Sunday, July 1, 2012

The Chuppah

The Chuppah


Today, a chuppah is a common thing to be found at a wedding. They have a truly beautiful aesthetic and can be a great focal point for a bride and groom to stand under during their ceremony. However, a lot of people who were not raised with a Jewish understanding of the symbolism of a chuppah don't really grasp the meaning of this beautiful focal point. Here is a little history on the meaning of a chuppah...


Chuppah's are of Jewish origin. Jewish people believe that the chuppah is a symbol of the home that the bride and groom will make together.





The cloth covering the top of the structure represents the presence of God in the couple's marriage, and the four openings on the sides represent the importance of hospitality in Jewish culture (as well as paying tribute to their history by representing the open tent of Abraham). Traditionally the groom will enter the space underneath the chuppah first to show ownership of the new home and life he will be providing for the bride, and then he will invite the bride in as a symbol of how he will provide herwith shelter and livelihood.


                            Beads..glamour!!


Naturally, today people take liberties with the chuppah. For example, a lot of them will be inside or have the back side closed off for decoration, or not have a veil over the top of the structure. This doesn't change the fact that they are full of history, and everyone should know where their traditions came from. It's interesting how much of wedding tradition didn't just come from the need to decorate.

Modern way to do traditional.


Jewish tradition calls for open sky to be above the chuppah, so naturally most Jewish weddings are held outdoors , but nowadys it's change a little.



 Pick up your style and go for it...!!!

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