The Rabbinic Authority considers Ketubot a legal document, and, as such, only the text is subject to strict requirements for Orthodox or Conservative observers. Materials, designs, layouts etc. are open to creative interpretation.

Traditionally, a Jew by choice uses either "Avraham Avinu" ("our father Abraham") or "Avraham ve Sarah" ("Abraham and Sarah") as their parents' names. If you're not sure how your names should appear, talk with your wedding officiant about what he or she feels is appropriate.

Your full Hebrew name is “son/daughter of dad & mom”

Only the first part of each parent’s name, before “ben” or “bat” is needed since the part after would be your grandparents’ name

If you have a Hebrew name but can’t remember, a good place to look for it is on their ketubah or on your naming or bris certificate.

If you select Orthodox or Conservative ketubah text only two signatures are allowed. Neither the couple nor the Rabbi sign.

Witnesses with the following requirements may sign:

• They are both male

• That they are not biologically related to the bride or groom (so they can’t be your brothers or parents).

• They must be shomer shabbat, meaning Sabbath observant.

Rabbis tend to have different requirements so consult yours first.

For all other denominations of Ketubot, you choose as many signatures as will fit on the ketubah.

Lieberman Clause, drafted by Rabbi Saul Lieberman in the 1950s, states that either the husband or wife may invoke the authority of the "Beth Din," or Jewish court, in the event of a civil dissolution of the marriage. The added clause provides for equal legal recourse for husband and wife. Without this clause, only the husband has the power to invoke a Jewish divorce.

It is a charter of woman's rights in marriage and of man's duties. The ketubah is designed for woman's protection, and every legal nuance in this matter was developed so that her husband shall not regard it as easy to divorce her. In a male-oriented society, the woman always needed more defense against the violation of personal rights than the man. The ketubah required money to be paid by the husband in case of divorce. This made it difficult for the husband to divorce his wife without appropriate reflection and consideration.

The customary format for the Jewish or Hebrew name of a Jewish male is [First name] ben [Jewish parent’s name] v’[other Jewish parent’s name], for example David ben Yosef v’Chanah or David son of Joseph and Hannah.

For Jewish females, the format is the same: [First name] bat [Jewish parent’s name] v’[other Jewish parent’s name], for example Leah bat Moshe v’Rachel.

People who do not identify as either male or female or choose not to use gendered designations might substitute mibeit (from the house of) or mimishpachat (from the family of) in place of either ben (son) or bat (daughter).

Many Orthodox rabbis request that the regel, or “leg” of the Kuf of the word “קנינה” be left off so they can write it in by hand on the wedding day. This is done to prove that the rabbi has presided over the document on the wedding day.

If this explanation sounds like jibberish to you, you probably don’t need it.

*This alteration can be accommodated, even on acrylic versions.