How to crash a Jewish Wedding

How to crash a Jewish Wedding

Crashers’ checklist:
1.    Pants, long skirt, or wooden barrel (w/suspenders) to cover the lower body. Fabric is recommended!
2.    Dress shirt or other elegant torso covering. Nothing too fancy so you don’t look better than the bride or groom.
3.    Head covering for the guys, keepah or yarmulke. It is time to let your Yankees cap dry out.
4.    Dancing shoes. Leave those uncomfortable shoes for another night. It’s time to get down.
5.    Take the movie Wedding Crashers off your Netflix queue. You’ve probably seen it already.
6.    Confidence. You are going to walk into a room full of strangers, and leave with a ton of new friends. Own the room.
7.    An open mind. From a Haredi wedding with separate seating and dancing for men and women, to a secular wedding on the beach in Tel Aviv, anything goes!

Crashers’ game plan:
1.    Scope out locations. Israel is the biggest little country in the world. Walk around hotels and banquet halls to see who is setting up. A lot of white linen and a chupah, wedding awning, are big clues.
2.    Impress but don’t overdress. Israeli’s come to weddings in everything from suits to jeans and leathers. Tuxedos are for penguins and James Bond. Look like you belong but don’t look like a slob.
3.     Understand the norms. Whether it’s a religious wedding or secular, and especially if you don’t know, respect traditions. Men wear pants, and women knee-length or longer skirts. Both genders should have tops that cover their shoulders to their elbows or beyond.  Men must cover their heads, and women should not expose cleavage. A light weight shawl is the perfect accessory for changing your look on the fly.
4.    Don’t just mingle with singles. Sit with families and married couples. Ask them questions and learn their stories.  “Was your wedding as wonderful as this?” is the perfect ice breaker.
5.    Dance, dance, and dance.
6.    Eat, eat, and eat.