Romance and Ritual: Celebrating the Jewish Wedding Paperback - 2001

From the publisher

This title explores the Jewish wedding and related themes of courtship and married life through customs and rituals from different times and places. Included are many treasured works, including rare, illuminated ketubbot (wedding contracts) from the 17th to 20th centuries and embroidered Wimpels or Torah binders; newly restored American wedding gowns from the late 19th century to the present accompanied by personal and touching stories; and mementos - postcards, sheet music, invitations - that celebrate the universal aspiratons couples have when embarking upon marriage. Additional wedding clothing reflects Jewish communites in Morocco, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Rhodes. Portraits celebrate the virtues of marriage, depicting couples well into their marriages. Essays on wedding dress preservation and recommendations to the modern bride are also included. Though Jewish law stipulates very few requirements for a wedding, many special customs and rituals have been developed over time and in different countries to embellish this important personal event. The ketubbah documents the marriage. A huppa, or canopy, symbolizes the home the couple will build together.