The wedding ceremony is one of the most important occasions in one’s life. It marks the union of two individuals into a single unit, with all that this transformation entails. There are many and varied themes to the ceremony, with its sanctity and mitzvot, monetary aspects alongside national and historical motifs. The structure of the Jewish wedding is ancient and takes into account numerous laws and customs. The reasons for some of the customs are known, while others are more obscure. The following is a presentation of the different stages of the ceremony and the ideas they represent.

The basic components of the ceremony are as follows:

Covering the bride with a veil: Before the ceremony under the wedding canopy, the groom covers the bride’s face with a veil, but only if it is the bride’s first marriage.

The wedding canopy [huppa]: The bride and groom stand together under the wedding canopy.

Kiddushin: The groom gives the bride a ring and betroths her.

The marriage contract [ketuba]: During the ceremony, the text of the marriage contract is read aloud. Some have the witnesses sign the document before the ceremony begins while others have them sign it at this point, under the wedding canopy. After it is read, the groom gives the marriage contract to the bride.

The seven blessings [sheva berakhot]: Seven blessings are recited as part of the wedding ceremony, in honor of the bride and groom. The blessings are recited by the rabbi who is officiating at the ceremony, or by honored guests who are invited to do so.

Private room: According to Ashkenazic custom, after the ceremony, the bride and groom stay alone together [yihud] for a certain period of time in this locked room. This is often referred to as the yihud room.

What is the key component in this series of ceremonies that turns the man and woman into a married couple? The Sages state that this process, called nisu’in, takes place through the huppa. However, there are different opinions among halakhic authorities as to the definition of the term huppa. Some maintain that it refers to when the groom covers the bride with a veil. Others claim that the crucial stage is when the bride and groom stand together under the wedding canopy (the canopy itself is commonly referred to as the huppa). According to a third opinion, when the groom and the bride spend a few minutes in seclusion in the yihud room they become a married couple. Yet others contend that the decisive step is the entry of the bride and groom into their new home at the very end of the evening. The Ashkenazic community stresses the importance of fulfilling all four of these opinions, while many Sephardic couples do not spend time in seclusion at the wedding. Each community should follow its own custom.

In addition to the bride and groom, who are of course the main participants, there are several other individuals who serve vital functions at the wedding ceremony:

The officiating rabbi [mesader kiddushin]: Every wedding takes place in the presence of a rabbi, who officiates at the ceremony and sees to it that everything is carried out in accordance with halakha. The rabbi must ensure that all the details of the marriage contract are filled out correctly, and that valid witnesses sign the document. He then conducts the ceremony, which must be performed “in accordance with the law of Moses and Israel.”

When choosing a rabbi to officiate at the ceremony, it is important to be sure of the following two factors:

(1) the rabbi is legally authorized by local authorities to conduct weddings;

(2) the rabbi is aware of the preferred styles and expectations of the bride and groom, and knows how to conduct the ceremony in a pleasant and dignified manner. Some rabbis, for example, will pause to explain the meaning of various components of the wedding ceremony.

Witnesses for the marriage contract: Two valid witnesses are appointed to sign the marriage contract and thereby ratify the husband’s obligations to his wife. In some communities the groom also signs the contract. These signings take place before or during the wedding ceremony.

Witnesses for the betrothal: At each wedding, two valid witnesses are chosen from among the invited guests, whose job it is to stand close to the wedding canopy and observe the ceremony as it unfolds. The presence of the witnesses provides halakhic validity to the act of marriage. Most importantly, they must watch the groom betroth the bride by giving her a ring. Additionally, witnesses should observe the groom covering the bride’s face with the veil, the transfer of the marriage contract to the bride, and the entrance of the groom and the bride to the yihud room (for those who follow this custom).

It is important to bear in mind that without proper witnesses the marriage is not halakhically valid. These witnesses must be two Torah-observant adult males, who are not relatives of the groom or the bride, and are not related to each other.

There is no reason that the two witnesses for the marriage contract cannot also serve as witnesses to the kiddushin. Likewise, the officiating rabbi can himself be one of the witnesses. In some cases, the rabbi comes to the wedding with an assistant, and these two men may serve as the witnesses.

Escorts: These are the people who accompany the bride and groom to the wedding canopy.

Ten attendees: At least ten men [minyan] must be present at the wedding ceremony. The groom himself counts toward the minyan.