Ketubah

The Jewish marriage contract, signed before the ceremony.

How it works in practice

The ketubah signing is usually a small, private moment before the ceremony. The officiant, the couple, the witnesses and close family gather in a side room. The witnesses sign, sometimes the couple signs as well, and the document is read or explained. Depending on the community, the signing may be paired with other pre-ceremony rituals. It often takes 20 to 30 minutes including gathering people, though families vary.

The ketubah itself is often a work of art, commissioned from an artist and later framed. Treat it as a valuable item on the day: it needs a flat, clean surface, the right pen and someone responsible for it before and after.

How to handle it

1. Ask the officiant who must be present, who can be a witness, and how long the signing usually takes.
2. Book a quiet room near the ceremony space with a table, chairs and good light.
3. Confirm the pen type with the ketubah artist; some inks and papers need a specific pen.
4. Put the signing on the run of show with a gather time 10 minutes before.
5. Have one person collect the witnesses and family so the officiant is not chasing them.
6. Brief the photographer, who usually covers the signing.
7. Assign someone to take the ketubah to a safe place right after, and later to the display table if there is one.

In Ontario and the GTA

The ketubah is a religious document. In Ontario the legal marriage also needs a marriage licence, valid for 90 days, and a registered officiant, with two witnesses who sign the civil record. Many rabbis handle both, but confirm who signs the provincial paperwork and that the licence will be on site. In Toronto the licence fee is $180; confirm the current fee with the city clerk before the appointment.

Questions to ask

• Who are the witnesses, and do they meet the officiant requirements?
• Is the civil register signed at the same time, or after the ceremony?
• Where will the ketubah be displayed during the reception?

See chuppah and processional for the moments that follow.