MAZEL TOV! THE JEWISH WEDDING – THE WEDDING PLANNER TIPS
The perfect recipe of a wedding needs some basic ingredients like love, trust and strength but everyone can add his favorite ingredient and personalize the recipe!
An example of a special wedding’s recipe it’s the Jewish ceremony.
Are you curious to know its ingredient?
Well, let’s start from the basis
1. The KETUBAH SIGNING
The groom agrees the terms of this marriage contract that outlines his responsibilities to his bride. The Ketubah dictate the obligations he will provide in the marriage like food, clothing and protection. It’s not a religious document but it’s part of Jewish civil law; traditionally is signed by the spouses in the presence of two witnesses before the ceremony and then is read to the guests during the celebration.
2. The RINGS EXCHANGE
It represents the exchange of something of value. The groom offers to the bride a ring and recites the declaration: “Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the law of Moses and Israel.” and then put the ring on the bride’s right index finger.
3. The SEVEN BLESSING
Each one thanks God in a different way and they focus on joy, celebration and love. Usually the Blessing are read to family members or friends. The ritual end with the wish, for the couple, to feel joyful together.
But so many variations of the recipe are possible! Every couple can add something to make special his wedding!
Other possible ingredients are:
BEDEKEN, known as “veiling ceremony”, here the groom looks his bride and then veils her face, it means that his love is for her inner beauty, which she will never lose, and not for her external beauty which fades in time.
A CHUPPAH held up by family members. This altar, where couple exchanges their own vows, is a wedding canopy which represents the new home they are building together.
The CRICLING RITUAL, the bride circles around the groom three or seven times, to create symbolically a new family circle or to draw a barrier for temptations, evil spirits or another women’s glimpse. Currently, brides and grooms can circle each other or together to represent their independence.
SMASHING A GLASS, when ceremony it’s ending the groom must step on a glass inside a cloth bag to shatter it. The origin of this ritual is unknown, but it holds different meanings like the representation of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem or it wants to demonstrate that joy must always be tempered.
Each tradition celebrates the power of love so, all we can do now is yell a big
MAZEL TOV!
