What is a ketubah?
A ketubah is a work of art that symbolizes the beauty of your marriage
A ketubah is a work of art that uses images and words to express the love and commitment of your marriage vows. While the ketubah has its roots in the Jewish wedding tradition, its beauty has become embraced by couples from all different religions and cultures. It is signed by the bride and groom in a special ceremony at the wedding, publicly declaring their commitment and love, and symbolizing the traditional start of their married life. After the wedding, the ketubah is usually hung in a place of honor in the home, and serves as a daily reminder of the vows they have made to each other on their wedding.
Is it spelled ketubah, ketubot, ketubbah, ketuba, or katuba?
Ketubah (pronounced "keh-TOO-buh") is from the Hebrew  , and literally means "document" or "it is written". Lately it has become commonly used to describe any document or artwork signed by the bride and groom that states their vows to each other. You see all of the different spellings of ketubah (such as ketubot, ketubbah, ketuba, and katuba) because the Hebrew language uses a different alphabet from English, so there is no direct correlation between the letters. "Ketubah" is the most common English spelling. "Ketubot" is the correct plural form of ketubah, but since not everyone is familiar with this, I use the more familiar-sounding "ketubahs" on this website.
Does a ketubah have to look traditional or old-fashioned?
Not at all! A ketubah can look like anything you like, and can say anything you like. Since your ketubah is a physical symbol of your marriage, like your wedding rings, it should match your own idea of beauty and symbolism. You should therefore find a ketubah that you consider beautiful. Your ketubah is a work of art that will hang in your home for the rest of your life, so you should choose one that reflect their own artistic tastes and styles. My ketubah designs are unique, because all of my designs originated as works of fine art. I create my ketubot by combining my fine art photographs of flowers and leaves with beautifully-typset personalized texts. They are then printed using the same techniques and materials as the photographs I sell to collectors.
Can we get a ketubah for an interfaith wedding?
Yes. All of the ketubahs on Modern Ketubah were specifically designed to address the needs and concerns of the interfaith couple. My ketubah designs use symbols from nature, flowers and leaves, thereby celebrating an interfaith marriage with images that are meaningful to both traditions. My ketubot are designed to be a symbol of a union between two individuals, two families, and two traditions. For more information, read my article: The interfaith ketubah for the interfaith wedding.
We are a "non-traditional" couple. Can we get a ketubah that is right for us?
Every couple is non-traditional in some way. I have worked with couples from all sorts of backgrounds to create a ketubah that is right for them. Since my ketubah designs use images of flowers and nature, they are uniquely universal and appealing to people from all backgrounds. I have customized ketubot for many gay and lesbian couples, vow renewals, non-Jewish couples, anniversaries, and other special celebrations.
You can customize the text and design of your ketubah to say exactly what you want.
How do we get started?
The first thing to do is to find a ketubah that feels right to you, whose imagery and words fits your ideas of what a ketubah should be. Here's how you find your perfect ketubah:
At no time are you alone in this process! I am the designer, artist, and owner of Modern Ketubah, so you know that you will always get a direct and clear answer to any question you might have.
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