Business Description

Deborah Roth is an ordained Interfaith Minister who loves helping couples create a wedding ceremony that reflects your unique personalities, spiritual beliefs and deep love for each other. We'll form a magical, creative, fun partnership! A quick wedding officiant checklist…
How many of the following apply to you?
You are from different faith traditions and want to honor each
You want to create a ceremony that’s spiritual, but not religious
You want a simple civil ceremony that represents the essence of who you are.
You want to create a meaningful, symbol-filled ceremony that resonates with your spiritual beliefs.
You’re ready to participate fully in the creation of our wedding ceremony.
You want your ceremony to be about YOU.
You’re looking for an officiant who will take the time to get to know you, who’s knowledgeable and professional, but also creative and FUN!

WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW
A message from “Rev Deb”
In addition to all of the other fun things I do, I am also an ordained Interfaith Minister. I’ve been performing weddings since 2000, after completing my Master’s thesis on the power of transformative rituals… isn’t that exactly what a wedding ceremony is? Ironically, when my husband Peter and I were married in 1981, we created our own ceremony with a minister and rabbi – pretty radical idea at the time. I certainly never thought I’d be helping couples do the same, 25+ years later!

Sometimes the couples I work with are from different faith traditions, and want to find common spiritual ground to celebrate this most joyous of life's passages.

Other times, couples are simply looking for a unique, creative way to express their love for and commitment to one another; they want someone to partner with them in creating a very personal and meaningful ceremony with little of the language, music, or visual symbols of a "traditional" wedding.

And of course, I'm delighted to work with same-sex couples who want to sacralize their bond in a special way as well. In all instances, we work together to craft a simple and beautiful ceremony which blends your vision and my expertise.

HOW TO CREATE YOUR IDEAL CEREMONY
When you decide to create your own wedding ceremony, the world's traditions are your playing field. Certainly, you can opt for a creative blend of the religions of your respective families. You may even want to have more than one officiate present to represent different faith traditions. I have co-officiated with Rabbis, Buddhist Priests, and Christian Ministers, sometimes even with 2 others!

Or, you can opt for a contemporary ceremony which is completely original, drawing on elements and rituals from multiple traditions, including Native American, Celtic, Sufism, Islam, Earth-Centered Spirituality, Hinduism, Egyptian, to name a few.

You're invited to bring all your ideas to our first planning session and we'll also draw from the resources I've compiled over the years. If you're undecided about the location for your ceremony, I have lots of suggestions in the New York metro area as well. This is your ceremony and it will be as elaborate or simple as you want it to be.


BASIC CEREMONY STRUCTURE
For couples who are looking for a short, sweet, ceremony, these are the basic components:

OPENING WORDS -- brief statement about the meaning and value of love and marriage, personalized to talk about the two of you.

READINGS -- affirm and support the opening statement about love and marriage.


QUESTION OF INTENT -- asks the couple to promise the community that they will create a stable, lasting marriage.

VOWS -- the promises the couple make to each other.

EXCHANGE OF RINGS -- blessed by the officiate and exchanged as symbols of the promises made in the vows.

BLESSING -- offered by the officiant in support of the marriage.

CLOSING WORDS -- a statement of hope for the future.

ANNOUNCEMENT OR DECLARATION -- summary and affirmation of what has just occurred. It is followed by THE KISS which marks the end of the ceremony!

SAMPLING OF SPECIAL WEDDING RITUALS
For those couples who want to add some unique, personal touches to the Basic Ceremony:

Unity candle
Blessing ribbons

Handfasting
Sharing special food and drink

Giving of Roses
Taking your measure

Sand ceremony
Breaking the glass

Braided circle of commitment
Jumping the broom

…. Plus many more!.