the groom a ring in return. A common response is "ani l'dodi, v'dodi li" (I am my beloved's, my beloved is mine) In some Orthodox weddings, the groom then says: "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth. If I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem in my highest joy." The ceremony ends with the groom breaking a glass underfoot. The couple spend their first moments as husband and wife in seclusion (apart from the wedding guests, and with no other person present). This cheder yichud – "the room of seclusion (or 'oneness')" halachically strengthens the marriage bond since Orthodox Jews are forbidden to be secluded with an unrelated person of the opposite sex. The ceremony is followed by a seudat mitzvah, the wedding meal, as well as music and dancing. At the conclusion of the wedding meal, Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) is recited, as well as the seven wedding blessings. In more observant communities, the couple will celebrate for seven more days, called the Sheva Brachot (seven blessings) during which the seven wedding blessings are recited at every large gathering during this time. Islamic customs A wedding is typically a happy time for families to celebrate. In the Middle East, there are colorful, cultural variations from place to place. Two male witnesses who are the members of the family in most cases are required for Nikah. According to the Quran, in a married Muslim couple, both husband and wife act as each other's protector and comforter and therefore only meant "for each other". All Muslim marriages have to be declared publicly and are never to be undertaken in secret. For many Muslims, it is the ceremony that counts as the actual wedding alongside a confirmation of that wedding in a registry office according to fiqh. In Islam a wedding is also viewed as a legal contract particularly in Islamic jurisprudences. However, most Muslim cultures separate both the institutions of the mosque and marriage; no religious official is necessary, but very often an Imam presides and performs the ceremony, he may deliver a short sermon. Celebrations may differ from country to country depending on their culture but the main ceremony is followed by a Walima (the marriage banquet). In Islam, polygyny is allowed with certain religious restrictions. Despite that, an