Name the steps in Jewish weddings?

Answer 1

Following are the steps at a Jewish wedding according to the customs of Ashkenazic Jewry (European). Sfaradi and Teimani customs may differ slightly:

1. Badecken (Yiddish - covering) - The groom, who is in a different room than the bride, is escorted to the bride who is sitting on a nice chair surrounded by her friends and family. The groom covers the brides face with a veil. The groom is then escorted to the Chupah (wedding canopy).

2. Ash is place on the grooms forehead. It is also customary to untie his shoes.

3. The bride is escorted to the Chupah. She walks around the groom with her mother and mother-in-law seven times and then stands to the right of the groom. It is customary for the bride to wear no jewelry.

3. The wedding officiator holds a cup of wine and says the blessing for wine followed by the special blessing said before marriages. He gives cup to the groom to drink and then to the bride to drink.

In German communities it is customary for the groom to recite the shechi'anu blessing and to don a tallis.

4. Two witnesses are designated to view the marriage. Then the groom says to the bride (in Hebrew), "You are bewedded to me with this ring according to the religion of Moses and Israel." He then places the ring on the brides right forefinger.

5. The Ketubah (marriage contract) is read.

6. Seven blessings are said. Each person who says a blessing holds a cup of wine. After the blessings, the groom and bride drink from the cup.

7. The groom stamps on a glass cup symbolizing the destruction of Jerusalem. By some it is customary that the groom say the verse, "If I forget you Jerusalem, etc." before breaking the glass.

That's it! :)

Answer 2

A Jewish wedding consists of two separate major ceremonies, plus a few minor ones. First the groom and bride host separate receptions for their respective families and friends, and then the two fathers lead the groom to the bride's reception, where he covers her face with a veil. The two fathers bless the bride. The groom is escorted to the canopy, either by his parents or by the two fathers, and then the bride comes to join him, escorted by her parents or by the two mothers. She walks around the groom seven times, and then stands at his right.

Next comes the first major ceremony, the engagement (erusin); a blessing is recited over a cup of wine, the couple drink from it, and then the groom invites two witnesses to see him give the bride something of value (usually a ring), declaring "By means of this ring you are now engaged to me, according to the laws of Moses and Israel". That concludes the first ceremony, and they are now officially engaged to be married.

Then there is an interval of a few minutes during which the marriage contract (ketuba) is read aloud (it has already been filled in and signed by witnesses beforehand). Sometimes a speech or sermon is made at this point, to fill in the time.

Now comes the marriage ceremony (nisuin). The groom gives the marriage contract (which was read during the break) to the bride, who hands it to her mother or some other woman for safekeeping. Then a fresh cup of wine is filled, and seven blessings are said over it, after which the couple drink from it. The groom smashes a glass, to signify that no joy can be complete while the Temple is in ruins. Then the couple retire to a private room, where they spend some time together while witnesses keep guard outside the door to make sure they cannot be disturbed. The room represents their home (and should be rented by them for the duration of the ceremony), and the few minutes they spend there together, alone and undisturbed, constitutes a formal declaration of their intention to live together from now on as a married couple. (Usually they have not eaten anything all day, so they take this opportunity to remedy that. What did you think they were doing?)