• Only those made of cloth are considered traditional chuppahs for Jewish weddings.wedding image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
  
  Spell it with a C or spell it with an H---the same standard applies to the Chuppah or Huppa as does the spelling of Chanukah, Hanukkah and Chanuka. A symbolic tent under which the bride and groom---and frequently both sets of parents and the rabbi--stand while giving and receiving wedding vows, the chuppah has roots that extend thousands of years into the past. Chasidic belief that generations of ancestors ascend to Earth to stand under the chuppah beside the bride and groom adds an extra element of charm and delight to this sacred cloth symbol.
  
  

Required Chuppah Material

• It's not unusual to arrive at a Jewish wedding to find a wood arch, floral canopy or some other decorative architectural structure under which the bride and groom are to stand for the ceremony, but a traditional chuppah must be fabricated of cloth to be considered authentic. Defined for the first time as a decorative work of cloth art by Rabbi Moses Issereles in the 16th century, there can be no substitute for cloth, which is why a tallit (prayer shawl) is often used to make a chuppah when no other cloth is available.
  
  

Required Chuppah Construction

• Four tall poles serve as the framework and support for a standard chuppah. Chuppah construction protocols require the cloth to be attached to the tops of the four poles rather than being wrapped around the sides, as only a top wrap is considered kosher, thus creating the illusion of a groom's private domain into which the new bride is being welcomed. Once the poles are properly attached to the cloth, it's perfectly acceptable to add flowers, embellishments, ribbons and other decorations to the top of the chuppah.
  
  

Required Chuppah Support

• Four close friends or relatives of the bride and groom are required to hold the poles in place throughout the Jewish wedding ceremony held under the chuppah for the ritual to be authentic. Traditionally, maintaining the stability of the poles to keep the cloth taught is all that is required of a chuppah attendant, but on occasion, a rabbi may ask the four to raise the poles in unison after the ketubah (marriage contract) has been read and then lower it again when time comes to read the seven blessings of the nuptials.
  
  

Required Chuppah Protocols

• The bride must stand to the right of the groom under the chuppah in accordance with the Old Testament passage from Psalms: "a queen shall stand at your right side." The couple faces the audience while under the tent, taking their vows in the full presence of witnesses. According to some Jewish beliefs, the rabbi is to face east while under the canopy in recognition of the Holy Land. There must also be a minyan of 10 male witnesses (13 years or older) standing outside the chuppah to legally validate the marriage in accordance with Jewish law.