LOCATIONS & traditions

This is it, the time has come. With so much preparation carried out for this very moment, the ring placed upon the finger, every guest in the room hurriedly preparing their iPhones to take a shot, and clearing their vocal chords to shout “Mazal Tov”, it’s time to break the glass!

Smashing the glass is one of the most memorable traditions of the whole beautiful day.

The glass, usually wrapped up in a cloth or napkin, is placed on the floor in front of the groom. However before it is smashed, it’s traditional at most Jewish weddings for the Rabbi or Chazan (Cantor) to sing a Hebrew song called "Im Eshkakech Yerushalayim"  or in English… ‘If I forget you, Jerusalem’. This commemorates the falling of Jerusalem and destruction of the two Jewish temples that once stood there.

It’s said that whenever Jewish people experience immense joy, they should also remember the less joyous times in their ancestry. With celebration comes commemoration. So once the less beautiful times have been remembered, the time comes for the groom to break the glass. Why is this done? Great question.

There are many reasons that Jewish grooms break a glass at the end of their ceremony, sealing the marriage to their bride. The first being, in keeping with the song that had just been sung, to commemorate the destruction faced by Jewish people over the past two thousand years, a nod to the suffering that had come before. After all, if you can remember the dark times even on the brightest of days, you’ll never allow them to be forgotten.

We always spend time considering the right time to hold their simcha and this often involves a lot of calendar-scrutiny! To make things simpler for you, I’ve compiled a list of 2025 and 2026 Jewish wedding dates you may wish to avoid. 

As a general rule weddings are not held on Shabbat, which comprises Friday evening and all day Saturday. Many couples also choose not to schedule weddings the day before Shabbat so that friends and family don’t have to travel on that day. Any day between Sunday and Thursday is clear for marriage, and sometimes Tuesdays and Thursdays are preferred for religious reasons.

There are also Jewish holiday dates that should be avoided for weddings. These include Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. You can refer to the table below to see key dates for 2025 and 2026 for these (and more) holidays. Because most couples want to marry in the summer, one of the first key conversations we have is around avoiding the 3 weeks leading up to Tisha B’av. Once we have identified the 3 weeks we cannot plan the wedding, the summer time from May to September is generally all acceptable.

The chuppah in its simplest form is a canopy attached to four poles but there are literally endless variations. Try and incorporate ideas that reflect you as a couple into your chuppah, whether it’s having four close friends holding the poles (and these friends don’t have to be Jewish!), or using your favourite flowers, or colour combinations; or simply creating something extraordinary that you love the look of. The chuppah symbolizes the home you and your partner will build together during your marriage, but as well as using the chuppah to celebrate your spirituality, let your personality shine through too!

 In Jewish tradition, a ketubah is a marriage contract signed before the wedding ceremony, outlining the groom's obligations to the bride and serving as a symbol of love and commitment. The ketubah, which is presented to the bride by the groom, traditionally details the groom's financial and conjugal responsibilities to the bride, including providing food, clothing, and shelter.

Le decorazioni sono essenziali per creare l'atmosfera del tuo matrimonio. Con Kosher Weddings, offriamo servizi di design che riflettono il tuo stile personale. Dalla selezione dei colori alla creazione di allestimenti unici, lavoriamo con i migliori designer per trasformare la tua visione in realtà. Ogni dettaglio sarà curato con amore e attenzione.Green Italy Kosher Catering features innovative and delicious cuisine coupled with outstanding service. Combining Mediterranean, Jewish, French, and Italian cuisines, our menus showcase both familiar and exotic flavors.

The Hora dance originated in Israel and has been a part of Jewish weddings for centuries. The dance is typically performed in a circle with guests holding hands and dancing in a circle around the bride and groom who are lifted up on chairs. 

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