When Lindsey and Jax first sat down with me to plan their Jewish wedding in Toronto, they asked a question I love hearing. “We know we want a Jewish wedding ceremony,” Lindsey said, “but can you help us understand what all the customs actually mean?” It was not just about having a beautiful event. It was about understanding the history behind Jewish wedding traditions and why they still matter today. As a Jewish wedding cantor and Jewish wedding officiant, this is one of my

When couples begin planning a Jewish wedding, one of the first questions they ask is simple and practical. Who actually leads the ceremony? And more specifically, what does a cantor do during a Jewish wedding? As a Jewish wedding cantor and Jewish wedding officiant in Toronto, I’ve had the privilege of guiding many couples through this beautiful milestone. One of the most memorable was the wedding of Ben and Jamie, a warm and joyful couple whose ceremony perfectly illustrated

Planning a Jewish wedding in Toronto can be a beautiful journey of heritage, harmony, and heartfelt decisions. For couples with diverse cultural backgrounds, the question often arises: Can we blend Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions into one ceremony? The answer is a joyful and resounding yes. I am Cantor Ben, a Toronto-based Jewish wedding officiant , and I had the great honour of officiating the marriage of Brad and Molly, a couple who came to me with this exact question. B

By Cantor Ben Jewish Wedding Officiant | Jewish Wedding Toronto Introduction: The Sound of Tradition, Under the Open Sky When Cindy and Gregg first met with me to plan their Jewish Wedding in Toronto, one of their most heartfelt questions was also one of the most unexpected. They asked, “We’re getting married outside under the sky, not in a synagogue. Can we still smash the glass?” My face lit up. Not only could they, I told them, but that moment — right there, in nature, und

A real story of love, inclusion, and the beauty of Jewish wedding traditions By Cantor Ben When Amy and Tommy first reached out to me about officiating their Jewish wedding in Toronto, one of their biggest questions wasn’t about the chuppah or the ketubah. It was this: Can we invite our non-Jewish friends and will they understand what’s happening? Will it feel meaningful to them too? Their question was deeply sincere. Like many modern Jewish couples in Toronto, Amy and Tommy

A Real Story from Sam and Gary’s Jewish Wedding in Toronto By Cantor Ben “What’s a Tisch, and is it really for us?”That was the exact question Gary asked me when we first sat down to plan his and Sam’s Jewish wedding in Toronto . Like many modern Jewish couples, Sam and Gary wanted a wedding filled with love, family, music, and tradition. But they weren’t sure what all the pre-ceremony customs meant or how they could make them personal. They wanted their big day to be meaning

By Cantor Ben When I first met Marni and Jeff, they were sitting at a cozy café near their home in midtown Toronto, sipping cappuccinos and nervously flipping through their Jewish wedding planning notes. Both had been married before. Both had children from previous relationships. And both were deeply in love. But they were not just planning a wedding. They were creating a new family. Marni looked at me and asked with a mix of hope and vulnerability, “How do we include our chi

By Cantor Ben When I first met Ashley and Brian, they were sitting on their couch in Toronto, excited to plan a meaningful Jewish wedding that would bring together their families, traditions, and personal love story. They had just secured their Jewish wedding venue and were beginning the process of Jewish wedding planning. As we sipped tea and talked through their vision, Ashley hesitated for a moment, then asked a question I have heard more and more over the past few years.

Meet Sam and Jax Sam and Jax are a beautiful couple from Toronto. When we first met to discuss their Jewish Wedding Ceremony , they were excited, curious, and deeply committed to making their day feel meaningful. But during one of our planning conversations, Jax paused and asked something many couples wonder but are afraid to say out loud: “Do we have to do the hora? What if we’re not into being lifted in chairs in front of everyone?” Their question was honest and real. And i

When Jaime and Steve invited me to officiate their Jewish wedding in Toronto, they had a simple but beautiful question: What exactly happens under the chuppah? They were excited about their big day, but didn’t grow up deeply religious. While they both felt deeply connected to Jewish values and wanted to honour their heritage, they weren’t sure what each part of the Jewish wedding ceremony meant or how it would feel in the moment. Their curiosity and care led to one of the mo

When Alexis was planning her Jewish wedding with Brad in Toronto, one of the first questions she asked me was deeply personal and meaningful: “Can I walk down the aisle with both my parents?” Like many couples today, Alexis and Brad wanted their ceremony to reflect not just Jewish wedding traditions, but the reality of their family relationships. Her parents were both tremendously important in shaping who she had become. Her mom had taught her compassion. Her dad had taught h

When Rina and Dave first reached out to me, they were feeling both thrilled and a little nervous. They had attended Jewish weddings before, but this time it was their own. Their big question? “What should our guests know so they feel comfortable and connected during our Jewish wedding ceremony?” As a Jewish wedding officiant in Toronto, I hear this often. Many guests at modern Jewish weddings have never been to a traditional ceremony. Some aren’t Jewish. Others are Jewish bu

By Cantor Ben When Jake and Amanda first called me, I could hear it in their voices. Excitement mixed with confusion. Joy blended with stress. Like many couples I meet in my role as a Jewish Wedding Cantor, they were newly engaged and eager to plan a meaningful Jewish wedding ceremony , but they had no idea where to begin. They knew they wanted a Jewish Wedding Toronto couples would admire. They knew they wanted a heartfelt Jewish wedding celebration. But beyond that, everyth

By Cantor Ben – Jewish Wedding Officiant in Toronto Mark and Melissa are both Jewish. They grew up in Jewish homes, attended Hebrew school, and knew they wanted to have a Jewish wedding. But if you asked them if they were religious, they would both laugh and say something like, “Well, we’re Jewish, but not… like that.” They are part of a growing number of couples in Toronto who feel deeply connected to Jewish culture, values, family, and history — but not necessarily drawn to

By Cantor Ben | Jewish Wedding Officiant Toronto When I first met Adam and Mandy, a warm and creative Jewish couple from midtown Toronto, they told me they wanted their wedding to be deeply meaningful but also fresh and personal. They had attended many weddings before, both Jewish and not, and they were worried theirs might just blend in with the rest. Adam leaned forward during our first coffee and said, “We want a ceremony that feels sacred, but also us.” That was the momen

When Jeremy and Sarah first reached out to me from their home in Toronto, they had just booked their dream wedding venue in Costa Rica. The waves, the golden sand, and the warm sun were exactly what they wanted for their Jewish wedding ceremony . But they also had a question that many couples ask me: Can we still include all the important Jewish wedding customs in a destination wedding? Will it still feel meaningful? Will it still feel Jewish? The answer I gave them was simpl

By Cantor Ben When Ashley and Jason first reached out to me about officiating their Jewish wedding Toronto , they were beaming with excitement. They had found their person, booked a beautiful Jewish wedding venue in the city, and were ready to begin planning the most meaningful celebration of their lives. But when we got on our initial Zoom call, Ashley leaned in and said with a laugh, “We have no idea what to wear. And do I have to wear a traditional white dress? Is Jason su

When it comes to planning a Jewish Wedding Ceremony, few decisions stir up more questions than the music. Does it have to be traditional? Can it be modern? What’s the right balance between honoring heritage and expressing personal style? I’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of couples as their Jewish Wedding Officiant in Toronto, but one couple in particular stands out when it comes to this question of music: Stan and Svetlana. Their wedding was a beautiful example

A Toronto Love Story with Sophie and Adam By Cantor Ben | Jewish Wedding Officiant When Sophie and Adam reached out to me about officiating their Jewish wedding in Toronto, they had a simple question that many couples ask me: “What exactly happens at a Jewish wedding ceremony?” They had both grown up Jewish, but with very different backgrounds. Sophie was raised in a Reform household where traditions were more symbolic than strict. Adam came from a Modern Orthodox family that

When Natasha and Steven first reached out to me, they asked a question I hear more and more often in my work as a Jewish Wedding Cantor in Toronto. Can two Jews from different backgrounds still have a meaningful Jewish wedding? Natasha grew up in a very traditional home. Her childhood memories included Friday night candles, synagogue every Shabbat, and the familiar sound of her grandfather chanting blessings. Steven, on the other hand, grew up in a culturally Jewish family wh