(The information below was taken from Chabad.org & Aish.com)
The Chuppah
The chuppah is a canopy which sits atop four poles and is usually ornately decorated.The wedding ceremony takes place under the chuppah, a symbol of the home to be built and shared by the couple.
The chuppah ceremony is traditionally characterized by an air of solemnity. Brides and grooms shedding copious tears is a common sight at traditional Jewish weddings. This is due to an acute awareness of the awe and magnitude of the moment.
It is customary in certain communities for the groom to wear a kittel, a long white frock, during the chupah. The pristine white kittel, traditionally worn on Yom Kippur, and the bride's white gown, are symbols of G‑d's atonement and perfect purity.
There is a custom that the chosson and kallah wear no jewelry under the chuppah. Their mutual commitment is based on who they are as people, not on any material possessions.
The chosson, followed by the kallah, are usually escorted to the chuppah by their respective sets of parents. Under the chuppah, the kallah circles the chatan seven times. Just as the world was built in seven days, the kallah is figuratively building the walls of the couple’s new world together. With these circles the bride is creating an invisible wall around her husband; into which she will step -- to the exclusion of all others. The number seven also symbolizes the wholeness and completeness that they cannot attain separately.
The chuppah ceremony is traditionally characterized by an air of solemnity. Brides and grooms shedding copious tears is a common sight at traditional Jewish weddings. This is due to an acute awareness of the awe and magnitude of the moment.
It is customary in certain communities for the groom to wear a kittel, a long white frock, during the chupah. The pristine white kittel, traditionally worn on Yom Kippur, and the bride's white gown, are symbols of G‑d's atonement and perfect purity.
There is a custom that the chosson and kallah wear no jewelry under the chuppah. Their mutual commitment is based on who they are as people, not on any material possessions.
The chosson, followed by the kallah, are usually escorted to the chuppah by their respective sets of parents. Under the chuppah, the kallah circles the chatan seven times. Just as the world was built in seven days, the kallah is figuratively building the walls of the couple’s new world together. With these circles the bride is creating an invisible wall around her husband; into which she will step -- to the exclusion of all others. The number seven also symbolizes the wholeness and completeness that they cannot attain separately.
Kiddushin
According to Torah law, marriage is a two-step process. The first stage is called kiddushin, loosely translated as "betrothal," and the second step is known as nisu'in, the finalization of the nuptials. Both kiddushin and nisu'in are accomplished successively beneath the chuppah: the kiddushin is effected when the groom gives the bride the wedding band, and the nisu'in through "chuppah" -- the husband uniting with the wife under one roof for the sake of marriage.
Kiddushin means "sanctification" -- signifying the uniqueness of the Jewish marriage where G‑d Himself dwells in the home and the relationship is elevated to a new level of holiness.
The mitzvah of marriage is performed over a cup of wine. The rabbi holds a cup of wine and recites the blessing over the wine and then the betrothal blessing, which thanks G‑d for sanctifying us with the mitzvah of betrothal. The groom and bride are given to sip from the cup.
The groom then places the wedding band on the bride's finger. In Jewish law, a marriage becomes official when the chosson gives an object of value to the kallah. This is traditionally done with a ring. The ring should be plain, without blemishes or ornamentation—just as it is hoped that the marriage will be one of simple beauty. While putting the ring on her finger, the groom says: "With this ring, you are consecrated to me according to the law of Moses and Israel." He then places the ring on the forefinger of his bride’s right hand. According to Jewish law, this is the central moment of the wedding ceremony, and the couple is now fully married at this point.
Kiddushin means "sanctification" -- signifying the uniqueness of the Jewish marriage where G‑d Himself dwells in the home and the relationship is elevated to a new level of holiness.
The mitzvah of marriage is performed over a cup of wine. The rabbi holds a cup of wine and recites the blessing over the wine and then the betrothal blessing, which thanks G‑d for sanctifying us with the mitzvah of betrothal. The groom and bride are given to sip from the cup.
The groom then places the wedding band on the bride's finger. In Jewish law, a marriage becomes official when the chosson gives an object of value to the kallah. This is traditionally done with a ring. The ring should be plain, without blemishes or ornamentation—just as it is hoped that the marriage will be one of simple beauty. While putting the ring on her finger, the groom says: "With this ring, you are consecrated to me according to the law of Moses and Israel." He then places the ring on the forefinger of his bride’s right hand. According to Jewish law, this is the central moment of the wedding ceremony, and the couple is now fully married at this point.
Kesubah
After the groom places the ring on the bride's finger, the kesubah, marriage contract, is read aloud. The kesubah shows that marriage is more than a physical and spiritual union; it is a legal and moral commitment as well. The kesubah details the husband's principal obligations to his wife to provide her with food, shelter, clothing and to be attentive to her emotional needs. Protecting the rights of a Jewish wife is so important that the marriage may not be solemnized until the contract has been completed.
Reading the ket\subah serves as a separation between the two phases of marriage – Kiddushin (“bethrothal”) and Nissuin (“marriage”).
After the ket\subah is read, it is handed to the groom, who gives it to the bride.
Reading the ket\subah serves as a separation between the two phases of marriage – Kiddushin (“bethrothal”) and Nissuin (“marriage”).
After the ket\subah is read, it is handed to the groom, who gives it to the bride.
The Seven Blessings (Sheva Brachos)
We now proceed with the final stage of the marriage ceremony, the Nissuin, which is effected by the chuppah and the recitation of Sheva Brachos -- the "Seven Benedictions." It is customary to honor friends and relatives with the recitation of these blessings. The honorees approach and stand beneath the chuppah, where they are given a cup of wine which they hold while reciting the blessing.
The first blessing is the blessing on wine, and the remaining six are marriage-themed blessings, which include special blessings for the newlywed couple. The bride and groom once again sip from the wine in the cup. At this point the souls of the groom and the bride reunite to become one soul, as they were before they entered this world. Included in the Seven Benedictions is the blessing to the bride and groom that they discover that same delight in one another that they knew in their pristine, original state in the Garden of Eden.
A cup is then wrapped in a large cloth napkin, and placed beneath the foot of the groom. The groom stomps and shatters the glass. The shattering of the glass reminds us that even at the height of personal joy, we must, nevertheless, remember the destruction of Jerusalem, and yearn for our imminent return there. As the glass shatters, everyone traditionally shouts: "Mazal Tov!" These sounds resound through the couple's married life. When your husband "breaks something" during your life together; when your wife "breaks something" in the years to follow, you too should shout, "Mazal Tov!" and say: "Thank you G‑d for giving me a real person in my life, not an angel; a mortal human being who is characterized by fluctuating moods, inconsistencies and flaws."
The first blessing is the blessing on wine, and the remaining six are marriage-themed blessings, which include special blessings for the newlywed couple. The bride and groom once again sip from the wine in the cup. At this point the souls of the groom and the bride reunite to become one soul, as they were before they entered this world. Included in the Seven Benedictions is the blessing to the bride and groom that they discover that same delight in one another that they knew in their pristine, original state in the Garden of Eden.
A cup is then wrapped in a large cloth napkin, and placed beneath the foot of the groom. The groom stomps and shatters the glass. The shattering of the glass reminds us that even at the height of personal joy, we must, nevertheless, remember the destruction of Jerusalem, and yearn for our imminent return there. As the glass shatters, everyone traditionally shouts: "Mazal Tov!" These sounds resound through the couple's married life. When your husband "breaks something" during your life together; when your wife "breaks something" in the years to follow, you too should shout, "Mazal Tov!" and say: "Thank you G‑d for giving me a real person in my life, not an angel; a mortal human being who is characterized by fluctuating moods, inconsistencies and flaws."