Most interfaith marriages are scheduled for
either a Saturday evening or a Sunday since the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) ends
at sundown on Saturday and most Christians prefer to have their weddings on
Saturdays.
Day of the Year:
Christian weddings may be held on any day of the
year, Jewish weddings cannot. The Jewish religion does not permit weddings to be
held on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Passover.
Location of Ceremony:
Most interfaith marriage ceremonies are held in
neutral settings, such as nondenominational chapels, historical sites, public
gardens, hotels, and private homes in order to appease both sides of the family.
To See or Not to See Each Other Before the
Ceremony:
Many brides do not want to see their groom before
the processional begins because they believe this would bring them bad luck. If
you want to sign an interfaith ketubah before the ceremony, you can have the
rabbi or officiant sign your ketubah separately before the music begins. Signing
the ketubah after the ceremony is discouraged because you will want to sign it
thoughtfully and calmly. After the ceremony, you will be anxious to take
pictures and to see your family and friends, so the signing is often rushed.
The Processional:
In the Jewish tradition the bride stands on the
right side of the groom and it is the reverse in the Christian tradition. In the
Jewish tradition, the groom walks down the aisle with both of his parents and
the bride walks down with both of her parents. In the Christian tradition, the
groom’s parents and the bride’s mother are escorted to their seats before
the formal processional begins, and the bride’s father escorts her down the
aisle. In the Jewish tradition, the parents stand near the bride and groom for
the entire ceremony. In Christian tradition, the parents are seated for the
service. The bride and groom must compromise with both sets of parents
beforehand which situation would best suit their ceremony. Unfortunately there
is no fast rule to this as families often have different perceptions of how the
processional should be carried out.
Do Guests Stand or Sit as the Bride Enters?:
In American Christian weddings it is tradition
for the guests to rise as the bride enters and it is a Jewish custom for
everyone to remain seated throughout the processional and ceremony. If you do
not tell your guests whether to stand or sit, some will stand and others will
remain seated as the bride makes her appearance. To avoid confusion, inform your
officiant what you would like your guests to do.
