How To Celebrate a Traditional Jewish Wedding

Before the wedding ceremony itself begins, some grooms will veil the bride in a ceremony called Badeken.

This is always an exciting part of the wedding because it is traditional for the bride and groom not to have seen each other for 3-7 days prior to the wedding. After the groom covers the bride's face with the veil, she will continue to stay veiled until the Seven Blessings (Sheva Brachot) are recited under the Chuppah.

Badeken is a Yiddish word meaning "to cover over." It is related to the words deken which means "to cover", deknomen which means "alias" (literally cover name), and dektikhl which means "veil."

During the Badeken, first the groom checks his bride to make sure he will marry the right woman. This tradition is based on the Biblical story of Jacob, Rachel and Leah. Jacob worked for Lavon for seven years to earn the right to marry Lavon's daughter Rachel. When it was time for the wedding, Lavon veiled his other daughter Leah and tricked Jacob into marrying the wrong daughter. Jacob had to work another seven years before Lavon would agree to give him his other daughter Rachel.

Then the groom pulls the veil over the brides face. And then he is escorted to the Chuppah.