Jewish weddings, like most religious weddings are a time when traditional rituals and family combine to make a magical day.
Jewish weddings can take place anywhere there is a licensed venue for civil weddings but often it is in a synagogue. Marriages can take place on any day except the sabbath and on holy days such as the Day of Atonement or Jewish New Year. The sabbath is from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday (this obviously means that in winter months times may vary and sometimes ceremonies are held on the Saturday evening though Sunday is the most popular day for Jewish Weddings). For some, particularly Orthodox Jews, there is a tendancy to avoid the period between the festivals of Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot which is known as the Omer and is a reflective time in the Jewish calendar.
As with all religious ceremonies it is important you speak with the officials concerned, usually the Rabbi, and check with the Registrar for the district in which you wish to be married. A couple can be married by someone who is not a rabbi but usually one will be in attendance.
Sometimes a couple may wish to fast on the day of the wedding, following the tradition of Yom Kippur - the Day Of Atonement - to wash away their sins in effect, before their marriage.
The signing of the register (Ketubah) in front of four witnesses is the beginning of the ceremony. During this, the man may sign an agreement saying that they will not contest a Get (Jewish divorce) in the event of the couple separating. This is important for the bride as if the marriage fails and the husband refuse to give a Get, they are unable to remarry.This is accompanied by a ceremony known as Bedecken (veiling), in which the bridegroom places the veil over the bride's face.
Usually the bride is last in, accompanied by her father, and on reaching the Chupa will walk round the bridegroom several times - this number varies. Some brides walk around only once while more Orthodox brides walk round seven times.
Most couples opt for traditional Jewish music to be played during the entrance of the bride and after the service but there are no hard and fast rules.
The bride and groom drink the first of the seven cups of wine as the ceremony procedes and many prayers are said. The ring (provided by the Best Man) has to belong to the groom i.e. it cannot be borrowed and must be plain without any stones or decoration.
The Rabbi, will make a speech about the couple and bless them as they begin their new life together. The service also features a prayer, usually sung by a cantor and the ceremony ends with the breaking of a glass by the groom.
Afterwards the couple may spend sometime by themselves in a specially allocated room before they greet their guests formally. Then as with most weddings there is an opportunity to celebrate the couple at a reception at a different venue.
