Halachot and Customs
Is it permitted to use white wine at a wedding canopy?
Question
Is it permitted to use white wine at a wedding canopy?
Thank you
Answer
Greetings,
It is permitted to recite the blessing over white wine at a wedding canopy, though there is an enhancement in reciting the blessing over red wine. Some have preferred white wine, out of concern that the bride's garments may be stained.
Sources: See Rikanati (Parashat Bereishit, on the verse "And the woman saw") that the preferred practice is to recite the wedding blessings over red wine. And see also Netaei Gavriel, Hilchot Nisuin, part 1 (chapter 22, section 5), that recently some have begun to recite the blessing over white wine, so that the bride's garments will not be stained by red wine. Likewise, in Menuchah LeChaim, matters of chuppah and kiddushin (chapter 14, note 292), he cites from Nesech Malchut HaTorah (page 449) that Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Broida, of blessed memory, would make an effort to obtain white wine for the cup of blessing because of the above concern.
With blessings, Hillel Meirs

