While every Jewish wedding is different, there are several rituals that we will be incorporating into our wedding day listed below. These will begin at 4pm and flow into the wedding ceremony under the chuppah. We invite all our guests to join in these parts of the festivities. Please read on for more information!

Guests are invited to join Ofer and Julia for the groom's tisch (literally, table) and bride's reception, respectively. The men will gather with Ofer for scotch and general ribbing, while the women will join Julia to say hello and have a glass of champagne.

Following these separate receptions, Ofer and his guests will join Julia and the women to sign the ketubah (marriage contract). Ofer and Julia will both be signing their ketubah as a reflection of their mutual choice to marry and join their lives together. Despite its testimony that the groom has "acquires" the bride, the ketubah lays out the bride's rights and her willingness to take part in the marriage. In fact, the ketubah belongs solely to the bride and is hers to keep as proof of her rights and the groom's responsibilities to her under Jewish law.

It is Jewish custom for the groom to lower the veil over the bride's face, setting her apart from everyone else and indicating that he is solely interested in her inner beauty. The ceremony is based on the biblical story in which Jacob did not see his bride's face beforehand and was tricked into marrying the wrong sister, Leah, instead of his beloved Rachel.

Finally, Julia and Ofer will meet under the chuppah (the wedding canopy) for their marriage ceremony.