Category: Blog

Winter Weddings & Elopements in NYC

The Pink Moon & Common Ground Ceremonies

Present

Winter Wedding Wednesdays

Dreams really do come true!  This winter we have created one of the most irresistible indoor wedding  and elopement packages for you to begin this new chapter the right way.  This truly is the perfect setting and ambience for you and your guests to celebrate the most important day of your lives.

Luxurious Winter Wedding Venue

The Pink Moon is an Upscale Event Space and Boutique located in the vibrant and artsy neighborhood of Gowanus, Bklyn. It is owned by the brilliant & uber-talented, Rebecca Sheperd Floral Design.  From the moment you enter, you are transported to another world just by the energy and beauty of the space.

Your Winter Wedding Package Includes ($1299):

 An Hour in a Beautiful Upscale Event Space with up to 10 Guests

An Award-Winning Wedding Officiant

An hour with a High-End Photographer

Customized Music Playlist for Your Ceremony

Champagne Toast for you and your guests

Additional Add-Ons Include Videography, Live Musician, Wedding Bouquet/Boutonniere, Hair/Makeup Services

For Bookings and Additional Info, click here.

 

 

 

Should you ask a friend or family member to marry you or hire an officiant?

Weddings can be expensive and most couples today will seek creative ways to cut down on costs. Some of the most popular recent trends is to ask a friend or relative to DJ, take photos or even officiate the wedding ceremony to save those dineros.  As an experienced professional Wedding Officiant in New York for the past 10 years, I have seen many versions of this plan work successfully, however I have noticed a recent increase in being called in at the last minute to come to the rescue because the couple’s alternative “money saving” plan fell apart, which ultimately costs engaged couples even more in stress and time. 

Since officiating is my personal expertise, I have put together a list of things to research and consider before you decide to ask your friend or relative to officiate your wedding: 

  • Does my friend/relative have any experience with public speaking?
  • Does my friend/relative know me and my partner well enough to truly represent us?
  • If they do a “not so great” job will it damage our relationship?
  • How does my friend/relative view marriage? Are they happily married?  (Note: This matters in case they try to throw in some unsolicited advice during your ceremony and believe me, THIS HAPPENS!!
  • Can my friend/relative handle any last-minute changes or requests either made by us, the venue, or the other vendors?
  • Does my friend/relative have an engaging, welcoming personality to make our guests feel included?
  • Does the location where I plan to wed allow non-professional clergy to officiate weddings and sign legal documents?
  • Will my marriage be legal?

When you hire a professional wedding officiant or celebrant, they bring a level of expertise and experience to the most important day of your journey as a couple.  Many Officiants (specifically the ones who have attended seminary) are also ordained ministers and pre-marital counselors who can offer you the support and valuable tools needed to start your marriage on the right track. Also, when you develop a relationship with your officiant, you gain a counselor, a friend and neutral guide to support you through the many challenges and offerings that marriage inevitably brings. 

As an Interfaith Minister and Wedding Officiant in New York, I have developed long-lasting relationships with my couples and I often have the privilege to perform Baby Blessings for their children, Vow Renewals and other big celebrations in their family and friend circle.  Most importantly, as a professional Pre-Marital Counselor, I assist in building a foundation for success which begins before the wedding and helps you through the planning process.

For bookings and more information about my officiating and counseling services, please contact Rev. Samora Smith at rev.samora@gmail.com

New Book Launch: 300 Do It Yourself Vows-Choose Your Own

Have you ever had something that you HAVE to share with all your family and friends because you know it changes people’s lives?  Well, I am jumping for joy because that is exactly how I feel RIGHT NOW and I am so excited to share it with you. Recently, a dear friend and mentor said to me, “With all your years of experience, success and the hundreds of weddings you’ve performed, you could write a great do it yourself vow book. Something that can support couples to create meaningful, unique words on their special day”.  What a GENIUS idea (thank you, Dr. Yvonne!)!

You know that I’m a great lover of romantic films (YES, The Notebook is one of my faves) and as a 10-year, Award-Winning wedding officiant, I absolutely adore hearing people’s love stories. So, I got to writing and before you know it, I had over 300 vows written!

If you are newly engaged, know someone getting married, or want to renew your vows, my “300 DO IT YOURSELF VOWS” book is a wonderful experience. Once you open it, you‘ll keep on reading because it makes you feel so incredibly good. 

AND it’s a gift that keeps on giving!  Everyone knows that for a lasting relationship promises need to be continually created and built upon. For married couples, imagine choosing a “vow-a-day” to say to one another to keep your love alive; a surprise written vow might be even better. Or you can create an anniversary ritual and use this book to pick new vows to say each year on your special day.  Isn’t that awesome?  For engaged couples, this book provides a constant resource of loving, positive words to put together to say on your wedding day. And, it’s fun! You simply copy and paste your favorite lines and TADA! You have wonderful and meaningful personal vows.

Each vow carries a high vibration and the chapters are carefully thought out to align with all the important topics that create a wonderful, lasting marriage.  This is a wonderful gift for yourself, for newly engaged couples, bridal showers, and even your parent’s upcoming anniversary!  

INSTANT VOWS FOR LOVING COUPLES

 

****SPECIAL LAUNCH PRICE-ONLY $0.99 CENTS****

I am beyond excited to share my book with you and I invite you now to click HERE to order your copy (or copies!) today.

Wow! This Series Will Make a Big Difference For You!!

These quick tips could be just what you’ve been searching for.

I am blessed and grateful to be among this panel of experts who show up in such an authentic and loving way to share real tips and strategies to support you in having it all.

Join us for the “Yes! You Can Have It all Summit” where myself and 23 other leading experts share our ideas, insights and tips to support you in having it all and loving it.

It’s absolutely free to access these bite-sized nuggets of wisdom, so join us!

Here’s the link where you can register ► CLICK HERE 

This series is hosted by my friend and colleague, Nancy Matthews, International Speaker, Best-Selling Author, Founder of the global organization, Women’s Prosperity Network, and an extraordinary woman who demonstrates having it all and loving it, brought us together to support YOU in doing the same. Nancy is on a mission to support people in having it all by creating your life by design and making sure you’re experiencing, love, support and fun along the way. If you haven’t met Nancy yet, you’ll surely pick up on her genuine, caring spirit and wealth of knowledge she brings.

The experts in this series cover a wide array of topics to support us all in this journey and I love that they’re all in short segments (about 15 minutes each). Some of the areas covered are:
• Reset Your Stress for Success
• Demystifying Money to Have It All
• Your Million Dollar Energy Imprint
• With Love You Can Have It All
• And so many more strategies and insights on health, wealth, marketing, sales, style, image, vision, recognition and others.

This series is bringing me great value and I would love for you to benefit from these powerful teachers as well.

Here’s the link where you can register ► CLICK HERE 

Once registered, beginning April 2nd and running through Aril 11th, you’ll receive 1 email a day delivered straight to your inbox that will contain 2 to 3 brief interviews. These are value-packed strategies and real tools for you to easily implement into your already busy life. You can download and watch or listen from home, your office or on the go!

(Just click this link to reserve your spot now!)

I look forward to seeing you!

With Joy,

Rev. Samora Smith

PS. Give yourself the gift of saying, Yes, to this series and then … be sure to watch them. I know you’ll thoroughly enjoy each of these expert teachers and that you’ll learn at least one gem from each of them. ► CLICK HERE 

Spring Wedding Color Trends Have Arrived!

Are you planning to get married this Spring?  Well, we are so excited to share these new, exciting color trends that have emerged for this spring.  Whether you are looking for unique ideas for your bridal party or searching for ideas for your groom or groomsmen.

We love to refer our couples to The Black Tux, a rental company specializing in groom and groomsmen attire.  

You can’t go wrong with these wedding color inspirations.

Contact Common Ground Ceremonies today to learn more about how we can assist you with your wedding in New York City and the surrounding areas.  We offer elopement packages and large-scale wedding packages.  We will work with your budget and always deliver award-winning service!

Valentine’s Day Wedding in New York

Are you planning a last-minute wedding or thinking about eloping in NYC?  Valentine’s Day is approaching and it is a wonderful time of year to get married in New York City.

Common Ground Ceremonies offers packages that can include a photographer, flowers, or anything you can think of to make your big day complete.

You can choose from a civil ceremony (humanist ceremony) or spiritual ceremony depending on your preferences.  Our NY Wedding Officiants will perform any type of ceremony you choose and also file the license for you afterwards (saving you a trip back down to the city clerk’s office.)  We can also provide a witness if you are planning to come by yourselves, but also recommend hiring a photographer who can sign for you, in addition to taking you around the city for amazing photos.

For those of you planning to renew your vows, Valentine’s Day is a romantic time to do so.  Contact us and we will assist you with planning your vow renewal ceremony.

A Unique Love Lock Ceremony for your Wedding

We have all heard of the famous bridge in Paris, Pont des Arts where for many decades, lovers would leave a lock and toss the key into the River Seine, signifying there everlasting love.  Unfortunately, this tradition is no longer practiced there, but now you can create your own love lock ceremony in your wedding ceremony.  As a NY Wedding Officiant, I am always looking for unique ways to celebrate your love and I personally love this idea.  

The Lovelocks “Tree of Life” ceremony is a unique ceremony idea using heart shaped padlocks that lock one time only-there is no key! The couple personally engrave their names, special date or special messages on them.

Following an ancient custom, you can “lock your love” to that person or those people important in your life. Engraving your own personal message on a Love Lock is the ultimate way of saying “I love you” and solidifying those special relationships in your life. No matter the person—or even pet –with a love padlock from Love Locks, Inc. you can celebrate love, family, and friendship. So when words simply aren’t enough, let Love Locks do the talking. We are dedicated to continuing the tradition of expressing one’s love and commitment by offering a personalized padlock for your special occasion.

You can purchase your Lovelocks Tree at www.lovelocksonline.com.

2018 Wedding Trends to Watch Out for

Happy New Year!!  Engagement Season is here!!!  In 2017, we saw some really cool DIY wedding ideas and lots of unique touches ranging from non-traditional dresses to having personal pets as guests or ring-bearers….eek!!  Some trends were really awe-inspiring while others were more traditional as we have  witnessed them in the past. We know how much time engaged couples spend researching ideas online, so we thought it would be great to put together some wedding trends to watch out for this year.

Smaller Weddings

One of the most pursued wedding trends this past year was smaller, more intimate weddings. Couples have started thinking more logically than ever. They know how important it is to save money, so instead of going overboard with over-the-top decór or elaborate Viennese tables, they are choosing more intimate celebrations and spending more of their budget on their honeymoon and down-payments on their new home after they are married. In 2017, smaller weddings were trending and still seem to be popular this year. As a result, only your nearest and dearest are in attendance and there way fewer expenditures to worry about after your event.

Bridesmen & Groomsladies

Yes, you heard it right! Times have changed and there is no place for typical weddings anymore. In the coming year, it is expected that wedding parties will take place with some really great innovations. With parties changed and new roles being defined, we cannot predict how bridesmen and groomsladies will dress. Maybe they choose to dress like the opposite gender, who knows? After all, it’s a whole new era of wedding traditions shaping up for the future.

Cross-cultural Weddings

With the growing use of the internet and awareness being spread everywhere, in 2018, it is anticipated that weddings will take place with a glimpse of some other culture and tradition. Couples like to experiment on their special day and marrying their loved one in a unique style, will surely inspire them to follow this new trend. Traditional weddings have those same frocks and gowns, but if you go for cross-cultural weddings, you can get to wear traditional dresses of other countries.

Buffet Food

People are very choosy about their dietary habits. They don’t like to eat unhealthy food and items they don’t like. It can be really very difficult to take care of choices of all the guests. This is the reason why the trend of gourmet buffet food will grow rapidly in 2018. Couples will have more time to hang out with the guests at a place where they can serve a buffet-style meal. Every guest will get a chance to eat their favorite dish without any difficulty.

These are some wedding trends that will transpire in 2018 and transform wedding celebrations completely. These trends can really make your wedding ceremony unique and even more special. If you want to make your wedding celebration memorable, you should look for new and improved ideas and some of  the ideas discussed here, are certainly worth considering.  As a NY wedding officiant, I have seen many trends come and go, so our company provides wedding officiants and planners with years of experience and cross-cultural knowledge to keep up with the international couples we serve. We can help you create a whimsical wedding ceremony by incorporating all the latest wedding trends. Common Ground Ceremonies has recently won their 8th consecutive The Knot-2018 Best of Weddings award so please contact us today to discuss your wedding and for a chance to make your wedding day more special.

 

Planning your Jewish/Catholic Wedding Ceremony?

Are you engaged and planning a wedding that incorporates your Jewish and Christian backgrounds?  Many of our couples face this challenge and do not know where to even begin.  Our experienced interfaith minister, Rev. Samora Smith has created and performed these type of ceremonies for hundreds of couples and offers some great advice.

First consider:

  1. Are either of you more religious than the other?
  2. Are you comfortable with the mention of Jesus or Adonai in the ceremony?
  3. Will you have a Rabbi & Priest present or an interfaith minister to represent both faiths?

Differences between a Jewish and Catholic Ceremony:

  1. Processional
    • Christian:  Groom waits at the Alter and Bride is walked by her father
    • Jewish: Groom and Bride are escorted by both parents
  2. Vows
    • Christian:  Bride and Groom recite vows and answer “I Do” in the ceremony
    • Jewish: Vows are not traditionally recited but are instead written on a Ketubah for the couple to sign in the presence of family and clergy before the public ceremony.
  3. Scripture Readings
    • Christian:  Most ceremonies include readings from the Old or New Testaments in the Christian bible
    • Jewish: The wedding ceremony does not include any scriptural readings
  4. The Pronouncement & Kiss
    • Christian:  Clergy will pronounce the couple married followed with “You may now kiss the Bride”
    • Jewish:  The Jewish wedding ceremony does not include a kiss but many modern couples have incorporated it into their ceremony.  Most Jewish ceremonies end with the “Breaking of the Glass”

Rituals and their Meaning

  • Christian
    • Lighting of the Unity Candle- Two tapers are lit for the couple and then a larger candle is lit by the couple to represent the joining of the two becoming one.
    • Bible Verses– There are many bible verses that can be included in the ceremony.  (Corinthians 13, Ecclesiastes and Old Testament do not mention Jesus.)
  • Jewish
    • Ketubah- A contract containing promises that each promises to each other.  It is usually written on a beautiful piece of art for the couple to display in the home.
    • Chuppah-A four-pillared canopy that the ceremony will be performed under.
    • Kiddush Cup-The couple will share a cup of wine with a blessing
    • Breaking of the Glass- Usually done by the groom with the sentiment that it will take as long to put the glass back together as their relationship will last (forever)

As an experienced wedding officiant, many of my couples don’t know how to include both faiths in their wedding ceremony.  Your ceremony is an opportunity to show your families how your faiths are similar and honor your upbringing.  If you choose a ceremony that is less religious, you can incorporate some of the rituals as symbolic gestures to your faiths.

Book your Holiday Elopement or Vow Renewal Today

Holiday Season is fast approaching and one of the most exciting places to renew your vows or have an elopement is at Rockefeller Center. Rockefeller Center weddings are magical and the holiday spirit is everywhere. The famous Christmas Tree is surrounded by beautifully lit sculptures and figurines from famous holiday stories. Common Ground Ceremonies will provide your NY Wedding Officiant and we also offer photography packages. Contact us today to discuss your exciting celebration!