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The chuppah is the marriage canopy under which the bride and groom stand during traditional Jewish wedding ceremonies. Often supported by four poles and decorated with flowers and fringes, the chuppah is a symbol of the marriage chamber in which Jewish weddings originally took place.
Historically, Jewish weddings were comprised of two separate parts, a betrothal ceremony and a wedding ceremony, that took place about a year apart. The bride would live in the home of her parents following the betrothal until the marriage ceremony, which would take place in a room or tent that the groom had set up for her. Later in history, the two ceremonies were combined and the marriage ceremony started to be performed publicly. At this new ceremony, the chuppah, the portable marriage canopy, was included as a symbol of the chamber in which the marriage originally took place.
Today, the chuppah is seen as symbolizing the new home that the couple will build together and the protection that they will extend to each other. Open on four sides, it invites the community to share in the joy of the wedding. In some communities, the bride and groom stand under the tallit (prayer shawl) that the groom will wear during the morning prayers following the wedding; in others, special marriage canopies may be made and passed down as family heirlooms.
Last updated: December 21, 2004.
