What do you say when you break the glass at a Jewish wedding?
Wedding imagery script
When breaking the glass at a Jewish wedding, the officiant explains what the tradition means, cues the stomp, and invites everyone to shout mazel tov. Here’s the exact script I use, what the ritual symbolizes, and how modern and interfaith couples make it their own.
What breaking the glass means
Breaking the glass is the famous closing moment of a Jewish wedding ceremony. A wrapped glass is placed on the floor, it gets stomped, and the room erupts with shouts of mazel tov, which means good luck and congratulations.
The tradition carries layers of meaning. It marks the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the celebration. It’s a reminder of the fragility of life, and of the transformation happening for the couple in that exact moment. And it carries an implied prayer for the marriage itself. As this glass shatters, so may your marriage never break.
Jewish weddings can be really fun, from carrying the couple on chairs and dancing the Horah to toasting wine during the ceremony. The glass stomp is the exclamation point on all of it.
The breaking of the glass script I use
Here’s what I normally say when a couple wants to honor the tradition. Swap in your couple’s names.
“[Name] and [Name] 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 [Name] stomps the glass we invite everyone to cheer and shout the Hebrew words, ‘mazel tov’ meaning, ‘good luck and congratulations.’ Is everybody ready?”
That last line matters. Asking the guests if they’re ready primes the whole room to erupt the moment the glass breaks, which is exactly the energy you want heading into the recessional.
Hear a real glass stomp
One of my favorite glass stomps
A great crowd that was ready to party. Listen to how the setup, the stomp, and the mazel tov land in a real ceremony.
How to set up the glass stomp
- Place it at the very end
The glass stomp traditionally closes the ceremony, right around the pronouncement. Breaking the glass and shouting mazel tov flows straight into the kiss and the recessional.
- Wrap the glass
The glass goes inside a cloth bag or napkin so the shards stay contained. Some couples use a keepsake bag made for it, and plenty quietly swap in a lightbulb because it breaks easily with a satisfying pop.
- Brief the stomper at the rehearsal
A solid, flat stomp with the heel does the job. Traditionally one partner breaks the glass, and plenty of modern couples stomp one together.
- Teach the guests their line
Plenty of guests won’t know the tradition, which is why the script explains mazel tov before the stomp. Once they know their line, they’ll deliver it loudly.
- Warn the photographer and DJ
The stomp is one of the best photo moments of the ceremony, and many couples cue celebration music right after. A ten second heads up gets both ready.
Breaking the glass in interfaith and nonreligious weddings
Super old traditions can still be fun, and weddings that honor heritage don’t have to be somber events. Plenty of my couples aren’t religious at all, or come from two different backgrounds, and still break the glass to honor family and heritage. The script above works beautifully for that because it explains the tradition to guests who’ve never seen it and frames it around the couple rather than around religion.
Breaking the glass, lighting a unity candle, or handfasting can all feel contemporary without being religious. It’s one of over 70 selections in my ceremony material, so couples can mix heritage moments with modern wording however they like.
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A few common questions
What do you say when you break the glass at a Jewish wedding?
The officiant explains that the couple has chosen to honor the tradition, shares what the glass symbolizes, and invites everyone to cheer and shout mazel tov after the stomp. The full script is on this page, word for word.
What does breaking the glass symbolize?
It marks the end of the ceremony and the start of the celebration, reminds everyone of the fragility of life, and carries an implied prayer. As this glass shatters, so may your marriage never break.
When do you break the glass in the ceremony?
At the very end, right around the pronouncement. The stomp and the shout of mazel tov flow straight into the kiss and the recessional, so the ceremony ends on a burst of energy.
What does mazel tov mean?
Mazel tov is Hebrew for good luck and congratulations. At a wedding, the guests shout it together the moment the glass breaks.
What kind of glass do you use for the glass stomp?
A glass wrapped in a cloth bag or napkin so the shards stay contained. Many couples use a thin glass or even a lightbulb because it breaks easily with a loud, satisfying pop.
Can you break the glass at a nonreligious or interfaith wedding?
Absolutely. Many couples include it to honor family and heritage rather than religion, and some couples stomp a glass together. The script on this page explains the tradition so every guest can join the moment.
