Davening — Prayers, Blessings & Tehillim (תפילות, ברכות ותהילים)

Prayer — davening (תפילה) — is woven throughout every stage of a Jewish wedding, from the preparations before the ceremony to the celebrations that follow. The wedding day is considered one of the holiest days in a couple's life, comparable to Yom Kippur (יום כיפור), and the tefilot (תפילות) and tehillim (תהילים) recited reflect the gravity, joy, and sanctity of the occasion. Open the printable Tefilot & Tehillim booklet →

The Birkat Erusin (ברכת אירוסין) are two blessings recited at the beginning of the Chuppah (חופה) ceremony, marking the formal betrothal — erusin (אירוסין) — of the couple. The first is the blessing over wine (בורא פרי הגפן), and the second praises Hashem for sanctifying the Jewish people through the laws of marriage (קידושין). Together they establish the sacred context for everything that follows under the Chuppah.

Many couples recite personal prayers before the ceremony. The chatan (חתן) may recite Tehillim (תהילים) and the Vidui (וידוי) — a confessional prayer — recognizing the wedding day as a day of spiritual renewal. The kallah (כלה) traditionally recites Tehillim and personal techinos (תחינות), asking Hashem's blessing for her marriage and future home. Standard kapitlach include Mizmor LeToda (מזמור לתודה, Tehillim 100), Shir HaMa'alot Essa Einai (שיר המעלות אשא עיני, Tehillim 121), Shir HaMa'alot MiMa'amakim (שיר המעלות ממעמקים, Tehillim 130), and Tehillim 19, 100, 130, and 142. Build & print your own Tefilot & Tehillim booklet →

Wine — yayin (יין) — plays a central role in Jewish wedding blessings, symbolizing joy and abundance. Two cups of wine are used during the ceremony: one for the Birkat Erusin (ברכת אירוסין) and one for the Sheva Brachot (שבע ברכות). The chatan and kallah drink from both cups, sharing in the sweetness and sanctity of their new life together.

It is a beloved minhag (מנהג) for the chatan, kallah, and family to daven on the wedding day for the needs of others — for refuah (רפואה / health), parnassah (פרנסה / livelihood), zivugim (זיווגים / finding a partner), arichat yamim (אריכות ימים / long life), and successful children (הצלחת הבנים). The day of the chuppah is considered an et ratzon (עת רצון) — a uniquely auspicious time — when Heaven receives prayers with special favor. Open the full Tefilot & Tehillim booklet →

Many communities add the Tefilah for the State of Israel (תפילה לשלום מדינת ישראל) and the Tefilah for the Israel Defense Forces (תפילה לשלום חיילי צה"ל) to the wedding davening — asking Hashem to bless and protect Klal Yisrael, the soldiers defending Eretz Yisrael (ארץ ישראל), and the entire Jewish people.

A Jewish wedding requires a minyan (מניין) — a quorum of ten — for the recitation of the Sheva Brachot (שבע ברכות), underscoring the communal nature of the event. The assembled guests are not merely spectators but active participants whose presence and tefilot elevate the ceremony. Their collective davening (תפילה בציבור) creates a spiritual atmosphere that uplifts and sanctifies the union.