewish laws and traditions. While wedding ceremonies vary, common features of a Jewish wedding include a ketubah (marriage contract) which is signed by two witnesses, a chuppah (or huppah; wedding canopy), a ring owned by the groom that is given to the bride under the canopy, ...
What is the blessing after dinner?
Prayer booklets called bentshers may be handed out to guests. After the prayers, the blessing over the wine is recited, with two glasses of wine poured together into a third, symbolising the creation of a new life together.
What does the bride shout at the end of the wedding?
After the bride has been given the ring, or at the end of the ceremony (depending on local custom), the groom breaks a glass, crushing it with his right foot, and the guests shout: "Mazal Tov!" (Hebrew: "congratulations"). At some contemporary weddings, a lightbulb may be substituted because it is thinner and more easily broken, and it makes a louder popping sound.
What are the traditional dances of Ashkenazi?
Traditional Ashkenazi dances include: The Krenzl, in which the bride's mother is crowned with a wreath of flowers as her daughters dance around her (traditionally at the wedding of the mother's last unwed daughter). The Mizinke, a dance for the parents of the bride or groom when their last child is wed.
What are the three circuits of marriage?
The three circuits may represent the three virtues of marriage: righteousness, justice and loving kindness (see Hosea 2:19 ). Seven circuits derives from the Biblical concept that seven denotes perfection or completeness. Sephardic Jews do not perform this ceremony.
Overview
The Wedding Feast
After the wedding ceremony and the Yichud, the bride and groom will make a grand entrance into a room filled with friends and family to begin the celebrations. The wedding ceremony is considered a serious religious event, while the wedding feast is considered a fun, lively celebration for the couple. It is expected and required for the guests to bring joy and festivities to the couple on their wedding day.
Signing of the marriage contract
Before the wedding ceremony, the groom agrees to be bound by the terms of the ketubah (marriage contract) in the presence of two witnesses, whereupon the witnesses sign the ketubah. Usually these two witnesses are not closely related to the couple, but family and friends will be present for the signing. The ketubah details the obligations of the groom to the bride, among which are food, clothing, and marital relations. This document has the standing of a legally bindi…
Bridal canopy
A traditional Jewish wedding ceremony takes place under a chuppah (wedding canopy), symbolizing the new home being built by the couple when they become husband and wife.
Covering of the bride
Prior to the ceremony, Ashkenazi Jews have a custom for the groom to cover the face of the bride (usually with a veil), and a prayer is often said for her based on the words spoken to Rebecca in Genesis 24:60. The veiling ritual is known in Yiddish as badeken. Various reasons are given for the veil and the ceremony, a commonly accepted reason is that it reminds the Jewish people of how Jaco…
Unterfirers
In many Orthodox Jewish communities, the bride is escorted to the chuppah by both mothers, and the groom is escorted by both fathers, known by Ashkenazi Jews as unterfirers (Yiddish: "Ones who lead under"). In another custom, bride and groom are each escorted by their respective parents. However, the escorts may be any happily married couple, if parents are unavailable or undesired for some reason. There is a custom in some Ashkenazi communities for the escorts t…
Circling
In Ashkenazi tradition, the bride traditionally walks around the groom three or seven times when she arrives at the chuppah. This may derive from Jeremiah 31:22, "A woman shall surround a man". The three circuits may represent the three virtues of marriage: righteousness, justice and loving kindness (see Hosea 2:19). Seven circuits derives from the Biblical concept that seven denotes perf…
Presentation of the ring (Betrothal)
In traditional weddings, two blessings are recited before the betrothal; a blessing over wine, and the betrothal blessing, which is specified in the Talmud. The wine is then tasted by the couple.
Rings are not actually required; they are simply the most common way (since the Middle Ages) of fulfilling the bride price requirement. The bride price (or ring) must have a monetary value no less than a single prutah (the smallest denomination of currency used during the Talmudic era). The l…