Quick Answer
What is a tish?
A tish (Yiddish for "table") is a pre-ceremony gathering, traditionally for the groom and his male family and friends, featuring food, drink and singing before the wedding begins. It is often where the ketubah gets signed, and it typically ends with a boisterous procession to badeken.
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Last updated:
What is a tish?
Also called: chatan's tish, groom's table.
The tish happens in a different room from where the bride is receiving her own guests, and it has a completely different energy — food, l'chaim toasts, singing, and a groom who is traditionally expected to attempt a short Torah teaching that his friends interrupt on purpose by singing over him. It is where the ketubah is often signed, and it typically wraps up with everyone dancing and singing their way over to badeken.
What happens at a tish
The groom is surrounded by close male family and friends in a separate room before the ceremony, where food and drink are shared and toasts ("l'chaim," meaning "to life") are common. Traditionally the groom attempts to deliver a short Torah teaching, which guests good-naturedly interrupt by singing over him — a lighthearted custom rather than a slight. The ketubah is frequently signed here, witnessed by two eligible witnesses, before the group processes, singing and dancing, to badeken.
Planning notes
- •Reserve a separate space from the bride's reception area for the tish, since the two typically run in parallel before the ceremony.
- •Coordinate timing closely with badeken and the ceremony — the tish's procession is what leads into the veiling.
- •Confirm who the ketubah witnesses will be in advance, since the document is often signed at the tish itself.
Keep parallel pre-ceremony gatherings organized
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See guest management tools →Frequently Asked Questions
Who attends a tish?
Traditionally the groom's male family and close friends, though some modern weddings adapt the format to be more inclusive.
Why do guests sing over the groom's speech at a tish?
It is a lighthearted, long-standing custom — the groom traditionally attempts a short Torah teaching, and friends interrupt with singing as good-natured, affectionate teasing rather than disrespect.
Is the ketubah always signed at the tish?
Very commonly, yes, though the exact timing can vary — some couples sign it during a separate small gathering just before the ceremony instead.
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated