Hand-carved Ketubah
One-of-a-kind and cut by hand at my work bench, each Ketubah I create is 100% custom-made for the vision, tradition, and story of each couple I work with.
Jacob and Cassie’s Ketubah: Design Process
Earthy, cool, and reflective of the Pacific Northwest they call home, Jacob and Cassie wanted a modern take on traditional motifs, fitting with the colors and design aesthetic of the Judaica pieces already on their walls. It was a pleasure hopping on Zoom calls to refine the design, brainstorm ideas, and incorporate their own creativity into the work. Together the three of us created a Ketubah that truly fits their life perfectly.
After initial consultation, a layout sketch is made.
Color pallet and textures added to mockup.
Carving performed on reverse side, to preserve archival-grade printed Ketubah text.
Hand-carving work detail
Final white cutting, mounted on watercolor paper, with color and metal leaf elements.
After 80 hours of design and assembly, the Ketubah is finished!
Ketubah Pricing
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Our foundational offering, the Essential Ketubah distills your vision while still being budget friendly
14×14in or 12×16in
1 Major design revision included ($100 value)
Archival-grade printing of Ketubah Text
Shipping included
Post-ceremony guidance on framing
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A step-up in size, the Plus Ketubah brings your custom artwork to a new scale.
17×17in or 16×19in
2 Major design revisions included ($200 value)
Archival-grade printing of Ketubah Text
Shipping included
Post-ceremony guidance on framing
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Our largest standard offering, the Premium Ketubah makes a massive statement on the wall of your home
20×20in or 19×23in
3 Major design revisions included ($300 value)
Archival-grade printing of Ketubah Text
Shipping included
Post-ceremony guidance on framing
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The Master Ketubah is an all-inclusive experience, for a truly one-of-a-kind piece.
20×20in or 19×23in, or larger custom
4 Major design revisions included ($400 value)
Ketubah text purchase included (if printed, not for custom Sofer Stam work)
Metal leaf (imitation gold) accent add-on discounted to $150 (25% off)
24 Karat Gold Leaf accent add-on discounted to $240 (40% off)
Archival-grade printing of Ketubah Text
Shipping included
Post-ceremony guidance on framing
Additional Add-Ons
Metal Leaf (imitation gold) accents: $200
24 Karat Gold-Leaf accents: $400
Framing post-ceremony: Cost of shipping + framing cost, and a $300 fee for handling the framing process
Cost per additional major digital design revision (outside of package inclusion): $100
Expedited delivery (receive finished Ketubah in less than 3 months): $500
FAQs
What does the Ketubah Creation Process look like?
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After you’ve reached out via my contact page, we’ll book a video call to talk about the entire process end to end, and which Ketubah package is right for you. Once the project is confirmed, an invoice for 50% of the project total is sent out, and once fulfilled the work begins! You can send me any inspirations, example pieces, ideas, and continuous input on what you like, and from that teamwork and continuous feedback a custom digital design is produced. Once the digital version is shaped to your liking and approved for construction, we move into the physical work phase where printing the text, carving the design by hand, and assembly takes place, with continuous progress updates throughout. Once finished, the second 50% invoice is sent, and once fulfilled the Ketubah is shipped to you in a protected and insured case, ready for your wedding!
What’s the difference between “single-sheet” and “collage?”
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In all of my art, I work in two primary paper-cutting styles. Single-Sheet refers to one large piece of paper where a design is pre-planned, and pieces are carved away to reveal one unified design. Collage refers to an additive process where the art is made up of many smaller carved pieces of paper of various colors that come together to create one design. These styles can also be mixed together in a Ketubah design, and I’m happy to share more about it during a free consultation!
How do we create the Ketubah text, and how is it added to the design?
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Most often, I assist clients in obtaining and customizing their Ketubah text off of resources like Ketubah.com where they can purchase a digital file of the text. The file is then sent to me from the client, and I work with my print provider who produces a museum-quality print of the text to integrate into the Ketubah design.
In my experience, every couple is different in what they want for their Ketubah text, varying from denomination and movement, so as the artist I let the client take the lead on this aspect of the project while assisting and offering guidance. Often, couples work with their Rabbi to create or revise a custom text, obtain text from third-party sources like Ketubah.com and other recommended vendors, or even hire a sofer STaM (a trained Jewish scribe who creates hand-written Kosher sacred texts) if they want. While not a typist or scribe myself, I am happy to coordinate with you, your Rabbi, or officiant to make this part of the project as easy as possible!
How long does the Ketubah take to create?
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In order to ensure your custom Ketubah project gets the time, attention, and craftsmanship it deserves, the project must be initiated at least three months before the wedding date. This allows enough time for design iteration, construction, and shipping.
Major revision vs minor revision, what’s the difference?
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During the digital design phase, a major revision is a complete overhaul of the design concept that requires us to go back to the drawing board and start over again after a first version of a developed design is discarded, or a design change that creates a need to rearrange and overhaul the majority of the design. Smaller changes like tweaking a motif, changing a color, or altering an accent are included in all package types. The number of included Major design revisions varies depending on which Ketubah package you purchase. If the number of Major revisions in your package is exceeded, more can be purchased separately for $100 each.
Metal Leaf vs. 24 Karat Gold Leaf, what’s the difference?
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As with all fine art, professional-grade framing will ensure that your custom hand-made Ketubah will last a lifetime. While every Ketubah I make is crafted from the highest quality archival-grade materials, its only half the solution to ensuring longevity of the work. Professional framing ensures that outside degrading factors like humidity and UV-light radiation are never an issue, and prevents problems like cracking, fading, and adhesive failure. The last step in the Ketubah creation process to me is after the ceremony, when I offer guidance on what to look for when you take your Ketubah to the frame shop, along with framing providers I personally recommend in Boston and the NYC area.
Metal leaf is an alloy mixture composed of various metals like copper and zinc (brass), requires a sealant coat applied to prevent tarnishing over time, and tends to be slightly lighter in color, more closely resembling 12 or 14 karat gold. Genuine 24 karat gold leaf is made of real gold, and has a deeper and richer color with more luminance and shine. In my opinion, both look fantastic when accenting a ketubah!
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Why should a Ketubah be professionally framed?
Framing post-ceremony: What I offer
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As an additional service, I also offer handling the framing process for you. After an initial conversation about what you’re looking for in terms of style, mounting, and glass options, I coordinate with the fine art framer that I work with on a regular basis to produce a quote for the cost of the frame and glass. Once you are satisfied and approve the framing setup, we have the work shipped and framed. You cover the cost of the frame, glass, and shipping, plus a handling fee. Framing and shipping time can vary but typically the process takes 2-4 weeks. With this offering, you no longer have to take on the time commitment, pitfalls, and technical knowhow that comes with framing your ketubah, and I ensure you receive the highest quality and smoothest framing experience possible.
“The wedding was fantastic, everybody was blown away by the ketubah and so many people asked to take pictures with it. Thank you again Dan!”
— Jacob and Cassie