I had a minor freak out earlier this week when I realized that my wedding is in less than 60 days. I don’t have too much together so I whipped into a frenzy of planning and got a lot done. I now have an officiant, the preliminary menu, table design, and all the stationary. Whew.
When it came to the chuppah, my original plan was to buy one, but we are really trying to keep costs down so I decided to make one. I went online and read a bunch of DIY stories on making a chuppah, but they all had to do with the structure not the fabric. You see, it is traditional to use a tallit as the covering, usually one from a parent. Well, I am the only Jew in my family, so that isn’t an option. Plus I like the idea of making the chuppah with fabric that I can then use to make my own tallit. Luckily I stumbled onto a message board post on theknot.com about DIY chuppahs and got the information I need.
Today I went to Joann’s armed with an about to expire coupon to look for fabric. The first section I looked at had exactly what I needed. Yay! I then went to the lace section to look for something pretty to edge the fabric with. Our colors are pale green and ivory and bingo, there was a beautiful ivory, crochet trimming with a pattern that reminds me of the evil eye talismans, the hamsa. I’m not a superstitious person, but it is my wedding day and little warding off of the evil eye couldn’t hurt!
Here is the fabric and trimming that I purchased:
Stay tuned for Part Two!
Like I said – beautiful fabric!! We used the chuppah at our temple which my grandmother helped to needlepoint (she passed away a few months before our wedding, but was too sick to make it anyway). My mother made a wimple for us – she needlepointed items that meant something to me and my husband (for him: llamas, race car; GG Bridge, engagement ring, our name and date, and other things that are escaping my memory at this time). It hung over the front of the chuppah. We were eventually going to hang that in a nursery. It was such a beautiful gift and a way to incorporate him a bit more into the ceremony, since he’s not Jewish. I LOVE that you’re making your own to eventually turn into your own tallit – you are one talented chick!!! Enjoy making it!! 🙂
Thanks Jilly-Bean! I’m totally excited to see how it turns out!