A chuppah is the canopy a Jewish couple stands beneath to be married: a cloth held up by four poles, open on every side. The openness is the whole point - it represents the home the couple is building, and a home in this tradition is defined by the fact that its sides are open to everyone who might need to come in.
What it represents
The canopy is the couple's first home together, and it is a roof without walls. The reference is to Abraham and Sarah's tent, open on all four sides so travellers could be welcomed from any direction. A chuppah with enclosed sides would say the opposite of what it is for.
It is deliberately temporary and often visibly fragile - cloth and poles rather than anything built. A marriage is understood to be sheltered by the people holding it up rather than by the structure itself.
Who holds it, and what it is made of
Many chuppahs are held by four people for the length of the ceremony, which is an honour given to close friends or family. Others are freestanding. Holding it for a forty-minute ceremony is harder than volunteers expect, and rotating holders mid-ceremony is common.
The cloth is often meaningful rather than decorative: a family tallit, a quilt made by relatives, an heirloom textile. Florists build elaborate ones, but a grandfather's prayer shawl over four simple poles is the more traditional object.
Planning it properly
A tradition only goes well if the people running your day know it is coming. These are the things to say out loud, and who to say them to.
- Decide freestanding or held early
- It changes the rental, the florals and whether four people are standing still for forty minutes. This decision drives several vendors.
- Weight it if you are outdoors
- A chuppah is a sail. Wind is the reason outdoor chuppahs fall over, and the fix is proper weighting, agreed with your rental company.
- Tell your florist the cloth matters
- If you are using a family tallit, the florals frame it rather than cover it. Say so explicitly.
- Brief the holders
- Rotating in a second set of holders halfway through is normal and should be rehearsed.
Common questions
Why is a chuppah open on all sides?
It represents the couple's home, modelled on Abraham and Sarah's tent which was open on four sides to welcome travellers from any direction. An open home is the point, so the sides are never enclosed.
Who holds the chuppah?
Often four close friends or family members, as an honour, for the length of the ceremony. Freestanding chuppahs are also common, particularly for longer ceremonies or outdoor weddings.
What is a chuppah made of?
Four poles and a cloth. The cloth is frequently meaningful rather than decorative - a family tallit, a handmade quilt or an heirloom textile - though florists also build elaborate floral versions.
The vendors who make this work
The chuppah depends on people who have done it before. Every review on Lazo comes from a couple who actually got married with that vendor, and rankings can't be bought.
Browse every category in Albany → · What a wedding florist costs →