There are certain expressions in wedding that just can’t be recreated: the groom’s look when he first sees his bride, a proud dad as he gives away his little girlm, and the surprised faces of a bride and groom as they hang on for dear life during the Horah. Good times!
We love helping our Jewish and interfaith couples pull off a great Horah on wedding day. No other traditional wedding song gets guests across the generations moving like a little Hava Nagila. So whatever you do, don’t skip this fun number. Your photographer will love you and all your guests will talk about how your wedding really was just the best.
Photo credit: Shannon Cunningham Photography
How to Horah (a few things to consider):
1) Not all your guests will know the moves, so give fellow Jewish guests a heads up that you’ll need their help to get it going. (Your coordinator can help with this.) Soon the crowd will be going in the appropriate general direction and they’ll catch on to the rest.
2) Appoint your strong men to do the heavy lifting. It helps if these guys are already familiar with the jig, but if not, they’ll catch on quickly. The point is to count on your beefiest guys to keep you and hubby safely hoisted. (Also, make sure your guys aren’t in another room watching the game when it’s time to dance the Horah.)
3) Most wedding DJs have Hava Nagila in their music arsenal. But not necessarily, especially if the one you hired plays more clubs than wedding receptions. The same goes for bands. If your band doesn’t perform primarily at weddings, they may need to learn the song in advance. Give a proper heads up to your musicians that you’ll be dancing the Horah. Once the dance is in action, a good band will read the crowd & will play out the song as long as the crowd will keep dancing. A good DJ will watch the crowd and loop the song in case you happen to be mid-chair lift when the track ends.
4) Have two chairs ready to go — preferably not your grandmas antique armchairs. Emphasis on sturdy here. Though faulty chairs make for great photographic moments (see Shannon Cunningham’s Hora fail shot), they are also scary & no one needs a trip to the ER on wedding night. Don’t forget the cloth napkin or scarf. Drape it over the back of one the chairs so it’s within reach.
5) There’s a scene in season two of The Office where Dwight initiates a birthday Horah for Michael, but when he’s hoisted up, his head goes right through the ceiling panel. Oy vey! It may seem obvious, but consider the headroom in which you plan to Horah.
When planning to Horah, a little preparation is necessary, but it is SO worth it. For more, visit The Jewish Wedding Network’s regular column on the Horah/Hava Nagila, complete with a “Hava Nagila of the Month” from Ben Folds to Springsteen, techno to Bollywood.
Mazel tov!
~ Stephanie
by BZ events
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