| Jewish weddings are joyous, often elaborate, | | | | location will generally be a place of great |
| events filled with great tradition, ceremony and | | | | importance to the bride and groom. |
| ritual. However, the Jewish rabbis who wrote the | | | | Despite all of these potential differences, there |
| Jewish law made it very simple for a Jewish man | | | | are certain aspects of the order of wedding |
| and a Jewish woman to wed. Much of the | | | | ceremony that are very common. For instance, in |
| ceremonial splendor that we associate with the | | | | a Jewish wedding, the procession involves both |
| Jewish wedding, developed as a reflection of the | | | | the bride and groom walking the aisle |
| heritage of the Jews to whom the practices | | | | accompanied by their parents. When the wedding |
| belong. Jewish naming customs and ritual such as | | | | is traditional, the Jewish rabbi leads the procession. |
| Jewish baby naming ceremony has developed | | | | Then the grandparents, groomsmen, ring bearer, |
| similarly. | | | | groom and his parents, bridesmaids, flower girl. |
| Jewish wedding customs are as diverse as the | | | | The bride then makes her grand entrance, |
| heritage and histories of the people who celebrate | | | | accompanied by her parents. The bride is |
| them. American Jews, for instance, have | | | | considered a Queen on her wedding day according |
| developed marriage customs that their European | | | | to Jewish wedding historical references. Her |
| brethren do not celebrate. Ashkenazi Jews, who | | | | entrance marks the end of the procession. |
| are Jews of German and Eastern European | | | | When the bride and her parents reach the middle |
| descent, have different wedding traditions than | | | | of the aisle, the groom walks from the Chuppah |
| the Sephardi Jews, who originated in the Iberian | | | | to meet his bride and escort her to the Chuppah, |
| Peninsula. | | | | to enter their new home together. The chuppah, |
| Likewise, differing customs arise out of the | | | | a canopy on four poles, is where the ceremony |
| various branches of Judaism. Reform Jews are | | | | takes place. This tradition originates with the |
| more apt to relax the religious traditions that all | | | | wedding of Abraham and Sarah in the Bible. The |
| Jews once regarded as strict. This has allowed | | | | chuppah is meant to symbolize the home that the |
| modern Jewish couples to be involved in designing | | | | groom and the bride will be creating together and |
| their wedding ceremony and add their own | | | | that their home will always be open to guests. |
| personal refinements. Of course this does all | | | | The Jewish wedding Ketubah is the contract that |
| depend on the Rabbi that couple is working with | | | | the couple is making between each other. |
| to officiate their Jewish wedding ceremony. Each | | | | Standing under the chuppah, the Jewish rabbi |
| Rabbi offers their own style, and of course using | | | | reads it after the ring ceremony. It is common |
| the importance of the rituals and customs that | | | | for couples to frame the ketubah and display it |
| make the ceremony what it's been known to be. | | | | prominently in their home. |
| Traditionally, a Jewish wedding officiant, such as a | | | | The breaking of the glass is one of the most |
| Jewish rabbi, performs the ceremony in a | | | | iconic and common Jewish wedding traditions. This |
| synagogue or temple. However, it is the Chuppah, | | | | is where the groom will crush a glass beneath his |
| the wedding canopy that creates the sacred | | | | foot. After the groom breaks the glass, everyone |
| space and it can be raised anywhere outside the | | | | applauds and exclaims "Mazel Tov", meaning good |
| temple or synagogue walls. The couple will often | | | | luck. |
| use the same site for their reception and the | | | | |