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Weddings

About

I have already had Covid-19 and am comfortable with in-person or Zoom weddings. I still take all the precautions.

Wedding Officiant Sara Shendelman is a Rabbi and Wedding Officiant from Berkeley, California, who performs unique, all-inclusive ceremonies for every type of couple. Sara creates the ceremony alongside the couple to ensure that it fits them perfectly.

Services Offered

Wedding Officiant Sara Shendelman can speak both English and Hebrew and can officiate civil unions, interfaith ceremonies, non-religious ceremonies, and single religion ceremonies for Spiritual, Agnostic, Buddhist, Earth-based, or Jewish couples. Sara also offers cultural, marriage, religious, and spiritual counseling.

Other Services

Her talents extend beyond weddings, performing a variety of services that include Bar and Bat Mitzvah tutoring, cantorial services, conversion assistance, funerals, grief counseling, lifecycle events, and rabbinic leadership. Sara creates a compassionate, joyous environment for all of her advocating, mentoring, officiating, and teaching services.

What You'll Love About Wedding Officiant Sara Shendelman

Couples who have worked with Sara rave about how professional, flexible, and accommodating of all traditions she is. Sara can also provide a fantastic musical touch, offering her fantastic voice for ceremony singing. Check out the FAQs for more information about the services that this skilled officiant can provide.

  • Woman-owned
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Frequently asked questions

Which of the following are included in the price of your wedding officiant services?

Premarital Counseling

What types of weddings and events do you provide services for?

Non-religious
Interfaith
Civil Union

What religious affiliations do you serve?

Agnostic
Buddhist
Earth-Based
Jewish

On average, how long are wedding ceremonies you officiate?

Less than 30 mins.

What languages do you speak?

English
Hebrew

Reviews of Sara Shendelman

P
Pam Sent on 04/04/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful wedding ceremony

We couldn't be happier that we chose Rabbi Sara to officiate our wedding. During the process of choosing an officiant she was so wonderful. We instantly felt that she was the right person for us. Rabbi Sara has a truly magical presence. She officiated our wedding during a global pandemic with so much grace and love. We decided to move ahead with our wedding despite COVID, and didn't know what to expect for a Zoom wedding, but Rabbi Sara made our wedding spectacular. She brings with her a lot of love, joy, happiness and magic. We had guests from all over the world and everyone felt the same. Our family and friends sent us messages after our wedding saying they couldn't believe how beautiful the ceremony was. We are eternally grateful to Rabbi Sara not just for marrying us, but for bringing joy and love to all our friends who attended our wedding during a very difficult time in the world. If you're considering whether to hire Rabbi Sara, please don't even think twice-GO FOR IT! She will make your wedding ceremony the most beautiful memory for you and your partner and your family and friends. Rabbi Sara, you're love and light. Thank you so much! Love from Kevin and Pamu
Richelle
Richelle Sent on 12/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating

An Incredible Officiant Who Made Our Ceremony Unforgettable!

Sara Shendelman was an absolutely incredible officiant for our wedding. She made our ceremony so intimate, meaningful, and personal, weaving together different traditions in such a beautiful way. Sara brought warmth, humor, and heart to every moment—our guests were not only engaged but also laughing, smiling, and even participating in the ceremony, which made it so much more memorable.

She guided us through thoughtful rituals, like the Seven Blessings and writing a mission statement, and incorporated symbolic elements from multiple traditions. These were moments we would have never thought of on our own, and they made the ceremony deeply personal and reflective of who we are as a couple.

The ceremony was, without a doubt, my favorite part of the day, and that’s saying a lot considering how epic our wedding was! I highly recommend Sara—she’s an amazing rabbi, a wonderful person, and truly made our day unforgettable.
K
Kelly Sent on 06/25/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Kelly and Mike

We enjoyed sara being our Officiant she was a joy and made our special day complete.
Laura
Laura Sent on 10/18/2020
5 out of 5 rating

A special ceremony

Rabbi Sara did such a great job for our COVID wedding ceremony. She was flexible with all the planning and came with tons of resources (from vow suggestions to chuppah poles and a microphone/speaker!). The ceremony was personal and meaningful and our families thought it was very special.
Camilo
Camilo Sent on 04/09/2020
5 out of 5 rating

An amazing experience!

Sara was the sweetest! The ceremony was very warm and special. It exceeded our expectations!
E
Elena Sent on 12/16/2017
5 out of 5 rating
Rabbi Sara is wonderful to work with! She exudes warmth and wisdom, and is attuned to the 21st Century. Rabbi Sara was very thorough in explaining every part of the ceremony, and didn’t rush us at any point—if we wanted to meet to had questions about anything, she was available. It’s such a stressful time —those pre-wedding months— and finding a patient and knowledgeable soul just makes a big difference.

I highly recommend Rabbi Sara (even if you're not Jewish)!
A
Arthur Sent on 12/15/2017
5 out of 5 rating
I had been to a few of Sara's weddings and was so impressed that when I got married we hired her to do ours. She is very flexible and responsive, allowing for the creation of the perfect ceremony. We were thrilled with how everything worked out. And as a bonus, if required she sings like an angel.
F
Forest Sent on 12/04/2016
5 out of 5 rating
It was a blessing to meet Rabbi Sara. She was able to accommodate our interfaith marriage as well as our numerous preferences for the ceremony. Our ceremony was the easiest part of the wedding planning because of Sara's guidance. She made herself very available to us (very flexible) and took a lot of time to chat with us over the phone, in person, and on Skype. Sara worked very well with our other vendors, she coordinated with the DJ and the day of coordinator, her experience was invaluable for all of the unexpected things that come up during a wedding.

The ceremony itself was the most magical and personal event for us and our guests. Sara took the time to get to know us and tied in many personal elements into the ceremony. She takes the time to explain all of the customs, rituals, and traditions - making the ceremony so much more meaningful.

Every guests has commented on the ceremony and Rabbi Sara as their favorite part of our wedding day! We want to thank Rabbi Sara for her compassion, care, and insights.
N
Noa Sent on 11/18/2016
5 out of 5 rating
Rabbi Shendelman is great! She is super experienced, knows exactly what to do, and makes you feel comfortable and cared for the whole time. She takes into account individual preferences and she has a great presence on stage, making for a really fun and engaging ceremony. We loved her and all of our guests did too. Thank you Rabbi Shendelman for our amazing ceremony! Highly recommended, 100%
C
Courtney Sent on 11/16/2016
5 out of 5 rating
If you're looking for an amazingly professional officiant, this is your woman! She was informative, helpful, funny, and professional. Everyone that came to our wedding said the best part, was our ceremony. My husband and I both agree! She felt like another member of our family! I highly encourage all to contact Sara and talk to her about your wedding. She is by far the best experience we have had!

Thank you so much Sara for such an amazing day. You made it so special!
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Awards

42
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2011 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2010 Winner

Professional Network & Endorsements

2 Endorsements
Evergreen Wedding Films Evergreen Wedding Films Wedding Videographers

This is such a wonderful company to work with. We highly recommend.

Secrest Wedding Photography Secrest Wedding Photography Wedding Photographers

I've had the pleasure of photographing three wedding alongside of Rabbi Shendelman officiating and I'm just such a fan! She infuses a sense of stillness, depth and meaning that is typically lost on most wedding days. In fact, if I'm ever lucky enough to be married again, I'm calling Rabbi Shendelman! She comes highly recommended!

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