Below are some text options. If there is something that your rabbi or wedding officiant wants to use instead, or you have your own text that you would like to send me in a pdf or word document, please send it to melodydrachel@gmail.com.
If you and your partner are interested in having an English (or another language) section included, you can browse through the traditional, conservative and reform options on this site, write your own wording or contact me to send you more options.
Before anything gets printed I will send you and your rabbi a digital proof of the text.
If you are interested in having me collaborate with a calligrapher I have that option as well. I know some local calligraphers I can work with or I can work with the one that you can introduce me to.
The aesthetics of the text is something to consider. For example, the different font types, font sizes, overall text shape, etc.
I also create non-ketubah art, and that includes artwork with song lyrics, poems, short stories, quotes, anniversary ketubahs, Quaker certificates, and ketubahs for non-Jews.
The first step is for you and your partner to decide which route you and your partner are pursuing- the Orthodox, traditional, conservative or reform route. If you are going the Orthodox or traditional route, the text used is either Chabad, Orthodox Aramaic for Ashkenazi or Sephardic. All other ketubah texts include traditional, reform, interfaith, humanist, and Quaker wording. You can even make up your own wording if your rabbi is lenient.
If you are interested in using different fonts, I will email you a sample of the artwork with the wording in those requested fonts until you find one that you absolutely love. The link to the text personalization form is available below, or you can email me both you and your partner’s names, Hebrew names, both parent’s Hebrew names, wedding location, wedding date, whether the chuppah ceremony will be performed before or after sundown, and your rabbi/ wedding officiant’s contact information to get this process started.
I will get in contact with your rabbi and take it from there. If your rabbi is Orthodox, he has to make sure your ketubah text is 100% kosher since having one mistake could invalidate the whole ketubah. It is the client and rabbi's responsibility to make sure the ketubah is checked for corrections to be made before the printing process.
If you are just looking for an English wording for the ketubah, you can refer to the conservative, traditional, reform, and interfaith English texts. If you are interested in a text but want to change some things around and add your own wording, the sky is the limit. Once I have the wording that you decide upon, I will properly format it to the ketubah design and send it for approval.
About Lieberman Clause: Quoting an Orthodox rabbi in the Los Angeles community, the reason why the Lieberman Clause is not added to the text is that “The Lieberman issue is not accepted as Halakhically appropriate. There is a large literature on this topic. Bottom line – it creates a ‘forced condition’ that the husband would have to give a ‘Get’ and that is the problem. A ‘Get’ can’t be forced. The husband must give it willingly.”
Just an FYI: the wording is always going to be slightly different depending on your wedding officiant (minus the exception of the Chabad, RCC or Sephardic Aramaic text version).
Orthodox – Aramaic Chabad (Ashkenaz)
Orthodox - Aramaic Sephardic RCA text
Orthodox (Generic English translation- not recommended for usage)
Conservative – (Orthodox text + Lieberman Clause) Ashkenaz
Conservative – (Orthodox text + Lieberman Clause) Sephardic/ Mizrachi