Personalizing A Jewish Wedding: Tips For A Unique Ceremony

A Jewish wedding is a ceremony that follows Jewish laws and traditions. While ceremonies vary, they often include a ketubah (marriage contract), a chuppah or huppah (wedding canopy), a ring given to the bride by the groom under the canopy, and the breaking of a glass.

There are many ways to make a Jewish wedding feel personal. For example, you could ask your closest friends and family to contribute to your chuppah design, or ask guests to compose a short message to incorporate into your canopy. You could also replace the traditional Sheva Brachot (seven blessings) with personalised prayers by your friends.

Include friends and family in the chuppah design

The chuppah is a canopy attached to four poles, under which the wedding ceremony takes place. It symbolises the home the couple will build together and the presence of family members under the chuppah signifies that family and friends will always be welcome in that home.

• Ask your guests to contribute squares of fabric with a set size, and then sew them together to make a patchwork canopy.
• Ask your guests to write a short message on a square of fabric, and then sew them together to make a canopy.
• Choose four significant friends or family members to hold each of the four chuppah poles.
• Decorate the chuppah with pictures of friends and family.
• Ask your guests to contribute pieces of fabric that are meaningful to them, and then sew them together to make a canopy.
• Use a tallit (prayer shawl) that is meaningful to you, such as one that belonged to a family member.

Ask guests to write personalised prayers

Asking guests to write personalised prayers is a great way to make your Jewish wedding feel more personal. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Chuppah Design

Ask your guests to contribute to the design of your chuppah, which is a canopy held up by four poles that serves as the focal point of the wedding ceremony. You can ask them to write their personalised prayers on squares of fabric that can be patched together to create the canopy. This idea was used by Cheryl and Ernest, whose chuppah quilt was made from the clothes of the bride's mother and other meaningful pieces of fabric. Alternatively, you can ask your guests to compose short messages or prayers in English or Hebrew that can be incorporated into the chuppah canopy design, as the blog writer did for their own wedding.

Sheva Brachot

The Sheva Brachot, or seven blessings, are recited during the wedding ceremony. Instead of these traditional blessings, you can ask your friends to write personalised prayers for you, and then have each friend come up and read their prayer during the ceremony. This idea was used by Chelm and Jake for their Jewish wedding. Even if you don't want to personalise all seven blessings, you can still ask different friends or cousins to read each blessing for you at the chuppah.

Personalised Notes

If you know you won't have much time to talk to all your guests on the day, you can spend some time before the wedding writing personal notes to each guest. You can print these notes underneath their names on their place cards. This is a lovely way to make your guests feel special and let them know how much you appreciate their presence at your wedding.

Favourable Songs

Ask your guests to submit their favourite dance songs along with their RSVPs, and then play each guest's song at your wedding party. This is a fun way to get your guests involved and create a personalised playlist that is sure to keep everyone on the dance floor!

Wedding Advice Cards

Place a 'wedding advice' card at each table setting for your guests to fill out. These cards will not only create a talking point at the tables but will also provide you with enjoyable reading material on your honeymoon and beyond!

Write guests personal notes

Writing personalised notes to your guests is a great way to make your Jewish wedding feel more intimate and special. Here are some ideas and tips to help you with this task:

Timing and Preparation:

Writing personalised notes can be time-consuming, so it's essential to plan and prepare in advance. Start by making a list of all the guests you intend to write notes for and gathering the necessary stationery. Allow yourself enough time before the wedding day to write the notes without feeling rushed. You don't want to add extra stress to your wedding preparations!

Content and Tone:

The content of your notes will depend on your relationship with the guest. You might want to express your gratitude for their presence, share a fond memory, or simply extend a warm welcome. You can also include a short message in Hebrew as a nod to your Jewish heritage. For example, "Mazel Tov" means "congratulations" or "good luck." You could also include other traditional Jewish wedding greetings, such as "L'Chaim" ("to life") or "Ahavah" ("love").

Presentation and Creativity:

Consider the presentation of your notes to make them even more special. You could use beautifully crafted stationery or even incorporate meaningful designs or symbols associated with your Jewish heritage. If you're feeling creative, you might want to include a small illustration or decoration with your message. Another idea is to frame your notes as a blessing for your guests, wishing them happiness and good fortune.

Practical Considerations:

Don't forget the practical aspects of your notes, such as ensuring legibility and including the guest's name. If you have a large number of guests, you might want to enlist the help of your wedding party or close friends to write the notes. Alternatively, you could create a standard message and then add a personal sentence or two for each guest.

Delivery and Display:

There are several ways to deliver your notes to your guests. You can include them with the wedding invitations or have them waiting at each guest's place setting on the wedding day. If you want to go the extra mile, you could even create a special display for the notes, such as a decorative board or a wishing tree, where guests can pick up their messages.

Remember, the most important thing is to express your sincerity and gratitude towards your guests for sharing this significant moment with you.

Ask guests to submit their favourite dance songs

Asking guests to submit their favourite dance songs

A great way to make your Jewish wedding feel more personal is to ask your guests to submit their favourite dance songs. This can be done through the RSVP card or your wedding website. Asking for song requests in advance will ensure that your guests hear songs they like and will get them up and dancing. It will also provide some diversity to your playlist.

• If you're tight on space on the RSVP card, you can simply leave a blank line and write "Song Requests" underneath.
• You could also have a blank line and ask guests to fill in the blanks: "I promise to dance if you play this song: ______________"
• If you have a wedding website, you can include a comment section for song requests.
• If you want more pointed suggestions, you could ask guests to request their favourite love song or a song that reminds them of you and your partner.
• If your wedding has a specific theme, you can ask guests to suggest songs that fit that theme. For example, if you're having a Christmas-themed wedding, you could ask for favourite holiday songs.
• If you're expecting young children at the wedding, you may want to remind your guests of that and ask them to suggest songs that are suitable for little ears.
• Remember that you have the right of first refusal. If you see a song request that you don't like, just toss it!

Some things to keep in mind:

• Asking for song requests may open up a can of worms, with guests getting upset if their song isn't played. You can include a disclaimer that not every song will be played, but it's still something to consider.
• It will be challenging to organise a large number of song requests, especially if they are from a wide variety of genres. You may want to stick to a certain vibe or theme to make it easier to curate the playlist.
• As the bride and groom, your music choices take priority. You can get a list of "must-play" songs from the couple and use that as a base for your playlist.

Include a 'wedding advice' card at each setting

Including a wedding advice card at each setting is a fun way to make your Jewish wedding feel more personal. It's an opportunity for your guests to share their thoughts and well wishes, creating a talking point at each table. It's also something you and your new spouse can enjoy reading on your honeymoon and beyond.

There are many different styles of wedding advice cards to choose from, so you can easily find ones that fit the theme and tone of your wedding. You can opt for advice cards with a minimalist design, featuring simple black-and-white colour schemes and clean lines. Or, if you're going for a rustic theme, consider kraft paper cards with a tan or brown hue. For a whimsical touch, choose heart-shaped cards. You can even find advice cards with watercolour details or floral prints.

If you want to get creative, you can make your own DIY advice cards. This option can be time-consuming, especially if you have a lot of guests, but it allows you to fully customise the cards to match your wedding. When making your own, be sure to give yourself plenty of time, as writing out each card by hand is a tricky task.

To make the advice cards even more fun for your guests, consider including a disposable camera at each table. Your guests can then snap photos to go along with their advice, creating a visual record of their experience at your wedding.

Frequently asked questions