Jewish weddings of the traditional order have a number of rituals and confer several privileges on the Jewish women. The sequence of these rituals is: The wedding day, Kabalat Panim, Badeken, Chuippah, Kiddushin, exchange of ring, Ketubah, Seven blessings, Glass breaking, Yichud and the Festive meal.
The Jewish Wedding Day
The Jewish wedding day is deemed the holiest and happiest day in one's life. For the Jewish women and Jewish men who are about to enter the wed lock, this day is also considered the personal Yom Kippur since they merge into a complete soul on that day and their mistakes from the past are forgiven. The couple fast on the wedding day and the groom wears a white robe as is the practice for Yom Kippur.
Kabbalat Panim
The bride and groom are forbidden from seeing each other a week prior to the wedding. The intent of the practice is to help increase the excitement and anticipation on the D-day. The bride and the groom therefore would be greeting the guests separately before the wedding. This event as part of the Jewish wedding is called Kabbalat Panim.
Badeken
This practice involves veiling of the bride by the groom. The veil is symbolic of modesty and carries the lesson that physical beauty and appearance are secondary to the character and soul. Another significance of the custom is to reinforce the commitment of the groom to cloth as well as protect his wife. At every stage of the Jewish wedding ritual, it is noteworthy to understand the importance given to the Jewish women.
Chuppah
The Chuppah is a special canopy erected for the purpose of a Jewish wedding. This symbolizes the home which the couple are expected to build together. The canopy is open from all sides and even this has a deep rooted meaning. The openness is indicative of the unconditional welcome to hospitality. In certain sections of the Jewish society, the bride and groom are not permitted to wear any jewelry while under the Canopy. This signifies that the marital commitment is based not on the material possessions, but purely on the individual traits.
Kiddushin
Kiddushin involves drinking the wine sanctified by prayers. Wine symbolizes joy according to Jewish tradition and is used as a means of sanctifying the Jewish men and Jewish women to each other.
The Ring
According to Jewish wedding custom, it is only the groom who places a ring made of plain gold devoid of embellishments (such as stones) on the fingers of the groom. Even if the bride wants to reciprocate, this can be done only outside the Chuppah (canopy) and is not a part of the Jewish wedding. With this ceremony, the marriage is considered complete according to Jewish wedding customs.
The wedding having been solemnized at this point, the Jewish wedding customs proceed with Ketubah , the marriage contract, the 'seven blessings' breaking of the glass to Yichud which is a few moments in seclusion for the newly wed. Yichud is also the occasion when the couple gets to eat some food since they have been fasting all through the wedding rituals.