Typically, at the end of the Jewish wedding ceremony, the groom breaks a glass, crushing it with his right foot, and the guests shout "mazel tov!" ("good luck").

There are many explanations for breaking the Jewish wedding glass, although the exact, correct explanation is unknown. One explanation is that joy must always be tempered; in good times we remember the bitter times. Another explanation is that smashing the glass reminds us, that despite the joy of the wedding, Jews still mourn the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of this, some Jews recite the verses "If I forget thee / O Jerusalem..." when smashing the glass. A third explanation is that the smashing of the glass symbolizes the end of the separate lives of the bride and groom and the beginning of the new life they will build together.