Biggest wedding ever with 25,000 guest seated

Weddings are always a big occasion, but with a guest-list of more than 25,000, this traditional Jewish ceremony dwarfs even the most lavish of nuptials.
Jewish well-wishers from around the world attended the Ultra Orthodox Jewish wedding to witness the marriage of the grandson of the leader of the Hasidic dynasty Belz Rebbe yesterday. 
Steeped in tradition, these amazing images show the ceremony of 18-year-old Shalom Rokeach and his 19-year-old bride Hannah Batya Penet in Jerusalem, Israel.
The groom Shalom Rokeach is the eldest and only male grandchild of the Belz Rebbe, who heads one of the largest Hasidic communities in the world. Being the only male, the newlywed is assumed to be the Rebbe's future heir in leading the community.

Tens of thousands of Ultra-Orthodox Jews of the Belz Hasidic Dynasty watch the wedding ceremony of Rabbi Shalom Rokach

Centre of attention: The bride Hannah Batya Penet during the ceremony which lasts several hours

Belz Rebbe is an ancient Polish-Jewish dynasty which has its roots in the 14th Century in the Polish town of the same name. The marriage of one of its descendants, who is considered aristocracy among Orthodox Jews, is big occasion and all members of the sect from all over the world are invited.

The wedding is a rare meet-and-greet opportunity for leaders of various Hasidic sects. Thousands of Belz Hasids from the United States and Europe attended the celebration, which lasted until dawn. A number of Jerusalem streets were shut down because of the size of the celebrations.
Traditional Jewish weddings consist of two separate parts, the betrothal ceremony, known as erusin or kiddushin, and the actual wedding ceremony, known as nisuin. 

Under the stars: Bride Hannah Batya Penet is led by female relatives to the chuppah, a large supported canopy, where the wedding vows took place 

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men lead Shalom Rokeach, grandson of the Chief Rabbi of Belz, Yissachar Dov Rokeach, during his wedding ceremony

Daunting: Around 25,000 guests from around the world descending on Jerusalem to watch the ceremony 

Orthodox aristocracy: The Belz Hasidic dynasty is one of the largest Hasidic sects in the world

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish bride Hannah Batya Pene, centre, sits with her relatives during her wedding ceremony

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men watch the wedding of the grandson of the Chief Rabbi of Belz, Yissachar Dov Rokeach, and his bride, Hannah Batya Penet, in Jerusalem 

Bride Hannah Batya Penet takes part in a traditional celebratory dance with her relative while still wearing her veil

Big event: The wedding - which saw up to 30,000 guests attend - is one of the largest Orthodox Jewish ceremonies in recent years 

Crowded: Thousands wanted to witness the wedding of Shalom Rokeach who will become the next leader of one of the largest Hasidic communities in Israel 

Under the stars: The couple's vows were said underneath a chuppah - a large canopy supported by four poles which is erected outside so the ceremony can be conducted underneath the sky

Groom Shalom Rokeach, 18, pictured centre, is the grandson of the head of one of the largest Hasidic communities in Jerusalem, Belz Rebbe

Hasidic bride Hannah Batya Penet is seen in a traditional white wedding dress with a veil covering her face as her female relatives escort her to the ceremony in Jerusalem, Israel

'Don't you wish to have such an elaborate wedding?