Trees have been around since forever. No matter how many we chop off, there’s still millions more out there. Trees are home to a world of insects, birds and animals providing shelter and stability to both earth and life on it. People depend on trees for almost everything; from food and protection to shade and firewood for warmth.

It is because of their puissance that trees have now become a symbol of antiquity and enduring strength. They have been featured in Historical ketubahs in intricate patterns and designs to mark stability and strength in a relationship. And the trend still continues on in modern ketubahs today.

The tree of life is a major element in religious mythologies, and is mentioned in the Book of Proverbs. It is associated with wisdom: “[Wisdom] is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy [is every one] that retaineth her.” (Proverbs 3:13-18)

The Tree of Life has a lot of positive meanings in different eras and religions. In Ancient Egypt, it represented the hierarchical chain of events that brought every thing into existence. In the late Han dynasty, the leaves of the tree are coins and people, while the apex is a bird with coins and the Sun.

Couples who are inspired by trees will love our Tree Ketubah Collection. Trees can either star as the central figure in your ketubah’s decor, or as part of the  landscape in the background.

You can decide how important the values a tree stands for, mean to your relationship and accordingly choose a ketubah that is both great to look at and symbolizes your bond.

The tall wooden plants form an integral part in ketubahs of nature lovers. Some shape their ketubah in the silhouette of a tree, while others have added actual dried leaves to add a touch of something real!

Trees are a gentle reminder of how relationships work; they start life young and weak but grow stronger with time, embedding their growing roots deep into the ground.

A wedding is as fun as its guests.

Your friends and family are the life of the party in the most literal sense. They are (unofficially) in charge of making your wedding the best day of your life. They hold the fort down and keep the party going through the good and the bad times.

Newlyweds are very appreciative of all the help and support they receive at one of the most stressful times of their lives. They pick up the pieces when things go crazy and make their dreams a reality. They say ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’, and that couldn’t be more closer to the truth when they pull through in your moments of need in your wedding.

Couples show their love and appreciation for the help of their guests and friends with a thank you note …

… or a ketubah.

Yes, your ketubah! Your wedding guests can stay a part of your marriage for as long as your ketubah survives. There are many cool and unique ways for incorporating your guests into your ketubah.

A big favorite with our clients (and one of my personal favorites!) are the fingerprint ketubahs. These ketubahs hold an outline of a tree framing the body of text. Your guests add color to the ketubah by filling out the bare trees with stamped fingerprints in the place of leaves.

Place stamp pads with colors of your choice at the entrance beside the ketubah and have someone ask your guests to add their mark on the way in. You don’t need to stick to the natural color of green, but add shades from autumn or spring, or go completely random.

Other fun ways to incorporate your guests is to ask them to add a short message or sign their name inside a thick hollow border of the document. Be creative and you’ll find no shortage of ideas to make your guests a part of your ketubah, the same way they are a part of the ceremony – and yes, you can find many cool ideas from Pinterest to help you get started ;)

There is no shortage of options in the hundreds of templates to choose a ketubah from. From the ton of colours, themes and landscapes available on This is Not a Ketubah alone, the choice is endless. Each more stunning than the last. But for those looking for something unique and personal, a customized ketubah is the way to go!

You can set an appointment with a professional artist to create a ketubah from the ground up just for you. Lay out your vision and inspirations, and collectively you, your partner and artist will produce a customized masterpiece. Creating a custom ketubah takes a lot of effort, but the reward is priceless when it serves you faithfully for a lifetime.

But how about you go one step further and eliminate the services of a professional entirely? Whether you’re make a living off your art or a doodler who’s sketches have never seen the light of day, everybody can draw and paint. Get creative or dig up some old drawings from both your childhood and use it to plaster your ketubah.

Joint art projects are the best. You could divide up elements of a painting and finish it up together. Or take a couple of art classes a few months before your wedding to uncover hidden talents and to get inspired. Not only is art therapeutic, but you’ll always look back on your ketubah as the time you both bonded over creating two parts of a whole!

Go through your old files and school projects, and you might discover some hidden gems from your childhood ;) Make your past a part of your future by incorporating them on your ketubah. If you have children, then get inspired by Angelina Jolie and ask your kids to draw something for your ketubah (instead of on the bride’s veil!).

We all have a favorite time of the year we look forward to. Not just for the weather and high or low temperatures, but all the amazing festivities, holidays and unique scenery it brings with it.

Your favorite season defines who you and your spouse are. Perhaps it’s the season you met in, the one which has your favorite holiday or the one in which you both are most happiest.Use your season as an inspiration for your ketubah.

Seasonal ketubahs have become a big hit with newlyweds in these past two years. Millennials, making a large portion of newly married couples, crave a deeper meaning in everything they do. Seasonal ketubahs do just that. They are stunning and symbolic both at the same time!

Spring ketubahs signify new beginnings and a fresh start. It is also one of the most prettiest times of the year with blooming flowers and furry animals awake after hibernation. Spring brings the Easter Bunny and life to dead trees. Flower Ketubahs, Spring Ketubahs, and Butterfly Ketubahs are just some choices for Spring lovers!

Summer is the season of making memories. Fun under the sun, trips to the beach and holidays with your family and friends is what makes this season so enjoyable. Beach Themed Ketubahs and Picnic Ketubahs hold all the excitement of summer, along with Summer Ketubahs and Sun Ketubot inspired by the warm weather.

Fall Ketubahs are swept up in shades of gold and rust. The season of crunchy leaves on your sidewalk, Halloween and Pumpkin Spice Lattes is a big favorite world over for its moderate temperatures and stunning sights. Leaves Ketubahs and Rusty Ketubahs are some great choices for this season.

When it gets cold outside, we look for warmth at our homes. As Edith Sitwell said: Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.

Winter Ketubahs are great for couples who associate winter with home and family. Snowflakes, winter lights and canned soup make the perfect backdrop to your Winter inspired ketubah!

We are all unique. It’s an established fact that no two people are alike. Even identical twins who have lived all their lives together have different personalities and tastes!

Yet we manage to find people, or rather ‘soulmates’, with whom we find something in common. Heard of the couple who met at a pottery class? Or the one that goes camping every weekend? Or perhaps the couple who bonded in a Black Friday queue for discounted TV’s? Whether it’s a shared love for things or how you met, each relationship is different in their own way.

We at This is not a Ketubah: Yes it is! believe that you shouldn’t settle for something generic to immortalize your marriage in ink. A ketubah should be as unique as your relationship. When you look at your ketubah you should feel a connection to its colour, artwork and even the type of font!

A ketubah is a symbol of your marriage, therefore is only right that it should also look the part. The best thing about ketubahs is that you can decorate it in any way you want. Bring the best things about your relationship to your ketubah.

Colour the background with a landmark from the city which defines your love; whether it’s the Eiffel Tower from Paris or the Brooklyn Bridge from New York, there is a whole lot of variety for each landscape. If your union is something out of this world, then have a peek at our space inspired ketubahs.

Although a relationship of a couple is popularly identified by the things you both have in common, oftentimes its the opposite case. If you are polar opposites of each other, then create a ketubah with an amalgam of your favorite things about each other.

Ask your significant other what they like best about you and our artists will design a ketubah which combines the two qualities into one ketubah masterpiece , reflecting all the uniqueness your relationship holds.

Jewish-Desi weddings used to be more common — in fact, Bombay used to have a thriving Jewish community once upon a time — but these days they are scarce, yet are making a slow comeback.

Historical Ketubot from pre-partition India exhibit all the charm and magic of the area. Upper class couples loved to display their opulence by having the artwork and borders gilded with real gold. Delicate drawings of exotic animals native to the region, like tigers and elephants, were a frequent feature. But perhaps the most popular were peacocks. Elegant illustrations of peacocks with tails in all shades of blue and green exuded grace and royalty.

A large majority of South Asian Jews have moved over the west, and younger generations are left with little to tie them to their ancestry. However, many young couples have embraced Desi-inspired ketubahs to pay homage to their forefathers and the culture which runs in their blood.

Jewish-desi weddings are a rare sight, but a wonderful one. The fusion of Jewish and Desi cultures are fascinating. Engulfed in color and enchantment, guests remember the wedding festivities for a lifetime. With the world more connected than ever, interfaith or intercultural weddings with a South Asian touch is becoming more common. Especially in metropolitan areas, where the two communities find a lot in common between the two cultures.

South Asian-inspired art is a great way to celebrate the merging of different cultures together. If you want to combine Indian art, Pakistani art, or Bengali art into a Ketubah — we would love to create that for you. Just contact us and we will create the ketubah of your dreams.

Ketubahs inspired by ethnic traditions embrace a lot of color and feature elements of the vibrant culture. Henna designs or art from the Mughal era are subtly weaved into the Ketubah’s decor with Jewish elements uniting two ancient societies as one.

I will confess that personally, art is my second greatest passion; music is my first. Music in all its forms, from Bach’s bourees to Led Zeppelin’s morphing of jazz into what we now call metal. And if you too are a music lover — then we
would love to have the honor of putting a representation of your favorite music onto your ketubah.

Music can be incorporated into your ketubah in more ways than you think! The word of song is great for expressing pent-up feelings that we find so hard to put into words. Decorate your ketubah with lyrics from your favorite song which best describe your relationship and new beginnings. You can have it placed bold and center for all to see or weave it subtly into the artwork. One of our personal favorites is a border of lyrics in microscopic text of an entire song, circling the ketubah.

We’ve seen all kinds of requests, yet we still get inspired by the creativity and meaning couple’s bring to their marriages on paper in their ketubah. If music is an important part of your life, don’t just leave it to the first dance but embed it on your marriage contract. Have a silhouette of your favorite artist or band form the background to your ketubah. Or throw in icons from an album that changed your life!

You’d be surprised to know that there is a world of art dedicated to preserving music. Research art inspired by your favorite music in art galleries and you’ll find some great pieces for your ketubah. Or go original and talk to a professional artist, describing your vision and the style and colour your have in mind. They’ll whip up something personalized which will carry meaning and depth to you and your spouse, leaving you with a ketubah imprinted with your passion for music!

Mishka
Team Ketubah