Wedding Imagery: Breaking the Glass
Jewish weddings can be really fun, from carrying the bride on a chair and dancing the Horah, or toasting wine during the ceremony, to stomping the glass and yelling, “Mazel tov!”
Here’s what I normally say when a couple wants to honor Jewish wedding traditions and break the glass, “Bride and Groom have chosen to honor the Jewish tradition and stomp the glass. Normally breaking the glass marks the beginning of the wedding celebration, but it also symbolizes the transformation that’s happening for them right here and now, and also as a reminder of the fragility of life. The glass is broken to protect their marriage with the implied prayer, ‘As this glass shatters, so may your marriage never break.’ After Groom stomps the glass we invite everyone to cheer and shout the Hebrew words, ‘mazel tov’ meaning, ‘good luck and congratulations.’ Is everybody ready?”
One of my all-time favorite glass stomps happened recently. It was a great crowd, that was ready to party.
Check out the audio sample from that ceremony below.
Super old traditions can still be fun. Weddings that honor heritage don’t have to be somber events. Breaking the glass, lighting the unity candle or handfasting can be contemporary, without being religious. For other wedding imagery ideas, check out my article on the sand ceremony, here.