I Have Vertigo. Do I Have To Circle My Husband Seven Times During Our Jewish Wedding?

“I have vertigo. Do I really have to circle my husband seven times during our Jewish Wedding Ceremony?”

The answer is no.

At the weddings I officiate, a bride may choose to circle seven times, three times, or not at all.

Your health, comfort, and safety matter more than following a custom simply because you think it is expected.

As a Jewish Wedding Cantor, I believe Jewish Wedding Traditions should bring meaning into your ceremony, not fear or physical discomfort. If circling makes you dizzy, anxious, or unsteady, we can adapt the custom without taking anything away from the beauty of your wedding.

That is exactly what happened with Andy and Beth, a Jewish couple from Toronto whom I had the privilege of getting to know and marry.

During our Jewish Wedding Planning conversations, Beth explained that she experienced vertigo. She had seen brides circle the groom seven times at Traditional Jewish Weddings and worried she would be expected to do the same.

She wanted to honour Jewish Wedding Customs.

She also did not want to risk losing her balance beneath the Jewish Wedding Chuppah.

We found an option that felt meaningful, safe, and completely personal to her.

Why Does The Bride Circle The Groom?

The circling custom is one of several well known Jewish Wedding Rituals.

There are different interpretations of its meaning.

Some understand the circles as symbolizing the creation of a new home. Just as walls surround a home, the circles represent the sacred space the couple is creating together.

Others connect the seven circles with the seven days of creation. The couple is beginning a new world and a new chapter of life together.

The number seven also appears throughout Judaism and often represents:

• Wholeness.

• Completion.
  

These explanations are beautiful, but circling is still a custom.

It is not the action that makes a couple married.

Your marriage becomes meaningful through:

• Commitment.

• Love.

• Responsibility.

• The promises you make to one another.
  

Do You Have To Circle Seven Times?

No.

You may choose:

• Seven circles if that feels meaningful and physically comfortable.

• Three circles as a shorter version of the tradition.

• One symbolic circle.

• No circling at all.
  

Your Jewish Wedding Ceremony will still be authentic, beautiful, and deeply Jewish.

Modern Jewish Weddings often preserve the meaning of a tradition while adapting the details to the real needs of the couple.

That is not disrespectful.

It is thoughtful.

Vertigo Makes Safety The Priority

Vertigo can create:

• A spinning sensation.

• Dizziness.

• Nausea.

• Difficulty maintaining balance.
  

A wedding ceremony may already include several factors that increase discomfort.

• You may be wearing unfamiliar shoes.

• Your dress may be long.

• The surface at the Jewish Wedding Venue may be uneven.

• You may be standing beneath bright lights or surrounded by people.

• You may also be emotional, tired, warm, or nervous.
  

Adding seven circles may create an unnecessary risk.

No bride should worry about falling during one of the most important moments of her life.

A meaningful Jewish wedding should help you remain present.

You should be able to:

• Hear the blessings.

• Look at your partner.

• Appreciate your family.

• Remember the moment.
  

You should not be counting circles while hoping the room stops spinning.

What Andy And Beth Chose

When Beth shared her concern, I explained all of her options.

She could:

• Skip the circling entirely.

• Complete one slow circle.

• Circle three times while holding the hand of someone she trusted.

• Honour the symbolism without physically circling.
  

Beth chose three slow circles with support.

It felt comfortable.

It respected the tradition.

Most importantly, it allowed her to remain calm and steady.

No guest felt that anything was missing.

Everyone was focused on Andy and Beth, their relationship, and the commitment they were making beneath the chuppah.

Your Ceremony Should Be Created Around You

One reason couples choose me as their Jewish Wedding Officiant is that I never believe a ceremony should feel generic.

I take time to get to know each couple.

I ask questions like:

• How did you meet?

• What made you fall in love?

• What challenges have strengthened your relationship?

• What qualities do you admire in one another?

• Which family members have shaped your lives?
  

I also ask about:

• Health.

• Mobility.

• Anxiety.

• Accessibility concerns.

These details matter.

A personalized ceremony allows us to adjust the pacing, standing time, walking, music, and Jewish Wedding Rituals so that the experience feels comfortable and authentic.

Tradition Should Have Meaning

I was mentored by a great Jewish wedding Rabbi.

One of the most important lessons I learned was that traditions become more powerful when couples understand them.

That philosophy guides the Jewish Wedding Services I provide.

I explain:

• The Jewish Wedding Ketubah.

• The Jewish Wedding Chuppah.

• The blessings.

• The rings.

• The wine.

• The breaking of the glass.
  

When couples understand Jewish Wedding Traditions, the ceremony no longer feels like a list of rules.

It becomes their story.

Every Wedding Detail Matters

Jewish Wedding Planning includes many exciting decisions.

You may be choosing:

• Jewish Wedding Invitations.

• Jewish Wedding Decorations.

• Jewish Wedding Attire.

• Jewish Wedding Music.

• A Jewish Wedding Photographer.
  

You may be planning:

• Your Jewish Wedding Reception.

• Your Jewish Wedding Dance.

• Your Jewish Wedding Hora.

• Other Jewish Wedding Celebrations.
  

You may also be discussing:

• Personal Jewish Wedding Vows.

All of those details contribute to a wonderful day.

But the ceremony is the emotional centre of the wedding.

You deserve to feel safe, supported, and fully present.

Why Couples Choose Me

There are many people who can read a ceremony.

My approach is different.

I combine:

• Jewish knowledge.

• Beautiful cantorial singing.

• Personal storytelling.

• Calm guidance.

• Careful attention to each couple’s needs.
  

I want your guests to laugh because the stories are genuinely yours.

I want your parents to become emotional because the ceremony reflects your family.

I want you to feel that no other couple could have received the same ceremony.

That is what couples searching for a Jewish Wedding Toronto experience deserve.

Not a script copied from the last wedding.

A ceremony created around them.

Continuing Through Life’s Milestones

One of the greatest privileges of my work is staying connected with couples as their families grow.

Some later contact me about a Baby naming ceremony or ask about a Baby naming ceremony Jewish families can personalize.

I may help with:

• Jewish Baby Naming Services.

• Jewish Baby Naming Rituals.

• A Jewish Newborn Ceremony.

• Other Jewish newborn ceremonies.
  

I may also serve as:

• A Jewish Baby Naming Officiant.

• Help with a Jewish Baby Naming Tradition.

• A Jewish Baby Naming Celebration.

• Jewish Baby Naming Ceremony Planning.

• A Jewish Baby Naming Invitation.

• Jewish Baby Naming Ceremony Music.

• A Jewish Baby Naming Reception.

It is deeply meaningful to marry a couple and later welcome their child into the Jewish community.

A Final Thought

If you have vertigo, you do not have to circle your husband seven times.

You may choose:

• Seven circles.

• Three circles.

• One circle.

• Zero circles.
  

The right choice is the one that honours your health and allows you to enjoy the moment.

Beth’s three circles did not make her wedding less Jewish.

They made it more personal.

Your wedding is not a test of how many times you can walk around your partner.

It is the beginning of your life together.

You deserve a Jewish Wedding Cantor who understands tradition, listens carefully, and creates a ceremony that is meaningful, safe, emotional, and entirely your own.