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Nishima Kaplan's Fine Art for the Jewish Wedding. A Ketubah as Unique as your Love.

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THE INTERFAITH WEDDING CEREMONY

 

WALKING DOWN THE AISLE

In Jewish weddings, the parents of the bride and groom walk their child down the aisle. You might keep this tradition or mix it up, with the groom walking down the aisle with his parents and then the bride walking down with her father, as is traditional in Christian weddings. This is often the most emotional and beautiful part of the wedding for the parents, their soon-to-be-married children, and the wedding guests. The parents are not only accompanying you to the chuppah or to the altar, they are symbolically "letting go" of their child. (Make sure that the father of the bride is carrying a handkerchief.)

In some Jewish weddings, the bride circles the groom seven times when she reaches the chuppah. This tradition is thought to be a symbol of the seven blessings of the wedding ceremony or a good luck ritual. The groom can update this tradition by circling his bride.

 

EXCHANGING RINGS

Traditionally, only the bride received a ring during the Jewish wedding ceremony. However, today even Orthodox rabbis allow the bride to give the groom a wedding ring during the ceremony. According to tradition, the bride's ring should be a band of unadorned metal that the groom places on the index finger of the bride’s right hand.

 

VOWS

The traditional Jewish wedding ceremony does not include an exchange of vows. However, many rabbis are happy to have the bride and groom exchange personal vows. Vows from your other tradition can also fit easily into the ceremony.

In place of vows, the groom in a Jewish ceremony says a phrase in Hebrew that means "you are betrothed unto me with this ring according to the laws of Moses and Israel" when he places the ring on the bride’s finger. The rabbi usually whispers the phrase to the groom in case he forgets his lines. The bride can repeat the same phrase back to the groom, or she might say a line in Hebrew from the Biblical Song of Songs which means "I am my beloved and my beloved is mine".

 

CONCLUDING THE CEREMONY

Breaking the glass

The Talmud (book of Jewish law) states that a precious glass was broken at a wedding feast in order to teach that "in place of great joy there must also be trembling."

"The glass is smashed; never again will it be whole. The glass is broken; never again will The Bride and The Groom be alone. "

The Jewish marriage ceremony concludes with the groom smashing a glass under his foot. Everyone sings or shouts "Mazal Tov" (Good Luck!) as the bride and groom exit. The bride can also break the glass at the same time.

A Moment of seclusion

After the ceremony, the bride and groom spend a few minutes alone in a room together and perhaps have a bite to eat. This tradition is called "yihud", and it derives from the old days when a man and woman could not be alone in a room together unless they were married. Nowadays, the yihud is a nice way to spend a few minutes relaxing with your new husband or bride before you go into the reception and start shmoozing with all your guests.

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