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2 Chuppah questions???

irisheyezfsuirisheyezfsu
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in Jewish Weddings
Hi, so my fiance is Jewish and I am Catholic. We are getting married in my catholic church because I am more tied to it than he is religiously to the Jewish faith. However, my church is fairly open, including for a rabbi to particpate in part of the ceremony. They won't allow for a chuppah on the alter though, not exactly sure why.

Anyway I love the design below and have two questions.  I would still love to bring in a chuppah and though we could add it at our reception, but didn't know if it is a no no to put the sweat heart table under it. I know it probably won't techincally be a chuppah but I wan't it to symbolize and resemble one. So any rule against that?

Also does anyone know where you can buy like a kit or pvc kit to make one?

TIA  - I am clueless!



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Re: 2 Chuppah questions???

  • ucfandreaucfandrea member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Because the Chuppah symolizes the first home you'll share, I think it would be nice to have your sweetheart table under it (although I truly don't know if this is sacreligious or not).  As for a kit, it your FI has a tallit (prayer shawl) you can "make" a chuppah using it as the covering and getting four poles or columns that stand on their own.  You could likely rent the columns from your florist or a party rental company in the area. 
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  • ElisabethJoanneElisabethJoanne member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My future husband and I are both culturally Jewish (I'm the child of converts to Christianity; he's a Catholic convert himself.). We're also having a Catholic ceremony with some Jewish touches at the reception. I haven't asked my priest yet if a chuppah is OK in my church. Anyway, mazel tov and good nachas!

    If I read this correctly, I think having the sweetheart table under the chuppah would be very much in keeping with the idea of the chuppah, which symbolizes the groom's home, where he presumably usually eats his dinner:
    http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/480440/jewish/The-Bridal-Canopy-Chuppah.htm

    If you toodle around chabad.org, you can find lots of Jewish customs that would be easy to incorporate into an otherwise Catholic wedding because what we call "the ceremony" is only a small part of a Jewish wedding. It's dangerous, though. Every time I toodle around there, I find more things I want to do, haha!
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  • irisheyezfsuirisheyezfsu
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thank you so much for the help! I have always loved that is symbolizes our house together, but didn't want my future Jewish relatives to think I am crazy or broke some rule by putting our table under it. 

     I will definitely toodle around that website Elisabeth!  How interesting both your jewish parents converted.

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  • 2dBride2dBride member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    You might want to Google "DIY chuppah."  There are lots of ways to do it:

    • • Mine (picture below and instructions at this link) was built on the frame of a portable popup gazebo.  We live in DC and got married in Massachusetts.  Our chuppah could be folded up and easily transported, and was also easy to set up once we got there.
    • • This one relies on putting each of the four poles into PVC pipe set into a flowerpot partly filled with concrete for stability.
    • • This one is based on using a lattice for the ceiling, which stabilizes the whole structure so as to make support for the bottoms of the poles unnecessary.
    • • This one has a wooden frame at the top, held up by lattices at each of the corners.
    • • This one is based on birch poles put into umbrella stands.


    We used our chuppah at the ceremony, and then again at the reception to set off our cake table.  But if you have a sweetheart table, using it there sounds great!

    Hope this helps!


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  • ElisabethJoanneElisabethJoanne member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    No, my parents converted. His parents don't even know he's about to convert. They're still that special kind of atheist Jews. (long story)

    For making one, I'm hoping to just borrow 4 umbrella/flag stands, buy the wooden poles of the right width and height from Home Depot, and maybe tie Dad's tallith at the top. Or if Mom wants to sew something, that's cool, too. My church needs a cupola - a portable canopy for transporting Communion on special occasions. I was kinda thinking about making a chuppah that could later be used for that.

    You're welcome. Mazel tov!
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