Jewish Wedding Day Customs
A Conservative Perspective by Rivka C. Berman

 • Giving Tzedaka on Wedding Day
 • Fasting and Prayer
 • When NOT to Fast

Giving Tzedakah – Charity
Your wedding day is an amazing moment in time. What can be more incredible than finding your soul mate with whom you are about to begin a new life. A day of blessing, a day of wonder. So share the wonder and the blessing, make this a day of total happiness. Open your heart to the happiness coming in and share your bliss by spreading the good feel.

And is there any day more exciting for a father and mother than the day their baby is getting married? Hearts overflowing, gratitude abound, tears of joy. A ripe time for sharing the blessings.

Express your gratitude for your good fortune. Give charity in honor of your nuptials or your children’s marriage. Help your synagogue. Fund a poor couple’s wedding. Provide food for hungry children. Build homes in Israel or in your own country for the less fortunate. To keep the good coming yoru way, bestow good on others.

Fasting and Prayer
From dawn of the wedding day until after the chuppah ceremony it is customary for brides and grooms fast. Some couples fast only until after mincha, the afternoon service, on the day of their wedding.

Wedding days begin lives anew. In Jewish thought, this means the forgiveness of all past sins. Brides and grooms approach their wedding day as a personal Yom Kippur and fast until the conclusion of the ceremony.

When Not to Fast
Couples do not fast when their wedding is celebrated on minor festivals like Chanukah, Purim, on Tu B’Shevat – the 15th of Shevat, Tu B’Av – the 15th of Av, rosh chodesh - the beginning of a new Jewish month, and isru chag – the day after a major Jewish holiday.

(Weddings are not held on Shabbat and Jewish festivals)