Comparison of Wedding Traditions Between Judaism and Christianity

Jewish Wedding Customs.
A Jewish wedding typically incorporates some phenomenal customs that include the Ketubah, the Huppah, circling, blessing the wine, a ring ceremony, Seven Blessings and breaking the glass. Many of these wedding traditions are similar to Christian tradition, however, customs unique to the Jewish ceremony include circling, blessing the wine, Seven Blessings and breaking the glass.

Traditionally circling was a custom performed by the bride to circle the groom to protect him from evil spirits and worldly temptations. In Jewish weddings today, both the bride and groom typically do circling. Typically, the bride circles the groom, then the groom circles the bride, and they finish doing one circle together. This tradition symbolizes protecting each other and merging two lives into one.

Blessing the wine is a Jewish tradition that is done in almost all Jewish lifecycle ceremonies to honor God, the Creator of the Universe. The Seven Blessings is a Jewish tradition that comes down from ancient Rabbi's. It begins with blessing the wine and ends with an expression of joy from the Jewish community that is present. These blessings are often read in Hebrew or Hebrew and English. Many times family and friends are asked to read some of the blessings. Breaking the glass is an extremely common Jewish wedding tradition that symbolizes the bride and groom have become one and are really married. Historically the glass was just broken by the groom, but now the bride and groom both break the glass.

Christian Customs.
Christian religions also have many ceremonial traditions depending upon the denomination of the Christian. These traditions can include walking down the isle, giving away the bride, reading of scripture, expressing love through song, the lighting of the unity candle, communion, exchanging vows, exchanging rings, the kiss, and the pronunciation of husband and wife. Many of these are very similar to Jewish tradition, but some are unique to Christianity.

In a typical Christian wedding the bride is given to the groom by her father. This symbolizes her changing role of daughter to wife. The reading of Scripture is often times done by clergy or family and friends to biblically bless the couple's marriage. Communion is the symbolic taking in of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. This is done to honor Jesus and to bring Him into the union of the couple. After a Christian couple have exchanged vows the clergyman tells the groom to kiss the bride. This symbolizes their union and shows everybody that they are now married.

There are many similar traditions and many different traditions in Jewish and Christian weddings. However, many of the traditions that are different symbolize the same thing.