How to Have a Ketubah Made

A Ketubah is a traditional Jewish wedding contract. It is customary for the bride and groom to sign this before the ceremony under the chuppah. They were, at one point, simple documents that were rolled up and stored away after the wedding, never to be seen again. Now, the Ketubah is seen as a piece of art that is often hung in the couple's home. Finding a Ketubah you like may take some searching, but you'll find that it's well worth the effort.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Find an artist that you like. A great place to start your search for the perfect personalized Ketubah is with artists who already design Ketubot. These artists already have experience creating, not only Jewish art, but Jewish marriage art. Taking a look at the different styles of Judaica artists will give you a better idea of who and what is out there in the marketplace to buy. Start at your local Judaica store. There will be a section that is strictly all about weddings, and there you will find many full sized premade Ketubot, and very likely many more pictures in books and catalogs. It is always best to look at the Ketubot in person if you can, because they will look different when they are in front of you, as opposed to on your computer screen.

2. Order with as much advance notice as possible. Because all Ketubot are made to order, the farther in advance you place your order, the easier it will be for you and the less stress you will incur. Also, if the Ketubah is ordered with too little notice, many companies will charge a rush fee for processing and personalization.

3. Decide what style of text you want. There are many choices as far as the actual text of the contract, itself. Some of the most popular choices with a lot of couples are the Conservative and Reform texts. While the strict Orthodox text is the classic, the Conservative and Reform texts are more egalitarian and acknowledge the bride in a much more equal way. In some Orthodox Ketubot, the bride is not even allowed to sign the document. This is a major item to consider before ordering the right Ketubah for you and your fiance.

4. Order online. Once you have found the right artist, the perfect design and the text that most closely speaks to you, it is time to order the Ketubah. Because you have seen the Ketubah you want in person, you can order it online without fear of receiving something you've never seen. Ordering online is where you will almost always find the best prices for you Ketubot, and oftentimes shipping is either free or included in the price. It's also easier to shop around for bargains from your home computer. Look below at a few of the online resources for ordering Ketubot (see Resources).

Resources

• A great site for, not just Ketubot, but everything Jewish.
• A fantastic selection of Ketubot at low prices.