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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

The seven blessings of the wedding ceremony with original additions

concord grapes on the vine

An original song based on Song of Songs composed for a lesbian wedding

A couple holding hands during an outdoor wedding ceremony with bridesmaids and a scenic backdrop.

An original song based on lyrics from Song of Songs celebrating female same-sex love

a lesbian couple kisses

Original song based on Pslams for a baby girl blessing, bat mitzvah, or wedding

A person with a backpack stands on river rocks, surrounded by a lush forest.

Alternative mikveh ritual before a wedding

upscale bathroom with large ceramic tub and fern

Seven Jewish traditions performed before a wedding

jewish traditions before a wedding video from bimbam

A couple discusses the rituals they created and reinterpreted at their wedding ceremony

miriam and babak wedding rituals

Breaking the glass at a Jewish wedding is reinterpreted through a personal and kabbalistic lens

a new take on breaking the glass

A partner in a same-sex couple describes how and why they chose to use traditional language for their wedding ceremony

screen shot from margee interview about same sex marriage

As part of BimBam’s (formerly G-dcast) Jewish lifecycles series, a groom describes incorporating multiple ketubah traditions at his wedding

a ketubah for everyone

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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