Jewish Wedding Ceremony

Jewish groom crushing glass during wedding

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~13 Minute Ceremony

A traditional Jewish wedding ceremony script that incorporates Jewish themes and key wedding traditions, such as the blessing of the wine and stomping the glass. While this script covers all the main bases, it can always be downloaded and customized for the specific occasion.

Pre-Ceremony

[The Ketubah (Jewish wedding license) is typically signed pre-ceremony with the Rabbi, close family members, and the official witness. Some couples decide to have the ketubah read during the ceremony – for the purposes of this script it has been left out.]

The Processional

The Rabbi/Officiant can be the first to walk down the aisle or can simply be waiting under the wedding chuppa.

Once settled in under the wedding chuppah, the couple commence the circling. Many modern weddings see one partner circle the other three times, then the other partner taking their turn to circle their future-spouse three times, and then they circle once together.

Introduction

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

Shalom! Welcome! Please be seated.

It is with a joyous and light heart that I welcome you to this moment, the wedding of _________ and _________.

What are we all, but a series of moments strung together to create a lifetime. And just like a flip book where the pictures come together to create movement, our life’s moments move just as quickly. Blink and you’ll miss them. Turn your attention away from the present and you’ll miss the whole thing.

Marriage signifies an important change – not just in the lives of the couple, also the lives of their friends, families, co-workers and everyone whose life this couple touches.

When was that first moment you noticed your one true love? When was that first moment you realized this was the person you did not want to live without? When was that moment you looked at your true love and thought “This is my forever”?

For _________ and _________, this moment, here right now, is one I hope they remember fondly for the rest of their lives.

Blessing of the Wine

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

Now, how do we know God loves us? Because God gave us the earth, God gave us each other and to make those first two things even sweeter, God gave us wine. And now as we say the first blessing thanking God for wine (and truly Thank God for wine!), we wish _________ and _________ to always treat each other as sweetly as the wine they drink today.

Phonetic Hebrew transliteration:

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, boreh p’ri ha-gafen.

English translation:

Blessed are You, Eternal One our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Amen.

I would also like to recite the Shehecheyanu and give thanks to God for bringing us all together for this moment in time.

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam shecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higyanu lazman hazeh.

Blessed are You, O God, for giving us life, sustaining us and allowing us to reach this joyous time.

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

(In many modern Jewish weddings, the 7 blessings are replaced by 7 wishes which can be read by loved ones chosen by the couple They can be simple wishes of health and happiness or short, written statements of support.)

_________ and _________ have chosen to replace the traditional 7 blessings with 7 wonderful wishes read aloud by 7 wonderful loved ones.

(One by one those chosen by the couple read their wishes.)

Vow/Ring Exchange

OFFICIANT (to couple):

_________ and _________, this is the very moment where in the eyes of your family and friends gathered here, the eyes of the law and the eyes of God, you become husband/wife/partner and husband/wife/partner. These words are a paradox in that they should not be taken lightly as you are making a commitment to one another, but at the same time, should be taken very lightly as a life lived with lightness and joy is a very excellent life indeed.

OFFICIANT (to _________):

And now, _________, please repeat after me as you take _________’s wedding ring and place it on his/her/their finger:

Ha-rei aht mekudeshet li, be-tahba’at zoh, k’dat Mosheh v’Yisrael.

With this ring, you are consecrated to me, according to the tradition of Moses and Israel.

OFFICIANT (to _________):

And now _________, please repeat after me as you take _________’s wedding ring and place it on his/her/their finger:

Ha-rei aht mekudeshet li, be-tahba’at zoh, k’dat Mosheh v’Yisrael.

With this ring, you are consecrated to me, according to the tradition of Moses and Israel.

Closing Statement

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

Life is made up of moments. Live within those moments. Cherish those moments. Time is often thought to be our most precious gift, but I believe it is time spent with our loved ones that is the most precious gift of all.

And so, enjoy each and every moment you are together and keep one another in your hearts in those moments you are apart.

We are only given so many flip book pages in our own personal book of life, appreciate each one of them and make each and every page count.

Breaking the glass

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

And now we come to the breaking of the glass. I’ve filled the glass with all the negative paths and possibilities your marriage could have had. Once you break it you’ll only be left with positive and blessed moments. Even when times seem tough, remember that you’ll get through them and get back to joy because this glass is about to be broken.

(Either or both members of couple break glass)

Pronouncement

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

I am proud to announce that by the power vested in me by the Universal Life Church, you are now wed. You may now kiss as I and everyone here wishes you Mazel Tov!