Jewish Wedding in Venice: Rebeca & Dan, from Las Vegas to Italy

Orthodox Jewish Wedding – Venice – Italy

Jewish wedding in Venice. Luca Fabbian destination wedding photographer in Italy. Orthodox Ceremony at the Patio of the Jewish Ghetto. Rebeca & Dan from Las Vegas, USA.

Summer Jewish wedding in Venice. Rebeca and Dan, from the USA. Orthodox Jewish Wedding Ceremony at the Patio of the Jewish Ghetto.

Among the things that make me love my job, getting in touch with different cultures, religions and traditions is certainly one of the most cherished. Another one is getting in touch with special, nice, likable persons. That’s why documenting the wedding of Rebeca and Dan was a real pleasure: both things happened!

Rebeca and Dan are an amazing couple from Las Vegas, who got married in the magic of the Jewish Ghetto, along with their wonderful witnesses Judy and Phillip, their Rabbi and his family (from California), surrounded by the high emotional involvement of the jewish community of Venice.

It was my first Jewish Wedding… and I have been fascinated (along with the unaware passers-by who stopped to enjoy the ceremony and the celebration – plenty of cell phone cameras in action 🙂 )!
The Orthodox Jewish Wedding Ceremony has been undoubtedly the culmination of the day.
I met the Bride and Groom and their witnesses in the first afternoon, at their apartment in Venice, where I shot some getting ready’s pictures. Then we bravely went out for a walk along the streets and bridges of Venice. “Bravely” because of the sweltering heat of one of the most stifling hot days of the summer…but we boldly and merrily did it (well… actually a break for a refreshing cold beer certainly helped us)!
It was so much fun hanging out throughout Venice with the bride, the groom and their witnesses! Rebeca (as well as Judy) is a force of nature: extroverted and fun. Dan (as well as his brother Phillip) has a placid personality and so he is (willingly and happily) kind of her victim 🙂 There’s chemistry between them!

A water taxi was waiting for us at Rialto. It picked up us for a romantic ride along the Grand Canal, to St. Mark’s and then to the Ghetto where the preparations for the wedding were in full effect. After the Ketubah Signing the Groom reached the Bride for the veil’s ritual and then the very ceremony began, under the traditional Chuppah (canopy), in the patio of the Jewish Ghetto. Besides the fascination of the different rituals during the ceremony, what impressed me was the natural alternation of moments of intense religiousness, fervor, sacral gestures and moments of genuine joyfulness, lightness, celebration. The celebration exploded at the end of the ceremony, with chants, music and dances in honor of the newlyweds: a spontaneous outdoor party, able to attract even the hurried tourists accidentally passing-by.

It has been an unforgettable experience. I thank Rebeca and Dan for trusting me and letting me be part of it and I thank the Jewish community of Venice for their kind hospitality: it was a pleasure and a honor.

My best wishes to this adorable and special couple: Rebeca and Dan!