Just Got Invited a Hasidic Wedding!

[PennySycamore]

Also loving the dress, just beautiful. Much different than the modest horrors we see on some Evangelical Christians.

QTF!

[Justme]

I just finished reading Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman. It's her true story of how she grew up in Brooklyn's Hasidic culture. She was married at 17 (via a matchmaker), and ultimately divorced and left. It's a fascinating book.

[dora]

Beautiful dress. I hope they are very happy together.

[Hane]

I agree: these sleeved gowns worn by Orthodox brides are lovely, and are fitted well. I can say the same, however, about most of the wedding gowns worn back in the pre-strapless-everything era by mainstream women--the sleeves and necklines were an integral part of the dress design, and not just slapped on to show everyone Look How Modest I Am.

I wore long-sleeved dresses at both my weddings: At the 1973 one, the Juliet style popularized by the Zeffirelli movie was still in vogue. At the 1985 one, I was rescued by the style worn by Fergie of York--previously, all you could seem to find were puffed-sleeved, bow-infested, plunging-necklined, nipped-in-waisted gowns influenced by Princess Diana's, and which only looked appropriate on 16-year-olds who weighed 90 pounds.

[Stephanie66]

How could she do PT if she can't touch men?

[PennySycamore]

How could she do PT if she can't touch men?

Women and children and infants could be her clients if she's not allowed to touch men under any circumstances. I know that there are many breastfeeding/feeding issues that PTs can help with. PTs can also work in the NICU among many other places. Bet Josie saw PTs on a regular basis in the NICU.

[meee]

That kallah is gorgeous :-)

And to answer someone's question, men and woman can touch if there are health concerns, i.e. a woman can go to a male doctor or vice versa. So no, there wouldn't be any problem with a woman being a PT. Actually, another popular job for Orthodox Jews is nursing.

[meee]

Oh, I forgot, I wanted to ask--how the heck was she able to dance with that train? My wedding dress had a train too, and you could theoretically pin it up in the back, but it kept coming undone and I had to dance with my train flung over my arm.

[PennySycamore]

Oh, I forgot, I wanted to ask--how the heck was she able to dance with that train? My wedding dress had a train too, and you could theoretically pin it up in the back, but it kept coming undone and I had to dance with my train flung over my arm.

I would imagine that she danced with her train over her arm. ;)

[Ralar]

Here's the dress one of my Modern Orthodox cousins wore. While modest, it is much less modest than the one our hasidic cousin wore. Honestly, I don't know how she got away with such a low neckline and uncovered elbows. The wedding was in a Young Israel synagogue, and was officiated by black hat rabbis.

BTW, I'm not a kid -- these are my cousins kids who are getting married.

[redcurls]

Oh, I forgot, I wanted to ask--how the heck was she able to dance with that train? My wedding dress had a train too, and you could theoretically pin it up in the back, but it kept coming undone and I had to dance with my train flung over my arm.

It sounds like your train wasn't bustled correctly, meaning it didn't have enough points. If you include enough buttons (for over bustles) or loops (for under bustles) they should NEVER break or come undone. I'd hate to think of the dozens of bustle points this dress must have had. It would take hours to put up!

[LaLele]

She might be pre-pt, but, since pt is pretty much only a doctoral degree now, she is no where close at 17 to being one. It is kind of like how a freshman in college might say they are going to med school. Um, get into med school and then tell me that. Who knows how her undergrad will go, pt grad schools can be fairly competitive to get into. Also, I am not sure how accommodating a grad program would be to someone who refused to treat someone of the opposite gender during clinical practicum...

[Lilblazer]

I am a physical therapist, who entered college at 17 as part of a direct entry, dual degree program (I finished at 23 with my bachelors in biology & a doctorate in physical therapy). It is a common field for woman within the Orthodox community to pursue, and several student PTs who have done clinical work with me were young married woman, some already mothers as well. I'm not surprised she is studying PT at 17. Depending on the field you choose, little or no patient contact is required. I personally work in pediatrics, which is VERY flexible and requires no contact with adult males. Women's health (treating pelvic floor disorders and lymphedema, for example) is also popular. In a lot of more orthopedic/rehab inclined sites and locations, if patient contact is a concern, the women can opt out of those patients (if direct manipulation is needed) or request a PTA or an aide perform contact acts (like a hand hold assist during transfer), so long as the clinic's vast majority of patients don't need much contact.

[LaLele]

This must vary from program to program. I am an SLP and while in grad school we shared a clinic with the pt (and OT) students. So much of their therapy was hands on I can't imagine how they would have gotten through practicum with limited contact. Shoot, I can't imagine how you would get through any allied health field masters/doctorate program without training on the opposite gender. Shrug. It must happen though. Doesn't make for a very well rounded clinician.

[Arete]

Is the Hasidic bride wearing a wig? Her hair is beautiful.

[Ralar]

Is the Hasidic bride wearing a wig? Her hair is beautiful.

That's her hair. She is wearing a wig in the dinner picture. She is a beautiful young lady. The groom is also attractive. He has a great smile.

[ladyaudley]

I don't know where she got her dress, but I could ask. I guess her dress proves that modest dresses don't have to be ugly or have a t-shirt "lining."

yes please! I'm looking for sleeved, old-fashioned dresses and would like to not have to make one from Edwardian patterns, but not have a shiny, ugly Mormon monstrosity either -.-

[Ralar]

yes please! I'm looking for sleeved, old-fashioned dresses and would like to not have to make one from Edwardian patterns, but not have a shiny, ugly Mormon monstrosity either -.-

The dress was purchased at Letitia's Bridal in Monsey, NY (http://www.letitiasonline.com/index.html). On Letitia's website, they mention that they "specialize in building-up dresses." I suppose that translates to, "We transform skin-baring dresses into modest dresses." Don't try to contact them on Fiday night or Saturday: they are closed for Shabbat

[ladyaudley]

brilliant, thank you!

[Rachel333]

I've actually seen some really beautiful Mormon wedding dresses--they do exist!

I had to get a formal dress in high school and I wanted one with short sleeves just because I was personally uncomfortable with bare shoulders and it was absolutely impossible to find one and I didn't like boleros.

[Katydid]

Congratulations to your cousin! Her dress is absolutely stunning.