Weddings & Commitment Ceremonies

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Although you might not find “something blue” on Ritualwell, you will find much that is “borrowed,” “old,” and “new.” Jewish tradition is rich in wedding customs, and we have attempted to bring you some samples from this delightful smorgasbord. You will find pre-wedding customs such as ten’aim (engagement), during which it is customary for the mothers of the couple to break a plate, the bedecken (the veiling of the bride and modern alternatives), and the tischen (literally, “tables,” where grooms and/or brides receive blessings and enjoy other rituals immediately prior to the wedding ceremony). You will also find several complete wedding ceremonies along with a breakdown of the constituent parts and alternatives for them, various ketubot (wedding contracts), ideas for tzedakah (charity), and much more. We also explore weddings and ceremonies not envisioned by the rabbis of old—interfaith marriages and weddings and commitment ceremonies between partners of the same sex.
 

Latest Rituals

A ritual for a bride’s close circle to offer blessings, support, and grounding prior to her wedding.
“Rain clouds mass above, / so we race towards rows of stiff backed chairs…”
“May you speak each other’s names like sacred words, / and listen to each other’s truths / as if they are prayers.”
This ritual is intended for newly married couples who want to hang their ketubah in their home.
This ritual is intended for engaged couples on the occasion of receiving their ketubah in the mail or seeing it finished for the first time. 
“Blessed is the Abundance of Love that envelops this couple and those who rejoice with them.”
Three songsheets to use for a tisch- for weddings or other occasions.
A beautiful wedding day prayer from parent to child.
This ritual reinvents the Breaking of the Glass and turns it into a physical moment using breath and soil.

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