Barbara Rose Sherman, Beautiful, Meaningful, Memorable

the only people who could do that were already in our wedding. So we decided to turn to The Knot, and that’s were we came across Barbara. We had looked at several profiles but as soon as we read Barbara’s, we were instantly drawn to her and just knew she was the person we wanted to marry us. I am not sure how we could be so drawn to a stranger, but we felt a connection. When we reached out to Barbara, she was very warm and gracious right away. We spoke on the phone and she asked about our lives and our relationship and we talked as if we were already friends. Our wedding was about a year away and she took the time to really get to know us both. We met in Santa Barbara for lunch, we spoke over the phone several times, emailed and texted over the course of the year. She always reached out to ask how were, how the planning was going and even asked if we needed any help! I’m not exactly sure what the role of an officiant is, but she definitely exceeded our expectations! Barbara was truly invested and felt like family. Our ceremony and all the things she said were so beautiful.  Barbara exuded love, compassion and connected to us, our family and friends with such an open heart.  We love her spirit and ease to connect to make us feel happy, calm and truly cared for. Barbara became the family member we wanted to perform our ceremony. We made a friend for life. With Love & Gratitude, Nhat and Cassa Tran

willing to help, not just with ceremony details. But ANY wedding details. Offering to look at venues, go to tastings, recommend restaurants for my rehearsal dinner, find items for my gift bags. Anything I needed, she was willing to do. Barbara took the time to get to know us, not just as a couple, but as individuals as well, and as a result the ceremony was perfect. We will always remember the kind words she said, and how comfortable she made us feel throughout the entire process. We can’t thank her enough.

s through the process step by step which was extremely helpful. She was always available to help us in any aspect of our wedding, and was so flexible and accommodating with us up to the day of! She made us feel at ease that everything would go smoothly and it did! We are so grateful to have had Barbara as part of our special day.

her that she was the right person to officiate us. After getting to know us a little, she crafted a beautiful ceremony, making sure to incorporate what was important to my partner & I. Till this day, we are STILL getting amazing comments about how beautiful our ceremony was. We couldn't have done it without Barbara and are so thankful! She is talented, so spiritual, and her energy is touching! Thank you for what you did for Liz & I!

ties to your guests. Barbara really took the time to get to know us, both together and individually. We met for lunch and also had several phone calls together (since we do not live close to each other). We really felt like we had a connection with Barbara! And it definitely showed--so many guests came up to us and complimented us on the ceremony. She really personalized her speech and helped to capture both sizes of our families' cultures (especially since my now husband and his family are from Brazil and we wanted to incorporate that uniqueness as well as add a few parts in Portuguese). Both myself and my husband couldn't have been happier :)

k to tell our story. Our family and friends have had nothing but good things to say about it.

ss a beautiful one. She had great suggestions for poems/readings and helped us make this ceremony a perfect fit for us. She has a wonderful energy and calming presence that i wanted with us that day and it helped set the tone for the ceremony to be filled with that level of joy, love and peace. I can't recommend Barbara enough, a delight to work with and someone we plan on staying in touch with for our family events in the future :) You will love her!

ony.

extra difficult, but Barbara was fantastic with emailing and FaceTiming to get to know us personally. Her down-to-Earth warm personality mixed with a real gift for words made us feel like we had the small, intimate wedding we dreamed of. She helped us pick out a few beautiful readings, write our own love notes to each other, and even wrote a few sweet words about us. We walked away from the ceremony telling each other we were so happy we chose Barbara! Barbara, if you're reading this thank you for everything! We love you and will definitely catch up with you next time we come to Santa Barbara! :) <3

ther. Barbara took the time to communicate with us via FaceTime, and made sure to help us find the perfect location, as we were coming in from out of town. We are so happy we chose Barbara, and couldn't imagine anyone else presiding over such an important event in our lives.

t them in person days before their intimate New Year's Eve wedding. Barbara was able to create a strong and emotional bond with them immediately, and the ceremony she then wrote with and for them was a beautiful reflection of what they had overcome to be together. We considered Barbara a part of the small family we had gathered, for she truly embraced the celebration as if for a dear family members. Barbara is truly wonderful. She makes these special days so very memorable.

re and mine into the ceremony. We received SO many compliments from our friends and family on Barbara's thoughtful words, personalized to our relationship. She made us feel special and in turn, made the entire day that much more meaningful. We would not have changed a single thing!

so happy that we chose Barbara for our wedding.

d her husband perform the ceremony. Barbara was incredibly helpful during the entire process of creating our ceremony. She encouraged us to personalize our readings and vows. She was very respectful of how we envisioned it to be done. Even though we were from out of town, it was very easy to get in touch with her over the phone and through e-mails. It helped that she had a calming presence each step of the way and reminded us to focus on each other. She helped make our wedding ceremony beautiful and memorable! Thank you Barbara!

ing a calm soothe especially with all the wedding emotions. We have mixed-faith backgrounds and it was important that we represented those in our ceremony. Barbara happily embraced the challenge of mixing Jewish and Spiritual traditions into a unique ceremony. We live in the Bay Area and Barbara lives in Santa Barbara (the location of our wedding) but geography was not an issue. Our frequent Skype conversations and emails made it easy for us to coordinate and allowed Barbara to get to know us better, which helped her tailor the ceremony to our style. She truly loved her role and this is by no means a job; this is Barbara's passion! She invested a tremendous amount of time and care into our big day and it showed. Almost all of our guest commented on the ceremony being one of the most authentic, and memorable ceremonies, and she was a huge part of its success. Barbara's become a friend through this experience, and while I like to think we received "special treatment," I know she gives everyone the same love, attention, and care. Barbara is a great choice for your special day.

on to officiate. We picked Santa Barbara because of the beautiful beaches and after speaking to several officiants we chose Barbara Rose Sherman. We couldn't have picked a more perfect person! Barbara and I hit it off right away. She asked questions and was really interested in getting to know Fred and I. She put together a beautiful and romantic ceremony that truly reflected who we are. It felt like we were married by someone who had known us for years! Afterward she presented us with a book that has every beautiful word spoken during our Wedding. Barbara really put the time and effort into making our Wedding personal and unforgettable. She is really vested in getting to know her clients and is flexible and wonderfully thorough at tayloring the ceremony to your needs. I highly recommend her and will never forget her.

ipants and wedding party will cherish always.

t and fell in love. Barbara Rose provided ideas and ask questions to truly make the ceremony memorable not only for us but also our guests. Her presence is calming and her delivery is thought provoking and so genuine. All of our guests commented that our ceremony was the most special and unique one that they have ever attended. Barbara Rose is one of the most authentic people that we ever had the pleasure of meeting. Thank you Barbara!

e so glad we had Barbara officiate at our wedding!

roughout the whole process she kept the wedding about us and what we wanted. She encouraged collaboration and was able guide us when we needed. She also came up with ideas that we hadn’t thought of, for example, a sentimental wine box ceremony for us to reminisce on our first anniversary. Our experience with Barbara started about 4 months prior to our day with a Facetime call to learn about each other and what we were envisioning for our ceremony. By the end of the call we knew we had found our officiant and setup plans to talk again soon. When we traveled to Santa Barbara to plan the wedding we were lucky enough to attend a Yoga session taught by Barbara (Barbara is an accomplished yoga instructor). After a good sweaty stretch, we were able to grab breakfast and further cement the plans for our wedding. Since we had an extremely small wedding, my wife had her bachelorette party in Santa Barbara so her friends would be able to experience the city. They also surprised her with a private beach yoga class that Barbara taught! On the day of our wedding she was calm, ready and waiting. Her uplifting nature helped to put me at ease, even with my bride running late! She created a lovely little book for our day of our readings and vows in case we forgot them. She was extremely thorough and made our experience memorable and meaningful. We loved Barbara and will look forward to the next time we’re in SB so we can take her class.

aningful our ceremony was, and we owe that in large part to Barbara. Barbara is warm and welcoming. By the time of our wedding, we felt that she knew us personally. We met with her, Skyped, and exchanged several emails with her throughout the process. Our meetings and talks paid off. Her welcome address reflected how well she got to know our relationship and family. She infused our personalities in all of her addresses. Our family and friends commented many times on how deep and meaningful the ceremony was. Her warmth was obvious to our guests. Barbara took a lot of care to understand what we wanted to get out of our ceremony. She guided us through the whole process, including the writing of our personal vows. She helped us to reflect on the importance of the ceremony to us, and how to make it personal. We felt that every one of our goals (and much more) were met. She absolutely loves what she does and put in so much effort to make sure we were completely happy with the result. Our wedding wouldn't have been as perfect as it was without her guidance and care. We couldn't have been happier with our choice of officiant.

such a fantastic part of our special day!

ading up to our wedding day, Barbara was in constant communication with helpful reminders, tips, and words of wisdom. She went above and beyond my expectation of a wedding officiant. If you are looking for someone who is open, creative, calming, and caring, Barbara is a perfect choice. Thank you, Barbara, for an amazing wedding ceremony that we will remember forever.

and made sure we were very comfortable through the whole process of planning. She is full of good energy and is uplifting in her delivery. We will always be thankful for helping make our special day even more so!

time to get to know us a s a couple and individuals. Her presence was just perfect at our wedding, and she was so kind and affirming. I wholeheartedly recommend Barbara, and am glad that she will be in my "memory-book" forever as I recall the most important day of my life.

really had a sense of our story and knew exactly the kind of spiritual moment we wanted to share. She was incredibly helpful throughout the entire process whether it was suggestions for poems or readings, answers to questions about the marriage license, or just to calm my nerves! I would highly recommend Barbara for anyone who wants to have a truly beautiful ceremony!

heir family and friends. Barbara initiated countless discussions and emails to really get to know them and to ensure that her words and the passages/poems they selected together resonated with the bride and groom. Barbara was eloquent - her personality and warmth set the tone for an unforgettable ceremony and reception.

to many weddings, but Barbara made it seem so intimate and personal, like she knew us for awhile. They were really impressed. There were so many unique touches she added. She showered us with rose petals, as a blessing, during our first kiss. She had a silent moment as she asked everyone present to share in blessing the rings, before we gave them to each other. She really takes the time to make the day memorable and reminds you to take a moment and be present in your special day. We have such wonderful memories of the day and appreciate Barbara being a part of it.

s and advice throughout the process. She even found time to meet with us in person and we had a lovely lunch together in Santa Barbara, during which we talked about relationships, love, and marriage, and really connected. At our wedding, she delivered a beautifully-written ceremony filled with love and joy, and full of details personal to us. We wanted Jewish and Chinese traditional elements at our ceremony and she did a great job researching them and really conveyed the meanings to our guests. She even brought rose pedals to shower on us as we kissed. I think her dedication is truly remarkable. All in all, I think Barbara really loves her job as a wedding officiant and will get to know the couple personally to create a ceremony unique to each couple. I highly recommend her!!

stions, but made sure the ceremony reflected us and what we envisioned. If you want someone that is easy to work with and will put everything they have into making your wedding day great, I would highly recommend Barbara!

nd how amazing Barbara was. I recently lost my mother during my engagement, and Barbara helped me include her in the wedding in tasteful and sweet way to remember my mother. She tied together all of our favorite blessings and quotes and made our craziness work! I especially loved what she personally wrote about me and my husband as a couple, and how we are undeniably meant for one another!

o full of joy. Many of the guests told me afterward that this was the best wedding ceremony they had ever witnessed. Barbara is wonderful in every way, she is a kindred spirit who brings love in such a special way. I highly recommend Barbara!!!

e told me “I put my heart and soul into every wedding I officiate.” Well I have to say that was completely true! She spent more time and energy than I ever-expected in working with us and supporting us! Before the ceremony, when I was running late and stressed out, she was there to help me through my anxiety with her yogic calm reminding me that everything will be okay. We have had so many complements on how great and perfect our wedding ceremony was. We will be forever grateful to Barbara for truly putting her heart and soul into creating a beautiful, glorious wedding ceremony. Mrs. Cindy Howe

completely reasonable, especially, considering how much care and time she took to ensure we had a beautiful and well-organized ceremony. She gave us lots of ideas to personalize our wedding, provided us with sample prayers, and examples of ways to honor our parents as well as each other during the ceremony. My husband and I have different religions, and we both have respect for each other's religion. Barbara also shared that respect, and she brilliantly found a way for us to weave our two religions together in a beautiful manner. We truly believe that Barbara loves what she does and cares for the people that she encounters. I encourage you to read a beautiful letter my husband wrote to Barbara that displays the gratitude that we both have for all that she did for us... and here it is: Barbara, Genevieve and I want to thank you and let you know that the glass breaking ceremony you sent to us in the mail was well received. My mother read what you sent to our guests and I broke the glass. It elevated the evening far above our expectations. Also, we wanted you to know how much Genevieve and I appreciated you time and efforts. The wedding was so much more than we expected largely in part to you. You made things so much easier than they would have been without you. Everyone at the wedding thought that you were outstanding. We will never forget your contribution to what certainly is and always will be one of the most memorable moments in our life together. With love, thanks eternally, Jonathan and Genevieve

hrough the entire process her calm, gracious, joyful spirit carried us along, and into, our ceremony, in which she did a beautiful job officiating. My husband and I highly recommend her to any couple who wants their wedding to be beautiful and unique to them.

th, grace, and peaceful presence as an officiant. She really takes the time to deeply connect with the couple, so that she can shape and build a ceremony that fits just right with the bride and groom. As we were up there, at the altar, and in the moments of the ceremony, all nerves melted away. She weaved and seamlessly connected each piece and passage and we felt in the flow. We had a ceremony that dreams are made of, and we have her to thank for sharing her calling as an officiant."

rporate within our ceremony and worked with us to the last moment in organizing and customizing it to our preferences. My husband and I live in Indiana and planning our wedding in Santa Barbara was not easy at all. Barbara was literally our go to person – she was always there to help with other aspects of the wedding. She even took the time and effort to taste and choose our wedding cake - which by the way turned out phenomenal! She also gave us several great recommendations for places to visit and dine in Santa Barbara for our out-of-town family. I would recommend Barbara highly – she is reliable, easy to work with, KNOWS what she is doing and LOVES what she is doing! She was prompt, warm-hearted, always communicating ahead of time and went over and above to make our big day very special. Chineze

ceremony should look like. Barbara was the whole time in close contact with my mom in law and frequent contact via email with us. She has many amazing ideas yet is willing to change whatever might not be your cup of tea. She was there for us the whole time...we could have asked any question or suggest any ideas and she did her best to make it possible. We had the main ceremony at the Santa Barbara Courthouse and then another one for friends and family on the beach and Barbara went to both and led everyone through it with amazing loving attitude. She became a part of our family.

w wife live in Saigon.. The wedding was in Santa Barbara . Several months before the wedding Barbara started to communicate with Max and Katerina. Finding out who they are, what they wanted ,what was important. She helped them write their vows. She and I had lunch and got to know each other. What a gorgeous loving woman! By the time Max and Kat met Barbara they were firm friends. She put her heart and soul into the ceremony, adding special touches, ,delivering the next day the rose petals, her poems and thoughts were beautiful! We insisted she come to the reception as she was such an important part of this day . I highly suggest you include Barbara on your special day. You wont regret it!

o honor our parents in our ceremony. Thankfully, she encouraged us to write personal wedding vows. If you want a memorable and beautifully unique ceremony, choose Barbara as your officiant. She is amazing!

ives leading up to this marriage. This allowed her to tell a delightful, accurate and heartwarming "brief life story" during the ceremony for both my daughter and her future husband. filling all present with love and appreciation for the two people about to be united in marriage.  The entire ceremony was customized and unique to the bride and groom, reflecting their personalities, beliefs, spirituality, and love.  Barbara Rose Sherman herself emanated peace and love, not only to the bride and groom, and their parents, but to all of our family and friends sharing in the ceremony and celebration.  We received many, many compliments on the ceremony!

you deeply for all of your help and effort towards planning our special ceremony. Barbara was both open to our ideas as well as incorporating her own to enhance our experience. We both appreciated her thoughtfullness in creating a meaningful and beautiful day! We have continued to stay in contact with Barbara and our memories continue to become alive and vibrant as it was just yesterday. Barbara, you will be in our hearts for the rest of our lives;)

y favorite part of the ceremony. I felt empowered by love as my groom and I expressed the many reasons we love each other in front of family and friends. Barbara took the time to get to know us as individuals and as a couple. It was abundantly clear that she really cared about us and wanted our wedding day to be everything we dreamed it could be... and it was! Thank you Barbara for encouraging us to dive into the essence of our relationship and connect deeply with the joy and love of our momentous day!

as always available and willing to offer suggestions when necessary and guide us through the process. It definitely worked, as our wedding was filled with lots of smiles, a few laughs, and one or two tears. Thank you, Barbara! We couldn't recommend her services highly enough. Nate & Melissa

in marriage was an unforgettable experience for the newlyweds, and for the families and assembled guests. The moment of marriage occupies a mere instant in time, but Barbara has helped it become a lasting, powerful, and beautiful memory. Thank you so much Barbara!

ave been as heartfelt and special without her guidance and support!!! Minda-- Mother of the Bride