Image/Courtesy of Modern Ketubah

And So It Is Written
Document your wedding day with a ketubah

By Nicole Walsh

As the battle for federal recognition of same-sex marriage wages on, many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender couples are getting married without the legal support of their government. But without the usual documentation of a marriage certificate from the state, some couples feel a piece of their history is missing. Luckily, there are ketubahs.

Ketubah (keh-too-buh) is a Hebrew word meaning “it is written” and is used to describe any document or artwork signed by the brides or grooms, stating the couple’s commitment to one another. Ketubahs are rooted in the Jewish wedding tradition dating back thousands of years and use images and text (in Hebrew or English) to look however you like. The ketubah is generally signed by the couple before the ceremony, but can be incorporated for all of the guests to sign if you so choose.

Daniel Sroka, fine art photographer and owner of Modern Ketubah, has been using his nature photography to create these works of art for the past seven years.

“With all of the things that you do for a wedding, there are very few parts that are permanent. [A ketubah] is part of the ceremony, you can hang it in your home, its always there, [and] people love that,” says Sroka.

This is something especially important to same sex couples as Sroka says, “Some couples live where same sex marriage isn’t legalized yet and [the ketubah] is a very important document that takes the place of the wedding certificate.”

Sroka’s ketubahs cost around $320 and should be treated like any other fine art print purchased from a gallery.

For more information, visit www.modernketubah.com.