Joyful, Contemporary, Inclusive Ceremonies
Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Carmel Valley
Service area
Rev. Zia Shapiro: Non-denominational Wedding Officiant
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (9X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Based in Monterey, CA, Monterey Ceremonies by Zia is a non-denominational wedding officiant dedicated to leading one-of-a-kind ceremonies. Zia's approach to officiating is modern and personal. She aims to capture each couple's unique relationship while bringing her signature humor and joy to the occasion.
Zia has always had a gift for supporting people through some of life's most monumental moments. For years she worked as a certified chaplain in a large hospital in Northern California, helping families navigate grief and sickness. After marrying, she became inspired by the power a wedding ceremony can have in setting the tone for a long and healthy partnership. Shortly after, Zia committed herself to a life of full-time officiating, and she hasn't looked back since.
Monterey Ceremonies by Zia offers day-of wedding officiant services, rehearsals, and premarital counseling. She'll take the time to talk through your values and get to know your story so that she can provide a ceremony that feels reflective of you and your partner. While no two ceremonies she leads are ever the same, they are always joyful occasions sure to be remembered fondly by loved ones for years to come.
Woman-owned Business
Prices & packages
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Details
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Religious Affiliations
Baha'i Faith
Buddhist
Christian
Catholic
Protestant
Quaker
Hindu
Interfaith
Jewish
Conservative
Reform
Muslim
Pagan
Secular
Sikh
Spiritual
Unitarian
Wiccan
Wedding Activities
After The Wedding
Newlywed Life
Premarital Counseling
Wedding
Ceremony
Awards and Affiliations
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Meet the team
Rev. Zia Shapiro: Non-denominational Wedding Officiant
Owner
Years of experience as a professional chaplain, spiritual musician and expressive arts therapist have brought depth, simplicity and creativity to my work; I listen for your heart’s desire. My musical expertise makes me adept at enriching ceremonies with song. I have lived and worked in India, Israel, Europe and the United States, and have officiated hundreds of wedding ceremonies for couples from different backgrounds, beliefs, religions and countries. My genuine respect for diverse cultures, faiths and lifestyles shines through all I do.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.0141 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Zia receives glowing reviews as a wedding officiant, with praise for her personalized, heartfelt ceremonies and attentive, detail-oriented approach throughout the planning process. Reviewers highlight her flexibility, ability to capture couples' unique stories, and her calming presence, making couples feel supported and comfortable on their special day. Zia's dedication to creating memorable ceremonies tailored to each couple's preferences and her professionalism in guiding them through the process are consistently commended, earning her high recommendations for officiating weddings in the Monterey area.Review photos
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Erick P
5.0
11/14/2024
Zia was so helpful and thoughtful with our ceremony. We reached out to her with a much shorter schedule to work through than she was used to but she made it work regardless. She was super flexible and had a lot of amazing insight into what would make a memorable wedding. She made our ceremony amazing, and she really helped us make it special without being too cliche. I would highly recommend Zia to anyone getting married in the Monterey area!
Alicia B
5.0
11/10/2024
Zia officiated our wedding on 11/2/24. We truly had the best experience with Zia! She has wonderful communication, made time to meet with multiple times to make sure our ceremony was memorable and included our love story. We even got reviews from our guests saying it felt like Zia had known us our entire relationship! Zia wrote the most beautiful ceremonies for us and it will forever be one of our favorite parts of our wedding! Thank you Zia for everything!😊
Any questions?
Dan C
5.0
11/06/2024
Zia was amazing. She made our wedding ceremony spectacular and memorable. She was also great to work with, very flexible, and such a great listener to really capture our story in such a beautiful way. Highly recommend her.
kevin k
5.0
7/30/2024
Zia was amazing, she helped my fiancee and I through each step of the process, with everything from getting our license, to walking us through every step of the ceremony. We couldnt recommend her highly enough to anyone looking for an officiant that thoroughly cares about your wedding. Thanks again Zia!!
Jon B
5.0
7/29/2024
We had the absolute pleasure of having Zia as our wedding officiant, and we couldn't be happier with our choice. From the very first interaction, Zia was incredibly friendly and easy to talk to. She genuinely cared about ensuring our ceremony was exactly what we envisioned.
We had several Zoom calls with Zia to go over our custom vows, and her guidance and support during these sessions were invaluable. She made the whole process smooth and enjoyable, and we felt very prepared for the big day.
What truly stood out was how Zia went above and beyond to create a customized order of events for our ceremony. She was very accommodating of our preferences, making sure every detail was perfect. Her dedication and attention to detail made our ceremony truly special and personal.
Andrew T
5.0
7/23/2024
My wife and I found Zia at the end of our wedding planning when our original officiant had to cancel, and it could not have worked out better for us. Zia worked with us to craft the perfect ceremony through multiple Zoom sessions. She really took the time to get to know us as a couple, and it showed because everyone we talked to mentioned how touching our ceremony was. We highly recommend Zia!
Christianna F
5.0
5/28/2024
Zia was such a pleasure to work with! We were able to book with her on short notice because our original venue and officiant was no longer available. In that short amount of time she made sure to meet with us and ask us about our relationship and tailored a beautiful ceremony for us. When we met her, her demeanor was so calming and kind. I’m so glad we found her!
Chelle S
5.0
5/21/2024
Zia gave a wonderfully heartfelt blessing ceremony for our twins that was impeccably personalized, thoughtful, and brought many of us to tears. I absolutely loved working with her, creating this perfect memory, and wouldn't hesitate to book her again. Thanks for everything, Zia!
Anastasia Z
5.0
5/15/2024
Working with Zia was magical. She was so personal and I love that we felt very comfortable and prepared for our wedding day. Highly suggest Zia!!!
Anna C
5.0
5/15/2024
Zia made our ceremony very personal, including guests into the ceremony. She was professional as the doorbell rang and door was opened right next to her while marrying us and she was unwavering in her duties.
Elaine E
5.0
2/26/2024
We loved all of our meetings with Zia, heading up to our big event. By the time of the ceremony, it felt like we were good friends. Zia has a special way with words, and knows how to personalize the messaging in a way that's meaningful to you and your partner. We highly recommend, Zia!
Kristen A
5.0
1/09/2024
Zia was amazing to work with! She took her time getting to know my and my partner's wants and needs and tailored the planning experience around them. She was accepting of all our ideas, both traditional and untraditional, and the entire ceremony planning was very collaborative and meaningful. Zia was very attentive, caring, and fun. Our ceremony was absolutely magical. I highly recommend Zia's services!!
Vendor response 01/10/2024
Thanks Jenna & Kristen for your reviews, choosing me to be on your team, and sharing with ...
me your unique, DIY, color coded ‘post its’ organizational system!
I’ll always hold the image of you standing in that Redwood grove at Glen Oaks, surrounded by sparkling beams of light. Melissa Ergo’s beautiful, photographic heart captured the essence of your connection. I’m honored to have been present in the sacred celebration of your journey, intentions and love.
Ellen C
5.0
12/27/2023
Zia officiated our wedding a few months ago and we had a great experience with her. Zia's dedication to her role was immediately apparent, bringing a warmth and thoughtfulness that resonated with us from the beginning. She has a lot of experience and has her own structured program for creating the wedding ceremony and vows, which was great since we didn't really know where to start. We met with her twice via zoom to go over the ceremony and our vows. She also offered advice on obtaining a marriage license. She was always very easy to communicate with and organized. Her ceremonies have a very distinct and memorable style and we were happy that our ceremony was unique. Throughout the entire process we felt like we were in good hands and would highly recommend zia as a wedding officiant!
Vendor response 01/10/2024
Thank you Ellen & Brent! I can’t wait to return to the Historic Sand Rock Farm in Aptos. Y...
our photographer Julie Cahill truly tapped into the epic magic of the moment. And compliments of Zoom we bridged the distance from CA to NY which allowed me to meet Ariah-your fabulous, feline fur baby. What a bonus! I’m so grateful you picked me to be on your team, and for taking the time to review my services.
Ali D
5.0
12/21/2023
Zia is such an amazing person. She was very easy to work with during the entire process. We met with Zia virtually multiple times prior to the ceremony to ensure she had all the information to prepare for our ceremony. I liked that she provided various options for ceremony structure. She really takes time to get to know her couples to make the ceremony personalized. The ceremony was delivered so well and was truly beautiful. I highly recommend Zia!
Vendor response 01/10/2024
Hi Ali & Daniel. What a privilege to stand up with you at fabulous Fairview Laguna Seca on...
your wedding day and at your rehearsal. The vows you exchanged, and how you honored your family moved me, + what a wonderful surprise to discover that my former ‘CHOMP’ colleague-is Daniel’s mom! I wish you a beautiful path forward & hope you’ll reach back out to me for your future ‘life cycle’ celebrations. Hats off to Maria Angelopoulou for her great photos. Warmly, Zia
Sasha S
5.0
11/20/2023
When my now Wife and I were looking for an officiant we had a couple things that were important to us. 1 - being inclusive. 2 - understanding we are not traditional.
And then we met Zia.
We knew immediately we were safe in her hands and our ceremony was important. Zia worked with us in all capacities to ensure our ceremony was exactly how we wanted. Add more, take out sections, whichever.
The day of our ceremony you could feel the radiant energy that Zia is. She brought so much joy and love.
I could not recommend anyone better. You will forever love your choice having Zia officiate your ceremony.
Vendor response 01/10/2024
Wow Sasha & Christina, your review gave me the chills! Saying that you felt safe, supporte...
d and seen in our work means the world to me. Thank you for trusting me to ‘hold the space’ for you in gorgeous Garrapata. I treasured Christina expressing that I’d always be a part of your marriage story. I hope you’ll reach back out for your future lifetime celebrations!
Laura H
5.0
11/06/2023
Zia was our wedding officiant last month. She did a wonderful job marrying my husband and I. She personalized our ceremony just as we planned. She was professional, organized, and very detailed in her work. She met with us online for multiple sessions and took the time to get to know us. She gives you homework, but every homework question was worth the end result. Our ceremony felt special and I will cherish the memories she helped us create. I would recommend her to any couple getting married in the Carmel area.
Pamela C
5.0
10/31/2023
Zia helped us create an absolutely unforgettable wedding day. We deeply appreciate the thoughtfulness, thoroughness, and heart Zia poured into our ceremony. It was a pleasure working with her in the months leading up to the wedding day; her dependability and meaningful communication put us at ease during what could be a stressful time period. Likewise, everyone we've spoken to has been so complimentary of Zia's passion and personalization. It was the most important part of our day and she absolutely nailed it.
Vendor response 11/01/2023
Hi Pam & Kevin, Thank you for your encouraging feedback & reviews!
The ‘Wedding Ring Warmi...
ng’ and the heart-crafted cards you wrote personally to your people were such a meaningful addition your ceremony. Although you’d expected your peeps to barely touch the rings, instead they poured their hearts into your wedding bands. The kids blessings were especially amazing! Your truly awesome photographer Melissa Ergo captured it all, and your team led by Heidi at Coastside Couture rocked-as usual! Thanks again for the privilege of being your wedding officiant, I’ll always remember standing with you on that magical mountaintop in Big Sur. Warmly, ZIA
Mya C
5.0
10/31/2023
Zia was a perfect fit for our elopement ceremony this past September in Garrapata State Park! She brought such as a calm and focused energy that helped us to do the same on such a busy day. Zia's meetings leading up to the ceremony were an awesome way for us to get to know her as an officiant and to reminisce about our story as a couple. Also, she was very easy to communicate with and flexible.
Vendor response 11/16/2023
Thanks Mya & Michael for your feedback! Your intimate, romantic ceremony in dreamy Garrapa...
ta State Park where the wide horizon was saturated with the rhythmic sound of the ocean was magical. Sergio from Henry Tieu Photography was awesome to work with. I’m so lucky that you chose me to be part of your big day!
Michelle A
5.0
10/05/2023
Zia was very thorough in the process of creating our ceremony. She asked us detailed questions to help personalize our ceremony and showcase our story as a couple. She even asked my husband's family questions regarding his culture and used special touches throughout the ceremony.
Jocelyn L
5.0
9/22/2023
Zia was incredible to work with, from our first zoom session all the way till our wedding day. Zia made it clear that she was on our side and would be available for us as a resource when we needed her. She really made us feel so special by getting to know us as individuals and our love story, perfectly crafting it for our ceremony. Zia is very professional and brings such a calming presence to our meetings. Even though my partner and I don't follow a specific religion, Zia took our lead and made us feel so comfortable in our decisions for our ceremony.
After our ceremony, my guests came up to me and said that was one of the best ceremonies they've ever witnessed and loved Zia as an officiant. I would absolutely recommend Zia to any couple looking for a traditional religious ceremony or non- religious ceremony.
Julia M
5.0
9/01/2023
It was a pleasure to get to know Zia over the last few months leading up to our wedding. We did both the counseling and ceremony with her and it was an amazing experience. She did a great job of capturing our personalities and styles in the ceremony and made it an amazing day. We would highly recommend Zia!
Adrian T
5.0
8/15/2023
Our ceremony was beautiful
Julia G
5.0
5/30/2023
We are working with Zia for pre-marital counseling and also for our ceremony. Zia is super supportive, a great listener, and is helping us navigate the stress of planning a wedding. We are so excited for her to officiate our wedding this summer and are so glad we found her. We would recommend Zia to any couple looking for an experienced officiant and doesn't know where to start.
Denice A
5.0
5/21/2023
Zia was amazing! She performed my son’s wedding in a beautiful outdoor setting in Monterey this past. March. Zia made a great effort to get to know my son and daughter in law and thus was able to truly personalize their ceremony! It was an interfaith ceremony and everyone felt respected and included. Our family and friends commented that it was the nicest wedding they had ever attended because they learned so much about the couple and their story! Brava Zia!
Monique R
5.0
5/05/2023
Zia officiated our wedding in March 2023 and we could have not asked for a more perfect ceremony and officiant! Zia worked tirelessly with us to craft the most personal, intimate, and memorable ceremony. We incorporated elements from our Jewish/Catholic heritages and Zia helped us every step of the way, making sure we had the perfect mixture of both cultures. Zia was kind, personable, and so much fun throughout the entire process and made us feel so comfortable! We received so many amazing compliments on our ceremony from our friends and family. Thank you Zia!
Kristina H
5.0
3/29/2023
Zia was an amazing officiant who really took the time to get to know us and personalize our experience. She was excellent with planning, including modifying our premarital counseling plan and rescheduling to fit everything into a hectic schedule. Everyone at the wedding commented on how personal and memorable it was, and Zia's ceremony was a big part of that.
Lauren D
5.0
12/31/2022
Zia was our officiant for our elopement at Pebble Beach. Zia was absolutely wonderful to work with leading up to our wedding, and it was a great pleasure to have her as part of our special day. Zia brought warmth and peace to our ceremony and we would highly recommend her to anyone looking for an officiant.
Elizabeth S
5.0
11/21/2022
Zia was a fantastic officiant. She made our day so memorable and meaningful. She helped us with our vows and added some things we hadn't even thought of. We would highly recommend Zia! Thank you!
Antonella V
5.0
11/16/2022
Zia was everything you dream of as a wedding officiant!
She was so welcoming at our first meeting, thoughtful in her questions to learn more about my parent's love story, flexible with scheduling follow-up meetings, incredibly attentive to the details which reflected in the ceremony, and just a pure joy to be around. Her energy provided my parents and my guests a sense of comfort and ease during a beautiful officiated renewal of vows ceremony. I could not have asked for a better experience for everyone! Thank you, Zia!
Wanran L
5.0
11/15/2022
Zia was amazing! She was really part of our team throughout the whole process and all the way through our special day. We can't thank Zia enough for being there for us and guiding us along every step of the way. The whole time she made us feel at ease, gave us advice, and took special care. She was very patient and caring. She also customized and made our ceremony unique to how we wanted it. We would highly recommend Zia!
Teddi B
5.0
11/06/2022
Zia was such a pleasure to work with from beginning to end. She took time to get to know us, and really captured our vision for our ceremony. Zia is personable, professional and fantastic at what she does. During our small beach wedding ceremony in Carmel, she made all of us laugh and tear up multiple times. We couldn’t have asked for a more special ceremony and Zia was a big part of that. We are over the moon with how it all turned out. She also helped make the marriage license process a breeze.
Phoenix H
5.0
11/01/2022
Zia is absolutely amazing. She spent so much time personalizing our ceremony to us, and made it so special and intimate. She is a joy to work with, and so easy to talk to. I highly recommend her.
Nick Z
5.0
10/31/2022
Zia was fantastic and went above and beyond in making our ceremony incredibly special!!!
From the moment we started working together she was very thoughtful and comfortable to work with. Zia is very clear and thoughtful with how she communicates, plans and conducts a ceremony. We felt that she was personally invested in making our ceremony a success in the planning stages all the way through our wedding day. Our family and guests also loved some of the special and unique suggestions she suggested adding to make our ceremony memorable. It was truly special working with Zia on our ceremony!
We would highly recommend her to anyone looking for an officiant!
Angie R
5.0
10/25/2022
Zia was amazing!!! She provided guidance every step of the way and was very hands on. She truly cared about what we envisioned for our wedding ceremony and went above and beyond. In addition, she helped us with our vows since we decided to do our own. We are extremely happy with how Zia led our ceremony so beautifully. Our only regret is that we didn't record it, because it was just so amazing.
Jacqueline M
5.0
9/08/2022
Absolutely loved the way Zia guided us through crafting our vows and a ceremony that felt personal and significant to us as a couple. Zia was very communicative, attentive, and held the space for us to make our elopement better than we could have imagined.
Hailey K
5.0
8/27/2022
It was wonderful working with Zia as our wedding officiant. My (now) husband and I had no idea how to prep for our wedding ceremony or even what we wanted it to be like! But Zia helped us plan our ceremony in a way that was deeply meaningful for us. Zia was professional, prepared, and I felt secure in her hands leading up to the wedding, and on the big day. As expected, the wedding day was a whirlwind, but Zia had a way of making sure we were 'present' for each moment of our ceremony. I am so grateful that we found Zia, and could not have asked for a better experience.
Michael M
5.0
8/08/2022
Zia is a truly wonderful officiant. Not only was she our officiant, but she helped us through the process of getting our marriage license paperwork sorted, and was our premarital counselor as well, and this was a great decision. During the counseling, Zia was extremely knowledgeable, patient, kind, and empathetic throughout the entire process. Zia truly took the time to get to know us and guide us through the entire counseling process. This made the actual officiating of our ceremony all the better. She worked with us tirelessly to help us craft our vows and customize the readings for our ceremony. When it came to the actual ceremony, Zia exuded the same warmth which she had shown to us in our one-on-one counseling sessions. Her presence was like having a familiar friend to guide us through our special moment. She was even kind enough to bless our ceremony with a brief song. We are grateful and overjoyed to have had Zia as our officiant, and would shout her praises from the rooftops, and recommend her to anyone and everyone.
Anna D
5.0
8/04/2022
I really wanted to find someone who could perform pre-marital counseling for me and my fiancé and who would also officiate our wedding - Zia is wonderful because she is experienced, professional and holds space beautifully for the journey! We have completed our premarital counseling and Zia always treated us with respect and offered a gentle and supportive hand in guiding us along the process. Looking forward to having her officiate for us - I'm certain she is going to facilitate a beautiful ceremony as we embark on this new pilgrimage! Many things during wedding planning seem expensive but in my opinion the process with Zia was well worth it for the sake of improving communication with my partner and helping clarify our goals for the future not just for the wedding but for our marriage!
Kitty D
5.0
8/03/2022
I didn't realize how important a part of the ceremony our Officiant would be until we met Zia. Zia ended up being an integral part of our preparation for our big day, in the sense that she gave us a better understanding of how to approach our pledges to love to one another. Zia is thoughtful, kind, helpful, and so much more. Our wedding wouldn't be what it was without Zia. You can tell she really loves her job and gives it her all. Zia is really with you "for the whole enchilada."
Riley G
5.0
8/01/2022
We are so thankful to have had Zia lead us through our wedding ceremony! I appreciate how open she was to what fit our needs and desires for our wedding, and she was extremely accommodating with preferences around religion, spirituality, and "modernizing" a wedding ceremony. Zia was a calming force on our wedding day and did a truly great job sharing our story with our guests. We met only a few times to plan, but by the time the big day came around I felt truly prepared and on the same page about what to expect. It can be scary to hire someone you do not know for such a big task, but Zia absolutely nailed it! Thank you Zia!
Lisa V
5.0
8/01/2022
We had the pleasure of working with Zia as the officiant for our wedding at the end of April in Monterey. We were so impressed with how thorough Zia was in guiding us through different aspects of planning the ceremony. She spent a lot of effort getting to know us over several Zoom calls leading up to the wedding and really got us to focus on certain decisions about the ceremony and the impact to family dynamic, flow, etc. Our wedding day was truly magical and the ceremony itself, through the guidance of Zia, was certainly the talk at the reception! I think the biggest compliment I can give Zia is that I had so many of my friends want to know more about Zia and wanted her contact information so that they hire her to do their vow renewals or serve as an officiant at a relatives wedding! Zia is such a professional to work with and she really helps you anticipate how the ceremony will play out. She ensures that the ceremony has personal touches throughout which resonate so well with the friends and family surrounding you on your special day. She was an absolute joy to work with and I'm so grateful we were fortunate enough to have her play such an important role in our wedding!
Patrick D
5.0
7/01/2022
Zia was amazing. She was supportive and provided great advice leading up to our ceremony. She stuck with us through nearly three years and two postponements. After the ceremony I had multiple guests tell me it was the best they’d ever seen!
Sarah M
5.0
6/11/2022
Zia is personable, professional, and a real gem! She was so great to work with and was very helpful. Highly recommend her! She has a light that shines so bright and she will make your day extra special.
Natalia E
5.0
6/07/2022
Zia is amazing! She really took the time to get to know us and get us ready! I love her personality and overall energy. Super attentive and made things even more special. I couldn’t wait to see what she had put together and it was perfect. She had our guests telling us how much they loved her. If you’re looking for someone who will give you a personal reading and loving atmosphere, Zia’s your gal!
Erik S
5.0
5/03/2022
Zia was very thorough in meeting with us multiple times on Zoom in the early stages and as we got closer to the big day. She does an amazing job of being flexible and modern yet helping couples and the wedding guests understand the importance of the ceremony.
Jamie G
4.0
5/03/2022
Zia made our wedding day very special! We chose to customize our entire ceremony, and it was the best decision we made. We had multiple guests come up to us after the wedding to comment on how beautiful the ceremony was. Zia guided us every step of the way, and we’re grateful for her patience and expertise.
J. Evayne S
5.0
3/11/2022
Zia is nothing short of amazing! My husband and I felt connected to her when we initially met. Our family adores her and now considers her our “family officiant”. Two and a half years after she officiated our marriage, we contacted her to preside over our baby’s blessing (similar to a christening/baptism). Zia asks all the right questions to understand our vision for any occasion that requires a ceremony. Her delivery is well thought out and planned and she always prepares for the unexpected. She brings the sunshine out through the clouds, figuratively speaking. Zia deserves fives stars for all the times she has presided in our ceremonies. That’s how magical she is.
J. Evayne S
5.0
3/11/2022
Zia is nothing short of amazing! My husband and I felt connected to her when we initially met. Our family adores her and now considers her our “family officiant”. Two and a half years after she officiated our marriage, we contacted her to preside over our baby’s blessing (similar to a christening/baptism). Zia asks all the right questions to understand our vision for any occasion that requires a ceremony. Her delivery is well thought out and planned and she always prepares for the unexpected. Like bringing the sunshine out through the clouds, figuratively speaking. Zia deserves fives stars for all the times she has presided in our ceremonies. That’s how magical she is.
Zoe H
5.0
1/03/2022
Due to covid our wedding reception got pushed back and we did a small elopement in 2020 and then a larger celebration in 2021. One plus of having the wedding pushed back was it just gave us extra bonus time with Zia! We feel so lucky to have Zia as a partner and guide during the wedding process. Zia truly took the time to customize and tailor or wedding to us as individuals and as a couple and every aspect of our wedding felt unique and perfectly us. It was a truly magical experience and we would recommend Zia to anyone for their wedding day.
THANK YOU ZIA!!!!!
Jim A
5.0
1/01/2022
Zia is the ultimate professional in terms of carrying all of her responsibilities with total reliability; and she is also profoundly sensitive, caring, responsive, and supportive. I love her eclecticism, integrating the best from different traditions and molding a personal and deeply moving experience for all. She officiated at my favorite niece's wedding in August and at a memorial service for my sister in December, and both were deeply touching, meaningful, emotionally rich experiences. She is a talented and wonderful person.
Jamie A
5.0
1/01/2022
Zia is a warm, caring, insightful person who is unusually good at creating a meaningful ceremony. I was struck by the way she made all of us guests feel welcome, and like we were an important part of the event. She handled some challenges beautifully (rain, in the middle of the ceremony; a health issue with the mother of the bride). She seemed very tuned into the bride and groom, and facilitated a memorable, moving ceremony. You could not ask for more!
Casey H
5.0
12/31/2021
We loved having Zia as our officiant for our August wedding. She was an incredible partner throughout the process as she really tailored the ceremony plan to be what we wanted and executed it wonderfully. It was a truly magical experience and we would recommend Zia to anyone for their wedding day.
Mark W
5.0
12/31/2021
Zia is a kind charismatic professional. She flexibly worked more than a year, soothing parents and step parents (from different walks of life) traveling across the country during the Pandemic. Zia helped my daughter and son-in-law craft a simple ceremony that met the magnitude of the moment in radiance and grace. As an Officiant, Zia spoke clearly and confidently. She leaning-in with her body and spirit, to hold 60 family and friends, with reverent words in an emphatic but lyrical voice, without a mic … in a forest clearing. She took us beyond our needs and expectations. I highly recommend Zia as a Officiant.
Frank T
5.0
12/30/2021
Zia Shapiro's role as priestess at my nieces wedding was performed with grace and compassion. Her ability to hold a sacred space with joy and intention created the perfect tabernacle to experience the bond between my niece and her partner and understand their commitments. The eclectic knowledge of world traditions with which she crafted her words and songs, transcended religious dogma to a place of true spirit and divinity. Bringing her humility, intelligence, humor and huge loving hart, Zias presence would be a treasure at any ritual.
Jennifer D
5.0
12/29/2021
We used Zia as a pre-marital counselor to go through the prepare-enrich sessions. She was able to meet up with us over zoom we did three 1.5hr sessions with her. We would recommend her if you are wanting to do pre-marital counseling. These sessions helped us talk about things that needed to be discussed and helped us learn how to communicate. We hope to use these skills in the future long into our married life.
Patrick M
5.0
12/29/2021
I attended my niece’s wedding this past summer in Oregon. Zia Shapiro officiated the ceremony. Zia made the ceremony one of the most moving wedding I have ever attended. Zia eloquently sharing the beginning of the couple’s romantic and loving relationship with clarity and humor. Zia has the calming ability to make everyone feel connected and united as one with the wedding couple. It was a very reaffirming experience filled with humor, connection, song, happiness and authentic love.
David S
5.0
12/28/2021
We loved Zia's creative ceremony , which incorporated and integrated seamlessly the bride and grooms's vision for their marriage with a number of traditional customs , as well as a personal address to the gathering As the bride's step-father, I was aware of the numerous meetings and conferences with the bride and groom in the months leading up to the ceremony. This was designed and created by Zia with the participants actively engaged in the process and reflecting their personal desires and special elements. This was also an inter-faith certemony, which Zia handled with singfular experience, sensitivity, wit, and elan. Zia , with a lovely voice, also led us in song. Her preparations were meticulous and the ceremony was everything we wanted and more. I recommend Zia with 5 stars.
Jayne S
5.0
12/28/2021
I attended my partner's daughter's wedding where Zia served as the officiant uniting the couple in marriage. Not only did Zia capture the individuality of the bride and groom, but she was also able to create a ceremony where their oneness in love for each other transformed those in attendance.
True to her promise: "your heart-crafted ceremony will be filled with your love, your voice, and your values," Zia is magic! She sees the soul.
May M
5.0
12/28/2021
I have attended a lifetime of weddings! The wedding of my niece Zoe and her husband Casey, was the most personal service I have ever experienced, my own wedding included ! Zia performed the service with love and humor. Her touches were just so special. She gave details of the couples love story and offered thoughts and prayers for this couple during a very joyous, but difficult time in their lives. The service was meaningful in every way, to every person in attendance. We laughed, we cried, it rained and we got a rainbow ( in my opinion, Zia probably had something to do with that magic as well!) We celebrated in a unique and meaningful way for this couple. I will cherish the day, always! Thank you Zia, from my heart.
Christopher C
5.0
12/25/2021
Zia did a great job of making a very personal ceremony. We had lots of follow up and meeting so she could make sure she got to the crux of what made us tick. Always very friendly and accommodating.
Alessandra B
5.0
11/29/2021
I knew from the first time I spoke with Zia that she would be a wonderful addition to our wedding celebration. Zia is so well organized and thoughtful when crafting your unique celebration. Each time we meet with Zia she learned more about us and the final product was a beautifully crafted ceremony that really spoke to who we are as individuals and partners. We had a small intimate wedding and this personalized ceremony fit in seamlessly. We were so happy with the final outcome and our families were equally impressed with everything Zia wrote and how personal it was to us. She made sure to incorporate special moments for our parents and sisters. The ceremony itself was definitely a highlight of our wedding because of Zia. We will always remember this special moment in time. I would highly recommend Zia for your future wedding.
Christina P
5.0
10/28/2021
Zia is wonderful. She has such a warm and welcoming presence and brings extensive thoughtfulness and care to her work. We chose to customize our ceremony with her (Option 3 in her suite of choices), and she was so great to work with - she started by asking us to share milestones and memories from our relationship with her (both individually and as a couple), and we then had several Zoom meetings to discuss her approach and the overall plan - everything from as broad as, "How do you want to feel when you're standing up there?" to as tactical as, "Who will be fluffing your dress?". She also connected us with a great notary for our marriage license. Truly, no detail was left unaddressed. She was also really receptive to our thoughts and requests, and really ended up doing a lot of customization for us.
While we had a sense of what would be covered in the ceremony, we heard it for the first time during the wedding itself, and it was perfect. Joyful, authentic, personal - it was just what we'd hoped for. So many of the photos from the ceremony are of us smiling and laughing - it felt genuinely FUN to be up there, hearing her stories about our relationship and her sharing what we each love most about each other.
Thank you Zia!
Valerie A
5.0
9/21/2021
Zia was wonderful to work with! She helped us prepare for our special day by providing thoughtful and creative input for our unique wedding experience. She was super knowledgeable about the whole process and we were glad to have her experienced guidance. The day could not have gone better! We were happy to have Zia take a special role in it.
Vladimir V
5.0
9/21/2021
My wife and I hired Zia to perform our small ~20 person ceremony this summer, and we were very happy with her work. She provided excellent guidance and helped both of us write our vows, and weaved our personal stories into the ceremony in a genuine and meaningful way. Overall, Zia was fantastic to work with.
Anil N
5.0
9/20/2021
Zia was the perfect officiant for our wedding. She took the time and effort to get to know us and crafted a beautiful personalized ceremony for us. It had the perfect mix of gravitas, solemnity, gaiety and levity that made our wedding memorable. She was a thorough professional building up to the wedding. But more importantly she was supportive, warm and wise. Her words touched us and all the friends and family who were there.
Philip L
5.0
9/13/2021
Zia was the most incredible officiant we could have ever found. Her grace, sense of peace, and tranquility helped to create a wonderful ceremony.
Also, she went so above and beyond in terms of helping us with our vows, and defining the full order of our ceremony.. Thank you Zia, for everything.
Amanda G
5.0
9/08/2021
Zia did an amazing job. She truly cares and it showed. Thanks, Zia.
Cadence B
5.0
7/21/2021
Zia was easy to work with and a delight to have on our wedding day. She was warm and supportive throughout the process, and went above and beyond to help: from providing advice on marriage licences to giving several iterations of feedback on our personal vows. She also truly cared a lot about what we wanted to get out of the ceremony, and she spent a lot of time working with us to craft it. At the end of each session with Zia, we felt more connected to each other than ever, and she truly captured that connection and shared it during our ceremony. Afterwards, we got many compliments on how authentic and joyful our elopement was, and we couldn’t have done it without Zia.
Alejandra H
5.0
6/29/2021
Zia is the most wonderful, sweetest and professional officiant! From the beginning she makes you feel at ease because you can tell she is on top of it! She reviews each part of the ceremony with you and really gets to know you both so the ceremony is truly your own. She really cares about her words and her work, and it shows. You cannot go wrong with hiring her. We were lucky our paths crossed, she truly did an amazing job!
Bravishma N
5.0
12/31/2020
In a year that was all about distancing, Zia brought us closer together!
We decided quite last minute to plan our Partnership celebration. Zia was the perfect choice to officiate our celebration.
She went above and beyond to customize it to suit our needs (e.g. gender neutral / inter faith / pro-women theme, giving prominence to our matriarchs (grandmothers) and parents and families, having our sisters be a key part of this, incorporating science, animals and other things we love, etc.) The celebration was attended by our near and dear ones from all over the world (5 continents), including the pets we love!
Zia was also like a counselor to us throughout the process. Her suggestion on the dry-run was excellent, and it helped bring our families closer.
This is a celebration we, our families and friends will always cherish! Thank you so much, Zia!
We highly recommend Zia!
Sai R
5.0
12/31/2020
Zia is the best! I've seen her officiate two weddings and they both rocked!
Douglas S
5.0
11/05/2020
Zia was fantastic! With just a couple of weeks notice for our elopement, she helped us to craft a moving ceremony that really shaped our commitment to each other, and felt truly personal.
Alex P
5.0
10/26/2020
My Wife and I met Zia through our wedding venue, Wedgewood in California. Through meeting and working with Zia for the wedding, Zia had mentioned to us about Prepare and Enrich and how beneficial it is for relationships, especially those about to get married. We were able to focus on our relationship and learn how to effectively communicate and understand each other to ensure for a healthy and happy marriage. I am so thankful that my wife and I got to work with Zia and have this incredible experience! I highly recommend Zia as a Prepare Enrich Coach.
Brandi C
5.0
10/26/2020
My partner and I met Zia through our venue and we enjoyed our conversations with Zia so much we decided to take a chance on doing the prepare and enrich program. It was one of the best decisions we made, we had conversations that we didn’t know we should have been having before getting married. Unfortunately we did not get to have our ceremony with Zia due to COVID-19 but we can’t thank her enough for her caring, compassion and ability to build relationships with her couples. Thank you for helping us build our foundation and invest in our relationship. Would 100 percent recommend Zia to anyone!
amaury B
5.0
10/15/2020
We hired Zia as our officiant for our November wedding back before the pandemic started. Needless to say COVID through a wrench in our plans. Through it all, ZIa has been a wealth of knowledge, kindness and positive energy.
We decided to do pre-marital counseling with Zia through Prepare and Enrich. Zia has been nothing but a positive force helping us learning more about ourselves and our relationship. It has has been such a rewarding experience. I would recommend Zia to any one who asks, she is amazing!
Gabriela P
5.0
10/14/2020
Zia is such an amazing person to work with. She's compassionate, thorough, and just so lovely all around. Our time together was a wonderful experience and I could not recommend her more as a minister and as a premarital counselor. Thank you Zia for all your work and our many laughs and memories together through our journey to marriage!
Caren C
5.0
10/03/2020
Zia is wonderful and caring! She took the time to try to get to know us so she could provide us with a personalized ceremony. The ceremony was beautiful and memorable!
Shuling D
5.0
10/02/2020
Zia is more than an officiant to us. She's a mentor, a guide, and a strong support to us with the ups and downs through this journey. She was very patient to go over every single details with us, answered every questions we had, consulted us with our concerns. We feel seen, heard, and supported, and most importantly she truly cares about us.
Zoe W