Before the Jewish Wedding Ceremony Before the wedding, bride and
groom are feted, the bride is veiled, and the groom dons a
shroud-like garment. Kaufman describes traditional wedding
customs, some of which may not be observed by many liberal Jews.
In some communities, many traditional customs are retained,
although they are practiced in more egalitarian ways. Reprinted
with permission from Love, Marriage, and Family in Jewish Law
and Tradition, published by Jason Aronson Publishers. The
traditional Jewish wedding begins with separate simultaneous
receptions by the groom and the bride for the wedding guests.
The Bride's Reception The bride's reception is usually the
livelier one. It is an old tradition, referred to in the Talmud,
for the bride to sit on an attractive throne. Surrounded by her
attendants, close family members, and friends, she receives
guests and well wishers. As the musicians play, her friends
dance in front of her. The Groom's Tisch The groom's reception
(Yiddish: hoson's tisch) for men is he