What is an interfaith ceremony?
The core of the ceremony is about yourselves, your love, relationship and family. The ceremony reflects who you are and your beliefs. Your traditions are honored and celebrated in a way that is inclusive and no one is offended. Spirituality is emphasized (not religious dogma). Universal themes speak to all hearts. Family issues are reconciled with great sensitivity. We offer ceremonies for couples of all backgrounds.

Following you will find situation/s that may apply to you:

For couples wanting a customized personal ceremony
Each ceremony is heartfelt and elegant. However, no two ceremonies are alike! Each ceremony is uniquely created, completely reflective of yourselves, your relationship, your beliefs. Each couple has their own particular magic. I seek to find what that magic is and convey it back to you and to all those present. We get to know one another. I ask many questions. In spending time getting to know you, I can then speak to your hearts, your souls. In this way, your ceremony shall remain alive within you, resonating throughout your married lives.

For interfaith couples
I am accustomed to even the most challenging situations. My experience in this area is vast and deep. To give some examples of the combinations of faiths in ceremonies I have created and officiated:

European Holocaust survivor's child / American devout Catholic
American Jewish/ Italian Catholic
Irish Catholic / Greek Orthodox
Palestinian Muslim / American Jewish
Mormon / Catholic
Jewish / Hindu
Hindu/Muslim
Russian Eastern Orthodox / German Lutheran
Atheist / Presbyterian
Jain/Greek Orthodox
Agnostic / Born Again Christian
African American Muslim/African American Baptist
Jewish /Buddhist
Zoroastrian / Hindu
Japanese Shinto / English Anglican
African American Baptist / Moroccan Muslim
Evangelical Christian / Jewish
Sikh-Presbyterian
Russian French Jewish Sufi / African American, Native American
Born Again Christian - Catholic
Chinese Taoist-Confucian / American Protestant
Puerto Rican Catholic/African American Jehovah Witness
Wiccan/Jewish
Iranian Muslim/ American Episcopal
Egyptian Muslim/Indian Catholic
Buddhist/ Methodist
Afghani Muslim-Unitarian Anglo Saxon
Greek Orthodox/Lutheran Iranian-Jewish
Japanese Shinto/Jewish American
Pakistani Muslim/Austrian Protestant
African American Baptist/South Indian Hindu
Vietnamese Buddhist/Korean Presbyterian
Iranian Jewish/Christian Chinese
Sufi/Protestant
Armenian Orthodox Christian/Jewish
Pentecostal/Hindu
Jehovah Witness/Quaker
and various other wonderful combinations of interfaith, interdenominational and intercultural unions.

Your traditions can be honored in a way that is inclusive, in a way where no one feels excluded or offended. Family issues are reconciled with great sensitivity and love. As an interfaith couple you embody the meaning of respect, tolerance and understanding. You bring healing and hope. You help bring us one step closer towards world peace.

Click here to read my article on Celebrating Diversity in the U.S.

For couples wishing to celebrate their cultural heritage
with or without religious context
I have extensive experience working with cultures from all around the world. You can celebrate your cultural backgrounds by incorporating rituals, blessings, prayers or readings reflective of your heritage in a cultural non-religious way. These can be adapted in a universal context for interfaith, intercultural, interracial marriages so that no one is excluded or offended.

Scroll down below for examples of some of the rituals offered. You may also refer to the Table of Contents of my book Joining Hands and Hearts.

For the couple who wishes a spiritual ceremony
without religious dogma
The ceremony has all the elements of a spiritual ceremony, we speak of God, there are blessings and prayers but we leave out the dogma. Rituals and symbolism are done in a universal context speaking to all hearts. Should you choose readings from religious text, we choose those which are universal. Or perhaps you prefer readings from poetry or literature? Fortunately there is a copious amount of written material spanning every era, culture and creed for every aspect of your ceremony. Again the core of the ceremony is about yourselves, love, relationship and family...always from the heart.

For the couple who wants a humanist ceremony
I often refer to a humanist ceremony as a civil ceremony with heart. We offer humanist ceremonies (without mentioning God). Where there is love there is sanctity. Marriage is sacred.

For 2nd and 3rd marriage ceremonies and marriages
involving children
To find love once is in itself a miracle, to find it again is a testimony to the human spirit and God's infinite compassion. There are wonderful ways to convey your love. We honor and embrace life's complexities, life's richness. There are wonderful ways to include and honor your children, bringing togetherness and healing. I have officiated at many marriages for divorced Catholics.

For same sex couples
Commitment ceremonies are blessed unions. Love takes many forms. God’s love is diversity. We offer all the ceremonies above in language and ritual that is appropriate for your special union.

Some examples of the rituals offered:
We offer an amazing collection of blessings, prayers, readings, quotes, legends and rituals from traditions around the world spanning era, culture and creed which are too numerous to list! These are celebrated in a universal context. Within interfaith, intercultural ceremonies, the symbolism of the rituals is explained to all those present.

(A complete manual of all rituals, vows, prayers and blessings are featured and described in my book, Joining Hands and Hearts.)

• processional
• welcoming words
• invocation
• honoring of parents and grandparents (optional)
• honoring of those who have passed (optional)
• honoring of children (if applicable)
• personal address (where I speak to you)
• exchanging of vows (I have a wonderful selection of vows.
You may modify or choose to write your own)
• blessing and exchange of rings
• the kiss (Though not a ritual, I consider it mandatory!!)
• Christian unity candle
• passing of the sign of peace
• drinking of wine
• sharing of bread
• anointing
• Celtic hand fasting
• readings, prayers and blessings from all traditions and cultures,
some bilingual
• Jewish chuppah, seven Jewish wedding blessings, the kiddush cup,
the breaking of the glass
• exchange of the Greek stephana (crowns)
• Irish wedding blessing
• Iranian sofreh, Sufi Poetry
• African/American jumping of the broom, pouring of libations,
partaking of spices
• Native American blessings and rituals
• Filipino veil and cord ceremony
• San- San-Kudo (Japanese Sake ceremony), Honoring of Ancestors
• Vivaha Homa/Lighting of the Sacred Fire/Hindu Seven Steps/Satapadi, the Mangalsutra, the exchange of garlands and other Hindu rituals
• Chinese Tea Ceremony, symbolism and legend
• Buddhist ceremonies and rituals
• Moroccan sharing of date and sweet milk
• Spanish exchange of coins/Arras
• butterfly legend/butterfly release
• the Scottish Quaich…..and the list goes on and on.

Again, you may click here to read my article on Celebrating Diversity in the U.S.

For those about to join in marriage:
This is a blessed time. May you be showered with joy!

Rev. Susanna Stefanachi Macomb

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