Jewish Wedding Details
Smorgasbord - "shmorg"
Our version of the cocktail hour! Stations with food.
Tisch
Singing and celebrating (not to be confused with Eliana's residency at NYU Tisch :-D ) During the cocktail hour preceding the ceremony, Dan will be in a different room having a tisch (Yiddish for table) where people can gather for singing, teaching, and reflection. This will be open to everyone!
Bedeken
The "Checking" or veiling of the bride. The Bedeken symbolizes that the groom is checking that he is marrying the right bride (especially important since Eliana is a twin!). The tradition is based on the biblical story of Jacob, who married Leah instead of her sister Rachel, because Leah was wearing the bridal veil covering her face. Eliana will be seated next to the women of the families in the smorgasbord room. At the end of the smorgasbord, Dan will be danced from the tisch, alongside our family and friends, towards Eliana. Dan will check that it is Eliana and then place her veil over her head, which will stay on until the ceremony.
Ketubah
The Marriage Contract We (along with some honored witnesses) will sign the ketubah, the traditional marriage contract that outlines our obligations and commitments to one another.
Chuppah
The Wedding Ceremony. The chuppah (wedding canopy) itself symbolizes the home that we will build together. The Chuppah is open on all sides to represent the idea that friends and family will always be welcome in our home. Under the chuppah (wedding canopy), Dan will give Eliana a wedding ring as a symbol of our commitment to one another. As with the ketubah (wedding contract), we will be incorporating traditional aspects of the ritual while emphasizing the role we each have in this ceremony.
Dinner & Dancing
Party Time! After the chuppah, it's time to party! We will be danced to the bridal suite and have a few private moments together ("Yichud") before joining everyone for a meal and dancing. There will first be some jewish music/dancing, and then american music/dancing. There are no rules or restrictions so everyone should feel welcome to be part of every aspect!