New York City Wedding Officiant

Welcome to this new and exciting chapter! It’s time to celebrate!

Thank you for taking a moment to check out my services and to see if we are a good fit. Finding the right person to officiate your ceremony can make or break your whole celebration. As much planning goes into the reception and the details, believe it or not, the ceremony truly sets the tone for the rest of the day. The setting of course makes a difference too. No matter if you choose to elope or have a big wedding celebration, we can travel to officiate your ceremony anywhere.  If I’ve learned anything in the past 12 years as a wedding officiant it is no matter how you choose to celebrate, love always wins, and your wedding day will always be your Best Day Ever!!

Because your wedding day is one of the most important and momentous occasions of your life, it is our aim is to support you in creating a meaningful celebration no matter the budget.  This is the perfect moment to begin focusing on what is most valuable to you as a couple and from there we can create a lasting memory for you and all your loved ones to cherish for a lifetime.  

As a multi-award-winning wedding officiant and expert pre-marital and relationship counselor, I am well-versed in crafting all styles of ceremonies. I have performed more than 2,000 weddings and vow renewals (baby blessings too!) with couples of all backgrounds, faiths, and cultures, and it has been an exciting and rewarding path. I craft personalized ceremonies to honor each of your ideas and preferences.  Some may include family traditions, rituals, or cultural elements that are most meaningful to your faith and beliefs. Other ceremonies may have unique touches to reflect a more personal spin. No matter if you are a mixed-faith couple, a “spiritual but not religious” couple,  or a non-denominational or humanist couple (N.O.N.E.), I honor you and your beliefs.  The most intimate and joyous part of your wedding ceremony is being able to weave your personal love story throughout thereby creating your very own “one-of-a-kind” ceremony script. Every couple is unique and so is your story. I am always here to walk you through the often-confusing process and support you along the way. These are unprecedented times so let’s make the most of your unforgettable day.

We offer bilingual ceremonies for Spanish-speaking couples and Native American Ceremonies including the sacred Lakota Star Blanket ceremony, native hand-tying ceremony, pre-ceremonial site or land blessing, flute/drum/dance performance, calling in the elements, native grass dance, and more by a Lakota Sioux Chief. Please click here for more details.

The most romantic movies of all time have proven that New York City is one of the best destinations for planning your indoor or outdoor wedding or elopement ceremony. Common Ground Ceremonies’ Elopement and Wedding packages make planning your special day even easier, especially if you plan to travel in from out of town and invite your guests to your NYC destination wedding. Once you choose your date, time, and preferred location, we will guide you and take care of the rest. There are so many beautiful and iconic outdoor wedding locations around the city such as Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, The Botanical Gardens, Top of The Rock, and other fabulous venues with spectacular skyline views and magical rooftops around the Metropolitan area. These gorgeous settings are perfect for capturing your big day.  Our Wedding Packages are always budget-friendly and include top-notch wedding vendors (who happen to be our friends too) who offer services such as photography, videography, live music, flowers, and coordination.

Before your ceremony, you will need to apply for your license online through the Project Cupid portal where you will also schedule your appointment to obtain your license. If you are only looking for a simple alternative to a courthouse wedding, We offer “sidewalk signings” for $250 (Marry Us Now).  You can also book your elopement or Micro-Wedding package at any time beginning at $400.  Officiant services (Spanish-speaking as well) are offered for all types of ceremonies and pricing is based on location and customization.

If you are interested in protecting your marriage and building a solid foundation from the start, I offer an online pre-marital coaching program. It is designed to be fun, and interactive, and I have included time-tested and powerful ways to enhance your communication skills, build intimacy,  and honor your individual strengths and gifts as you build your future together. The Marriage Success Blueprint Program is a 10-module program that prepares you for unexpected curveballs and also empowers you with the tools to increase the overall satisfaction in your life, and in your marriage. The best part, you can do it at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home. In addition, I offer live Q&A weekly to support you throughout the program. Experts have said that couples who invest in pre-marital preparation have a 30 percent less chance of divorce, and also have a much higher level of overall marital satisfaction. Why not give the same excitement that goes into planning your wedding toward also planning your marriage? Please contact me directly to learn more, and book a free consultation with me.

If you are looking for an expert, award-winning New York Wedding Officiant and pre-marital counselor who loves what she does, then look no further. I invite you to read my reviews and contact me today so we can begin planning your special celebration.

ABOUT

“Samora connected with us immediately. She understood who we were, what brought us together,
and what we envisioned for our big day. She guided us through the whole process
and made it easy for us to relax and enjoy it.” – June 2014


 

The Knot’s “Hall of Fame” Inductee & Wedding Wire Awards 

I am the Associate Director for The New Seminary of Interfaith Studies, a multi-award winning wedding officiant, an expert Relationship Coach (pre-marital counselor too), and a Board-Certified Hypnotherapist/NLP Practitioner, and Sound & Vibration Healing Specialist.  Over the past 12 years, I have officiated more than 2,500 weddings, vow renewals, and baby blessings, and I continue to find ways to support and celebrate the amazing milestones we have in our lives.

Raised in a Multi-racial, Multi-faith, and Multi-cultured Family

I am a native New Yorker, and I was raised in a community filled with diversity and culture. I come from a multi-racial (BIPOC), multi-faith (Jewish/Muslim/Catholic) family which has afforded me the personal experience and background to support couples of all cultures, faiths, and backgrounds.  My family celebrated Christmas and Hanukkah, and I later became more interested in learning about the different faiths and indigenous practices observed around the world. I was not raised with any religion, but my family always instilled the same values and tenets of most faith traditions, with love and compassion always being at the core.  I personally identify as being “Spiritually Fluid” (or a “None”/non-identifying), and I believe we are all connected, that “Love is Love”, and we are all spiritual beings sharing a human experience.

 

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Reviews


I truly love what I do! Each couple I marry remains close to my heart forever! No one can tell you better about my services than the couples I have already married.

Kathryn & Spencer

rev1

It’s no exaggeration to say that without Samora – both as an officiant and as a wedding coordinator – our wedding would not have been what it was. My husband and I only had four weeks to plan our wedding in New York City, and Samora’s help was invaluable. Within an hour of meeting and chatting with us, Samora had found the ideal venue for us and our 40 guests. As well as helping us find a venue, Samora also helped us find and organise a wonderful photographer and beautiful flowers for the space, as well as offering guidance for how to create our wedding playlist. When it came to the ceremony itself, Samora was there early to help us get prepared (she even ran out at the last minute to get me cough drops for my bad cold!). The ceremony itself was absolutely perfect: thanks to Samora, we had a ceremony that was unique and personal to us a couple, but one that still retained references to tradition, which is exactly what we wanted. Many of our guests have said that it was one of the loveliest wedding ceremonies they have attended, thanks to the personal touch that Samora gave to it. Samora comes very highly recommended from both of us!

— Kathryn & Spencer-—-

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RITUALS


Rituals and Unity Ceremonies are a wonderful way to symbolize the joining of two people in marriage. I have chosen an array of rituals (tradition and non-traditional) that you may want to include in your ceremony.

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