Inside a Jewish wedding: Jodi and Saul

Jodi and Saul went to school together, but little did they know of the brilliant love story the future held for them. And when they got married, what a celebration it was! The amazing thing about culture is that each one is so wildly unique, but so special in its own way. Their Jewish wedding was one for the books, and we take a look into the traditions and customs that made their day extra special.

They didn’t see each other for 7 days before the wedding

For a full week before the day, the bride and groom don’t see each other or have any contact at all. 15 minutes before the wedding, they saw each other for the first time. “The most stressful time of the whole wedding is the week before. And when I finally saw him, it was so emotional, and totally worth it,” Jodi said.

The bedeken: Her husband veiled her

Dating back to a story in the Bible in which a man unknowingly wed his bride’s sister after her father tricked him, the bedeken is where the husband is brought in by both his father and hers, sees his lovely bride and then covers her face with the veil. “I was so overwhelmed with emotion,” Jodi says.

She walked around her husband 7 times

During the ceremony, the bride walks around the groom seven times to symbolise seven different blessings, the foundation of their new home and starting a full and complete life together.

Her husband smashed a glass

This tradition is to remind the couple and those celebrating of the destruction of the Jewish temples, symbolising that life is fragile, and even though they are celebrating their love, everything will not always be perfect and that there are struggles. The husband gets a glass or lightbulb wrapped in a cloth and steps on it with his foot, crushing it completely.

We also asked Jodi what advice she has for brides-to-be. “The best advice I can give anyone would simply be: Don’t sweat the small stuff. On the day, you’ll realise that they really don’t matter!” She also added a practical tip, saying that it’s important to stick with your partner on the day. “We went everywhere together. If you go get drinks, go together,” she adds. “If you chat to guests, go together. That way, you’ll remember the day as being spent with him. Otherwise you may look back and feel like you didn’t even spend any time together!”

For her wedding look, Jodi wore a stunning appliqué dress with detachable sleeves by designer Elbeth Gillis. The sleeves were on for the ceremony as a gesture of propriety and taken off for the reception. “I wanted something that would make me feel comfortable, something that’s me. And it was perfect.”

Take a look at their gorgeous day here: