FAQ

You have three options available to you. You can visit the shop section right here on my website. You will often find a better price here than anywhere else. Alternatively, you can order from my Etsy shop. This will require you to sign up for an account.  I also have a number of designs that are exclusively licensed to ketubah.com and are only available through them.

 Personalization refers to the text. A standard traditional ketubah often comes unpersonalized, and the names, date and location is filled in at the wedding. When a text is personalized, that information is already filled in so that the ketubah looks better.

A Customized ketubah is when you take one of my existing designs and ask me to make a change. Sometimes the change is something as simple as adding your initials to the papercut and other times it’s as complex as changing portions of the design itself, like changing the skyline of a city to the one where you live, or changing birds into flowers. It can be anything. As long as the general design stays the same, but certain elements are changed, it is customized. This is a low cost way of having a design tailored to you.

Custom made means that you commission me to make a ketubah to your specifications. You can ask for absolutely anything. I will interpret your description of the perfect ketubah and create it for you.

 It can be. I offer the option of commissioning a one of a kind ketubah. What this means is that I will not reuse the design in the future and no one else will have the option of ordering it. You have to specifically ask for this. Otherwise, I can and do offer all new designs in my catalog for sale.

Don’t wait until the last minute. Making a ketubah is an involved process. We will need to gather information and communicate back and forth with your rabbi or officiant until the text is approved. Because of this you should allow enough time before the wedding to account for approval, production, and shipping. Ideally you should order at least six weeks before the wedding.

Don’t worry. It is still possible to get your ketubah to you in time, but you will need to be on top of things for this to happen. You should be ready to provide your text as a pre-approved MS Word document. If this is not possible, then your text will need to be approved ASAP, which means you will have to be on top of your rabbi to make sure he gets back to you in a matter of hours instead of days. However, it is no longer possible to make changes to the design or provide you with a customized order. Keep in mind that orders placed within six weeks from the wedding date are subject to a rush fee. This fee is combined with expedited shipping and is available as the “Rush” shipping option during checkout.

Absolutely! When you place your order, I will give you a link to an online order form you can use to provide all the relevant information.

Yes. I have filled in the text for hundreds of Orthodox and Conservative Ketubahs, so I know what I’m doing. When you fill in the online order form, you will provide me with all the information I need.

Sometimes rabbis require a particular nusach (there can be slight variations in syntax and spelling, according to tradition). In this case, you can send me an editable file in txt, rtf, doc, or docx format provided by your rabbi. PDF and JPEG files are not acceptable as they are image files. I regretfully cannot retype text from an image file.

Yes. I provide ketubah text translations for an additional fee.

Not a problem. Any of the designs can be adapted to be a Quaker marriage certificate. I also know that many couples who are not Jewish are embracing the tradition of making a ketubah at their wedding. If you would like to have your wedding vows in one of my designs, you can send in your vows and I will create one for you.

The text is printed using the highest quality digital technology. Handwritten calligraphy is available as a non-standard additional option. I work with a world-class calligrapher in Jerusalem who specializes in Stam calligraphy (Hebrew only). You can inquire about the additional cost this would incur by sending me a message.

I do not recommend using any color for your text other than black or gray. It is possible to get your text in a different color, but the most chemically stable color (even among lightfast inks) is black or gray, which is made with pure carbon pigment. Other colors are not as reliably stable and may fade over time either due to chemical instability or lightfastness issues. I’m not saying that they will definitely fade, as the inks are rated lightfast and are meant to last for many years, but it is a risk that you have to be willing to accept. If you understand this and still want your text in a different color, specify so in a message and I will accommodate your request.

I use fine art paper from the Fabriano mill in Italy. Fabriano was founded in the year 1264 in the eponymous city in Italy and is the oldest paper mill in the world. Fabriano paper has been used historically by such illustrious figures as Giambattista Bodoni, Michelangelo and Beethoven.  This paper has a high cotton content, is Acid Free, produced with pure E.C.F. pulp (Elemental Chlorine Free), and is F.S.C. certified from forests responsibly managed respectful of environmental, social and economic standards. In accordance to ISO 9706 ‘LONG LIFE’ regulations, this paper is guaranteed to have long permanence in time and highly lightfast colours. This paper will outlast any other, as it is of the highest quality there is.

 Standard ketubahs start at $300 and go up based on size and customization options.

A custom ketubah starts at around $1500. You can see up to date prices for all my ketubot in my online shop.

Note that although prices are listed in dollars, checkout will be converted to shekels using the most current exchange rate, accurate to five decimal points. The price in shekels will be exactly the same as the price in dollars according to the current exchange rates.

Because payment is in shekels, you may be charged a currency exchange fee by your payment processor (PayPal or your credit card). Fees are usually in the 1%—2% range. I do not collect this fee and it will not be reflected during checkout. Exchange fees are collected by the payment processor and are entirely separate from the transaction.

Payment is due in full up front before any work begins. 

 I accept returns under certain circumstances. Please see the return policy here.

I use protective packaging that is sturdy and appropriate for international shipping conditions. I do not assume responsibility for items lost in the mail or items that are damaged during shipping due to mishandling. If your item does arrive damaged, due to mishandling by the postal service, let me know via email–I will work out a solution with you!

If there is a mistake in the text layer of your ketubah:
All personalized text must be proofed and approved by you and your rabbi. If you find a mistake in the text that differs from the text you approved, I will send you a correction at no extra charge. If the mistake was present in the proof that you approved, I will send you a corrected text, subject to a nominal replacement fee plus shipping costs. Make sure you check your proof carefully before approving the text. 

Absolutely NOT. You can see my privacy policy here

 All ketubahs are shipped in protective flat packaging. This means that you will not have to plan on “unrolling” your ketubah before the wedding. It will be flat and ready to display from the day it arrives.

All ketubahs will ship via DHL eCommerce international shipping by default. Packages generally arrive within 7 to 10 business days. You also have the option of choosing FedEx 2-Day international shipping. FedEx is more expensive, but I highly recommend the upgrade. FedEx is extremely reliable, handles packages with exceptional care, and absolutely worth the additional cost.

I cannot guarantee a delivery date and do not take responsibility for shipping delays due to inclement weather, strikes, customs delays, or delays due to government or regulatory agencies, lost packages, or other negligence attributable to the carrier. I also cannot take responsibility for damaged packages due to carrier negligence.

Please note that if there are any customs duties or taxes due in the country in which you reside, you will be solely responsible for them.

Yes. Let me know before you purchase and I will remove the shipping charge. However, keep in mind that any ketubah picked up in Israel is subject to 17% VAT. This works out as more expensive than shipping in most cases.

Every screen displays colors a bit differently. Because of this it is impossible to accurately show the exact shade of a color. There are various factors that affect the way a particular color looks in real life. Ambient light will make paper appear lighter or darker depending on the time of day, and different light bulbs emit different color casts, which affect the look of colors. The color charts are meant to give a general idea of the colors available. The exact shade may vary significantly from what you see on the screen. If color accuracy is important to you, make sure to ask that I do not include a backing layer so that you can mount the white papercut on a backing of your choice. This is especially important if you’re ordering a multi-colored design. I do not offer refunds or exchanges for color inconsistencies under any circumstances.

You will want to take your ketubah to a framing shop before the wedding so they can mount it for display during the ceremony. They will place it on a display board and cover it with a clear plexiglass flap to make sure nothing happens to it during the festivities. Make sure your ketubah is mounted on a non-buffered archival mat. You want it to be 100% acid free. Any reputable framer already know this, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. After the wedding you can take it back to the framing shop and they will place it in a permanent frame. Keep in mind that the average frame is about 2″ wide and that matted artwork has around 4″ of mat on all sides. Keep this in mind when choosing a place to hang it in your home. A 12″x12″ ketubah will take up 24″x”24″ on your wall after framing.

You will want to use a high quality archival pen when signing. Choose one that uses pigment ink and that specifies that it is “lightfast” or “fade resistant”. Sakura Micron or Staedtler Lumocolor are excellent pen options, but any good art supply shop can present you several other options as well.

Because of it’s relentless UV rays, sunlight is the enemy of anything you want to keep for a long time. I use fade resistant materials and inks, but nothing can withstand being in direct sunlight for years at a time. You should display your ketubah on a wall that doesn’t get a lot of direct sunlight. But did you know that fluorescent light bulbs also emit UV light? This includes compact fluorescents (energy saving) bulbs. If you want an added layer of protection, you should ask for Anti-UV glass when you have it framed. Also beware of moisture. Don’t get the ketubah wet, as water will destroy it. Don’t hang it anywhere that can expose your ketubah to steam or condensation.