In a Jewish wedding the bride and groom will sign a marriage contract called a Ketubah. The Ketubah originally documented the bride’s legal status as wife, but now also sets out expectations for the marriage and is kept as a keepsake and is framed and hung in the couple’s home.
The Jewish wedding ceremony will begin with the couple being escorted by their parents into a wedding canopy called a Huppah. The ceremony is conducted by a Rabbi and takes place under the Huppah. The couple exchanges vows, seven marriage blessings are read and then the groom will smashes a wine glass under his foot.
The couple will usually spend some time alone together before joining the reception, which is similar to other wedding receptions with food, music and dancing. Jewish wedding receptions will have a wedding breakfast and traditional dances include the Hora, the Krenzl and the Mizinke. During the reception the guest’s will participate in the “Gladdening of the Bride” when they circle the bride and sing praise to her.
One important change has been with the wedding place cards for the table seating, which now list the husband and wife’s first names. To list only the husband’s name (e.g., Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Schwartz) is actually considered a slight toward women in general and the specific couple.