Top 5 Do’s and Don’t For The Perfect Jewish Wedding

By Karen Cinnamon, founder of Smashing The Glass. [divider]

DO expect to kick up a storm, and have your face glisten with glee (and sweat) during the ‘hora’, the joyous tradition of Jewish dancing. Just be careful not to fall off the chair, and make sure those with a penchant for booze are not the ones nominated to lift you! [divider]
DO try to experience the pure and sacred side of a Jewish wedding as much as possible, as the spiritual significance is often lost in all the madness of putting it together. [divider]
DO create a Pinterest board to store all your wedding ideas in one place. Pinterest is your best friend when it comes to planning your big day, as you can collect beautiful images and wedding design tips and paste them all in one place. It’s not only useful for you, because your boards will also help to give guidance to your suppliers. If you don’t want your whole social network to see details before the big day, use one of your private boards for your favourite ideas. [divider]
DO incorporate things into your wedding that are important to you, for example, a nostalgic song that brings back memories of when you first got together, favours made by you or a family member, table centres incorporating things that are personal to you as a couple, messages from guests woven into your chuppah design – the more individuality you stamp on your wedding, the better. [divider]
DO take time to be calm and in the moment of your day. Hand over the reins, don’t think about any of the details and enjoy your wedding for what it is: a joyous celebration! [divider]
DON’T try to please everyone. This is your opportunity to do things as you want and it’s a time to be making decisions without having to justify them or fit expectations. Real friends and family will understand and those that don’t are not worth losing any sleep over. [divider]
DON’T expect local guests to adhere to a black-tie dress code if you’re getting married in Israel. They will show up in shorts, with a couple of unexpected extra kids in tow. Expect guests that confirmed attendance not to show up, and guests that were not invited to make an appearance instead – that’s how they roll in the land of milk and honey! [divider]
DON’T think that you need a large bridal party of groomsmen and bridesmaids if that’s not your bag. What you do need is a circle of a few close friends to rely on for support, help and mini-errands on the day. Have a think on who you would like to enlist in the months or weeks leading up to your wedding – close friends and family will feel honoured and will be only too happy to help. [divider]
DON’T invite too many people. Fewer and closely connected is better than inviting a cast of unknowns, and makes for a far more meaningful, intimate atmosphere. [divider]
DON’T follow the crowd. Be true to yourself and have the confidence to do things your way, whether that means incorporating something non-traditional into your ceremony, picking a weird theme or wearing a gown so impractical you can barely move. Go for it, this is your day! [divider]
• For more inspiration and ideas on creating a wonderfully individual and inclusive Jewish wedding, visit Karen’s blog at www.smashingtheglass.com