Please allow me to preface this: These are the types of rooms usually required. Not the overall size of the place. Every Wedding is unique to the Families involved and there are all kinds of interesting designs, ideas, configurations and adaptations according to desire and need. *Note: If the Bride and her attendants will be dressing at the venue, then there will be a need for an additional room.
There are 5 basic rooms or spaces needed for a Jewish Chassanah
- Reception Room: also known as the Kabbalat Panim. This is an area separated from the men, where the Kallah sits on a special chair to greet her guests before the ceremony. The Bride also imparts a blessing to each woman. Some times appetizers or hors deorves are served. This is the same place where the Bedeken (inspection of the Bride) takes place and the fathers bless the Bride. After this is the cue for everyone to go to the Chuppah
- Chasson’s Tish: (groom’s table) a separate area from the women where the wedding contract is reviewed by the Rabbi and is accepted by each father and the groom plus 2 witnesses. In some traditions, the mothers come together in the room with the men and they break a dish, also connoting the acceptance and binding of the contract/Ketubah
- Chuppah: The Marriage Canopy under which the ceremony takes place. The Chuppah may be done outdoors or indoors (depending on weather and personal preferences). This is usually done at the same venue (not necessarily the same room) as the Seudah (dinner). Sometimes the Reception, Tish and Chuppah are done in a synagogue and the seudah takes place elsewhere.
- Yichud Room: This is a secluded room where the new husband and wife spend some intimate time alone. Under most traditions, this will be the first time they touch each other as well as having a little something to eat. Some couples fast on their wedding day. Usually there are 2 “guards” posted outside the room to ensure the couple’s privacy.
- The Simcha Hall: Place where the “celebration party” is located. After the Chuppah, the new couple go off to the Yichud room and the guests go to the hall and find their tables. In very orthodox traditions, there may be separate seating for men and women, in other cases there is mixed seating. However the dance floor is usually partitioned off (Mechitzah) for separate dancing.
In non-religious weddings, there is no separation unless desired in order to keep with tradition.
I hope you find this guide helpful when planning your simcha! MAZAL TOV!!
