Jewish Wedding Traditions

Jewish wedding traditions date back to the first chapter of the Bible when in Genesis God creates Adam and subsequently Eve from Adam’s rib. Many of the Jewish wedding traditions follow that of the first meeting between Isaac and Rebekah. Theirs was a meeting of two beloved as set up by a matchmaker before the two ever met. There is much symbolism in Jewish weddings to represent love, divinity and the suffering that is gone through by the destruction of the Temple. If you wish to have a Jewish wedding steeped in tradition it would serve you well to go talk to your local Rabbi and learn about Jewish wedding culture.

As with any wedding a Jewish wedding tradition is that of the ceremony. A bride will go to her new husband and be veiled. This is reminiscent of when Rebekah first saw Isaac after they were brought together and she veiled herself. The then couple will stand under the chupa for the duration of the ceremony. The chupa is a stretched Tallit or prayer shawl that the bride and groom stand underneath. This is a Jewish wedding tradition signifying the bride and groom coming into a new house together under God. There should not be any barrier between the chupa and the sky. Often if you are marrying in a Temple then there will be a skylight over the chupa to keep the path to God.

It is a ritual in Jewish wedding tradition for a man to place a ring on his bride and declaring her consecrated to him. She then makes no formal vow during the Jewish wedding ceremony but simply accepts the ring and closes her hand. The ceremony then continues to the bride and groom drinking wine and the groom smashing the goblet representing that we are always rebuilding faith to be closer to God. If you want to know more about Jewish wedding traditional laws you should talk to your Rabbi about the Ketubah, or the rights of the wife and husband.

At a Jewish wedding traditional ceremony you will see the bride and groom dance the Hora. This is a Jewish wedding tradition where the bride and groom dance to a lively song holding opposite ends of a handkerchief while being lifted in chairs by their wedding guests. If you incorporate these customs into your Jewish wedding traditions it is without a doubt you will be blessed and have the best wedding gift of all: joy.