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About
Naomi is a multi-award winning wedding officiant. She creates one of a kind, community rich, love story focused wedding ceremonies that help couples joyfully and powerfully transition into the next beautiful phase of their lives!
Some of the things couples have said about her wedding ceremonies include:
“Our ceremony was purely and honestly of another universe. I'm still in awe of how beautiful that experience was. Naomi really helped us cross the threshold of marriage, and we are forever grateful for everything she's done for us.” -Shane, Carmel Valley Ranch
"Thank you again for the amazing gift to us of that beautiful ceremony. It was art in action, and it was beyond meaningful.”
"It was everything I’d hoped for, and more than I could have imagined. It absolutely felt like a ritual, rite of passage, and sacred ceremony... exactly what I wanted it to be AND somehow more than I thought it could be."
“By far, our favorite part of our wedding was the beautiful ceremony Naomi created just for us.”
"If you are fortunate enough to have Naomi as your wedding officiant, you will have an experience that neither you, nor your guests, will ever forget."
Services Offered
Naomi writes and performs original, custom, bespoke, one of a kind wedding ceremonies for couples of all backgrounds, beliefs and orientations. Most of the couples who seek her out identify as secular, atheist, agnostic, nontraditional, spiritual-but-not-religious, neo-pagan, inter-spiritual, mixed faith, multi-faith, Jewish and unaffiliated. Her rave reviews on WeddingWire, Yelp, Google and The Knot reflect her passion and dedication to creating and delivering wedding ceremonies that enliven, inspire, engage and delight couples and their communities. Naomi is active on Instagram and you can follow her there at @santacruzofficiant. She is the author of a popular blog about unique wedding ceremonies, nonreligious wedding ceremonies, LGBTQIA+ wedding ceremonies, modern Jewish wedding ceremonies, spiritual-but-not-religious wedding ceremonies, secular wedding ceremonies, multi-faith wedding ceremonies, earth-based wedding ceremonies, outdoor wedding ceremonies, neo-pagan wedding ceremonies, custom elopement ceremonies, and more. Naomi has special expertise with interfaith, mixed-faith, multi-faith and Jew-ish wedding ceremonies, and in working with ex-mormons and recovering catholics. In general, her ceremonies can be described as "secular but sacred" or "sacred but not religious." Her priority is to support couples in having a rite of passage that honors the magnitude of the moment, and sets them up for a beautiful start to their marriage.
Experience
Naomi has more than 15 years of training and experience in ceremony creation and facilitation. Her education includes a BA in creative writing from Queens College, a background in theater and public speaking, two years of ministerial training with the Center for Sacred Studies, and certification as a Life Cycle Celebrant from The Celebrant Institute and Foundation. Additionally, she has apprenticed with master ceremonialists in various traditions of ritual, ceremony and prayer. Since beginning Santa Cruz Officiant in 2015, Naomi has performed over 200 wedding ceremonies, become a founding board member of the Slow Weddings Network, and won multiple awards on the top wedding websites, including WeddingWire and The Knot. Naomi takes couples under her wing, guides them and loves on them on one of the most important days of their lives. As well, Naomi helps couples stay grounded, present and connected when they get lost in the wedding planning, and it all becomes a bit too much.
Areas Covered
Santa Cruz Officiant is a local, woman owned, small busiess. Naomi performs large scale wedding ceremonies, mini-monies and elopements in the city of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Mountains, as well as in Los Gatos, and all along the coast between Big Sur and Half Moon Bay (including Pacifica, Carmel Valley, Monterey County, Carmel By The Sea, Slow Coast, Pescadero, Davenport, Ben Lomond, Bonny Doon, Boulder Creek, Woodside and La Selva Beach). Some of her favorite venues to officiate at include Nestldown, Thomas Fogarty Winery, Holman Ranch, Gardener Ranch, Carmel Valley Ranch, Rancho Don Bosco, Rancho Soquel, Sequoia Retreat Center, Holly Farm, Waterfall Lodge, Regale Winery and Vineyards, Hollins House, The Mountain Terrace, and Sand Rock Farm.
- Woman-owned
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Frequently asked questions
Does starting price include the ceremony rehearsal?
What types of weddings and events do you provide services for?
What religious affiliations do you serve?
On average, how long are wedding ceremonies you officiate?
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Reviews of Santa Cruz Officiant
Review summary
Naomi was highly praised by multiple couples for her exceptional officiating services at their weddings. She was described as warm, professional, and dedicated to creating personalized and heartfelt ceremonies that received numerous compliments from guests. Couples appreciated her attention to detail, guidance throughout the planning process, and the meaningful and memorable experiences she helped create. Naomi's ability to craft unique, touching ceremonies tailored to each couple's story and values was highlighted in the reviews, making her a highly recommended choice for couples seeking an officiant for their special day.
Naomi, you are made of pure magic!
Pure Magic
Our number one priority for our wedding was the ceremony itself. Originally we considered having a friend or family officiate, because we thought it could be nice to have someone we know guide us, but we ultimately realized the value in choosing someone who is experienced in ceremonies.
So, one night as I was (sort of) trying to fall asleep - but really was scrolling through instagram - I happened upon Naomi's account and her website and instantly knew she was the one. I was very moved by her passion for ceremony and the approach she takes to officiating. I immediately told my partner, Luke, about her and we both agreed she would be the perfect person to marry us.
Naomi was the first vendor we reached out to, met with, and hired for our wedding.
Our zoom meetings with her were easeful as she was able to guide us through them. Any communication we had with her leading up to the wedding was wonderful and her response time was quick. She had us each individually fill out a questionnaire with the purpose of us reflecting on our past, preparing us for our future, and so she could get the information she needed to write the custom ceremony. She helped us with writing our vows and gave great feedback. She provided deadlines for us far in advance of the wedding so that nothing was last minute and she supported us throughout the whole process. She was flexible in creating a payment plan that worked for us. And she gave us our written ceremony after the wedding for us to keep and look back at.
The ceremony was beyond special and it our favorite part of the day. Every word was meaningful, it was perfectly tailored to our relationship, and we loved the way our guests were involved. We received so many compliments, many guests saying it was their favorite part of the wedding and the best ceremony they had ever experienced. It had us and our guests buzzing in a love bubble the rest of the day and night. I wish I could relive it over and over again.
If your ceremony is important to you, I highly recommend Naomi
Magical Day
During our initial wedding planning discussions, we agreed on the importance of incorporating a custom and non-traditional ceremony, that allowed for ourselves and our guests the opportunity to slow down and honor the sacredness of the rite of marriage. We knew it was essential for us to find an officiant who not only aligned with our personalities, values and world views, but also understood the significance of ceremony and ritual.
Over the 11 months of wedding planning, Naomi took the time to get to know us as a couple, delving into our journey over the past 16 years and understanding the intricate details of our relationship. This was evident throughout our entire ceremony, which was beautifully custom-tailored to reflect our individual story. It was unlike any wedding ceremony we (nor our guests) had ever witnessed – which incorporated a blend of non-traditional elements, including depth psychology themes, nature, metaphor and ritualistic symbolism.
Naomi created an experiential ceremony in which our guests were not mere spectators, but active participants. The participation of our guests allowed us to collectively share in the love and joy of our union while highlighting our loved one’s integral role in our story, making our wedding not just an event to witness, but an experience to be a part of.
Naomi’s fearlessness allows her to step outside the boundaries of convention, which resulted in a wedding that was an authentic reflection of our love. Naomi was influential in helping us create our dream wedding which was an unforgettable and transcendent experience that we are still feeling to this day.
Our deepest gratitude to Naomi for making our wedding ceremony such a meaningful catalyst into our new chapter of life together.
Perfect ceremony
We want to express our deepest gratitude for being the extraordinary force behind our wedding ceremony. Your heartfelt words, genuine presence, and the love you infused into every moment made our special day truly unforgettable. Your ability to create a meaningful and inclusive ceremony that reflected our values and beliefs meant the world to us. We are forever grateful for your guidance, support, and the beautiful memories you helped us create. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey and for making our wedding day a true celebration of love.
With heartfelt appreciation, Kaylie and Kody
Our amazing guide into married life! Beautiful & meaningful ceremony
I was in awe during the whole ceremony at the different phases Naomi walked us through in taking the next big step together in our relationship. I truly felt her guiding us like an old friend, helping us stay present and in the moment as we became husband and wife.
She showed our guests a beautiful ceremony and people from all different religions and backgrounds kept coming up to us and commenting on how beautiful and spiritual it was!
We’re so happy to have found Naomi to be our officiant and can’t imagine our wedding day unfolding like it did without her.
Absolutely Incredible!
A more beautiful and meaningful ceremony than I could’ve imagined.
We worked with Naomi on a customized ceremony. We each filled out questionnaires and had meetings with her. This was a very fruitful experience for both of us, as it helped us to ground in where we have been and prepared us for the initiation ahead. I appreciated that Naomi kept us involved in some major pieces of the ceremony where it made the most sense. However, there was also plenty of beautiful surprises in what she wove into the ceremony that was completely and utterly….us. Thank you, Naomi, I will cherish and revisit our ceremony for the rest of my life.
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Naomi is one of a kind! I've never met an officiant who is as passionate as Naomi. We met a bridal show and was blown away by her love and kindness - she really does care for the couples she marries! I would highly recommend Naomi and will recommend her to all my clients.
Naomi with Medicine Woman Wisdom Weddings is very warm and wonderful person to talk with. She will create a wedding ceremony especially for you based on what you want and will have many meaningful ideas to make your wedding ceremony truly memorable for you!
Rev. Naomi is an amazing ceremonialist that has a flair for Officiating Weddings with decadence and intimacy that reflects the couple. Her style is unique but with great depth. I would recommend her to any couple who desires an intimate ceremony that radiates their love they have for each other! with love, Rev. Tedda