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.

The interpretations range from the humorous, such as this is probably the last time the groom will ever get to put his foot down, to the much more beautiful reason that smashing a valuable item symbolises a marriage is not about material goods, but about two people being together and committed to each other.

Another great interpretation of this tradition is that by breaking the glass, all potential cracks in the relationship go onto the glass, and the relationship should remain seamless and wonderful always.

So the foot goes down, the glass is smashed, the couple is married, two families have come together, everyone shouts ‘Mazal Tov’ and gets ready to party.

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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