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Weddings & Commitment Ceremonies

Bride and groom smiling at each other during an outdoor wedding ceremony, with an officiant in the background.

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 couple stands facing each other at an outdoor wedding ceremony near a river, with an officiant in colorful attire.

“We are thankful for all that is good in this world”

bride and groom at wedding
A poem acknowledging we each have divine gifts.
Silhouetted wildflowers against a mountain backdrop during a sunset.

Traditional blessings for mikveh immersion

A woman in a white shirt floats calmly on water, with her eyes closed and hair submerged.

Original tenaim document created for an American-Israeli couple, acknowledging both cultures

holding hands

Kiddush: Humanist liturgy

Person holding a colorful painted cup, wearing a black shirt with curly hair visible in the background.

Learn about the ketubah, the Jewish marriage contract

ketubah-godcast

The Reconstructionist Network

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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The Reconstructionist Network