In the Black Eyed Peas smash hit single, “I Gotta Feeling,” we hear the words, “Mazel Tov.” Even if you have no Jewish background, you probably can guess that this term is associated with celebration. This term, however, is the same term used with “The Breaking Glass Jewish Wedding Tradition.”
The breaking of the drinking glass occurs at the end of the Jewish wedding ceremony when the groom stomps down on a glass to crush it, and thereafter the guests shout, “Mazel Tov!” Have you ever wondered where the breaking glass Jewish wedding tradition comes from and what it means?
There are many explanations of why we do this and where the actual Jewish wedding tradition came from. Here are a few of the most popular explanations:
Superstition: A loud noise is thought to drive away evil spirits that may slow down the celebration.
Consummation of Marriage: A breaking of the glass represents symbolically the virginal bride giving herself to the groom and the consummation of the marriage.
Fragility: The glass symbolizes the love of the bride and groom and breaking the glass shows how this love is fragile, so it must be cared for that it not be broken.
Broken World: A reminder that although this couple came together as a strong single union, the world as a whole is broken and needs mending done, together.
Foreverness: A broken Jewish wedding glass is forever changed, likewise, the couple are forever changed by the marriage and take on a new form.
Many Children: Be Fruitful. A hope that your happiness will be as plentiful as the shards of glass…or that your children will be as plentiful as the shards of glass.
Sadness/Joy: A reminder that even in times of great joy that there is sadness. That life will bring sadness as well as joy.
So which do you choose? Couples should choose the interpretation that resonates with them and this will make that part of your ceremony more meaningful. Many couples like to include a brief explanation in their wedding program that describes which interpretation they have chosen and what it means to them.
Any glass may be used for the Jewish wedding glass, although most couples choose a special glass, perhaps colored glass. Make certain the glass you choose is not too thick. (Remember, it needs to be easily broken when stepped on!) It is typically wrapped in a cloth napkin to avoid dangerous flying glass shards. Sometimes it is enclosed in a pre-made cloth bag.
ALTERNATIVE IDEAS FOR YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY MUSIC – A list of different wedding ceremony music for different brides & grooms
Do you remember the kid’s version of the wedding march? “Here Comes the Bride, All Fat and Wide!” This version of Wagner’s classic may have ruined it for everybody! So…
What are other good wedding songs for walking down the aisle? Of course the obvious answer is that any song that is meaningful to the two of you is perfect.
Want a list of wedding songs that they don’t usually play at a wedding ceremony? Making a list of songs that aren’t usually played at weddings seems like an oxymoron. It’s therefore an anti-list. If it isn’t a song you usually hear, then it could be anything! Anyhow, there are actually a handful of songs that do seem to see some regularity in non traditional wedding ceremonies, despite the fact that they are not the norm.
When you can’t get The Tokyo String Quartet, there is always DJ Kenny Casanova!
Here are a few alternative ceremony song ideas:
Only Time – Enya
I Wanna Grow Old With You – Adam Sandler
At Last – Etta James
Marry Me – Train
I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You – Josh Groban
Unchained Melody – Righteous Brothers or Il Divo
The Prayer – Andrea Bocelli & Celine Dion
Warmness on the Soul – Avenged Sevenfold
For My Wedding – Don Henley
You Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
You And I – Michael Bublé
Love Me Tender – Norah Jones ft Adam Levy
You Are The One – Elliott Yamin
The Luckiest – Ben Folds Five
Heavenly Day – Patty Griffin
I will be here – Steven Curtis Chapman
I’ll Be – Edwin McCain’s
Happy Together – The Turtles
Time of Your Life – Green Day
I will Follow You into The Dark – Death Cab for Cutie
Love And Marriage – Freank Sinatra
Wonderwall – Oasis
Slide – GooGoo Dolls
When I see You Smile – Bad English
Extraordinary – Better than Ezra
Everybody Loves Somebody – Dean Martin
Crush – Dave Matthews
Bring Me to Life – Evanescence
She will be Loved – Maroon 5
Beautiful Day – U2
Silverstein – still dreaming
Bob Marley- is this love
Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop – Landon Pigg
Born for You – David Pomeranz
A Moment Like This – Kelly Clarkson
Albany Country Club Wedding
CUSTOMIZING YOUR CEREMONY WITH YOUR SONG
It is funny how since the last episode of The Sopranos, everyone and there mom loves the song “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey. If you have a song that is “your song,” then an instrumental version of it might be perfect for you. There are classical bands like Vitamin String Quartet who do songs like “You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC-DC, but in an elegant arrangement. Boyce Avenue also does an acoustic music version of this familiar tune. This softer cover version idea could sooth the older guests, while also make the younger ones smile.
Overall, realize that music sets the mood. Think about the atmosphere you absolutely want for your wedding ceremony. Is it elegant, rocking, fun, festive, friendly, classy, one of a kind, Celtic wedding, Italian, natural, unique? Think of music that fits with how you want your guests to feel and how you’ll want to feel that day. Don’t feel forced. You don’t have to choose something from those silly wedding music CDs, it doesn’t have to say “wedding” on it at all, as long as it says you.
“The wedding ceremony was beautiful. The food was great,” the bride says, about to roll her eyes below a beautiful veil. “People were having a good time. The cake was delicious. Everything seemed just right, but then all of the sudden… UGH! It’s The Dreaded Chicken Dance!!!”
The groom drops his head in shame. “I forgot to tell him no.”
The bride looks at the groom and says, “This is the one song I hate more than anything in the world.”
While it may sound simple, not everyone thinks to make… THE DO NOT PLAY LIST!
If you want to be really prepared, make a list of songs that you actually loath. Give your DJ the list. This way when the party part of your big day comes about, it’s only what you really want.
While your must-hear song list may seem very important, a do not play list in many situations, may be even more important!
(Some Saturday nights the fun starts an hour or so without me, as I have many weddings to DJ. But fear not… If you are showing up for the Karaoke Jam – DJ Kenny Casanova will be there shortly.)
When you book a photographer, they usually do a super job focusing on the ceremony shots. However, come the end of the night, they are usually gone before the end of the reception occurs. As you well know, the crazy shots happen at the end of the night. If the photographer is gone by then, you have to rely on your guests to take the shots.
This is why we offer a photography package now. For $150, we take 300-500 shots at the reception with professional nikons. There are no watermarks or print packages to worry about. It is very simple. At the end of the night we give you a disc with the pictures for immediate sharing. You have the rights to the shots. The end.
This package is also a great alternative to leaving disposables on the tables and getting back who-knows-what from the best man’s trip to the men’s room.
Email or call us for more intormation. Under certain circumstances, we can also cover the ceremony for an additional charge!
When planning your wedding, you spend a lot of time looking for ideas. Often those magazines, websites, and uncatalogued have beautiful things, but they are WAY over budget.
While some people really like to check out Pinterest these days, I also suggest checking out flickr for wedding ideas. You can get ideas for decorating the venue, the cake, the favors, how to pose for photos, everything. Flickr lets ANYONE post their photos and you don’t have to have an account.
This web site really is great to see what people are actually doing (not just what the magazines want them to be doing).
Looking through Flickr is a great way to prepare for a theme wedding event!
Here are some great photos on flickr that can get your mind cranking about what IS possible:
