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.
Liturgy of the sheva brakhot adapted for a lesbian wedding or two people identified as female
Language for ring exchange that recognizes ever-evolving laws of Moses
Revamping the traditional betrothal blessing to move away from the language of forbidden relationships
Honoring seven role models by asking for their blessing
A new version of erusin focusing on the vulnerability of intimacy and the holiness of committed relationships
Seven blessings to offer at a wedding loosely based on the traditional sheva brakhot
A ritual meant for a couple to really see each other, as if for the first time, on their wedding day
A Jewish version of renewing vows to celebrate an anniversary or life change or to re-commit after a particular trying time or marital crisis
A contemporary tisch focused on bringing grateful awareness to the wedding day
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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