But if you’re planning a Jewish wedding, being unfamiliar with some of these traditions can be rather daunting. Even more, how do you take these time-honored traditions and make them part of your special day? The key to this is learning the most popular traditions so you can create a list of must-haves.

Read on to learn more about five time-honored Jewish wedding traditions to consider for your wedding.

1. Signing the Ketubah

The word Ketubah is Hebrew and means “written” or “to write.” It refers to a Jewish marriage contract written in either Aramaic or Hebrew or a combination of both. The Ketubah essentially serves as a binding agreement between the bride and groom.

Traditionally, the Ketubah was a legal document dating back to biblical times. In fact, the earliest surviving Ketubah was found in Egypt and thought to be from 440 B.C.

It was also made from parchment paper and written with ink. During the 16th century, some Jewish communities began decorating Ketubahs with brilliant designs, colors, and symbols.

Today, the Ketubah only serves as a legal document in Israel, and now modern couples list shared values as vows woven within the terms of their marriage. Traditionally, you need two witnesses to sign the Ketubah, but now you’ll see the wedding officiant and the couple signing it instead.

If you want to learn more about this and other aspects of Jewish life and Judaism, this website is a fantastic resource.

2. Breaking of Glass

Breaking the glass is one of the most iconic traditions at Jewish weddings, and even if you’re not completely familiar with its meaning, you’ve likely seen it many times before. 

Perhaps one of the most common interpretations is that this act symbolizes the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. This occurred during the siege of Jerusalem at the beginning of the First Jewish-Roman War.

The loud noise of smashing the glass is said to scare away evil spirits. It also serves as an important symbol of joy and commitment throughout difficult times.

Breaking the glass even has the practical purpose of serving as a signal to the end of the ceremony, marking a time for celebration. The breaking of the glass involves exclaiming “mazel tov” which means good luck or congratulations.

The glass is specially designed for ceremonies, so it doesn’t pose a safety hazard to anyone.

It’s typically wrapped in a cloth or napkin for protection from flying shards. Many times you’ll see only the groom breaking the glass, but both the bride and groom can break it together.

3. The Chuppah

The chuppah, also known as the huppah, is a beautiful Jewish wedding tradition that symbolizes the home. The chuppah is actually a wedding canopy that represents the presence of God in the couple’s marriage.

It focuses on how God will have a sheltering presence in their lives and home. It also signifies the presence of family and the lack of walls means there is no separation.

The idea of the chuppah began around the 16th century, using portable canopies helped up by four poles. Over time, the chuppah became a Jewish wedding custom.

The covering is typically made from wool, velvet, silk, or cotton. Many people create chuppahs using family heirlooms like an old prayer shall or quilt. The poles are often free-standing and decorated with flowers.

Some chuppahs aren’t freestanding, requiring the family to hold up the poles during the wedding ceremony.

Many couples make their own chuppah, choosing meaningful flowers, materials, and colors. You can also rent chuppas if you don’t have the time to construct your own.

The one rule of chuppahs to remember is that it’s intended to be a temporary structure that must be handmade.

4. Seven Blessings

The seven blessings, also known as Sheva Brachot, are a vital part of any traditional Jewish wedding ceremony. The seven blessings are originally from ancient rabbinic teachings and have been adapted over time. It’s based on the wedding tradition of celebrating a marriage for seven days, which stems from biblical times.

In most ceremonies, the seven blessings are chanted or read in prayer form in both English and Hebrew. You’ll also find there are modern English versions of these blessings. The blessings cover various themes like the creation of the world, humanity, and the survival of Jewish people.

Many couples ask relatives, friends, or wedding guests to read these blessings. The couple will receive the blessings while standing under the chuppah. If the wedding is more traditional, you may see them recited again after the reception.

At some weddings, friends, family, and guests will write their own blessings for the couple. The great thing about this tradition is how versatile it is, and if you’re having an interfaith wedding, you can get as creative as you like.

5. Kiddush Cup

All Jewish holiday meals begin with a blessing that takes place over a cup of wine. Most families have a special goblet or glass designated for this specific purpose. Often this is an heirloom passed down through generations, but the truth is any cup can service this function.

The kiddush cup is referenced in the Bible when Yeshua drank from this cup during Passover, which is where the idea of communion originated from.

You can use the same kiddush cup you have in your family for your wedding. Many people invest in a new kiddush cup to use for all celebrations after the wedding.

During a Jewish wedding, couples will drink from this cup after a blessing is given by friends, relatives, or the wedding officiant, such as the seven blessings. There are different ways you can incorporate this, so don’t be afraid to think outside the box and plan your wedding with a modern twist.

Learn More About Jewish Wedding Traditions Today

This guide is just the beginning of gaining a deeper understanding of Jewish wedding traditions.

Take the time to do more research to thoroughly understand the roots of Jewish wedding traditions. This way you’ll be able to incorporate truly meaningful traditions into your celebration.

Make sure to read more of our blog posts to gain a deeper understanding of Jewish traditions and how they blend with modern trends to create the perfect modern Jewish wedding!

The fact is, Jewish wedding ideas stem from tradition, and today you’ll find they have a modern twist. If you’re about to embark on planning the Jewish wedding of your dreams, it’s time to stop and take a breath.

Learning what to focus on will help take the stress off your shoulders, allowing you to breathe easily and feel comfortable with your choices.

You’ll definitely want to tune into this guide for inspirational Jewish wedding ideas that will take your special day to the next level.

Date Selection Is Key

Date selection is a significant part of planning a Jewish wedding due to traditional Jewish law. The law forbids any weddings taking place during the Sabbath, and most holidays like Yom Kippur, Passover, and Rosh Hashanah are off limits.

To make things easier, it’s best to schedule around the Sabbath, which takes place on the seventh day of the week (Saturday) throughout the year. This is according to the Bible and commemorates a day of rest, symbolizing the original day on which God rested after his creation was complete.

This is why you’ll find many Jewish weddings take place on Sundays. Keep in mind that it’s also best to avoid Friday afternoon weddings since families are typically preparing for the Sabbath.

Check your calendar twice to avoid all major Jewish holidays and the ten days between each of them. Jewish holidays have special meanings and celebrations, and a wedding can be very disruptive to these traditions and your potential guests.

Choose a Ketubah to Personalize Your Ceremony

Once you select the date, it’s time to dive into Jewish culture and consider incorporating traditions like the Ketubah. If you’re not familiar with Jewish wedding traditions, don’t let this intimidate you. You’ll simply need to do a little background research to familiarize yourself more.

The Ketubah is a traditional marriage document with a long history. Traditionally, the Ketubah dates back well before the 16th century and was a legal document introduced during the wedding ceremony. 

Its purpose was to legitimize the marriage and spell out the groom’s obligations to the bride. This included conjugal and financial obligations. They were also decorated with lavish designs and colors.

Today, it serves as more of a tradition in ceremonies. Most couples write their own vows to deeply personalize the process. Overall, don’t be afraid to get as creative as you want to when incorporating the Ketubah.

Make Sure to Smash the Glass

Smashing the glass is a meaningful traditional wedding idea you’ll definitely want to consider for your ceremony. 

First, it has several symbolic meanings that make it special. Many people see it as symbolizing relationships and how we should treat them with special care. It also symbolizes the couple ending or breaking their life before marriage to start anew together.

Some people look at smashing the glass as a way to scare away evil spirits and bring luck to the rest of their married days. Once you break the glass everyone present will shout “mazel tov”, which translates to good luck in English.

Don’t forget you’ll need to wrap the glass before you smash it, and there is special glass you can buy for Jewish weddings. A personalized name bag for the glass serves as the perfect keepsake for years to come.

Include a Unique Chuppah

Having a chuppah is a top Jewish wedding idea that you absolutely must put on your list. A chuppah is a special symbol of home and goes back to biblical times. Its symbolic nature is strong in the story of Abraham keeping his tents open on all sides to welcome visitors.

From there, the chuppah became the symbol of a home under God’s presence. Chuppas represent a temporary structure constructed by human hands. They consist of a frame that either stands alone or is held by family members.

The top fabric can be wool, silk, cloth, or a homemade family heirloom that contains memories passed down from generations.

Handheld chuppas are great if you want to use them in a wedding processional. Standing chuppas are perfect for the ceremony if you want everything to occur in one place.

You can rent a chuppa or make your own. Don’t be afraid to get creative and think outside the box to build something truly memorable.

Enhance Ritual Objects

This is your chance to take ritual objects and enhance them to create special meaning for you on your wedding day.

Begin by asking yourself how traditional you want the ceremony to be. For example, most traditional Jewish weddings include a Kippot or skullcap for men and a lace covering for women.

You’ll see many couples have their names and wedding dates imprinted on the Kippot. Decorative paint and satin are also popular choices. You can really get creative with the Kippot by choosing your own color scheme and lettering to match the theme of your wedding.

The same goes for kiddush cups. These traditional cups are typically passed down through generations and filled with wine. As you receive blessings during the ceremony, you’ll sip from this cup.

You can either use a kiddush cup that’s been in your family or design one for your wedding. Don’t be afraid to get modern with your design and create a cup that you both love.

Many wonderful online sites will give you a fresh perspective on having a traditional Jewish wedding your own way.

Use These Memorable Jewish Wedding Ideas for Your Special Day

This guide gives you a great window into Jewish wedding ideas you can incorporate into your special day.

But don’t stop here once you select the date. You should continue to do your research and start narrowing down the ideas that speak to you the most. Don’t be afraid to mix traditional ideas with a modern flair to create a unique celebration you’ll cherish forever.

Don’t forget to visit our blog for more wedding ideas and inspiration. Our main goal is to help couples find a deeper understanding of Jewish wedding traditions along with the latest and greatest trends.

The Modern Jewish Wedding Details

The bride & groom are both lawyers in DC but chose to get married in Utah, where the bride grew up.  They had two ceremonies one Hindu and one Jewish.  In true Modern Jewish Wedding style both families were extremely supportive of both religions and all the traditions. with the groom’s parents partaking in the Hindu ceremony and the bride’s parents being lifted on chairs for the Horah!

As Menaka tells us,

I grew up in Utah and most of my friends had never been there, so I wanted to introduce it to them! And it’s such a gorgeous state–it was the perfect outdoor setting for a wedding.  Indian weddings are super bright. Our colors were tangerine, bright aqua/turquoise, and a deep pink/red. The overall theme was to be as brightly colored as possible! I wanted to go for simple and rustic to match the lodge. So we went with single blooms in jars and re-purposed a lot of the flowers from the mandap/chuppah we got married under.  The venue was so beautiful we didn’t have to do much. My planner sewed colorful table runners for all the tables and then we had the single blooms mixed in with long branches. My planner also did cute chalkboard table numbers. We didn’t have to do anything else in the dinner area. The dancing area was a patio downstairs that already had a nice white tent up. We hung paper lanterns from the ceiling and that was it!

We did a first look and we are happy about it. We wanted to spend time with our friends at the cocktail hour, so we didn’t want that time to be taken up with a bride/groom photo session.

In Indian tradition, the bride’s mother’s brother walks the bride down the aisle. But none of my uncles could make it so we did the next best thing by having one of my uncle’s sons (my cousin Nilesh) walk me down the aisle. My sari was a beautiful tomato red and I paired it with red lipstick.

I had two outfits for the wedding. One was a red sari with Indian jewelry, which I wore at the ceremony. The second outfit was a Monique Lhuillier fishtail gown, which I wore at the reception. We also had two cakes.  One was colorful with delicate white henna-inspired designs & we had a great groom’s cake that showed Josh’s love of professional wrestling.

Menaka has two pieces of advice for all of you Modern Jewish & Jew-ish brides,

Let go of all stress and enjoy the day. Things will run well and most importantly, people will have a good time. Get a planner! That was the best thing I did.

Mazel Tov Menaka & Joshua

Vendor Resources: Photographer: Pepper Nix Photography//Wedding Planner: Anna Silver, Idaho Falls, ID//Venue: The Canyons Resort, Utah//Wedding Cake: Carrie’s Cakes//DJ: Craig Chamber//Floral Design: Every Blooming Thing//Caterer: The Canyons//Stationary: By Hand Invitations

Amy Atlas invented the concept of high-end Dessert Tables and Candy Bars!  Her work helped take food as art and decor to new levels of elegance, beauty, fun, and creativity!  And, I’m not just saying that!  Don’t believe me?  Check out her blog!

When I arrived she was already chatting away with the group, getting to know who was in the audience!  Other reformed lawyers, a mother of five, a little fan who was coming to see her, bakers, and other event professionals like me!  As she went through her example table, based on a chapter in her book just right for the start of summer and the upcoming 4th of July holiday, she managed to address each of us and the reason behind our interest.

Her biggest tip:  Look at everything in different ways.  You can re-theme the same table, just by changing the colors!  Use frayed edges instead of straight edges, use a charger as a serving platter!  Everything can be re-used, re-imagined and re-purposed!

We sampled two of the recipes which appeared on the table the tea and the trifle! Yummy! The easy recipes alone make the book worth while!

She didn’t just sign our books! She talked to each of us, took pictures with us and gave us all her thanks for being there. She wrote in my book that she thinks, “I’m amazing and rock!” WOW! That’s inspiration which will stay with me and I can only hope that one day I’ll be able to inspire someone else and pay it forward!

Staying true to rabbinic law, there are not traditional Jewish wedding vows.  Traditionally, the husband “acquires” his wife by giving her something of value (usually a ring) and stating the halakhic (legal) formula that formalizes the marriage.

Jewish wedding vows are customarily sealed when the groom places a ring on the bride’s finger and says:”Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the laws of Moses and Israel.”

But, as this case with many wedding ceremony traditions:  times they are a changing!  Many modern couples prefer to have a more egalitarian ceremony. Many couples address their discomfort with traditional Jewish wedding vows by holding a “double-ring ceremony,” in which the woman also gives the man a ring and speaks a traditional Jewish wedding vow or other biblical phrase during the chuppah ceremony.

Whatever you choose on your big day, one thing that won’t need any words to explain is the love between the two of you, which will be radiating throughout the ceremony and reception.

You can read more about Jewish wedding vows and other Jewish wedding traditions here.

Lauren and Levi (their too cute wedding site is here!) met through mutual friends at the Chabad of FIU. The fairy tale wedding proposal took place in a hot-air balloon ride over South Florida.

Lauren and Levi incorporated every one of the Jewish wedding traditions, including the observation of an entire week prior to the wedding of not seeing one another!  Imagine the emotion you would have on your wedding day if you hadn’t seen your fiancé for an entire week?  You can see Levi tear up at the first look of his bride as he comes from his Tish to her Kabbalat Panim!

The wedding ceremony was held in the backyard of the beautiful Chateau Dubois, an incredible private estate looking out on Biscayne Bay, surrounded by palm trees, water and marshes.  Following the ceremony the guests celebrated pool-side with the Miami skyline in the background.

Stay Forever Photography did such a great job capturing all the traditions and customs of this Modern Orthodox Jewish Wedding there’s video and still photos!  Enjoy!

Mazel tov, Lauren and Levi!

Vendor Resources: Photographer: Stay Forever Photography/Cake: Ana Paz Cakes/Videographer: Adams Creative Images/Jeweler: Leonardo Jewelers/Entertainment: Music 84 West Studios/Caterer: Executive Caterers Miami/Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist: Priscilla Loochkartt/Dress Designer: Priscilla of Boston/Shoes: J. Crew/Editorial Partner: Two Bright Lights

Modern Jewish Wedding Inspiration can come from many places.  (Have you seen our list of the Top 10 Jewish Wedding Film Inspirations?)  Today’s modern, sleek and minimalist inspiration comes from a Bat Mitzvah Reception!  The party was held at the Uber Contemporary Jewish Museum, in San Francisco thanks to Emily Takes Photos! (Who has her own fabulous photo spread on her blog too!)

The Museum building sets the tone for a trendsetting soiree right from the entrance.  At the reception, the lighting used complements the building’s features both inside and out.  There was plenty of “mod” food to go around too–capitalizing on the small bites trend–there was sushi all around!  Plus, a make your own sundae bar to end the night.

Any of these party details can be inspiration for your next event–Modern Jewish Wedding–or maybe for your Bat Mitzvah?

Vendor Credits: Photographer: Emily Takes Photos/Caterer: Betty Zlatchin Catering/Event Planner: Bain & Co/Invitation Designer: Hello!Lucky/DJ: DJ-K Productions/Lighting: Got Light?/Equipment Rentals: Blueprint Studios/Photo Booth Equipment: The Magnolia Photobooth/Specialty Foods: Slippery Fish/Venue: Contemporary Jewish Museum/Editorial Partner: Two Bright Lights

Jewish wedding invitations set the first impression with your guests!   This is the first look they have to see what can be expected:  a formal black tie affair or a backyard BBQ?

We have our our top three Jewish wedding invitations trends when it comes to thinking outside the envelope, ensuring your Jewish wedding invitations will be talked about all the way up until the wedding.

The Jewish Wedding Invitations: The E-Vite: Yes, the digital age is upon us and more importantly so are the times when becoming green is the hip, new thing to do when it comes to  Jewish wedding invitations.

The Jewish Wedding Invitations: Video Invitations: Like its predecessor, a video invitation is also an earth-friendly way to invite your guests to your Modern Jewish Wedding. Sites like www.videoinvitations.net make it easy for you to pick a template and insert your own video. Imagine the surprise on your guest’s faces when they open the envelope and watch a slideshow of you and your beloved inviting them to partake in your special day.

The Jewish Wedding Invitations:  Edible Invites: Whoever said you couldn’t have your Jewish wedding invite and eat it too?  Introducing the edible invite. Make a sweet (literally) and simple Jewish wedding invitation really stand out when you have your invitation molded onto chocolate. Guests will surely remember the taste of your wedding for years to come!  The only problem might be remembering to write down all the details before taking a bite!

Don’t be afraid to be different and take a chance when it comes to your Jewish wedding invitations. This is the time to set the tone and show your personalities!

Need help with your Jewish wedding invitations stationary?  Click Here!

Heather says, “Before I was set to photograph Annie and Pete’s rehearsal dinner at the Chappaquiddick “Chappy” Beach Club, I met up with them and took the Chappy Ferry over from Edgartown on the Vineyard to the neighboring island. After a short car ride on some winding dirt roads, we reached Annie’s family’s summer home situated on a cliff with stairs that led down to the ocean edge. The home was designed by the renowned Maryann Thompson Architects out of Cambridge. Annie’s entire family was so welcoming to me. As I began the shoot, I kept in mind the challenge of photographing an engaged couple in a beautiful setting and making sure the connection between the couple doesn’t get buried by the picturesque surroundings. With Annie and Pete, they were lovey, funny, and with enthusiasm they showed me a bit of playfulness and romance. It was quite clear how much they enjoyed the surroundings of their pristine summer retreat!”

We’ll have to make sure Heather shares their Modern Jewish Rehearsal Dinner & Wedding photos with us too!