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.
Under the huppah, a heterosexual couple expressed their sadness for the inequitable status of same-sex couples
A ritual template for creating a Jewish wedding service that celebrates gender and sexual diversity
Origins of practices and the simplification of the betrothal-marriage process
An article about the ketubah, or wedding contract, which describes its history, new ketubot, egalitarian ketubot, and alternatives to the ketubah
An agreement between bride and groom to be used with a Conservative ketubah that does not include the Lieberman clause
Meant to be appended to the traditional ketubah and written in Aramaic by the late, great Rabbi Saul Lieberman, this clause requires the husband to grant a religious divorce (get) to his wife, should the marriage dissolve. This clause is usually used by Conservative Jews instead of the Orthodox pre-nuptial agreement.
An agreement signed by the bride and groom prior to the wedding which abrogates the situation of a recalcitrant husband who refuses his wife a religious divorce
Text of the standard, traditional ketubah in Aramaic and English
An example of a halakhic (sanctioned by some interpretations of Jewish law) ketubah drawing on precedent from ancient text
Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement
Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis
Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues
Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives
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