Popular Jewish Wedding Trends To Look Forward To This Year
Jewish weddings are a very big deal, regardless of whether you are orthodox, conservative or reform (or none of those) the wedding day is meaningful for the couples, for the families, and for the generations of family in the chain of history. As with any wedding a great deal of planning goes into a Jewish wedding, and many very important decisions have to be made involving everything from the bride’s attire and the extended family’s attire, to the food and music. Although Jewish weddings are steeped in tradition, decorative trends do of course make their appearance, subtly and sometimes not so subtly. After what was a very low key year as far as special celebrations, the coming year will hopefully allow for all those who wish, to celebrate their big day with gatherings that suit their family. Let’s have a closer look at some of the hottest wedding trends you might expect to see at weddings in the near future.
Traditions are considered trendy
While an increasing number of Western influences are making their way into Jewish weddings, one of the hottest trends of the year sees focus once again being shifted to tradition. Some of the most popular customs being included in modern Jewish weddings include the bride circling around her groom under the chuppah to create an invisible, magical wall that will protect him against evil spirits and temptation. Another trend that has been going strong for a while is that of the chuppah party – a gathering where friends of the bride will create individual squares that will be sewn together like a quilt to form the canopy of the chuppah. Love this idea, wow, think of the possibilities!
Wedding jewelry is becoming a focal point
We all know that the bridal gown can be the biggest focal point of a wedding. This year, however, wedding jewelry will make a giant leap towards the top of the priority list. Apart from having to match your jewelry to your dress, rings are also starting to reflect the lifestyles and personal interests of the bride more. While women who lead a very active lifestyle may opt for a simple design free of any stones (much like traditional Jewish wedding bands), others may be better represented by a delicate ring with an intricate design. Though the wedding ring may be the star of the show, other jewelry is not forgotten. A lot more thought is going into deciding on everything from bracelets and earrings to necklaces and pendants than ever before. In many Jewish circles wedding dresses are rented and if custom sewn, go back to the rental company, this cuts costs so hopefully there is more to spend on jewelry, which will be worn again!
Entertainers At The Wedding
Music, played at the chuppah, and at the reception, is a very important part of a Jewish wedding. First of all, music sets the tone during the meaningful chuppah ceremony, and then the guests let loose later with dancing, which is a huge part of the celebration. That said, all the dancing can wear everyone out, so there are breaks in the dancing, at which points friends of the bride and groom can perform something, or outside performers, even in huge costumes might be hired. There is even a really sweet dance, when the bride is the last child to be married, called the broom dance, which is done by all the little girls from the next generation, nieces, cousins etc, who practice ahead of time and are generally dressed in the same color outfit and toting little brooms!
Contemporary Food Choices
Jewish weddings tend to be large, and things don’t always happen exactly according to strict time, so making sure that the guests have a range of food choices is important. The traditional sit down meal is now often preceded by a generous buffet of food for guests to enjoy before the ceremony starts. This often includes several stations for grilling meat and on the spot preparation of special bread or even pizza. This buffet is generally enjoyed outdoors when the weather permits, and often in a spot separate from the dining hall. The food is part of the celebration, and certainly can set a festive, celebratory tone, plus it shows your guests how happy you are to have them at your wedding.
Jewish weddings are known to be steeped in history and culture, which is how they should be, while there is plenty of room to embrace popular trends that are respectful of tradition.
