One of the most important things to consider when you are saying “I Do” is how will your wedding ceremony reflect what it is you wish to say. Will your ceremony be a traditionally religious one, or do you wish to bring
parts of who you are into the ceremony? Will it be sweet and romantic, spiritual or cultural? Do you wish to play and have a good time, while, at the same time, recognize the
importance of the commitment you are making? All of these things are possible.
Rabbi Roger Ross and Reverend Deborah Steen Ross are a couple who understand the
traditions and practices of their individual faiths, as well as the meaning of
Interfaith. Without losing sight of the religious and cultural traditions that make up each
individual faith, they create ceremonies which incorporate the best of Jewish,
Christian, Celtic, Chinese, and all other expressions of religion or heritage,
as well as whatever you, as the bride and groom, wish to share. This is your ceremony and we are here to make it happen. We work individually as Rabbi or Interfaith Minister, or as a couple, to insure
that your wedding expresses everything you wish to say about who you are.
STEP ONE - GIVE US A CALL
We will make an appointment to meet with you both. At the meeting, we will discuss all aspects of creating a ceremony that will
last in your memories forever. We will answer all your questions and, if you desire counseling for any aspect
of your relationship (from how you will raise your children, to dealing with
the concept of Interfaith with your respective families), we are here to help. We are also here for pre-marital counseling if either of you need help with any
aspect of your personal life.
When we first meet a couple, we like to find out what your likes and dislikes
are, when and how you met, what your religious or spiritual background are, and
how much of that you would like to incorporate into your wedding ceremony. We look at where you are having the ceremony (outdoors or in), what time of
year, size of wedding party, and how much involvement you wish members of your
family to have. Would your mothers like to take part in lighting the Unity Candle? Would your sister like to do a reading or, perhaps, sing? What are your favorite songs, pieces of poetry, readings? All of these things go into a discussion of how to create your unique ceremony.
STEP TWO - RESERVE THE DATE
In order for us to hold your wedding date, we ask for a small, non-refundable
deposit. Then, at least six weeks before your wedding, we will speak again and begin to
create your unique, one-of-a-kind ceremony. The script is printed from the computer and you will have a final copy to keep.
During the time between our first interview and a date somewhere about a month
before your wedding, we ask you to gather what you might like to include. There are several books we recommend for this purpose. Barnes and Noble has tables FULL. Just go and pick a few, get a cup of coffee in their café and read.
There are also websites you can research:
Other websites for the wedding-minded are too numerous to mention. Use the above-metioned sites as a beginning and go forward from there.
STEP THREE - YOUR WEDDING DAY!
We arrive an hour before the ceremony and make sure that the wedding license is
signed, and, if you choose to sign a Ketubah (a Jewish or Interfaith wedding
contract), we arrange for that as well. We perform your ceremony (about 20 - 25 minutes), including all the elements
that YOU have chosen.