Wedding chuppah directions

It's interesting:
"Just as the happy couple wanted, this is a lovely, small, intimate gathering of close friends and family – so could someone please tell me why I’m here. Oh, that’s right, to make a speech, so here goes …"

Jewish weddings include many beautifully symbolic traditions. One especially beautiful tradition is speaking your vows beneath the chuppah, or wedding canopy. Ranging from simple cloth held aloft above the betrothed couple, to intricate and ornate structures with specific and personalized flourishes and touches, a chuppah has long been a standard part of a Jewish wedding. You can make this custom even more special by constructing your own chuppah. It can be surprisingly easy to do, and both bride and bridegroom are certain to cherish the item for years to come.

Things You'll Need

• 4 wooden poles, between 7 and 8 feet tall
• wood stain or paint
• varnish or lacquer
• 4 metal grommets
• 4 bolts
• 4 washers
• fabric

Instructions

1. Preparing the Poles

   • 1

     Measure out four identical wooden poles that are at least one inch across and seven to eight feet tall.

   • 2

     Sanding the poles to a smooth texture is an important step.

     Sand each pole until it is smooth.

   • 3

     Drill a hole into the top of each pole that is long and wide enough to accommodate your bolts.

   • 4

     The poles can be any color you wish.

     Paint or stain the poles the desired shade. Sand and repeat until the color is even and the texture smooth.

   • 5

     If using a stain, coat each pole in a varnish or lacquer to insure that it is smooth and waterproof.

   Preparing the Canopy

   • 6

     You can use any fabric that you wish to make your chuppah a personal statement

     After determining how many people will be standing beneath the chuppah, and how large of a space it will need to cover, carefully hem the edges of your fabric.

   • 7

     In each corner of the fabric, cut a hole, and install a fabric grommet large enough to accommodate the shaft of the bolt that you will be using to attach the fabric to the poles.

   • 8

     Attach any decorative trimmings that you wish to add to the edges of the fabric, such as fringe or ribbon.

   • 9

     Insert a bolt into a washer, feed it through one of the grommets in the fabric, then affix the bolt into a pole. Repeat for all four poles.

Tips &- Warnings

• If you wish, you can use other materials to make your poles, such as fishing poles if you both enjoy fishing, or intricately carved sticks if that is a good reflection of you as a couple. You may also choose to wrap your poles in ribbon.

• The fabric you use can be embroidered with your names and the date, or any verse or phrase that you wish. The fabric can then be detached after the ceremony, and hung in your home as a keepsake.

• If you will not have attendants hold the poles during the ceremony, you can cement the poles into large flower pots, then plant flowers or greens around them to hold your chuppah upright.

Source: www.ehow.com

Tags: each pole, that wish, your chuppah, beneath chuppah, bolt into, chuppah directions