Rick Shafarman

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Wedding officiant needed at rehearsal?

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Introduction: I bring a level of enthusiasm and passion that many officiants lack. Every ceremony is different - I will provide you with the one YOU want, and present it in a way you will never forget Being able to help people create what will be, up to that point, the most life-changing event they will ever have, is truly a blessing that I take very seriously

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Hired 2 times

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Reviews

5.0

3 reviews

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Paris M.

Aug 8, 2015

Rabbi Rick Shafarman was our officiant for our wedding in Spring 2015. He really became a good friend to our family throughout the process with complete ease. From the moment we had our first meeting over coffee, my (now) husband and I were immediately taken with him. He was a real genuine person, and a very funny and warm one, at that. The most beautiful thing about him, not only is how much he cares, but also that he truly loves the process from start to finish. Rick met with us several times to discuss our ceremony (and was willing to meet for more) and was also an incredible e-mailer. Super on-time, and very enthusiastic about his role. We wanted a traditional Jewish ceremony (with average time, about 16-ish minutes), we had expressed that many of our guests had never attended a Jewish wedding, and that his inclusiveness in explaining the rituals would be met with fascination and curiousity. We had such a positive experience and relationship working with the amazing Rick that we expressed that if he felt moved to insert himself and his thoughts into the ceremonys script and flow, that we would welcome it. Hes really that wonderful. And lo and behold, he did! He brought the house down, moved and delighted. We had, surprisingly, a ton of people asking us about him after our wedding and gushing how truly special the ceremony was. He was also completely prepared to the 9s with 1,000 backup plans. Gorgeous Kiddush cups, extra kippot for guests, lightbulb backups, way more than you can imagine or think of to need. He even had backups of backup scripts and readings for our honored guests. Even the rehearsal was an excellent preview of the beauty. I told him about my tallis in conversation (my moms bat mitzvah tallis and then became mine). He was immediately inspired to integrate it into our chuppah and our script! I would recommend Rick to the stars above; hell win your heart. We wanted our wedding to be personal, and he was above and beyond the sparkle in our ceremony. Thank you, more than you can fathom, Rick.

Ron L.

Mar 5, 2016

Logline: Rabbi Rick steps up to the plate (chuppah?) Stepping into this we knew that our requirements were unique, and wed need an officiant who was up for the challenge. While we wanted a traditional Jewish ceremony, our situation was far from your usual Jewish boy from Encino meets Jewish girl from Tarzana. It was more of a Midwest Jew meets Vietnamese gentile. But Rick was up for the challenge. From our first interview (we were out of town so Rick kindly accommodated via Skype) through polishing off the final kosher spring roll at the reception, Rick deftly guided us with a broad smile and expertise that combined to instill a calming level of comfort that reinforced our belief that we had made the right choice in selecting him to lead our special day. It was clear from the start that Ricks single goal was to provide us with a service that was meaningful to us. He was flexible enough to embrace whatever level of Jewish ceremonial tradition we preferred, and eager to include whatever Asian customs my bride desired. We ended up with a reform service that teetered on the brink of conservative, but theres no doubt in my mind that hed be equally adept at leading the most stringent of Hassidic ceremonies. Rick was never afraid to offer his advice and opinions, but not to the point of pushing them on us. Every one was brought up as a means of stimulating discussion with the goal of creating a unique, totally customized, meaningful event and thats exactly what we ended up with. His off-the-charts level of preparedness is something to behold. From Kiddush cup to stomping glass, kippot to personalized handouts of our blessings, I challenge you to find anything that Rick couldnt locate in his bag of tricks (more accurately Mustang trunk). Besides an easel to display our ketubah, he even offered to secure a chuppah if we were in need. His enthusiasm and passion are infectious, and his sincere delight in helping couples forge life-long bonds is refreshing. Hes the real deal. Id give him ten stars but they only offer five.

David F.

Aug 20, 2015

Such a beautiful and effortless experience! Rick was indispensable throughout the entire process from crafting our ceremony, to the rehearsals, to the day of the event. He helped to guide and support us every step of the way, bringing much needed peace to a busy time. He has the cadence and warmth of some one who was born to do this, making our sacred moment unfold perfectly.

FAQs

How did you get started doing this type of work?
Many years ago a friend asked me to do her wedding (which I had never done before). I was nervous about doing it but it turned out to be one of the most rewarding events I have ever participated in
What types of customers have you worked with?
Crafting a custom-made service, helping the couple write vows, supply the things needed for the ceremony (wine goblet, glass to break, etc.)

Rick Shafarman

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