Modern Ketubah: fine art ketubah by photographer Daniel Sroka Since 2003

Making a ketubah for Catholic, Christian and other non-Jewish couples

The ketubah is a rich and meaningful tradition, signifying the love and commitment between two people. Many Christian, Catholic, and other non-Jewish couples appreciate the beauty of the ketubah tradition, and want something similar for their own wedding. I have created many such non-Jewish ketubahs, which I refer to as fine art wedding certificates. My ketubah designs are very well suited for these wedding certificates. All of my designs use symbols from nature, flowers and leaves, thereby celebrating the marriage with images that are meaningful to any religion or tradition. The language of my texts is also open and modern, carefully written to acknowledge people from different backgrounds.

A sample of a "non-Jewish ketubah", a fine art wedding certificate
A sample of a fine art wedding certificate

How to make a fine art wedding certificate

At Modern Ketubah, every design I make is well-suited for non-denominational or non-Jewish weddings. Choose any of my designs, and find the one that is right for you. Then select the text and options that work best for your ceremony. All of my English texts are perfect for non-Jewish couples, since they don't specifically refer to any one religion. All of my designs include a large poetic verse in the artwork, many of which are taken from the Song of Songs. If you like the sentiment of the verse, you may choose to have it appear in English only. You could also remove this verse entirely from the design.

Ketubot include a space for the bride, groom, rabbi, and witness to sign, since the ketubah is officially a wedding contract. The non-Jewish wedding certificate does not need to have these signatures, so you can choose to remove them. However if you would like to keep them, you can change the labels to reflect the title of your officiant ("priest", "minister", etc.).

If you have any questions about how to fill out my order form to create your fine art wedding certificate, please contact me and I'll give you a hand.

How to include the certificate in your wedding ceremony

There are many ways to make a wedding certificate a part of your ceremony. You may follow the Jewish custom of signing the document before the ceremony, as a complement to your community's official wedding contract. You could display your wedding certificate along with the programs, so people can read your words before the ceremony begins. Or you may choose to have the certificate read aloud as part of the ceremony, by either the officiant, best man, or maid of honor. Many people also have their wedding certificates on display during the reception (protected, of course!), giving their guests a chance to share and discuss its meaning.

"It is gorgeous! We love it so much!"
Paige and Stuart

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