Q&A: Officiating at a Wedding Canopy Ceremony
Officiating at a Wedding Canopy Ceremony
Question
Hello Rabbi,
Some friends asked me to officiate at their wedding canopy ceremony. They are not willing to go through the Chief Rabbinate,
and I agreed to do it.
What are the things I need to make sure of?
Let me sharpen the question: this is not the first wedding I’ve attended, but is everything I’ve seen done at weddings actually what needs to be done?
Another thing: signing testimony by women—they want an egalitarian wedding canopy ceremony. Is there any problem with having women sign as witnesses as well, in addition to the witnesses who are signed on the document (and that I will make sure about)? Thank you very much.
Answer
I’m sorry. The Sages said (and rightly so—they were not from the Chief Rabbinate): anyone who is not expert in the laws of divorce documents and betrothal should not get involved with them. I suggest they turn to a rabbi who can marry them properly and with halakhic knowledge. You can contact the Mavoi Satum organization, which arranges private marriages.