What Happens at a Jewish Wedding?

What happens at a Jewish wedding?

A Jewish wedding is a celebration of love. It’s an opportunity for family and friends to gather together to support the couple as they start their lives together. While the wedding ceremony itself is relatively short, the Jewish wedding day is filled with plenty of activities. There are pre-ceremony rituals, like a groom getting ready with his friends and family, or a bride getting ready with her girlfriends. There are rituals during the ceremony itself, like exchanging rings or breaking a glass. And then there are post-ceremony rituals like breaking the chairs or taking the couple on a short trip as newlyweds. A typical Jewish wedding day goes from early morning to very late in the evening. So, if you’re invited to a Jewish wedding, expect to be there for most of the day!

Where and when does the wedding take place?

A Jewish wedding takes place in two stages. First, there’s a ceremony and reception at the bride’s home, then there’s a second ceremony and reception at the groom’s home. This is usually referred to as a “split” wedding. When a couple gets married, it’s customary for the bride to move into the groom’s home after the wedding (or, in some cases, for the couple to buy their own home). A bride’s house is usually the first place for a Jewish wedding because it’s less disruptive to host the wedding at a location that’s already set up as a home. The bride’s home is where guests will go before the ceremony and where they’ll return to after the groom’s house ceremony.

Who’s in the bride’s party and who’s in the groom’s party?

The bride’s party and the groom’s party are both made up of people who help the bride and groom with wedding-related activities. The people in each party have different responsibilities. The bride’s party includes her attendants and her parents (or whoever is hosting the wedding). The groom’s party usually includes the groom, his attendants, and his parents. The bride’s attendants help her get ready for the wedding day, as well as generally attend to her throughout the wedding day. They also help her break the chairs at the end of the reception. The groom’s attendants help him get ready for the wedding day, as well as generally attend to him throughout the wedding day. They also help him break the chairs at the end of the reception.

The Kabbalat Shabbat (reception)

The first part of a Jewish wedding is the Kabbalat Shabbat, or reception. Traditionally, this takes place at the bride’s house, but it can also take place at a reception hall. The Kabbalat Shabbat is a time of celebration. Guests enjoy the bride’s hospitality, enjoy a meal together, and often dance together. The Kabbalat Shabbat ends when the groom arrives at the bride’s house.

The Bride Becomes Chayah or Chassan

As guests are arriving at the bride’s house for the Kabbalat Shabbat, the bride is preparing to be “chayah” or “chassan.” Chayah is Hebrew for “chipped,” which refers to the bride breaking a plate. Chassan is Hebrew for “sitter,” which refers to the groom sitting in a special chair. Chayah is a ritual that breaks the bride’s connection to her parents and signifies her new, independent life with her new spouse. It also signifies her partnership with her new spouse. Chassan is a ritual that breaks the bride’s connection to her family and signifies her partnership with her new spouse. It also signifies her new responsibilities.

Marrying with a ring

Ring traditions are common at Jewish weddings. The groom places a ring on the bride’s finger as a sign of his love for her and their partnership. The ring is a symbol of the vow to “love, honor, and cherish” each other as husband and wife. During the ceremony, the rabbi may ask the bride and groom to “take” or “receive” each other. This is a way of asking the bride and groom to exchange rings without making it about the rings themselves.

A Jewish Wedding is More Than Just a Ceremony

Weddings are often known as “two ceremonies and a reception.” That’s because, aside from the actual ceremony, there are also two receptions: The first is hosted by the bride’s family and the second is hosted by the groom’s family. The first reception is meant to be a small, intimate meal with only family and close friends. The second reception is meant to be a bigger event with more people.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, there’s more to a Jewish wedding than meets the eye. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly. There are pre-wedding rituals, like the groom getting ready with his friends and family and the bride getting ready with her girlfriends. There are rituals during the ceremony itself, like exchanging rings or breaking a glass. And then there are post-ceremony rituals, like breaking the chairs or taking the couple on a trip as newlyweds. There’s a lot to take in, but for guests, it’s all about enjoying a celebration of love. Now that you know what happens at a Jewish wedding, you can enjoy it even more!