What to expect at this Jewish wedding

Arriving somewhere between 3 and 3:30, you will walk in through the front door and into the main hall. Aly will be sitting in a special chair, ready to greet you and offer well wishes to anyone that would like them. It's said that brides carry a special spiritual energy on the day of their weddings, and so this custom is a way to extend that heightened energy out to the guests and offer blessings.

During this time, there will be what's called a Tisch Bedeken:

The Tisch

The Tisch is a pre-wedding celebration that the groom hosts for his male friends, relatives, and the Rabbi. The word Tisch means “table”, and that’s just what this part of the wedding day is about. It’s a tradition where guests gather around a table to eat and drink, catch up on what’s been going on in their lives, and congratulate the groom. The atmosphere is usually very energetic, and there’s typically a lot of singing and dancing that goes on. Afterward, the groom will leave to see his bride for the first time on their wedding day!

The Bedeken

The groom will veil the face of his bride during the ketubah signing. Bedeken means “to veil”, and it symbolizes that the groom loves the bride for who she is inside. This Jewish wedding tradition is from the Torah. There is a story of Jacob who was fooled into marrying his true love’s sister. She had been wearing a veil, and he mistook her for the woman that he wanted to marry. Tradition is that if the groom veils the bride, he can’t be fooled!

Then the ceremony will begin:

The Chuppah

The Chuppah is a canopy that Aryeh and Aly will exchange vows beneath. It’s meant to symbolize a home and a life that the bride and groom will build together.

Circling

While standing under the chuppah, Aly will circle around Aryeh seven times. Circling is a tradition that's a bit suspenseful to watch, but it represents commitment to one another and the family they're going to build. It's a beautiful and sweet part of a Jewish wedding.

Seven Blessings

Sheva Brachot, or the Seven Blessings, are a series of blessings about love and joy recited at Jewish weddings. They start with a blessing over a cup of wine and are spoken by family and friends.

Breaking of the Glass & Mazel Tov

The breaking of the glass is one of the most well-known Jewish wedding traditions. Once the ceremony concludes, the groom will step on a glass that’s inside of a cloth bag. Some people believe that this custom symbolizes the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in ancient times. Others believe that the idea behind this is that once wed, there are no more barriers between husband and wife. After the glass is broken, guests will cheer “Mazel tov!” as a way to congratulate the couple.

Yichud

Yichud means “seclusion”, and that’s exactly how the bride and groom spend their first few minutes together immediately after the ceremony. They will go into a private room or area to sit, talk and take in all of the excitement of the day. This gives them a chance to celebrate privately before joining their guests at the reception.

The Hora

Guests will celebrate by dancing in a circle. This is called the hora, and it’s a Jewish folk dance. The word “hora” means circle. The hora has been danced for centuries and it is traditionally done during weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other celebratory occasions.

The hora typically starts with the dancers forming a circle around the dance floor and holding hands to form a chain. At some point during the dance, the bride and groom sit in chairs while their guests lift them up into the air in celebration.