Under the chuppah, a Jewish wedding ceremony follows a set order: the couple are brought in, sometimes with the bride circling the groom; the betrothal blessings and the giving of the ring take place; the ketubah is read; the seven blessings (sheva brachot) are recited; and the ceremony closes with the breaking of a glass, after which guests call out mazel tov.
The processional and the circling
The couple are brought to the chuppah, traditionally accompanied by their parents rather than given away by them – a distinction that matters to many families.
In many ceremonies the bride then circles the groom, usually seven times, sometimes three, and in egalitarian ceremonies the couple circle each other. Seven echoes the seven days of creation and the seven blessings still to come; the circle itself is read as the creation of a new family boundary around the two of them.
Kiddushin – the betrothal
A blessing is recited over wine and the couple drink. The ring is then given – traditionally a plain unbroken band, without stones, so that its value is not in question and its form is a continuous circle.
The words spoken as the ring is given are the legal heart of the ceremony. Everything before it is preparation and everything after it is celebration.
The ketubah
The ketubah – the marriage contract – is read aloud, often in the original Aramaic and then in translation. It sets out the obligations the partners take on toward each other.
Many couples commission an illuminated ketubah and frame it afterwards. Under a chuppah it is usually read from a stand to one side, which is worth planning for when you are laying out the ceremonial area.
Sheva brachot – the seven blessings
Seven blessings are recited over a second cup of wine, moving outward from creation itself to the joy of this particular couple. It is common to honour seven different family members or friends by having each recite one.
This is the part of the ceremony most guests remember, because it involves the most people. If you are honouring seven readers, tell your PA supplier – seven people speaking in turn under a canopy in a large room is exactly where ceremony audio earns its keep.
Breaking the glass
The ceremony ends with a glass placed under a cloth and broken underfoot.
The usual explanation is remembrance: even at the height of joy, the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem is recalled, and joy is never quite complete. Other readings offered are the irreversibility of the moment, and the fragility of relationships and the care they need.
Guests call mazel tov the instant it breaks. Practically: use a wrapped glass supplied for the purpose, not a wine glass from the table, and make sure the officiant knows where the cloth is before the ceremony starts.
Yichud
Immediately after the ceremony, the couple spend a short period alone together – yichud, seclusion. Historically it completed the marriage; today it is often the only ten minutes of the day the couple get to themselves.
Every couple who has taken it has told us afterwards that it was the best part of the day. Build it into your timeline.