To attend my niece's wedding, I had to wear this hat in the synagogue. For the first minute it seemed awkward to wear a kippah, sometimes also called a yarmulke in yiddish. But when I saw all my brothers and other men looking handsome, I was proud to place it on the crown of my head. The wedding was an experience of learning about some of the Jewish traditions. The wedding ceremony took place under the chuppah (canopy), a symbol of the home to be built and shared by the couple, Angele and Steve. Two cups of wine are used in the wedding ceremony. The first cup accompanies the betrothal blessing, and after these are recited, the couple drinks from the cup. Wine, a symbol of joy in Jewish tradition, is associated with the sanctification prayer, a symbol of sanctification of a man and woman to each other. In Jewish law, a marriage becomes official when the groom (chatan) gives an object of value to his bride (kallah) by placing a ring. The ring should be made of plain gold, without blemishes or ornamentation (e.g. stones) -- just as it is hoped that the marriage will be one of simple beauty. After the reading of the mariage contract and the recitation of the seven blessings over the second cup of wine, a glass, placed on the floor, is shattered by the chatan with his foot. This marks the conclusion of the ceremony. With shouts of "Mazel Tov," the chatan and kallah are then given an enthusiastic reception from the guests as they leave the chuppah together. Cheers!