How to Hire a Rabbi for a Wedding

A traditional Jewish wedding is a festive celebration of rituals and activities that symbolize the very core of the Jewish religion. The rabbi takes the occasion very seriously and carefully instructs the couple in the appropriate steps to complete the marriage process.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Determine if the rabbi you hire practices Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism or Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism. The requirements for marriage vary, from the traditionalism of the Orthodox to the more liberal views of Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism.

2. Hire a rabbi who is living in the state in which the ceremony will be performed. Each state has requirements about whether an out-of-state clergyman can officiate at weddings. If you're getting married in a state different from your synagogue, ask the rabbi in the state where the marriage will take place about the possibility of using your rabbi before you finalize a contract for the marriage ceremony.

3. Ask your rabbi if he will officiate at a wedding ceremony where one partner is not of the Jewish faith. Some rabbis are allowed to perform such marriages and others are not, depending on the branch of Judaism he practices.

4. Hire a rabbi who is experienced in performing the marriage ceremony. The Jewish wedding is composed of several traditional elements that require precision and control to bring the ceremony together. The couple should be able to follow the guidance of the rabbi throughout the entire ceremony without missing a step.

5. Contact a local wedding planner to find a rabbi with the interests and abilities to provide the type of marriage ceremony you desire. If you're not part of a local congregation and you practice the Jewish religion, wedding planners can check their registries for rabbis who will perform your ceremony.

6. Follow your dream to have an outdoor wedding when you hire a rabbi. Ask the rabbi if there are any objections to having the ceremony outdoors instead of inside the synagogue. As traditional requirements begin to relax, more rabbis are becoming flexible as to the surroundings for the ceremony.

Tips & Warnings

• It is important to talk face to face with the rabbi you are considering hiring. There should be a connection that makes you comfortable with his ability to work with you throughout the planning and completion of the ceremony.
• Check with your priest and rabbi before finalizing plans for a Catholic-Jewish intermarriage. Church laws will apply from both sides, and a workable arrangement must be put in place before the marriage is recognized by both religious entities.