The Wedding
Kabbalat Panim
Literally means "receiving of the faces"
This is essentially the cocktail hour before the ceremony. During this time you will be able to greet the bride and groom. In jewish tradition the couple is perceived to possess a higher holiness on that day. Specifically when greeting the bride she might offer a blessing in return. At the end of the Kabbalat Panim the Ketubah, a Jewish wedding contract is signed by the bride and groom and two witnesses. This contract is read allowed during the wedding ceremony.
The Huppah
The wedding canopy
The wedding ceremony takes place under the huppah, a open sided canopy symbolizing the new home the couple are forming together. The "home" is open on all sides to reminiscent of the hospitality of Abraham and it is without furniture to show that the home is not made up of things, but rather the people in it. Sheva Brachot: seven blessings offered at a wedding ceremony will be said by family and friends. Rings: are exchanged under the huppah made of solid precious metal symbolic of complete nature of their union Breaking the glass: the ceremony ends with breaking a glass symbolic of the brokenness still in the world even at this happiest of moments and the fragility of relationships Yihud: after the ceremony the bride and groom take a few moments alone to reflect before joining the fun!
Let's Celebrate
Let the party begin...
This tradition is universal! The rest of the night is spent dancing, eating and drinking. There will be a mix of music from both cultures.