Common Jewish Wedding Terms:
- Chattan - groom
- Kallah - bride
- Kabbalat Panim - reception
- Chattan’s Tisch - celebration with the groom and male guests around a table
- Bedeken - veiling of the bride
- Chuppah - marriage canopy
- Kiddushin - betrothal, groom giving ring to the bride
- Ketubah - Jewish marriage contract
- Yichud - union, when the bride and groom spend their first time alone together as husband and wife
- Sheva Brachot - seven blessings recited as a part of the wedding celebrations
Dress Code
The dress code at our wedding is formal wear/cocktail attire. Typically, men wear suits and women wear modest dresses.
Kabbalat Panim
Jewish Orthodox weddings start with a kabbalat panim, a pre-ceremony reception. The men and women will hold separate receptions. In our venue, they will be on opposite ends of the lobby. The groom will be sitting with his male friends, guests, and relatives at the chattan’s tisch, where he will sign the ketubah (marriage contract) along with two witnesses. The bride will sit on a throne and greet her guests. Hors d'oeuvres, food stations, and cocktails will be served.
There is a Jewish wedding tradition for the mothers of the chattan and the kallah to break a plate during the kabbalat panim. The reason for this Jewish marriage custom is to show the seriousness of the commitment of the parties. Just like a broken plate can't be fully repaired, a broken relationship can't be fully repaired.
Bedeken
The bedeken, or the veiling of the bride, occurs at the end of the kabbalat panim, right before the ceremony. This custom is based on the story of Jacob in the Torah, when he accidentally marries the bride’s sister, Leah, because she is hidden under her veil. The bride sits in a chair at the front of the room, and the groom, surrounded by his friends and relatives, dances to the bride and covers her with a veil. This is also a symbol that he is marrying the bride for her inner beauty as well as her outer beauty.
Wedding Ceremony (Chuppah)
The ceremony takes place beneath the chuppah, an arch made of birch, flowers, or metal. The ceremony itself is sometimes referred to as the chuppah as well. Traditionally, the purpose of the chuppah is for the groom to give and the bride to accept the simple wedding band.
Once the bride has joined the groom under the chuppah, she will walk around him in a circle seven times. Then the officiating rabbi will greet the guests and make a blessing on wine. The groom will then give the bride the simple wedding band, which has been purchased with his own money and is given as a gift to her. This is a sign that she is accepting his marriage proposal.
Following the giving of the ring, the ketubah is read and seven blessings (sheva brachot) will be recited. Afterwards, the groom will break the wedding glass.
After the Ceremony
Immediately following the chuppah, the bride and groom will be taken into a room together to be alone for the first time as husband and wife (yichud). Finally, the reception will commence, which is a time for the guests to celebrate with the bride and groom, eat dinner, and dance.
(Adapted from the following sources: shemtovphotography, jewishgiftpalace).