California Marriage License: Confidential or Public?

What is the difference between a Public and a Confidential marriage license?
Public: The ceremony may take place anywhere in the State of California, at least one witness must be present at the ceremony, and the marriage record is made available to the public. Click here for more details about Public Marriage.

Confidential: Parties to the marriage must be living together, ceremony must take place in the County where the marriage license was issued, no witnesses are required, and the marriage record is only available to the named parties on the document. Click here for more details about Confidential Marriage.

Catholic Priests and Outdoor Weddings

Recently a bride asked the question: Can we have a priest perform our outdoor wedding ceremony?

It is possible to have a Catholic Priest perform your outdoor wedding. We plan these all the time. We're planning a co-officiating ceremony day after Thanksgiving with a Roman Catholic Priest and a Rabbi on the patio of Kohl Mansion in Silicon Valley CA.

* Some of our couples choose a non-Roman Catholic priest. They are very flexible with the content of your ceremony and you can personalize the ceremony to fit your style. There is usually no requirement to meet for couple's counseling.

* For those couples that want to have a Roman Catholic Priest to perform their outdoor ceremony, it is a little more difficult to find the priest, but we have done this a number of times in the last few years. Also, there is paperwork involved that takes a couple months to process and you must meet with the priest several times prior to your ceremony.

We're based in the San Francisco Bay Area or Sonoma Napa Wine Country and have a number of Catholic Priests on our referral list.

For more information on finding a Catholic priest to perform your outdoor ceremony contact Yehudit@asacredevent.com

Chinese Wedding Tea Ceremony

This video of a traditional Chinese Wedding Tea Ceremony shows in detail

the serving of tea from the couple to their respective elders.

Chinese Wedding Blessing

Jewish Wedding Ceremony Playlist on Itunes

Many of our couples ask us about the music for their ceremonies. Yehudit has selected a variety of different instrumental pieces that would work nicely in the prelude [prior to the ceremony while guests are being seated], processional [walk down the aisle, and recessional [leaving the ceremony]. The most popular songs during the wedding have a couple instrument versions harp, piano, flute, guitar and strings. All of these songs can be worked in with other Classical pieces which is ideal for an interfaith ceremony.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMix?id=328063663&s=143441

Elopement and Intimate Wedding Packages in San Francisco and Napa Sonoma Wine Country

Jewish Interfaith Wedding Network in partnership with Sacred Events announces their new service providing customized elopement and intimate wedding packages. They specialize in working with Jewish, Interfaith and intercultural couples

Intimate weddings and elopements focus on the basics of getting married, your love and commitment to each other. Northern California offers a wide variety of wedding locations to hold your private ceremony and at Sacred Events, we specialize in finding just the right custom package for you and your partner.

Enjoy your wedding in a private intimate setting surrounded by your closest friends and family. Customizable options available to create a wedding that speaks to your personal taste and style. Your event is expertly planned by Sacred Events' professional ritual designer and wedding consultant, Yehudit Steinberg and attended to by a team of highly-qualified event professionals.

Basic Elopement packages include:

- Picturesque ceremony location

- Services of a personal wedding coordinator

- Interfaith minister or Rabbi

- Personalized Wedding Ceremony designed to your specifications

- Flowers: Bridal bouquet, Boutonniere

- Basic Ceremony set up

- Photographer

- Photos posted online

- 2 to 10 guests

To begin planning your elopement or intimate wedding, please contact us to discuss how we can be of service to you.

Destination Weddings_Interfaith Outdoor Ceremonies

Recently we've been asked if we perform elopements and intimate weddings for Jewish and Interfaith couples. Here is a compilation of some of our favorite outdoor ceremonies we've worked on around the San Francisco Bay, Carmel and Napa Sonoma Wine Country. Stay tuned for the launch of our Elopement and Intimate Wedding Packages on August 1st.

Name Change in California just got easier!

When you get married in California now, you can elect to change
your middle or last names to what you want to be known as
after your legal wedding ceremony. The Name Equality Act
went into effect on 01/01/2009.

What does the new law mean?
The Name Equality Act allows one party or both parties to a marriage,
through the marriage license process, to elect to change the middle or
last names by which that party wishes to be known after solemnization
of the marriage. A certified copy of a marriage certificate containing the
new name, or retaining the former name, shall constitute proof that the
use of the new name or retention of the former name is lawful. The new
law also specifies that a certified copy of the marriage certificate shall be
accepted as identification establishing a true, full name for purposes of
obtaining a California driver’s license.

White House Seder hosted by Pres. Obama

Washington - President Obama hosts a traditional Seder dinner in the Old Family Dining Room of the White House on Thursday night, April 9, 2009. Some friends and White House employees and their families joined the Obama family. White House aides said they believe it was the first president-hosted Seder at the White House. read more on Huffington Post
Official White House photo by Pete Souza.

Hindu- Jewish Wedding

Wedding customs in India date back thousands of years to the writings of the Vedas, Hindu sacred texts. The rituals in Indian family weddings are complex and elaborate. Although there is evidence of some changes occurring in modern times, many of the old customs still prevail today.

The Indian wedding as it has evolved to this day is a marriage between two families rather than of two individuals. This is a major difference between Western Christian traditions, which emphasize the cohabitation of two individual joining together as a new separate family unit.

Chuppah Wedding Canopy Rentals in SF Bay Area

A natural look for both traditional and non-traditional weddings.

A traditional Jewish marriage takes place 'under the chuppah', a wedding canopy. It represents the first home that the newly married couple is creating. It is open on all sides to recall the tent of the biblical Abraham, a symbol of hospitality. Abraham and Sarah had doors on all four sides of their dwelling so that visitors would all know that they were welcome. Read our previous blog post on the details of our chuppah collection.

Chuppah Rental Description:

Sacred Events now offers chuppah rentals only to Sacred Events and Jewish Interfaith Wedding Network clients with whom we are planning or officiating their wedding.

Several styles to choose from Traditional to Contemporary. All natural bamboo and birch poles. Guaranteed to withstand wind gusts. Personal customer service, attention to details. We can work with your florist.

Rental Procedures

Handheld Rental: $150.
Freestanding Rental: $350.

CONTACT:

Email info@asacredevent.com for further information.

Sacred Events Launches New Site

Sacred Events launches it full service wedding, special occasion planning and design website. We are located in the San Francisco Bay Area, serving Jewish, interfaith, GLBT and multi-cultural communities. We use our ritual design principles to craft a memorable and customized event. We our mindful of the impact that your event has on the community and the environment. We advise you on traditional ritual practices with a contemporary flair.