Light Cocktail Hour
At the start, Jeremy will be in a nearby room with guests at his own reception, known as the “chatan's tisch,” or “groom’s table”. You sit around, eat, and generally make merry. The tisch is typically attended by male guests, and it is where the ketubah—the Jewish marriage contract—is signed. At the same time, Sara will be having a "kabbalat panim," where she will sit on a bench, with some extra seats for family and the wedding party. People who are mingling during the cocktail hour will line up to say hello and congratulate Sara. Feel free to hangout, tell Sara “Mazal Tov”, and grab a drink.
Conclusion of Light Cocktail Hour
Next up is the Badeken – Yiddish for “covering.” Around 45 minutes or so after the start of the cocktail hour, music will start playing, and Jeremy will walk from the tisch room to where Sara is sitting. He will be heralded by friends and family coming from the tisch room singing. Guests will move to the side to make a pathway for Jeremy and his friends as they enter the room and approach Sara. There is a traditional song (Od Yishama) played during the Badeken when Jeremy will enter the room, and the lyrics are: "Od Yishama be-arey Yehudah, u-bechutzot yerushalayim, kol sasson ve-kol simcha, kol chatan ve-kol kallah" Jeremy will approach Sara and put her veil on. This is usually an emotional part of the wedding and there may be crying in addition to the high singing energy. After this, Jeremy will be danced out of the room. Everyone will then head to the wedding hall and take a seat, because it’s time for the ceremony to start!
The Ceremony
The wedding ceremony will take place underneath the chuppah, or wedding canopy. Many people say the chuppah represents the home the bride and groom will build together after they marry, and it creates a beautiful space for the marriage ceremony to take place. The groom's side enters first. Then, the bridal party's procession begins, ending with Sara walking down the aisle with her parents. Once Sara reaches the chuppah, she will circle the groom seven times. Jeremy will then give Sara her wedding ring. This is followed by the reading of the Ketubah (a marriage contract in Aramaic), and the Sheva Brachot (seven blessings each said by a different person). The marriage ceremony will end with a song in Hebrew "Im Eshkachech Yerushalayim," which translates to "If I forget you, Jerusalem" (Psalms 137:5). This references the former glory of Jerusalem when the First Temple still stood (it was destroyed in 586 BCE). We acknowledge that without the Temple, our joy is inherently diminished. After the song concludes, the glass is broken, which is a final symbol of mourning for the destruction of the Temple. There will be joyous shouting “Mazal Tov!”, singing, and dancing at the end of the ceremony, and guests will dance the couple to the “Yichud” Room, or Seclusion Room, where Jeremy and Sara spend a few moments together to celebrate alone.
Cocktail Hour, Part 2
After the ceremony, the guests will head to the back of the room for a more formal cocktail hour with passed appetizers, while the ceremony room is turned over for the reception.
aka Dance Party
During the wedding reception, there will be more food and lots of dancing, but you can start by just finding your seat. The first set of dancing will begin, and everyone will cheer when Sara and Jeremy enter the ballroom for the first time as husband and wife. There will be Jewish music with classic circle dancing (known as the hora). Once the first dance set is over, people will return to their seats for the main course. After you eat, the second dance set will commence with pop music. Part of the way through, it will break into a "shtick” section. Jeremy and Sara will sit facing the guests, as they take turns performing silly dances, referencing inside jokes and family history, and wearing all sorts of random paraphernalia and holding up mementos and signs relevant to Jeremy and Sara. If you have things like old school uniforms, sports team shirts, or other assorted shtick, feel free to bring it! This is also a time to playfully poke fun at Sara and Jeremy. Upon the conclusion of the second dance set, we recite Birkat Hamazon, grace after the meal. At the end of Birkat Hamazon, the Sheva Brachot (7 blessings) will be given to the bride and groom by different guests. These Sheva Brachot are the same as the ones given under the chuppah. Once Birkat Hamazon is completed, we'll pass around dessert.
Looking forward to the big day!
And with that, please reach out to us if you have any questions ahead of the big day! We cannot wait to see you all very soon. Love, Sara and Jeremy