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

The Modern Ketubah Blog

In this blog I will discuss what goes into creating ketubot, ideas about wedding ceremonies and traditions, and answer some of the questions and comments from the couples I've worked with. Subscribe to this blog

Your feedback inspires new ketubah designs

By Daniel Sroka  /  January 21st, 2009  /  News    

A lot of my ketubah designs, texts, and options have been inspired by suggestions from my customers. I always love hearing ideas from someone who is seeing my art for the first time — it helps fire up my creativity, and inspires me to continually create and improve my work.

Based on a number of suggestions, I’ll soon be releasing a number of my most popular ketubahs in a variety of colors, including ivory, and black and white. I’ve also just added a new poetic verse and will soon be adding more texts, all based on feedback from you. Thank you everyone!

Jennifer is speechless about her ketubah

By Daniel Sroka  /  January 21st, 2009  /  Testimonials    

“We received the Ketubah, it is amazing!!! I was speechless when I saw it, and if you knew me, you would know that never happens! :) We can not thank you enough! You do amazing work!”

Jennifer and Mario, who chose my Tulip ketubah.

From Stephanie and Elon

By Daniel Sroka  /  August 11th, 2008  /  Testimonials    

“I just received our Ketubah and I wanted to send you a note to let you know how much we absolutely love it. My fiance and I looked long and hard to find a Ketubah that spoke to us, as much in the words as in the art. When we received ours last week, we were speechless. We didn’t think we could find something we’d want to hang on our walls, now the questions is how quickly can we get it framed to put us. Again, it’s beautiful. Many thanks.”

Stephanie and Elon (Vermont) chose my abstract Horizon ketubah.

Video advice for interfaith weddings

By Daniel Sroka  /  July 9th, 2008  /  Interfaith Weddings    

Interfaithfamily.com and Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben have put together a short video that gives interfaith couples some good basic advice when getting ready to plan their weddings. They say that this is the first in the series, so we look forward to seeing the rest.

choosing a ketubah as part of a ‘flower ceremony’

By Daniel Sroka  /  June 9th, 2008  /  Interfaith Weddings, Testimonials    

Kim and Matthew wrote to me to describe why they chose my Autumn Gold ketubah, and to describe how they customized their interfaith wedding ceremony to fit their personalities:

“One reason we chose your artwork is that my fiancé very much likes Japanese décor. We have created a “flower ceremony” within our ceremony during which we are exchanging five flowers with specific meanings to give each other for the recipe for a great marriage. Specifically, we are using the Lotus Flower because it blooms in tough times, the Lily of the Valley which means happiness, the Chrysanthemum which means love and longevity, the Yellow Rose which means friendship and finally Ivy which means Fidelity. The Japanese Maple Leaf that we found on your website was yet another aspect of the Japanese decor and fit our theme perfectly! The moment we found your website we knew it was perfect.”

In addition to their wonderfully unique “flower ceremony”, Kim and Matthew chose to sign their ketubah during the wedding ceremony, instead of before (as is tradition). They also added two extra witness lines so that both the bride and the groom could choose two people close to them to sign it.

a ketubah that expressed exactly what we wanted to say

By Daniel Sroka  /  June 9th, 2008  /  Testimonials    

“We chose one of your ketubahs… mainly because we did not want a traditional ketubah. We would like to hang the ketubah on the wall in our new house as a piece of art and since my fiancé is not Jewish I wanted him to be able to enjoy it without feeling like it was some sort of religious artifact. Luckily I stumbled upon your website and we were able to get a ketubah that expressed exactly what we wanted to say and was beautiful at the same time.”

From Danise and Michael (Buffalo, NY). They chose the Petals Ketubah of a gerbera daisy.

From Deborah and Steve

By Daniel Sroka  /  May 22nd, 2008  /  Testimonials    

“I was personally drawn to your work was because to me it seemed to have a more simple elegance about it that I liked. I also liked the words… I found that really said what I feel in my heart for my husband to be. The ketubah hanging in my home will be the same feeling I have when I look at my wedding ring, it will reconfirm my wedding vows and my commitment.”

Deborah and Steve chose my Center ketubah of a rose.

From Robyn and Roger

By Daniel Sroka  /  May 14th, 2008  /  Testimonials    

“Yours are truly the only ketubah designs that Roger and I felt we would want to frame and hang in our home. We don’t feel that we will merely be hanging a ketubah in our home, but rather a work of fine art that we love.”

Robyn and Roger chose my Bloom ketubah of a camelia flower.

From Matthew and Kathleen

By Daniel Sroka  /  May 14th, 2008  /  Testimonials    

“I’m happy to let you know why we were drawn to your artwork rather than “traditional” ketubahs out there — “traditional” is the opposite of what we wanted. The artwork on just about every other ketubah out there looks like it’s straight off of the stained-glass windows of my old synagogue. We are an interfaith couple — so anything with really heavy Jewish symbolism we were going to rule out immediately. We want a home where the representation of our backgrounds are in balance. We were searching for was something we’d be interested in having hanging on our wall even WITHOUT the marriage contract wording on it… we could’ve picked any number of yours.”

Matthew and Kathleen chose my Horizon ketubah of an autumn leaf.

From Christine and Mike

By Daniel Sroka  /  May 1st, 2008  /  Testimonials    

“We received our beautiful ketubah… I was blown away when I took it out of the package. It is more beautiful than I had imagined.

Being a Catholic girl, I never heard of a ketubah until Mike’s mom mentioned getting one. I began searching the internet for one that would fit the both of us — that both of us liked. I’m Catholic, he’s Jewish, neither are religious; it was not easy. So many ketubahs have religious pictures and neither of us wanted it to be only a religious document. We wanted art. I studied art and photography way back in high school… and immediately fell in love with all of your designs.

I am ecstatic with the results. I want to hang it up now! We both want to thank you for adding to our wedding memories and for giving us something we will cherish always.”

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fine art ketubahs inspired by nature