It’s “canopies.” Those are the traditional portable arches or shelters used in all kinds of outdoor wedding ceremonies — and all Jewish weddings, indoor or outdoor. Many canopies are strictly decorative and symbolic, while others are more functional. They have certainly come in handy for many an outdoor wedding when an unexpected rain shower suddenly threatens to dampen the mood for the happy couple and wedding party. (The guests, of course, are better off having umbrellas when that happens.)
Canopies come in all shapes and sizes. If wedding couples want to be shrewdly economical about them, they often may purchase one for permanent use in their own yard. They’re are not at all bad to have for residents of rainy climates, or for people who would like an outdoor spot where they are protected from the sun. Canopies are, however, most often rented or provided as part of a package.
As we mentioned, canopies are used in all Jewish weddings and are as much a part of marriage tradition as the smashing of the wine glass by the groom and the signing of the Ketubah (a now purely ceremonial traditional pre-nuptial wedding contract). The commonly used Hebrew term for it is chuppa, which has led to a funny but slightly crude, though 100% traditionally moral, rhyming Yiddish witticism we won’t quote here. Unlike many ceremonial canopies, the chuppa traditionally covers not only the wedding couple, but also the rabbi and some or all of the wedding party. These days, chuppas are often customized to reflect the personalities of the couples.
Mechanically speaking, there are a number of popular canopy styles for wedding couples of all beliefs and ethnicities, including gazebo, pop up, and easy up. When it comes right down to it, however, as with everything else at the wedding, the selection of canopies really should be up to the happy couple. They’re the ones who are going to be under it, after all.