The Three Best Books to Plan Your Jewish Wedding
By Cantor Shira Ginsburg
Planning a Jewish wedding can feel both exciting and overwhelming — especially when you’re trying to balance tradition, modern values, and personal meaning. Over the years, couples have often asked me where to start when it comes to understanding Jewish wedding rituals, symbolism, and ceremony structure.
These are the three books I recommend most often. Each one offers a thoughtful, accessible approach to planning a Jewish wedding, whether you’re deeply familiar with the traditions or encountering them for the first time.
- The Jewish Wedding Now
This book is a favorite because it speaks to modern couples navigating Jewish tradition in a contemporary world. It offers clear explanations of rituals, thoughtful context, and practical guidance without feeling rigid or outdated.
Many couples especially appreciate how it explores core moments of the ceremony — including breaking the glass at a Jewish wedding, one of the most meaningful and symbolic rituals.
The Jewish Wedding Now, Kindle Edition, by Anita Diamant
- The New Jewish Wedding
This is a wonderful resource for couples who want deeper historical and cultural context. It walks through the wedding ceremony step by step and explains the meaning behind each tradition in a way that feels grounded and respectful.
If you’re someone who likes to understand why traditions exist — not just how to perform them — this book is an excellent companion.
New Jewish Wedding, Revised edition, by Anita Diamant
- Beyond Breaking the Glass
Warm, inclusive, and beautifully written, this book is especially helpful for interfaith couples or anyone blending different backgrounds. It emphasizes meaning, intention, and personalization while still honoring Jewish tradition, a beautiful take on smashing the glass.
Beautifully written by my teacher Rabbi Nancy H. Weiner, D.MinIt’s a reassuring read for couples who want their wedding to feel authentic, thoughtful, and deeply personal.
Beyond Breaking the Glass: A Spiritual Guide to Your Jewish Wedding, By Rabbi Nancy H Wiener, D.Min
*ADDITIONALLY FOR MY INTERFAITH COUPLES I ALWAYS RECOMMEND:
4. Making a Successful Jewish Interfaith Marriage
Straightforward and nonjudgmental advice for dating couples, partners, husbands and wives, in-laws, counselors and others. Interfaith relationships are commonplace; the challenges that go along with them are not. From a Jewish perspective, this book guides interfaith couples at any stage of their relationship—from dating and engagement, to the wedding and marriage.
Making a Successful Jewish Interfaith Marriage: The Jewish Outreach Institute Guide to Opportunities, Challenges and Resources, By Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky with Joan Peterson Littman
