If you’ve never attended a Jewish wedding before, you might find yourself staring into your closet thinking, “what outfit is appropriate?”
Atlanta Jewish and Interfaith Weddings is here today to help you decide what is appropriate attire for a Jewish wedding.
Type of Ceremony
The first thing you’ll need to figure out is what type of ceremony you’re attending. If it’s an Orthodox ceremony, dress for men and women will be very conservative. Ladies must cover everything from the collarbone to the knees, including your elbows. They will also be wearing stockings or pantyhose. If you’re married, you would typically cover your hair.
Men will wear a yarmulke on their heads along with long sleeves, jackets, ties and long pants.
For a Conservative ceremony, the rules are a little looser. Women should still dress relatively conservatively, but necks and backs don’t necessarily need full coverage and you can probably skip the pantyhose. Married women may or may not need to cover their heads, and men may or may not be required to wear a yarmulke but the particular synagogue will be able to confirm.
For a Reform ceremony, which is the most non-traditional of the bunch, there are no dress code requirements, so all you need to do is dress for the invitation specifications: casual, formal or black tie. Men may still need to cover their heads with a yarmulke, but the synagogue will most likely provide them for you at the front door.
Stay Classy
The most important thing to remember when getting dressed for a Jewish wedding is to be respectful, both to the couple being married and the synagogue where it’s taking place. Remember to dress somewhat conservatively: don’t wear something you’d be found in at the bar over the weekend! If you have any doubt, just ask the bride and groom to be if your outfit is acceptable. Chances are, whatever you have picked out will work fine.
If you’re getting married soon and need a wedding officiant for your Jewish or interfaith wedding, contact Rabbi Lebow.
