Terms:

Ashkenazi

Jewish communities of Eastern Europe

Bashert

A soulmate

Bedeken

Covering- portion of the wedding when the groom covers the bride with the veil

Birkat Hamazon

Grace after meals

Chatan/Choson

Groom

Chuppah

Wedding Canopy

Halacha

Jewish law

Kaballat Panim

Pre-ceremony reception

Kallah

Bride

Kittel

The white robe worn by a groom at a wedding and by Jewish men on Passover and Yom Kippur

Ketubah

Jewish marriage contract

L'Chaim

"To life!" This is the toast said when drinking a Jewish toast

Mazel tov!

"Congratulations." However, literally it means "good luck!" This phrase is said traditionally at weddings a greeting

Machatonim

In-laws

Midrash

First-century commentary on the Torah

Misader Kiddushin

The wedding officiant

Mitzvah

Commandment

Pareve

Food that is neither dairy nor meat

Sephardic

Jewish communities of Spain, North African, Middle Eastern,

and Asian heritage

Shadchan

Matchmaker

Shalom Bayit

Peace in the home

Sheva Brachot

The seven blessings recited under the chuppah, following the reception meal, or following the meals during the seven days of feasting; also the name given to a party during the seven days of feasting

Shalom

Hello, goodbye, peace

Shtick

Short performances at weddings to entertain the bride and groom

Siddur

Prayer book

Talit

Prayer shawl

Talmud

Judaism's most basic book of law and tradition

Tish

Yiddish for table; the pre-ceremony room in which the ketubah is signed. At our wedding we will have two tishes-one for Ben and one for Tali

Tzedakah

Charity

Tzniut

Traditional Jewish standards of modesty, usually in dress

Ufruf

Calling up to the Torah on Shabbat prior to a wedding

Yichud

Post-ceremony seclusion of bride and groom together

Yiddish

Language that combines Hebrew and German. Spoken by Jews who lived in Eastern Europe

These terms come from Rabbi Hyim Shafner's "The Everything Jewish Wedding Book" published in 2008 by Everything.