How to make the Huppah?

akw94 · May 14, 2007

I decided to have a huppah for my wedding. For those who don''t know, it''s similar to a canopy. I bought some tulle from a fabric store to use as the top but I''m not sure what to use for the 4 poles. I might be able to use my tent poles but have to see if that will work. I thought about going to Home Depot and seeing if they have any sort of poles I could buy to stick in the ground and then tie the tulle to each one.
Anyone have any (inexpensive and simple--since we''re DIYing this) ideas?

Also, do you think it will work to just tie the tulle to the poles w/ribbon? The fabric is an ivory and I bought some ivory ribbon that I thought I could tie on to the top of the pole to attach the fabric and then let it hang down over the side of the poles w/the fabric.

Another semi-related question.. are you having/did you have a ketubah (Jewish wedding contract)? There are some very pretty ones that I''ve found online but I''m a little torn about signing a contract.. maybe it''s just the lawyer in me..not sure.

So_happy · May 14, 2007

I typed in "diy huppah" in google and lots of stuff came up. This was the first link. Maybe this will help......

http://www.do-it-yourself-weddings.com/wedding-chuppah.html

robbie3982 · May 14, 2007

Hi Dixie,

FI and I are also going to be DIYing our Huppah. We''re not 100% sure yet, but last week we saw this really nice bamboo poles that we''re thinking about using. Ours won''t have to stand up on its own since we''re having 4 people hold it as a way to include more of our friends.

I don''t think we''re going to do a ketubah. I think they''re really pretty, but my parents are insisting that it''s silly since we''re getting married by a judge (FI is Catholic).

akw94 · May 14, 2007

So Happy, thanks for the link. Unfortunately, that one requires cement which needs to dry overnight.. too much work for me! But I will do that same search and see what I can come up with.

I''m really hoping to just find some poles that can be stuck in the ground w/very little effort. I know this is something that I''ll have to have others do so I really want it easy for them. Of course, I''ll probably be out there working on it myself since I have to arrive so much earlier than others to get ready.

Robbie, where did you find bamboo poles? That sounds nice! How are you attaching the fabric to the poles? I''m also marrying someone that''s not Jewish but I do know others who''ve had the ketubah when marrying inter-faith. Nowadays, they have tons of varieties of text online and some beautiful, hand-drawn designs. But they are expensive.

robbie3982 · May 14, 2007

Sorry Dixie! I meant to put that we saw them at Michaels. I''m not really sure how we''re going to attach the fabric. I mentioned drilling holes in the poles to FI and he acted like I was crazy.

akw94 · May 14, 2007

Thanks Robbie! I will definitely check that out next time I go to Michael''s.. which is always an upcoming event these days!

surfgirl · May 14, 2007

You could also use PVC piping if you're planning on covering the poles in fabric or whatever. I'd just make sure you sharpen the bottoms so you can plant them in the ground easily on your wedding day!

ETA: My sister signed a katuba and her husband is a lawyer

I'm not doing that though since I'm not religious at all and we're eloping. Didn't seem appropriate but there are indeed some lovely ones out there.

neatfreak · May 14, 2007

We''re also probably going the bamboo pole route.

And as for the Ketubah, I''m Jewish and FI is Quaker, and both religions have a similar tradition for the marriage contract. NEITHER of us is religious however, but we really love the fact that everyone is signing on to your marriage and it''s something you can display in your house forever as a memento.

Anyway, we found a great website with wording for interfaith couples if you''re interested:

http://www.dreamscometrueinvitations.com/images/Ketubot/modern_english_hebrew_head_different.jpg

akw94 · May 14, 2007

Surfgirl, thanks for your thoughts! Any ideas on how you''d sharpen the PVC?

Neatfreak, how are you holding up the bamboo poles? Are you also buying from Michael''s? I like the idea of the ketubah too, which is why I''ve considered it. Thanks for the site, I''ll check it out!

neatfreak · May 14, 2007

I think we are also going to have people hold them. Otherwise, we are having an outdoor ceremony at a park, so I suppose we''ll sharpen them and just push them into the ground. I need to figure out the best way to accomplish this in the next few months. If I come up with anything great I will let you know!

jas · May 15, 2007

Hey there -- I think people are giving good guidance for the chuppa...flowers, a tallis, a family tablecloth -- I''ve seen it all and they are all beautiful!

You can, actually, go a very traditional route and NOT sign the ketubah. The ketubah is your FI''s commitment to you...you *own* the document; it states *your* rights and *his* responsibilities.

The woman signing is a more modern trend. I actually opted *not* to sign mine because I liked how the ketubah was one of the first legal docments in history to identify and protect a woman''s rights! But that''s me.

It was actually a pretty meaningful thing, all in all, to us. I am more religious than my husband, but he took it on as "telling the world" that he''s going to take care of me. So it brought out my inner activist and his inner cave man.

JK -- We take care of each other.

firebirdgold · May 15, 2007

My Sister''s husband built their Huppah out of Bamboo poles, twine, and some ribbon. That thing was pretty darn sturdy too! There was a wind the night before and it didn''t budge! (He''s an architect so it was structurally well designed!

I don''t think it was in the ground but resting on top of it. However it was attached to the tree above it.
My bil built it himself saying that it was representative of the home and life he''d build for my sister... or something like that. He said that Huppahs are supposed to be built by hand by the groom.

firebirdgold · May 15, 2007

They also had a Ketubah. We're Quackolic and her ceremony had some strong Quaker elements. They married themselves in this ceremony and then went to the city hall the next day.
I've always thought their Ketubah was the most beautiful and moving thing I've always seen. When they read it out we all burst into tears!
They had a local er... forgetting name of it... person who does the pretty writing... (need more coffee) do the contract they wrote onto some really nice parchment. My sister is a notorious penny pincher so this wasn't very expensive.

ETA: Bil kept joking to my father about adding something into the Ketubah about the number of goats my sister was worth if he returned her.

Independent Gal · May 15, 2007

Some friends made their DIY Huppah this way:

Ingredients:
Four cylindrical wooden poles from, e.g., Home Depot (or any similar store should have PLENTY of pieces of wood in various shapes / sizes)

Four hooks with screws on the end (you know, like for hanging pictures?), these are screwed into the ends of the poles, also available from any hardware / DIY store

One prayer shawl with sentimental significance...my friend used his grandfather''s prayer shawl then attached the shawl by the tassles to the poles.

Paint and ribbon from any craft store to decorate the poles.

Four close friends to hold up the poles... so lovely to have friends so physically close and solves the ''how to hold it up'' problem.

akw94 · May 15, 2007

Thanks Neatfreak. I thought about having people hold the poles but I don''t think that''s my preference. I really never even considered sharpening the poles myself. Wouldn''t have a clue how to begin.. Guess I''ll have to think about that!

Jas, thanks for the info. on the ketubah. Still not sure what I want to do w/that one. I think my FI would be fine either way so it''s up to me.

Indie, thanks for the picture! That helps a lot and looking at that, maybe I won''t need them stuck in the ground. Any idea where they got the bamboo? It seems to be a popular idea. I didn''t know they were supposed to be made by the groom. I''m not sure mine will be up for that on the wedding day but it''s a neat idea.

Independent Gal, thanks! It does sound easy enough, especially if friends are helping to hold it up.

Now I think I have to check out Michael''s and Home Depot to see what I can come up with!

Thanks everyone!

crown1 · May 15, 2007

hi! i have no expertise in this but do have a thought. could you get a three or four inch pvc pipe about ten or twelve inches long and simply hammer it into the ground. then the poles could simply be put in the pipe. sand could be poured in the hole for stability. the pipes could be covered with ribbon or something for looks.

you may have to use different lengths to actually make it work, i am just guessing. don''t know if this will work or not but worth a try if you don''t want people to hold it or have a better idea. good luck!

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