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Ketubah Signing Before Chuppah?

brendamanbrendaman
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in Jewish Weddings
I was thinking of having the wedding party attendants seat wedding guests before the ceremony.  But we're scheduled to do the Bedeken and Ketubah signing 1/2 hour before the ceremony, I'm told it will probably take about 20-30 minutes for these activities.  This means that my wedding party attendants will be pre-occupied witnessing our pre-ceremony activities (the Bedeken and Ketubah signing) WHILE the guests are arriving.  Did any one face this?  I suppose I can have the venue staff greet incoming guests, but I wanted it to be more traditional and have our male attendants greet guests and seat them.
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Re: Ketubah Signing Before Chuppah?

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    ShoshieShoshie member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I asked some cousins of mine who weren't in the wedding party to greet guests and hand out kippot and programs -- so the wedding party could do other things. We actually had everyone witness our ketubbah signing before they sat down... it was really beautiful!
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    LBRM_NJLBRM_NJ member
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    edited December 2011
    I've never seen anyone "seat" anyone at a jewish wedding.  Our guests arrived and were offered coffee, danish, champagne, etc... and were escorted to the chapel by the reception hall staff when we were probably 15 minutes into the private bedeken and ketubah signing.  They were all settled when we were ready for the bridal party to walk in.
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    tenofcups4metenofcups4me member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    If you want to go "traditional," don't worry about seating guests -- at a Jewish wedding typically guests seat themselves anyway.
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    Danaz1Danaz1 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    I have also never seen anyone be seated at a jewish wedding.  The kippahs at ours and everyone else were just in a basket as you walked in. The programs are using already on the seats or in a basket as you walk in as well. 

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    slbriz34slbriz34
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I am going to have a DOC (I found a very inexpensive one), who'll make sure that there aren't a lot of empty seats and the appropriate rows used (and make sure our reserved seats signs go up and there's a good balance of guests on either side of the aisle).  And in the event folks forgot to take a program and/or kippah, she'll go down the rows/aisles before the ceremony will start.

    There's no other way for anyone else to do anything and I don't want to ask a member to help out when I want them to enjoy being at the wedding.  Plus, should something occur while we're doing the signing, the DOC can handles all of that.
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    dianalaurendianalauren member
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    edited December 2011
    My synagogue coordinator and head maitre'd showed everyone to their seats.  People usually will sit wherever they wany anyway-don't worry about it! Just enjoy your ketubah signing!
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    lacebridelacebride member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    No-one will be seating guests at our wedding, and I think the ketubah signing before the chuppah is very traditional... congrats!
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    hklingerhklinger
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I also am having my  ketubah signing before  my ceremony.  I think it is better because that way everyone can witness it and not  just the important parties.  You don't want to have people standing around not knowing what to do, while you are privately signing your ketubah.
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    Jeni35Jeni35 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We are having a small family wedding and I will only have the rabbi witness because I think this is something that is between my future groom. We also plan on having the photographer take some shots prior to the wedding since we will be "fresh looking" and since my groom sees me before. I am getting very excited and nervous!!!
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