The Jewish Wedding Ceremony

Two weeks before the Orthodox wedding, the groom must obtain a Ketubah from the Chief Rabbi's office. Written in English and Aramaic, this is the Jewish marriage certificate. By Jewish rule, the groom must accept certain responsibilities for the maintenance of his bride and these responsibilities are spelt out in detail in the Ketubah. His principal obligations are to provide food, clothing and shelter for his wife and be attentive to her needs. The document also stipulates the minimum settlement to be received by his wife in the event of the marriage being dissolved.

It is customary for the bride and groom not to see each other for a week preceding the wedding, and they usually fast on the wedding day until after the ceremony.

The groom is always expected to arrive at the ceremony first. He sits in a place of honour, with his father, future father-in-law and best man.

When the bride arrives, the groom is escorted under a chuppah (the wedding canopy, which symbolises the creation of the couple's new home) and the best man stands behind and to his left, ready to hand over the ring.

The bride can be brought in either by her father and mother, or by her mother and the groom's mother, followed by bridesmaids and other relatives. Before the bride comes under the chuppah the groom is formally requested by the Minister to approve the appointment of two witnesses who sign the ketubah. The bride stands under the chuppah at the groom's right.

The ceremony itself lasts 20-30 minutes, and consists of the kiddushin and the nisuin.

For the kiddushin, the bride approaches and circles the groom. Two blessings are recited over wine: one the standard blessing over wine and the other regarding the commandments related to marriage. The man then places the ring on woman's finger and says:

"Be sanctified (mekudeshet) to me with this ring in accordance with the law of Moses and Israel."

After the kiddushin is complete, the ketubah is read aloud. The nisuin then proceeds.

The bride and groom stand beneath the chuppah, and recite the Seven Blessings of Marriage over a cup of wine. The couple then drink the wine from separate cups. The groom smashes a glass with his right foot, to symbolize the destruction of the Temple.

The ceremony concludes by the Minister pronouncing the blessing of the Priests found in the Bible, in the heartfelt wish that its words of blessing, protection, grace and peace be fulfilled for bride and groom.

The couple sign the civil marriage documents, and the group leave the synagogue in procession with their attendants. After the ceremony, the couple retire to a private room - denoting their newly-acquired status as husband and wife, entitled to live together under the same roof.

Having (in most cases) been fasting since dawn on the day of their wedding, they will now break their fast and have their first meal together as husband and wife.

This is usually a very festive meal, which is followed by a repetition of the sheva brakhos. Exuberant music and dancing traditionally accompany the ceremony and the reception. At Orthodox wedding receptions, the men dance around in a big circle between courses, holding handkerchiefs so that they do not touch one another. The bride and groom are carried on chairs around the room.