We are getting married in the winter so we want you to be comfortable and warm! The tradition would be to dress modestly for the wedding and it is a formal event. For ladies, if you want to wear a long dress with long sleeves, that's great! But if not, we just ask that your shoulders be covered please. For gentlemen, we would love if you would wear a suit with tie and ask to avoid "street clothes." Yarmulkes will be provided.
Seating will be mixed for the ceremony and reception. We will be having the first set of dancing separated, men and women on either side, followed by mixed dancing later in the evening. If you need advice or have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to the bride and groom.
The chuppah is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Jewish wedding, a ritual that originated in the Torah. The Chuppah rests on four poles, yet has no walls, reflecting the idea that family and friends will always be welcome in their home. The chuppah represents the new home the couple will build together. The marriage ceremony is performed under the chuppah.
The Ketubah is a marriage contract, required by Jewish law, attesting to the commitments and obligations Jamie and Justin make to each other as a married couple. It is one of the oldest elements of Jewish weddings, dating back over two thousand years.
Kallah is the Hebrew word for Bride and Chatan is the Hebrew word for Groom.
When Jamie and Justin first enter the chuppah, Jamie will walk in a circle around Justin seven times. The seven circles are an old custom that symbolize the seven wedding blessings and correspond both to the seven verses of the Torah that begin with “when a man takes a wife,” as well as the seven times the word kallah, bride, is mentioned in Song of Songs. When it came time to conquer the city of Jericho, the Jewish people circled the walls of the city seven times until the walls miraculously sank into the ground. Mirroring this, the bride circles the groom seven times to bring down any walls that may separate them. Seven is also the number of days of creation. The circling acts as a creation of a new family circle and a special space that the couple will share only with each other.
The ceremony begins with the rabbi reciting birkat erusin, the betrothal blessings, over a cup of wine. The groom and bride share a sip of wine, symbolizing the joy and celebration of the day.
The wedding ring is a gift that the groom gives his bride to make the marriage binding. The ring is solid metal, free of engravings, breaks, or stones. The continuous circle of the ring represents the underlying unity and harmony of marriage, which has no end. Justin will place the ring on Jamie’s forefinger stemming from an ancient belief that the forefinger is directly connected to the heart. The ring was originally Jamie's late father's wedding band.
During the wedding ceremony and reception, the Sheva Brachot will be recited. The Sheva Brachot, or Seven Blessings, are meant to express requests for blessings for the newlywed couple. The first blessing is the blessing on wine, and the remaining six are marriage-themed blessings.
At the conclusion of the wedding ceremony, a glass is wrapped well, and placed beneath the right foot of the groom. The groom stomps and shatters the glass; customarily to the crowd's jubilant shouts of "Mazel Tov!" There are many interpretations for why this custom occurs. The bride's favorite is that the breaking of the glass is a metaphor for the finality of the bond that has been established. Just as a broken glass can never be reconstructed, so, too, we pray that this relationship will last forever.
In addition to the wedding cake, we will be serving a Ceremonial Challah. It is a giant challah.