C&S Destination Weddings and Events / Rikki and Company

Welcome to

C&S Destination Weddings
and Events

A Jewish wedding is full of meaningful rituals, symbolizing the beauty of the relationship of husband and wife,
as well as their obligations to each other and to the Jewish people. These traditions are full of joy and beauty.

The dawning wedding day heralds the happiest and holiest day of one's life. This day is considered a personal
Yom Kippur for the chatan (Hebrew for groom) and kallah (bride), for on this day all their past mistakes are
forgiven as they merge into a new, complete soul.

As on Yom Kippur, both the chatan and kallah fast from dawn until after the completion of the marriage.
Jewish law enjoins the entire community to bring joy and happiness to both the Kallah (bride) and Chatan
(groom).

Most of the laws and customs relating to the wedding ceremony, its preparations and Seudas Mitzvah (festive
reception meal) date back to the Patriarchs and the giving of the Torah at Sinai.

There are some who are somewhat unfamiliar with the procedures, laws and customs of what takes place at a
traditional Jewish wedding. C&S Destination Weddings and Events knows the laws and customs of the
traditional Chassidic wedding, therefore offering you the very best in service and knowledge for such a
meaningful and holy day event.

Two sisters may have their weddings in the same week, but not on the same day.
rejoicing following the wedding, they should always be escorted by another person.

The wedding ring should be gold and smooth, with no engraving on it; (even on the
inside).

The groom should not have money, silver articles, gold, precious stones, etc. in his
pockets at the time of marriage.

If the wedding takes place before sunset, the groom and bride do not have to
complete their fast.

After the Wedding, in contrast to a non-Jewish custom, in which the bride and
groom take off to some exotic honeymoon location, Jewish custom dictates that
the couple begin their new life together in their community.

The chuppah is supported by four poles in stanchions, but could be
held by four men during the ceremony, as frequently done in
Sepharic tradition. The chuppah seems to have been derived from
the canopied litter which in ancient time was occupied by the bride
during the procession.

The breaking of the glass also has sexual connotations. It is a symbolic
enactment of breaking the hymen, which explains why it is considered important
that the groom "accomplish" the task.

After the glass is broken, the guests shout "Mazel Tov," clap their hands,
and sing as the couple departs. (The shattered glass may then be kept as a
keepsake in a velvet pouch.) The bride and bridegroom will kiss immediately
after being declared "man and wife" and then run up the aisle to the reception.

Jewish Wedding Traditions

As The Day Begins

The Badeken, is the veiling of the kallah by the chatan. The veil symbolizes
the idea of modesty and conveys the lesson that however attractive physical
appearances may be, the soul and character are paramount.

The traditional day begins with fasting of the bride and groom. The bride and
groom prepare for the most important elements of the ceremonial experience.

The Badeken

The Chassidic Tradition:

This tradition is displayed by the mother of the bride and the mother of the
groom to stand together and break a plate. The reason is to show the seriousness
of the commitment--- just as a plate can never be fully repaired, so too a broken

Breaking of the Plate

Since an unmarried person is considered half a person,
the wedding day is seen to be the beginning of a new
life as a complete soul for both the bride (Kallah) and
groom (Choson).

The wedding ceremony takes place under the chuppah (canopy), a symbol
of the home that the new couple will build together.

The Chuppah

The Ashkenazi custom is to have the chuppah ceremony outside under
the stars, as a sign of the blessing given by God to the patriarch
Abraham, that his children shall be "as the stars of the heavens.

Two cups of wine are used in the wedding ceremony. Wine, a symbol of joy in Jewish tradition, is
associated with Kiddush, the sanctification prayer. Marriage, called Kiddushin, is the sanctification of a
man and woman to each other.

Blessings of Betrothal

Giving of the Ring

In Jewish law, a marriage becomes official when the chatan gives an ring
should be made of plain gold, without blemishes or ornamentation -- just
as it is hoped that the marriage will be one of simple beauty.

Now comes the reading of the ketubah (marriage contract) in the original Aramaic text. The ketubah outlines
the chatan's various responsibilities -- to provide his wife with food, shelter and clothing, and to be attentive to
her emotional needs.

Signing of the Ketubah (Marriage Contract)

artwork, to be framed and displayed in the home.

A glass is now placed on the floor, and the chatan shatters it with his foot.
This serves as an expression of sadness at the destruction of the Temple in
Jerusalem, and identifies the couple with the spiritual and national destiny of
the Jewish people. A Jew, even at the moment of greatest rejoicing, is
mindful of the Psalmist's injunction to "set Jerusalem above my highest joy."

At the Festive Meal (Seudah), there is much music and
dancing as the guests celebrate with the new couple.

Breaking of the Glass

In Israel, the Ashkenazi custom is that the glass is broken
earlier, prior to the reading of the ketubah. Sefardim always
break the glass at the end of the ceremony, even in Israel.