Military Wedding

LGBT Wedding

Destination Wedding

Central Park Wedding

You must be so excited (and possibly overwhelmed) by your upcoming wedding

…and if there’s one thing that we understand, it is that every couple wants and deserves their wedding day to be special, unique and of course, memorable. At Common Ground Ceremonies, we aim to please and want to make this experience as stress-free as possible. Whether you are planning a wedding with 200 guests at a beautiful New York venue or planning a simple, romantic Central Park Wedding with just the two of you, it is your special day! Whenever couples say, “we just want a ceremony that is short and sweet”, it is clear that they are really saying that they don’t want the traditionally long ceremony that puts their guests (or them) to sleep. Well, if this is similar to what you are thinking, then it sounds like we could be a match!

Your ceremony should reflect what makes you special and unique as a couple. Whether it is done through songs, poems, personal vows, it should be all about the two of you. When you choose a customized ceremony, there are so many ways that you can blend your story, your traditions, your beliefs and even your family members (pets, too!!). The possibilities are endless! So, if you prefer a simple, civil ceremony or an outrageous themed wedding, our vow to you is that we will guide you toward creating a heartfelt ceremony that will be remembered for years to come. We consider it a privilege to unite the two of you and your families in marriage and truly look forward to walking this path with you! Let’s Celebrate!

Marriage License Information:

How do I go about obtaining a marriage license in New York City? A New York State marriage license is valid for 60 days (except for active military personnel for whom the validity runs for 180 days) and can only be used in the State of New York.  All couples must wait a full 24 hours from the time the marriage license is issued before a marriage ceremony can be performed unless a judicial waiver is obtained.

You may also begin the application process online by going to the following link (valid for 21 days): http://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/html/marriage/license.shtml

You must remember to bring a valid proof of I.D. (i.e., driver’s license, passport, etc.) and proof of divorce (if applicable). The fee for a Marriage License is $35 by credit card or money order payable to the City Clerk.

Park Permit Information:

Do I need to obtain a permit to have my wedding in a public park?  The only time that you will be required to have a permit for your event is when you will have more than 20 people.  It takes approximately 30 days to receive the permit, so plan in advance.  The permit can be obtained at the following link:  https://nyceventpermits.nyc.gov/Parks/

The fee for the Permit is $25.  If you prefer for Common Ground Ceremonies to obtain the permit for you, there will be an administrative fee of $25 applied.

Yury & Diana

Rev. Samora is a great officiant! Prior to our first meeting, she asked us to tell her about our relationship. We thought it was just for her records. When we had the meeting, Samora had already written out a draft of our entire ceremony using the information we gave her and brought another from a ceremony she did in the past (with client names removed, very professional) so that we could see that we had other options. We ended up using the one she wrote for us without changing a word. On the day of our wedding, Samora arrived promptly to take care of the necessary paperwork and went well beyond her duties by lending a hand when she saw that one was needed. If you are in need of an officiant, we highly recommend Rev. Samora!

Yury & Diana, 6/10/12

Kelly & Eric

Reverend Samora was unforgettable! My Husband (fiance at the time) and I were planning a wedding in NY from Boston. This is no easy task, especially with less than three months before the big day. I searched all over the internet to try to find someone who would truly care about us and our big day. I found an officiant who was highly recommended, she unfortunately was not available on our date. She sent me a list of officiants that she recommended, one of which was Rev. Samora. I tried to contact a few of these individuals and I received a call back from a few, their main concern was money and how I could pay them.

Rev. Samora then returned my phone call and didn’t even mention payment until I brought it up. Her first concern was fitting our date into her schedule and wanting to meet us to plan our special day. She impressed me by her first phone call! My husband and I took a trip to NY and planned a date to meet with Rev. Samora. We had coffee at a cafe where Rev. Samora asked questions about us and our family and really got to know us so she could set up the best ceremony for our needs. She was very organized and had drafts of ideas that she had already come up with from our first phone call.

Rev. Samora was in-touch with us through out the next month before our wedding and made sure she had our vows and ceremony just the way we wanted them. She also was helpful with music for the ceremony and a unity ceremony for our children. On the big day Rev. Samora made our dream come true and announced us husband and wife after a beautiful ceremony she preformed. We will never forget her for this and this is why I would suggest her to any couple who is looking for an officiant in NY. Lastly, she fit into our very small budget.

Rev. Samora is truly in her profession for the couples and unlike other officiants I spoke with she made sure the most important thing for us was our day and not her bugging us for payment. I did not want to mention this but with people taking advantage of others now a days I wouldn’t want to see anybody be scammed. Picking Rev. Samora to officiate your special day will assure you that won’t happen.

Kelly & Eric, 9/4/11