Chuppah

Question: What would be a good substitute for a wedding arch or chuppah? Our wedding will be in a garden, and I will be entering through a beautiful flowered arch before I walk down the aisle. Because of that, I think it would be overkill to have two arches, but I feel like we should have something for me, my fiance and our officiant to stand in front of, to make us stand out. Any suggestions?

Answer: See if you can rent potted palm trees or something for the background, or some sort of plant on a trellis. Some florists might already have something. It should be some sort of flowers or plants, at different heights, the taller in the middle. Or have a table, covered in a tablecloth with potted palms and ferns on it, with battery operated candles. It wouldn't cost much either to make your own trellis, like three of 4x8 make into like a room divider with hinges and cover them with ivy and flowers. Just stake it down good. Best wishes on your wedding.

Question: What's the difference between an arch and a chuppah? Just the religious meanings behind it? I'm not Jewish (which is probably obvious by the fact I'm asking the question, LOL!) I'm just wondering!! What does the chuppah symbolize?

Answer: The chuppah symbolizes the house the couple will have together. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_wedding

Question: Am going to a Jewish wedding next week and want to know if I need to wear a headcovering for the chuppah and? mincah (sorry to spell it wrong)? I am not Jewish myself but have a lace mantilla for Mass. Should I take it along and wear it? Also, do the women stand on a different side of the room for those? Thanks.

Answer: We have been to 2 Jewish weddings in the last 18 months. For the first we attended the ceremony in a synagogue, so both my wife & I covered our heads. The 2nd wedding was not in a synagogoe, so we did not need to cover our heads. But we did ask first! Just ask the person who invited you what they would like you to do. Yes, women & men are on opposite sides.

Question: Who traditionally buys the tallit for a Jewish wedding (to be used for the chuppah), the bride or grooms mom? I have heard both...maybe it depends on which Judaism (Orthodox, Reform, etc). Any input? And please state which Judaism your thought comes from. Thank you.

Answer: The man needs to wear his tallit for the wedding. the bride may also want to wear hers. If there are no tallit, just use the Temples Chuppah or make one from flowers or rent one.

Question: How do I make a Chuppah for a Jewish wedding?

Answer: Any covering to go overhead will work. My sister painted a piece of silk then attached it to four poles set in flower pots with gravel. It was beautiful, but you could even use a sarong or large scarf if you wanted to.

Question: Where can I find artwork -- pictures, etc. of a 17th Century Dutch Woodcut of a couple under a Chuppah? Serious answers only, please. Thank you.

Answer: How's an 18th century Dutch Woodcut of a couple under a Chuppah? edit: I found some places you can look, unfortunately there's pretty much nothing online that will help. This is the type of thing that you have to go to an art library to look up, and most of them would have a book that listed the original, but none of those books are online. Catalogues of Dutch and Flemish Prints Hippert, T and J. Linnig. Le peintre-graveur hollandais et belge du XIXme siècle. Brussels: Olivier, 1874-79. MDDF Hippert and Linnig. Catalogue of prints by 19th-century Dutch and Belgian artists. Hollstein, F.W.H. Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings, and Woodcuts, ca. 1450-1700. Amsterdam: M. Hertzberger, 1949-. MDDF Hollstein. Illustrated. Hollstein is the standard reference for Dutch and Flemish prints up to 1700. Early volumes were partially illustrated, and more recent volumes include fully illustrated catalogues of printmakers’ work. The publisher continues to update the earlier volumes in The New Hollstein. Since 1996, they have also published a number of specialized volumes in their series Studies in Prints and Printmaking. The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings, and Woodcuts, 1450-1700. Roosendaal, The Netherlands: Koninklijke van Poll in co-operation with the Rijksprentenkabinet, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, 1993-. MDDF Hollstein, Dutch. Illustrated.

Question: Greetings: I am interested in renting a chuppah and I live in Reseda, CA.? Can anyone help me with some store locactions that would sell this. Thank you.

Answer: Usually the florists have them.

Question: Does anyone know how to build a chuppah? I want mine to look like tree branches. Any ideas?

Answer: I built one from stained 2"x2"s joined together at the corners with screw-in braces at the upper corners (we needed to be able to pop it up and tear it down immediately after the ceremony because the next wedding followed closely after ours). You could build the frame from 2"x2"s (this would ensure you had a solid structure). On each of the vertical posts, lash branches to the post with something like raffia or sisal so you can't see the frame. I've seen lots of chuppas made with PVC pipe standing in a big pretty urn full of plaster of paris. What I would do is first paint the PVC pipe a color that is close to the color of your branches. Stand a post in the center of the urn and put the branches around it (3 or 4 for each post?), and fill with plaster of paris. I'd have the branches shorter than the post by 6" or so. Do 4 of these for your vertical posts. Let it dry (now you have vertical posts.) The top part of the frame is connected by joints you buy in the plumbing section at Home Depo. If you can still see your pipe through the branches and you don't like how it looks, you can carefully wrap the pipe in tulle, or hot glue gun silk leaves to it. Cover the exposed plaster with spanish moss.

Question: I am looking to rent a Chuppah for 9/2 in the Boston/Rhode Island area. Where can I get one?

Answer: If it will be a catered wedding the caterer usually supplies it.

Question: Do all Jews in Israel get married under the Chuppah?

Answer: Um yes. Even secular Jews get married under a chuppah. jeez you people are insane- it isnt totally religious and it isn't totally unobservant. There is a middle path where Jews choose to hold on to many basic traditions but might not be religious.

Question: I think my mom is turning this into her dream wedding, what can i do?? Ok so my mom was forsed to marry when she was 16 she had to plan her wedding in less than 24 hours, so as you can guess she didnt get her dream wedding, well now its my turn and my parents have wonderfuly agreed to pay for $1000 of my wedding well for some reason my mother thinks its ok to make plans and kinda force them on me, like i want a red and turquoise chuppah that can later be made into a quilt, ok no big, but when she talks about it it has white, red and isreal blue, i dont want those colors specialy white and have told her this many many times and she doesnt listen then i told her what dress i would like to have and she conplaned about that to and omg the cake talk i want something that differant she said i should just stick to the normal cakes. so what can i do? ive always let her kinda run me over but i dont want this to be a wedding i will hate later and then do the same to my children and i do want to respect her, but how can i say it with out making her mad? i did suggest that she have a another wedding in four years on there 25th annaversary but she just blew that off i today sent her pics of the type of cake id love to have i wish it was as easy as that she wants to help in the big thinks liek the chuppah that is very very important to me that it be so so and she wont listen, i dont need to kepp her ocupied i need her to understand this isnt "her" wedding.

Answer: My MIL and mom kinda did the same thing and I nicely reminded her @ certain times plain and simply, "thanks for your imput, I appreciate all your contributions but this is MY wedding and MY choices. I do understand how much it is important to you for me to have a great wedding, but I want to have my DREAM wedding and I can't if someone else decides everything for me." Give in on little stuff but STAND UP for the important stuff, it is YOUR wedding and it is important, once she realizes she is hindering your chance at a dream wedding, she will realize she needs to back off. Hope this helps, best of luck!

Question: Who traditionally buys the tallit for a Jewish wedding (to be used for the chuppah), the bride or grooms mom? I have heard both...maybe it depends on which Judaism (Orthodox, Reform, etc). Any input? And please state which Judaism your thought comes from. Thank you.

Answer: I don't think that there is a set custom on who buys the tallit. Well, I didn't even know that a new tallit has to be bought for a wedding. In any case, I doubt sect plays much of a part.

Question: Jewish destination wedding at Puerto Vallarta? Have you been? I've looked into destination weddings but I probably don't know where to start. We want to have a Rabbi marry us under chuppah. We want it to be in a nice all-inclusive resort in Puerto Vallarta or other place that can be conveniently reached from West Coast. We can't go to Cancoon area, because the flight will be too long for grandparents. Most resorts that I looked at, say that I have to bring my own rabbi from US, and I'm trying to avoid that. Thank you for suggestions I looked into dreams, they want me to bring my own rabbi :(

Answer: If you're Orthodox, contact Chabad and find out if they have a Rabbi in the area- there are Chabad houses in some of the most unlikely places. If you are not Orthodox, and there is no local liberal community, chances are that unless you luck out on a Rabbi going there on holiday at the same time as you you will have to bring your own Rabbi out from the USA

Question: Can an Uncircumcised Jew have a wedding under a chuppah? I am a rabbi in a small town in another continent. Someone asked me if an uncircumcised Jew could get married under a Chuppah. The man is 68 years old, and did not have a bris due to a medical condition when he was an infant. What I need to know, with the source, is if an uncircumcised male can get married under the chuppah? He has never been married before, nor has the bride. She wants a chuppah.

Answer: It would depend on a lot of specifics. Anyone can make a chuppah, so a civil ceremony can certainly be performed under one. If you want to know if *you* can perform the ceremony, then that would be up to your own conscience. If you are satisfied about the medical situation you described, then your conscience should be clear.

Question: I am looking to find build-your-own plans for a wedding chuppah.?

Answer: I would talk to Lowe's and see what you can find! My Father-in-law made ours! And I think he made his own plans! See if your Rabbi knows who would have Build your own plains! Congrats!!!!

Question: making a canopy (chuppah) for my wedding any suggestions? i found this awesome pic of a canopy for my wedding at brides.com, anyone have suggestions on easy way to make it or any pics that would help??

Answer: Some sites to check - http://www.ehow.com/how_4501161_make-chu… http://www.do-it-yourself-weddings.com/w… http://www.do-it-yourself-weddings.com/h… http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/re… http://www.sethandamy.com/ceremony/chupp… http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/view.a… You can get a kit - http://www.judaicartkits.com/catalog/hup… http://images.google.ca/images?q=how%20t…

Question: chuppah at a non-Jewish ceremony? I am a Roman Catholic, but I am simply enchanted with the idea of a chuppah at the ceremony. Is it acceptable to incorporate traditions from other religions/cultures into my wedding?

Answer: I would speak to your priest. Most do not like nor allow traditions from other religions to be incorporated into a Catholic wedding. At least here, they go by a pretty strict formula when it comes to weddings.

Question: Is it offensive to have a chuppah, if you are not Jewish? I appreciate every single answer, however- it would be nice to read one from someone whom is actually Jewish.

Answer: I'm Jewish, and I wouldn't find it offensive. I would think it was weird, though.

Question: Is it Huppah, Chuppah, Hoopah, Chupa etc.? I am doing an essay on Jewish weddings and have found so many diffrent names for the canopy that the bride + groom stand under. I have found Chuppah, Chupa, Hoopa and Huppah, i was wondering if any one knew what the canopy was actually called or if it does not matter? Thank you very much!

Answer: Chuppah is the most common English spelling. The actual word is only spelled in Hebrew letters, so since all of those spellings are transliterations of the Hebrew word, none of them would technically be incorrect. If it helps you decide, it's pronounced 'chup-ah,' with the accent on the first syllable, the soft throaty 'ch' you get at the end of Bach and the 'u' rhyming with the 'oo' in the word 'hoof.'

Question: Renting a chuppah? Guys a need to rent a chuppah for my wedding next august. Where can I find one???? I live in the montreal area. Thx so much!

Answer: If you are getting married in a synagogue then they shoudl already have one for you. If you are getting married elsewhere like a country club or banquet hall, the wedding coordinator will have that specific need taken care of. In some instances, the florist also rents them so they can be decorated with the flowers. When I booked my wedding at a banquet hall, the first thing I requested was the chuppah. The wedding coordinator showed me the standard chuppah they use. I didn't like it, but the florist had a much prettier one to include in my floral package. I want to say it was $75- $125 because it included the set up, decorations, and dismantiling it.