Hudson Valley Weddings and Ceremonies
Interfaith Non-Denominational Minister and Civil Wedding Officiant
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In their own words........
Real people. Real words.
I am so touched by the work that I do, and hearing about the impact my ceremonies have had on couples and their guests. I thank them for their generosity in sharing their comments with me.
And now I get to share them with you.
I have the best job in the world........
Life is good.
Rev. Jude
I cannot imagine a better person to serve as our officiant than Rev Jude Smith. She is the most wonderful person—who guided us step by step through the process of creating an absolutely magical wedding ceremony filled with love. Rev Jude took the time to get to know us as individuals and asked us to take the time to express our feelings for each other in writing (an exercise you will cherish!). On the day of our ceremony Rev Jude’s energy was a point of warmth and comfort. She focused us and guided us through the most loving ceremony imaginable. Our wedding day was picture perfect and the #1 highlight was our ceremony with Rev Jude.
We are honored to tell friends and family that Rev Jude Smith united us in marriage. We plan to stay in touch with Rev Jude and appreciate knowing her.
Julie and Ed
We feel so lucky and grateful to have had Rev. Jude Smith officiate our wedding. We wanted a wedding ceremony that was non-denominational yet still had weight and warmth to it. Rev. Jude helped us build a moving, transcendental and truly magical wedding ceremony. Rev. Jude helped us navigate the seemingly intimidating landscape of building our wedding ceremony. She provided a clear, calming road map for us - giving us solid logistical help on wrangling our large bridal party and families as well as endless resources of poems and vows to handcraft a wedding ceremony perfect for us. Our families were all so moved by the ceremony - many commented that it was so personal and warm we must have known Rev. Jude for years. But in fact we had worked with Rev. Jude remotely for just a couple weeks leading up to the wedding. This is testament to the warmth and sensitivity she brings to her work and her amazing aptitude to get to the heart of relationship, fully celebrating and honoring that relationship with a uniquely crafted wedding ceremony. She created a magical and loving foundation to build our marriage on and we could not be happier!
Ashley and Steve
Jude was one of the first ministers that I came across. There was something about her picture & bio that completely resonated with me. From the first moment Jude stepped into our lives, she's been nothing short of amazing. Jude is extremely personable, captivating, knowledgeable & at the top of her profession. As a gay couple, our ceremony was a total co-creative process with Jude & she knew exactly how to bring out the personal elements that were most important to us, our families & friends. On the actual day of our wedding, I whispered to her, "Ok, this is your area of expertise & we're handing over the reins to you.....let's do this!" We walked out into the ceremony setting & the rest was truly otherworldly. I've never witnessed anyone bring a group together & create the remarkable synergy of love, union & commitment like Jude did. It was palpable. It was as if she was a well-seasoned conductor in front of a symphony & the final product was truly beautiful music that moves you to the core. Afterwards, we had so many guests that stated that they had never been to a more unique, authentic & touching ceremony. Not only was it far beyond our greatest expectations, but we also found a remarkable & lifelong friend in the process.
Mark and Fred
Jude is an incredible and rare gem. My wife and I are both nonreligious, but sought out someone who still understood that a deep love and spirituality brought my wife and me together. Jude worked with us over Skype, as we live in Rhode Island, and at first we were skeptical of being able to feel an authenticity this way. But Jude's warmth and compassion shone through even across that medium, and we knew we were on the right path. Jude helped us find our center again amongst all the chaos and anxiety of planning a wedding, and this was tremendously important. It gave us the space we needed in order to focus on why we were doing this in the first place, and to find a calm with ourselves that brought us even closer together. Her ceremony was perfect, and perfectly tailored to us. It was an incredible day, and I cannot recommend Jude highly enough.
Vicky and Charlie
My husband and I had a difficult time finding the right officiant to lead our wedding ceremony until we met Jude. Immediately, we were speaking the same language- our expectations and what we wanted for our ceremony, and the beginning of our journey together to achieve. Jude made us extremely comfortable with our decision to build a labyrinth ceremony and continued on surprising us with adding and suggesting things that superbly enhanced the direction of the labyrinth ceremony. We shared our idea with Jude and she continued to encourage us to use our imagination to make this day as beautiful, special and prepared as possible- physically, mentally and emotionally.
Jude has an amazing way of setting the tone of energy in a space and bringing everyone onto the same plane. With Jude's skill and the power of the labyrinth and family, I was brought to tears several times, and I am NOT typically a crier!! Mark and I both recognize there is no one else on God's green earth that could have ever performed just a ceremony, except for Jude, and we are so incredibly grateful to have had her lead us into marriage together. All of her guiding words and wisdom prepared us for marriage, not just our wedding day and we will always be grateful! We look forward to spending time with Jude in the future, she is not the type of officiant you see on your wedding day, never to speak to again, but one you can seek guidance from, for years to come. Thank you Jude for all you do!
Brittany and Mark
Jude helped us craft a ceremony that drew from traditions and that made sense for us. She was able to use her experiences with other same-sex couples — as well as other couples who had been together for many years before their wedding day — to understand what we needed. Like one of the other reviewers on this page said: we knew right away that Jude was the right officiant for us. Jude is patient, loving, and personable. She created a ceremony for us that was beautiful and personal and specific to our relationship. She is a listener: She got to know us, and what is right for us. She didn't merely listen, she also lead us down a path to discover what we wanted in a ceremony because we didn't completely know until we spoke to her. Wedding planning can be overwhelming and you want somebody with wisdom and experience to guide you through it. That's what Jude offers. We got many compliments on our wedding: On the venue; on the food; on the music. But, the number one compliment we got, hands down, was that we had a beautiful service. We will always consider Jude a part of our marriage and are very grateful she came into our lives.
Christian and Christopher
Our ceremony really was the best part of the entire wedding, just as it should be. We had countless people come up to us to tell us what a great job Jude did, how the ceremony was so touching, how they couldn't help but cry, and even how it was the best ceremony they had ever attended. Besides that feedback, my husband and I are just so happy with the connection we have made with Jude, with the way she somehow made us feel even closer than we already did, and with the way she captured us, our love, and managed to use just the right wording to express emotions that can be difficult to express. We will forever be grateful for meeting her, starting our married lives with her, and for having Jude as our officiant. We could not have chosen wiser!!
Jenny and AJ
The warmth I feel from taking the time to remember the most beautiful moments of our wedding is a clear indication of just how special it was... Rev. Jude took the time to understand my husband and I. She created a ceremony that was inclusive and focused on love. She included our traditions, our characteristics, listened to our apprehensions and concerns and advised us lovingly. It couldn't have been any better than it was...it would be impossible. We are blessed with radiant love and we found someone who could channel it beautifully. She will take her time with you and is organized and detail oriented. I highly recommend Rev. Jude as I know she values each and every union she performs.
Stefanie and Greg
Rev. Jude exceeded every expectation my husband and I ever had for our wedding ceremony! The ceremony she wrote for us was the highlight of our wedding day - it was personal, thoughtful, unique and totally "us". Our guests were blown away by how special and moving the ceremony was and people are still talking about it months after the wedding! Rev. Jude is one of those unique few that genuinely loves what she does and cares deeply about the couples she works with - it's not just a job to her. The entire process of working with Rev. Jude was an absolute joy! She was always there to guide us and offer advice, but never made us feel like we had to to do anything a certain way. I am so thankful we found her and would recommend her a hundred times over!
Ashley and Anthony
Reverend Jude was our officiant for our wedding. She was also the officiant for a wedding I was in a year earlier and I had remembered how her words and positive energy had impacted me. Our whole experience with Jude exceeded our expectations! She is truly an amazing person and officiant. When looking for officiants we knew we wanted our officiant to share and understand our love and open mindedness. We wanted someone who could feel our love, and then take our love and have it be represented in our ceremony. Jude went above and beyond what we were looking for. She met with us through video chatting and then in person and got to know us through asking us questions and talking with us about our relationship. She had us each fill out questions about our significant other and then used our answers to create this magical ceremony filled with love and openness. This made our ceremony even more personal. I loved that she took the time to get to know us and to feel all the love my husband and I have for each other. I absolutely loved the process of creating our ceremony with Jude. Some ceremonies I have attended at times seem generic or not personal and Jude is the complete opposite of that. She is connected with us, understood our likes and dislikes, respected our opinions and views and most importantly touched our hearts. I will always be grateful and honored that I was married by Jude!
Amy and Jon
Jude Smith was the officiant for our interfaith wedding this summer and we could not have been more pleased. Not only was she incredible on the day of but she spent a lot of time getting to know us and really building a relationship with us before the special day-which really made the experience unique. She was extremely flexible and organized. Our first chat was a lovely several hour call where she genuinely spent time getting to know us and really built a connection with us. She was so warm and welcoming-we loved sharing our story and love with her. We met a few times following before the wedding continuing to build our relationship and her getting to know us, our hopes for the big day and how she could make it really special. She didn't miss a detail and truly catered to our every word. On the actual day, her ceremony was exactly what we could have hoped for-unique and completely sincere. Several months later, we continue to keep in touch :) We would recommend Jude for anyone, particularly those who plan to have an interfaith ceremony or a uniquely spiritual wedding!
Marilyn and Mark
My husband and I had such a wonderful experience having Rev. Jude Smith as our wedding officiant. From the very first contact that we had with her, she gave us such great guidance in planning the details of our ceremony. I immediately knew that she would be an amazing officiant, and she proved this even greater than expected. Rev. Jude beautifully created our ceremony, fit to our individual story, lives, and beliefs, and she truly has a way with her words! She also spent ample time with us prior to the ceremony to go over with us what was written for the ceremony. It was obvious that she put a lot of heart into what she had wrote about us, and spent the time to make it truly personalized. Due to the fact that we are located in Brooklyn, and got married upstate in Ulster County, Rev. Jude accommodated us by "meeting" with us over the phone and skype, as well as communicating with us by e-mail. She walked with us every step of the way, offering herr support and guidance in setting the stage for the ceremony.
Rev. Jude came to the ceremony with a positive energy and beautiful smile, and she presented the ceremony so wonderfully with such articulation and grace. My husband and I had so many compliments as to how beautiful our ceremony was, and we could not have had such without Rev. Jude. So many of our guests talked about how great of an officiant she was!
We cannot thank Rev. Jude enough for everything she has done to make our ceremony what it was: everything we hoped it to be - and then some.
Nicole and Mike
My husband is Jewish, and I'm Catholic. We were looking for someone who would not necessarily have faith leanings, but rather bring spirituality to our ceremony. Jude did just that. We cannot say enough good things about Jude. Jude took the time to get to know us (meeting for HOURS, before we even signed a contract). She went above and beyond what she had to do. Most importantly, she grew to care about us as a couple, not just as some other vendor we employed for our wedding! Jude personalized a ceremony, just for us - and there was not a dry eye in the room when she was done. After meeting with her, you'll know exactly what I mean - and possibly allow her to make your wedding day as special as she made ours.
Lucia and Alex
I don't know how to express the gratitude that we have for Reverend Jude for making our day as special as it was. Reverend Jude met with us to walk through our ceremony in detail to ensure it was exactly what we wanted. She went above and beyond our expectations on several occasions, including working with the catering company to make sure that our last minute indoor ceremony (we got rained out) was even more beautiful than we could have imagined. Meeting with Reverend Jude ahead of time, working closely with her to write our vows, and practicing with her during our rehearsal was all very much appreciated. I would recommend her to anyone and shout from the rooftops how much we love her. She made our guests laugh and cry (happy tears) and she will forever be a part of our family now. Thank you Reverend Jude. We love you!
Heather and Scott
We were lucky to find Jude at the last minute-just two weeks before the wedding. We are so happy that we found her. She walked us through the ceremony and helped us to personalize it. We were presented with a variety of vows and poems to choose meaningful passages from that were great. We also filled out a reflection about why we were choosing to get married and that was helpful as well. This really made it feel like we customized the ceremony to fit us. Although the time we had before the ceremony was brief, Jude went over everything with us, including sharing the finished ceremony before our wedding day. She also helped with a lot of things I wasn't thinking about like the order of the wedding procession, where it's best for people to stand and sit, how to cue the musicians, etc. By the day of the wedding we felt very connected to her, having only known her for a short time. All in all, Jude knows how to conduct a wedding ceremony like a pro. Combine that with her being a loving and sweet person and you've got a top notch officiant. Some people really love their jobs and strive to do them well. If you work with Jude, you can tell this is what she really loves to do and it truly makes her happy to be joining couples in marriage. We were very honored to have her as our officiant and overjoyed that Jude has blessed us and our rings. She was the perfect officiant for our wedding.
Grace and Blake
Jude was engaging, entertaining and very much able to roll w the punches an outdoor wedding presented. Once our wedding was moved inside, Jude started again with the same warmth and light she exhibited outside. Working with Jude was extremely easy. She's very clear about what she needs and provides you with excellent suggestions while being very accommodating. There is homework when working with Jude! She uses that homework coupled with her time observing the future bride and groom to write her own reflections on the couple's relationship. Through Jude's words and our own, our guests were able to share in our joy that day. Jude will also run the rehearsal, which is a must if you have a large wedding party. She managed to convince all 16 members of our wedding party, and our dogs, to walk down the aisle at the correct pace and stand where they were supposed to. That was quite a feat. So there you go...Jude Smith is an amazing addition to your wedding. You will feel her warmth, engagement and true happiness at sharing in your special day.
Staci and Nick
Look no further, you've found the perfect officiant for your wedding. Six weeks after our wedding with Rev. Jude, our guests are still complimenting us about our ceremony due to its uniqueness and attention to personal details. Many thought we had known Rev. Jude for years. She took the time to get to know us and fully "got us". We had two lengthy personal meetings, two phone conversations and several email communications. There was a detailed questionnaire for both the bride and groom to separately complete. From all of this, Rev. Jude wrote a personalized ceremony that was absolutely beautiful, memorable and truly unique. Not only did she get the details of our relationship right, but she clearly understood our personalities and included that in the ceremony. It's hard to express this in words, but she did. For a truly unique, memorable and lovely ceremony, meet with Rev. Jude. And on top of that, she is a great person. You will enjoy your time with her.
Billie and Jared
Rev. Jude was wonderful. She took the time to get to know us as a couple, meeting us in person and virtually in the months prior to our wedding. Jude provided us guidance to help craft an attainable framework, and then collaborated with us to achieve all the magic, elegance, and spiritual depth we needed for our ceremony. On the day Jude was focused and punctual, and she orchestrated the service so the participants could relax as much as possible. The result was a wonderful blend of ease, practicality, and uniqueness. We would highly recommend Rev. Jude for an unforgettable ceremony!
Sarah and Joe
Jude has a way of connecting with everyone. She has a warmth about her and she expresses herself very clearly. Many of my guests commented how heartfelt and personal our ceremony was and how they wanted to hear her every word because it held that much meaning. As the bride, I knew the ceremony we created together would represent how I felt in a very personal way. Jude's voice and steadiness gave me an assurance and a strong sense of self that allowed my wedding ceremony to be meaningful, representative of me, and just a moment of joy because I could be present, and not caught in a bundle of nerves. Jude truly made my wedding day very special.
Elaine and Howie
Reverend Jude was the one and only one for us. We were looking for an officiant who would be able to personalize our wedding ceremony to reflect our relationship, values and personalities. She did that and more. She really took the time to get to know us and wrote a beautiful, customized and personalized ceremony for us. Rev. Jude was exceptional. Our wedding was in August , and our guests are still talking about how wonderful our ceremony was.
Marlene and Frank
From the moment we met Jude the summer before our wedding, we knew Jude was the right choice. She was not only responsive and attentive to our vision, but she created a ceremony that was moving and meaningful to both us and our guests. Her focus on the universal theme of love, no matter its origin, and her ability to reflect our intimate setting were both brillant and magical. Rev. Jude is a consummate professional whose passion for her work goes above and beyond. We highly recommend her.
Otto and Renee
With Reverend Jude, you will never have a mediocre ceremony. She made our ceremony more special than either one of us could have ever dreamed up. We live many states away, and she put in the extra time through phone conversations to get to know us - not because she had to, but because she wanted to. She is extremely passionate about what she does and we were able to witness that firsthand. Words cannot express our gratitude! We are forever grateful for Reverend Jude!
Kendal and Mandy
Our experiences with Jude were thoughtful, stimulating and educational. She challenged us to think, feel and create; through the process our love and trust for one another grew deeper. Jude was punctual, responsible with communication, and had outstanding integrity throughout our planning process. I would say her main attribute is reading energy and shape shifting based on the present moment. She enunciated our ceremony with dedication, passion and most importantly respect, and reverence. We look forward to rekindling our vows at some point, and hopefully Jude will be around to support us with our wedding day follow up as well!
April and Fred
We spent about two hours with Jude at our initial meeting and it was clear she was the one for us! The questionnaires we filled out were just the right level of personal, and she fluidly parlayed our answers and conversations into a beautiful and personal ceremony that everyone loved. We had a perfect balance of personal creative control along with her professional touches. I would highly recommend Jude for her professionalism, heart, and warm, caring spirit. I cannot imagine having entrusting anyone else!
Catherine and Ben
Rev. Jude Smith worked really hard with us to make our ceremony the most magical and special moment of our lives. We developed a connection with Jude and she got to know us and our love story really well. She created an amazing ceremony for us using that connection in a manner that was very personalized for my wife and me. I will forever be grateful and feel really fortunate that she was our officiant. I cannot imagine anyone better to marry my wife and I.
Jon and Amy
We are honored to tell friends and family that Rev Jude Smith united us in marriage. We plan to stay in touch with Rev Jude and appreciate knowing her.
Julie and Ed
We feel so lucky and grateful to have had Rev. Jude Smith officiate our wedding. We wanted a wedding ceremony that was non-denominational yet still had weight and warmth to it. Rev. Jude helped us build a moving, transcendental and truly magical wedding ceremony. Rev. Jude helped us navigate the seemingly intimidating landscape of building our wedding ceremony. She provided a clear, calming road map for us - giving us solid logistical help on wrangling our large bridal party and families as well as endless resources of poems and vows to handcraft a wedding ceremony perfect for us. Our families were all so moved by the ceremony - many commented that it was so personal and warm we must have known Rev. Jude for years. But in fact we had worked with Rev. Jude remotely for just a couple weeks leading up to the wedding. This is testament to the warmth and sensitivity she brings to her work and her amazing aptitude to get to the heart of relationship, fully celebrating and honoring that relationship with a uniquely crafted wedding ceremony. She created a magical and loving foundation to build our marriage on and we could not be happier!
Ashley and Steve
Jude was one of the first ministers that I came across. There was something about her picture & bio that completely resonated with me. From the first moment Jude stepped into our lives, she's been nothing short of amazing. Jude is extremely personable, captivating, knowledgeable & at the top of her profession. As a gay couple, our ceremony was a total co-creative process with Jude & she knew exactly how to bring out the personal elements that were most important to us, our families & friends. On the actual day of our wedding, I whispered to her, "Ok, this is your area of expertise & we're handing over the reins to you.....let's do this!" We walked out into the ceremony setting & the rest was truly otherworldly. I've never witnessed anyone bring a group together & create the remarkable synergy of love, union & commitment like Jude did. It was palpable. It was as if she was a well-seasoned conductor in front of a symphony & the final product was truly beautiful music that moves you to the core. Afterwards, we had so many guests that stated that they had never been to a more unique, authentic & touching ceremony. Not only was it far beyond our greatest expectations, but we also found a remarkable & lifelong friend in the process.
Mark and Fred
Jude is an incredible and rare gem. My wife and I are both nonreligious, but sought out someone who still understood that a deep love and spirituality brought my wife and me together. Jude worked with us over Skype, as we live in Rhode Island, and at first we were skeptical of being able to feel an authenticity this way. But Jude's warmth and compassion shone through even across that medium, and we knew we were on the right path. Jude helped us find our center again amongst all the chaos and anxiety of planning a wedding, and this was tremendously important. It gave us the space we needed in order to focus on why we were doing this in the first place, and to find a calm with ourselves that brought us even closer together. Her ceremony was perfect, and perfectly tailored to us. It was an incredible day, and I cannot recommend Jude highly enough.
Vicky and Charlie
My husband and I had a difficult time finding the right officiant to lead our wedding ceremony until we met Jude. Immediately, we were speaking the same language- our expectations and what we wanted for our ceremony, and the beginning of our journey together to achieve. Jude made us extremely comfortable with our decision to build a labyrinth ceremony and continued on surprising us with adding and suggesting things that superbly enhanced the direction of the labyrinth ceremony. We shared our idea with Jude and she continued to encourage us to use our imagination to make this day as beautiful, special and prepared as possible- physically, mentally and emotionally.
Jude has an amazing way of setting the tone of energy in a space and bringing everyone onto the same plane. With Jude's skill and the power of the labyrinth and family, I was brought to tears several times, and I am NOT typically a crier!! Mark and I both recognize there is no one else on God's green earth that could have ever performed just a ceremony, except for Jude, and we are so incredibly grateful to have had her lead us into marriage together. All of her guiding words and wisdom prepared us for marriage, not just our wedding day and we will always be grateful! We look forward to spending time with Jude in the future, she is not the type of officiant you see on your wedding day, never to speak to again, but one you can seek guidance from, for years to come. Thank you Jude for all you do!
Brittany and Mark
Jude helped us craft a ceremony that drew from traditions and that made sense for us. She was able to use her experiences with other same-sex couples — as well as other couples who had been together for many years before their wedding day — to understand what we needed. Like one of the other reviewers on this page said: we knew right away that Jude was the right officiant for us. Jude is patient, loving, and personable. She created a ceremony for us that was beautiful and personal and specific to our relationship. She is a listener: She got to know us, and what is right for us. She didn't merely listen, she also lead us down a path to discover what we wanted in a ceremony because we didn't completely know until we spoke to her. Wedding planning can be overwhelming and you want somebody with wisdom and experience to guide you through it. That's what Jude offers. We got many compliments on our wedding: On the venue; on the food; on the music. But, the number one compliment we got, hands down, was that we had a beautiful service. We will always consider Jude a part of our marriage and are very grateful she came into our lives.
Christian and Christopher
Our ceremony really was the best part of the entire wedding, just as it should be. We had countless people come up to us to tell us what a great job Jude did, how the ceremony was so touching, how they couldn't help but cry, and even how it was the best ceremony they had ever attended. Besides that feedback, my husband and I are just so happy with the connection we have made with Jude, with the way she somehow made us feel even closer than we already did, and with the way she captured us, our love, and managed to use just the right wording to express emotions that can be difficult to express. We will forever be grateful for meeting her, starting our married lives with her, and for having Jude as our officiant. We could not have chosen wiser!!
Jenny and AJ
The warmth I feel from taking the time to remember the most beautiful moments of our wedding is a clear indication of just how special it was... Rev. Jude took the time to understand my husband and I. She created a ceremony that was inclusive and focused on love. She included our traditions, our characteristics, listened to our apprehensions and concerns and advised us lovingly. It couldn't have been any better than it was...it would be impossible. We are blessed with radiant love and we found someone who could channel it beautifully. She will take her time with you and is organized and detail oriented. I highly recommend Rev. Jude as I know she values each and every union she performs.
Stefanie and Greg
Rev. Jude exceeded every expectation my husband and I ever had for our wedding ceremony! The ceremony she wrote for us was the highlight of our wedding day - it was personal, thoughtful, unique and totally "us". Our guests were blown away by how special and moving the ceremony was and people are still talking about it months after the wedding! Rev. Jude is one of those unique few that genuinely loves what she does and cares deeply about the couples she works with - it's not just a job to her. The entire process of working with Rev. Jude was an absolute joy! She was always there to guide us and offer advice, but never made us feel like we had to to do anything a certain way. I am so thankful we found her and would recommend her a hundred times over!
Ashley and Anthony
Reverend Jude was our officiant for our wedding. She was also the officiant for a wedding I was in a year earlier and I had remembered how her words and positive energy had impacted me. Our whole experience with Jude exceeded our expectations! She is truly an amazing person and officiant. When looking for officiants we knew we wanted our officiant to share and understand our love and open mindedness. We wanted someone who could feel our love, and then take our love and have it be represented in our ceremony. Jude went above and beyond what we were looking for. She met with us through video chatting and then in person and got to know us through asking us questions and talking with us about our relationship. She had us each fill out questions about our significant other and then used our answers to create this magical ceremony filled with love and openness. This made our ceremony even more personal. I loved that she took the time to get to know us and to feel all the love my husband and I have for each other. I absolutely loved the process of creating our ceremony with Jude. Some ceremonies I have attended at times seem generic or not personal and Jude is the complete opposite of that. She is connected with us, understood our likes and dislikes, respected our opinions and views and most importantly touched our hearts. I will always be grateful and honored that I was married by Jude!
Amy and Jon
Jude Smith was the officiant for our interfaith wedding this summer and we could not have been more pleased. Not only was she incredible on the day of but she spent a lot of time getting to know us and really building a relationship with us before the special day-which really made the experience unique. She was extremely flexible and organized. Our first chat was a lovely several hour call where she genuinely spent time getting to know us and really built a connection with us. She was so warm and welcoming-we loved sharing our story and love with her. We met a few times following before the wedding continuing to build our relationship and her getting to know us, our hopes for the big day and how she could make it really special. She didn't miss a detail and truly catered to our every word. On the actual day, her ceremony was exactly what we could have hoped for-unique and completely sincere. Several months later, we continue to keep in touch :) We would recommend Jude for anyone, particularly those who plan to have an interfaith ceremony or a uniquely spiritual wedding!
Marilyn and Mark
My husband and I had such a wonderful experience having Rev. Jude Smith as our wedding officiant. From the very first contact that we had with her, she gave us such great guidance in planning the details of our ceremony. I immediately knew that she would be an amazing officiant, and she proved this even greater than expected. Rev. Jude beautifully created our ceremony, fit to our individual story, lives, and beliefs, and she truly has a way with her words! She also spent ample time with us prior to the ceremony to go over with us what was written for the ceremony. It was obvious that she put a lot of heart into what she had wrote about us, and spent the time to make it truly personalized. Due to the fact that we are located in Brooklyn, and got married upstate in Ulster County, Rev. Jude accommodated us by "meeting" with us over the phone and skype, as well as communicating with us by e-mail. She walked with us every step of the way, offering herr support and guidance in setting the stage for the ceremony.
Rev. Jude came to the ceremony with a positive energy and beautiful smile, and she presented the ceremony so wonderfully with such articulation and grace. My husband and I had so many compliments as to how beautiful our ceremony was, and we could not have had such without Rev. Jude. So many of our guests talked about how great of an officiant she was!
We cannot thank Rev. Jude enough for everything she has done to make our ceremony what it was: everything we hoped it to be - and then some.
Nicole and Mike
My husband is Jewish, and I'm Catholic. We were looking for someone who would not necessarily have faith leanings, but rather bring spirituality to our ceremony. Jude did just that. We cannot say enough good things about Jude. Jude took the time to get to know us (meeting for HOURS, before we even signed a contract). She went above and beyond what she had to do. Most importantly, she grew to care about us as a couple, not just as some other vendor we employed for our wedding! Jude personalized a ceremony, just for us - and there was not a dry eye in the room when she was done. After meeting with her, you'll know exactly what I mean - and possibly allow her to make your wedding day as special as she made ours.
Lucia and Alex
I don't know how to express the gratitude that we have for Reverend Jude for making our day as special as it was. Reverend Jude met with us to walk through our ceremony in detail to ensure it was exactly what we wanted. She went above and beyond our expectations on several occasions, including working with the catering company to make sure that our last minute indoor ceremony (we got rained out) was even more beautiful than we could have imagined. Meeting with Reverend Jude ahead of time, working closely with her to write our vows, and practicing with her during our rehearsal was all very much appreciated. I would recommend her to anyone and shout from the rooftops how much we love her. She made our guests laugh and cry (happy tears) and she will forever be a part of our family now. Thank you Reverend Jude. We love you!
Heather and Scott
We were lucky to find Jude at the last minute-just two weeks before the wedding. We are so happy that we found her. She walked us through the ceremony and helped us to personalize it. We were presented with a variety of vows and poems to choose meaningful passages from that were great. We also filled out a reflection about why we were choosing to get married and that was helpful as well. This really made it feel like we customized the ceremony to fit us. Although the time we had before the ceremony was brief, Jude went over everything with us, including sharing the finished ceremony before our wedding day. She also helped with a lot of things I wasn't thinking about like the order of the wedding procession, where it's best for people to stand and sit, how to cue the musicians, etc. By the day of the wedding we felt very connected to her, having only known her for a short time. All in all, Jude knows how to conduct a wedding ceremony like a pro. Combine that with her being a loving and sweet person and you've got a top notch officiant. Some people really love their jobs and strive to do them well. If you work with Jude, you can tell this is what she really loves to do and it truly makes her happy to be joining couples in marriage. We were very honored to have her as our officiant and overjoyed that Jude has blessed us and our rings. She was the perfect officiant for our wedding.
Grace and Blake
Jude was engaging, entertaining and very much able to roll w the punches an outdoor wedding presented. Once our wedding was moved inside, Jude started again with the same warmth and light she exhibited outside. Working with Jude was extremely easy. She's very clear about what she needs and provides you with excellent suggestions while being very accommodating. There is homework when working with Jude! She uses that homework coupled with her time observing the future bride and groom to write her own reflections on the couple's relationship. Through Jude's words and our own, our guests were able to share in our joy that day. Jude will also run the rehearsal, which is a must if you have a large wedding party. She managed to convince all 16 members of our wedding party, and our dogs, to walk down the aisle at the correct pace and stand where they were supposed to. That was quite a feat. So there you go...Jude Smith is an amazing addition to your wedding. You will feel her warmth, engagement and true happiness at sharing in your special day.
Staci and Nick
Look no further, you've found the perfect officiant for your wedding. Six weeks after our wedding with Rev. Jude, our guests are still complimenting us about our ceremony due to its uniqueness and attention to personal details. Many thought we had known Rev. Jude for years. She took the time to get to know us and fully "got us". We had two lengthy personal meetings, two phone conversations and several email communications. There was a detailed questionnaire for both the bride and groom to separately complete. From all of this, Rev. Jude wrote a personalized ceremony that was absolutely beautiful, memorable and truly unique. Not only did she get the details of our relationship right, but she clearly understood our personalities and included that in the ceremony. It's hard to express this in words, but she did. For a truly unique, memorable and lovely ceremony, meet with Rev. Jude. And on top of that, she is a great person. You will enjoy your time with her.
Billie and Jared
Rev. Jude was wonderful. She took the time to get to know us as a couple, meeting us in person and virtually in the months prior to our wedding. Jude provided us guidance to help craft an attainable framework, and then collaborated with us to achieve all the magic, elegance, and spiritual depth we needed for our ceremony. On the day Jude was focused and punctual, and she orchestrated the service so the participants could relax as much as possible. The result was a wonderful blend of ease, practicality, and uniqueness. We would highly recommend Rev. Jude for an unforgettable ceremony!
Sarah and Joe
Jude has a way of connecting with everyone. She has a warmth about her and she expresses herself very clearly. Many of my guests commented how heartfelt and personal our ceremony was and how they wanted to hear her every word because it held that much meaning. As the bride, I knew the ceremony we created together would represent how I felt in a very personal way. Jude's voice and steadiness gave me an assurance and a strong sense of self that allowed my wedding ceremony to be meaningful, representative of me, and just a moment of joy because I could be present, and not caught in a bundle of nerves. Jude truly made my wedding day very special.
Elaine and Howie
Reverend Jude was the one and only one for us. We were looking for an officiant who would be able to personalize our wedding ceremony to reflect our relationship, values and personalities. She did that and more. She really took the time to get to know us and wrote a beautiful, customized and personalized ceremony for us. Rev. Jude was exceptional. Our wedding was in August , and our guests are still talking about how wonderful our ceremony was.
Marlene and Frank
From the moment we met Jude the summer before our wedding, we knew Jude was the right choice. She was not only responsive and attentive to our vision, but she created a ceremony that was moving and meaningful to both us and our guests. Her focus on the universal theme of love, no matter its origin, and her ability to reflect our intimate setting were both brillant and magical. Rev. Jude is a consummate professional whose passion for her work goes above and beyond. We highly recommend her.
Otto and Renee
With Reverend Jude, you will never have a mediocre ceremony. She made our ceremony more special than either one of us could have ever dreamed up. We live many states away, and she put in the extra time through phone conversations to get to know us - not because she had to, but because she wanted to. She is extremely passionate about what she does and we were able to witness that firsthand. Words cannot express our gratitude! We are forever grateful for Reverend Jude!
Kendal and Mandy
Our experiences with Jude were thoughtful, stimulating and educational. She challenged us to think, feel and create; through the process our love and trust for one another grew deeper. Jude was punctual, responsible with communication, and had outstanding integrity throughout our planning process. I would say her main attribute is reading energy and shape shifting based on the present moment. She enunciated our ceremony with dedication, passion and most importantly respect, and reverence. We look forward to rekindling our vows at some point, and hopefully Jude will be around to support us with our wedding day follow up as well!
April and Fred
We spent about two hours with Jude at our initial meeting and it was clear she was the one for us! The questionnaires we filled out were just the right level of personal, and she fluidly parlayed our answers and conversations into a beautiful and personal ceremony that everyone loved. We had a perfect balance of personal creative control along with her professional touches. I would highly recommend Jude for her professionalism, heart, and warm, caring spirit. I cannot imagine having entrusting anyone else!
Catherine and Ben
Rev. Jude Smith worked really hard with us to make our ceremony the most magical and special moment of our lives. We developed a connection with Jude and she got to know us and our love story really well. She created an amazing ceremony for us using that connection in a manner that was very personalized for my wife and me. I will forever be grateful and feel really fortunate that she was our officiant. I cannot imagine anyone better to marry my wife and I.
Jon and Amy
Jude is amazing. From our very first call to after the wedding, she always made us feel comfortable, safe, and important. She is kind, gentle, and has a very warm, loving, spiritual touch. She spent hours with us on the phone and in person to learn about us and to make our ceremony individualized and perfect. We never felt like Jude was a stranger who we hired to officiate at our wedding. We felt like she was a new member of our family, and her wisdom and guidance helped us through the process of planning a wedding. We are so grateful to have met Jude and know she will always be a part of our lives.
Casta and David
Casta and David
Jude is such a wonderful person and an amazing minister. Our wedding was beautiful, and our ceremony was intimate, personal, and exactly what we wanted. Jude spent significant time with us getting to know my husband and I, and this shined through our ceremony. Our lives were touched beyond our wedding day, and we are so happy that Jude could provide that feeling for us. Have no doubts if you're undecided. Jude is THE best to make your wedding day the day you want it to be.
Kristen and Joe
Kristen and Joe
We knew right away that Jude was the right officiant for us. Jude is patient, loving, and personable. She created a ceremony for us that was beautiful and personal and specific to our relationship. Jude is a listener - she got to know who we were, and what was right for us. And she didn't merely listen; she also led us down a path to discover what we wanted in a ceremony, because we really didn't know until we spoke with Jude. Wedding planning can be overwhelming, and you want somebody with the wisdom and the experience to guide you through. That's what Jude offers.
We got many compliments on our wedding - on the venue, the food, the music. But the number one compliment we got, hands down, was that we had a beautiful service.
We will always consider Jude a part of our marriage, and we are very grateful that she came into our lives.
Chris and Chris
Teresa
and I are in in love more than ever, now that we are married, and we
have loved every minute that we have spent together. Something truly
changed at 3 PM on October 10th. We both feel more love, more
committed to each other, and more spiritual than before. After 14
years...that really says something.
Our
thanks is endless to you for what you have done for us. Thank you
again for the time you spent with us and for performing our marriage.
It was truly special and life-changing. We can't wait to watch the
video with family. Thanks again. We will definitely stay in touch!
You hold a special place in our lives.
Cindy and Teresa
Jude
did an excellent job with our ceremony, making it customized to how we
wanted it and how our families (of various religious backgrounds)
requested. She found the perfect median and we received many
compliments from our family after the ceremony. Jude was very warm and
welcoming, and she was able to educate us on the process. She sat down
with us for multiple meetings and assured that we were both comfortable
with the ceremony. We appreciated all of her hard work and dedication.
I would definitely recommend Jude Smith as a wedding officiant.
Danielle and Ricky
Danielle and Ricky
Lisa and Garrett
We have taken you advice and are reading our vows to each other every night before going to sleep. Thank you for the lovely suggestion as we both very much enjoy it.
Bronwyn and Shawn
The other night we read to Faith the cards that everyone created. My niece wrote, “Faith, I really loved your ceremony today. I cry when I am moved and that is why I was crying so much today.” So special....
Thank you so much for making a ceremony that reflected our family values and touched our hearts.
Ali and Jedd, Baby Naming Ceremony
Marissa and Matthias
Thank you again for all that you did. The ceremony and experience were amazing and certainly something we will never forget. Our family and friends are still telling us what a joy it was to have you officiate at our wedding. Your presence was calming but energetic at the same time. You just had a certain something that made our wedding perfect!
Should we or anyone else need a minister for any reason, you will be the first one that we call! :-) Thank you again for making this an unforgettable event, not just for Chris and I, but for our family and friends as well. You are truly a lovely person.
Jenna and Chris
Sara and Dan
Sophie and Frank
Rebecca and Brian
There are no words to express how grateful we are to have met you. From the hours we spent together on the phone, to picking up the phone at 3 AM on one of the hardest days of our lives, you were there for us with love, warmth, and spiritual guidance. Thank you for the beautiful service you led for our Mom, and the perfect ceremony you put together for our wedding. You handled a difficult ceremony with a grace, presence, and light that our Mom would have loved. Your light and love opened the spiritual door for everyone who wanted to be at the wedding, even those no longer in physical form.
We look forward to continuing our relationship with you in the years to come.
Casta and David, Memorial Service
Thanks so much for all your care, concern, and time. Everything went so well – unbelievable! We were very happy with your attention to detail and also felt that the dialog we all had about religion, God, etc. was very helpful to us both. Thank you for helping us get a good start!
Rosalind and Michael
We
cherish the memories from our wedding day. The ceremony was beautiful
and touching, and our friends and family still talk about how special it
was.
Alison and Mike
We had a great day and you did a wonderful job. We really enjoyed our service. It was touching and everything we had hoped for.
Tammy and Debbie
Alison and Mike
We had a great day and you did a wonderful job. We really enjoyed our service. It was touching and everything we had hoped for.
Tammy and Debbie
Thank you so much for Max's christening. What a beautiful ceremony! It could not have been better. You did an amazing job and it meant a lot to us.
My mother said afterwards that asking all of us to come together as Godparents was like two families had become one. We thought it was perfect. It was one of those moments that we will always cherish. Max was surrounded by so much love.
Thank you again. You have been a special part of our lives.
Hilary, Blair and Max Christening
If you are looking for a loving, warm, caring, intimate wedding ceremony, then look no further than Reverend Jude Smith. Rev. Jude was flexible with our ceremony, creating a ceremony the way we wanted it to be. Our ceremony was tailored just for us, making it so much more meaningful. When we planned our ceremony, Jude asked the right questions in order to get the richness of our story. Changes were even made the day of the ceremony because of changes in participation by some of our family. Jude simply went with the flow and incorporated all of it and then some.I would HIGHLY recommend Rev. Jude if you are looking for a ceremony that you will cherish for a lifetime
Heather and Victor
My mother said afterwards that asking all of us to come together as Godparents was like two families had become one. We thought it was perfect. It was one of those moments that we will always cherish. Max was surrounded by so much love.
Thank you again. You have been a special part of our lives.
Hilary, Blair and Max Christening
Heather and Victor
We still can't stop talking about how wonderful it was to meet you, and how beautiful were the words that you wrote! You made our wedding real for us, and we are getting so excited for our big day!
Pam and Bill
Pam and Bill