For our first few posts, we'll go through bridal jewelry by religion. Judaism, one of the world's oldest living religions and certainly the oldest in the Western world, actually has more jewelry associated with the home of the married couple rather than with the bride. However, the centerpiece of the wedding is actually a piece of jewelry - the wedding ring.
According to Jewish law, a wedding is actually cemented by a financial transaction, either by contract or by money, or the value equivalent. Without either of these things, marriage does not take place. The transaction can take the form of anything with the value of about 2.5 cents (a prutah in Jewish parlance), except things that are quickly consumed such as food, water, or other commodities.
There are several Holocaust stories of marriages that took place in ghettos where bridal jewelry was obviously not available. In those cases, a pair of shoes would suffice, or basically anything useful. In cases where food is considered extremely valueable, such as during the Holocaust, marriage can be enacted through a food transaction.
It has long been Jewish custom that the bridal jewelry of choice be wedding rings. Traditionally, there are no stones on the ring and it is all metal, generally gold, though any metal of value may be used.
As far as other wedding jewelry is concerned, no other jewelry should be on the bride's body under the wedding canopy so there is no confusion as to what was given and its value. Afterwards, other bridal jewelry can be put back on.
Interestingly enough, bridal jewelry is one of the rights given to a Jewish wife during marriage, and is one of the goods that a Jewish husband must supply his wife with. Lack of it is grounds for divorce, surprisingly enough.
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