Jewish Wedding in Tuscany

Jewish weddings Traditions

One week before the wedding the bride and groom, the chosson and kallah, stop seeing each other, in order to enhance the joy of their wedding through their separation. At the reception itself, the first thing usually done is the completion, signing and witnessing of the ketuvah, or marriage contract which is written in Aramaic. The signing of the ketuvah, is usually accompanied by some light snacks and some hard liquor. The following step is bedekin, or "veiling." The groom brings down the veil over the bride's face, remin The covering of the face symbolizes the modesty, dignity and chastity which characterizes the virtue of Jewish womanhood. iscent of Rebeccah's covering her face with her veil upon seeing Isaac before marriage.

Please take note that Episcopal and Anglican weddings have no legal value. If you wish to have a wedding certificate to be registered in your country, a civil ceremony must be held separately.

The ceremony is held outside, under the chuppah, or "canopy." The chuppah is a decorated piece of cloth held aloft as a symbolic home for the new couple. The bride arrives to the chuppah with her parents and circles the groom seven times symbolizing that she will protect him for the rest of his life. After the words of the Rabbi, the bride and groom then drink from the wine. After the exchange of the rings the sheva brachos, or seven blessings, are recited over wine, since wine is symbolic of life.

At the conclusion of the blessings, after the couple drinks from the second cup, the groom breaks the glass with his right foot, as an additional remembrance of the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Now the couple are married and are allowed to go to the cheder yichud, "the room of privacy". They may now be alone in a closed room together, an intimacy reserved only for a married couple. They eat and drink while the guests begin the reception waiting for the married couple. The meal ends with the Birchas Hamazon, Grace After Meals, and again the seven blessings are recited over wine, shared afterwards by the bride and groom.