 It's been two weeks since my partner of 29+ years and I were married at
The Bow Bridge in Central Park by Rabbi Steve Blane. Our trip to NY had
been planned for months, but the decision to get married was made just a
month before the wedding date. Unlike some others, we left everything
in Rabbi Steve's hands. He chose the location, what he would say, all of
it. It couldn't have been a more beautiful ceremony. From the moment
Rabbi Steve rode up on his bike, smiled, and waved as he recognized us
(two old men with matching bow ties; not a hard find) the bridge was
filled with laughter and love. We got married near Bow Bridge in Central Park. Rabbi Steve made the
ceremony absolutely delightful. He was very professional, funny, and
very comforting. It was a magical day and he made it even more special. We traveled from the UK to be married in New York City on December 1, 2012. As
expected we were very excited but also very nervous! Rabbi Steve,
quickly eased our nerves and helped to make our wedding day the most
memorable day of our lives :) Sally & Adrian Thomas- December 22, 2012 Stephanie and Hector- December 17, 2012 We cannot thank you enough for officiating our wedding in June 2012 and making it so special for us. Your support before the wedding (especially as we came over from England!)was invaluable to us and something that we will never forget. The ceremony itself was just perfect and we were instantly put at ease by your calming and kind nature. We loved everything about it and our guests agreed. Thank you so much for everything, New York will always be such a special place for us and you have contributed to that, we are so grateful. Kindest regards, Sian and Chris Dakin Nottingham, England It was a beautiful wedding- we couldn't ask for more!!! It was very intimate and honored wedding! We had so much
fun!! You did such an amazing job. You made us feel comfortable and helped make it fun. It was such a pleasure having your as our officiant. Thank you so very much for making our day special.
Nikki "What can I say, everyone LOVED the rabbi!"  Fondly, E & J Preparing Shabbos dinner and watching Sarah & Brian's video, as our Chanukah candles cast their shadows across the dining room ceiling. You did a great job, and acted with the steady patience that goes with that name. Thank you for a meaningful and haimish service. We were all blessed to witness day give way to night as you led Sarah & Brian from singledom to marriage. Whew. All the best. Peace & Love, Eileen From Jim: "I contacted Rabbi Steve to officiate at a renewal of vows for our 25th wedding anniversary. My wife Kelly had no idea I was planning this event so secrecy was paramount and as we were coming from Canada, I needed someone I could depend on to get everything set up in New York. Rabbi Steve was so helpful with the arrangements that I knew from the outset we were in good hands. When the day came and the surprise was sprung on my wife in Central Park, Rabbi Steve made us feel like we had been friends for years and made the occasion warm, intimate and truly joyful. Thanks to him, everything went perfectly - better than my highest hopes. It was obvious that he was enjoying the service as much as we were and we feel we have made a friend for life, because he was such an integral part of one of the happiest days of our lives. Rabbi Steve is friendly, helpful, full of joy and truly a beautiful man. I cannot thank you enough, Rabbi Steve, for what you did for us that day. We will never forget the day, or you."  From Kelly: "Despite being completely lost for words at the time I can now say without reservation that the renewal of our vows and our commitment to each other was made even more special by the warmth and grace you brought to the occasion. Jim has said it much more eloquently than I. Please know that you will always hold a special place in our hearts."  Thank you so much for making our wedding so special. The service was everything we could ever have hoped for, especially on such short notice. Most of our guests wanted to know who you were as they thought you and the service was fabulous (You were a big hit!!). When I told them how we found you and that you lived in our neighborhood, they couldn't believe that either. Our family and friends could not imagine how we pulled this off in only seven days. Warmly, Karen & Mark. Thank you so much for officiating our wedding. We have received so many compliments about how sweet and charming your service was! Peter & Luca  We'd like to thank you from heart once again for officiating our wedding. It was very special day for us and you made it even more special! You were able to make us feel comfortable from the very first moment. We will send you some photo or video as soon as we get home to Italy. We will never forget... CIAO, Ludmila & Gianluca Hi Rabbi Blane, We just watched our wedding video for the first time and wanted to drop you a note to say how incredibly beautiful and meaningful you made our ceremony. It was so much fun to relive it! I can't imagine our wedding without you--thank you so much again, from both of us. Hope all is well with you, happy (belated) Hannukah and all our best for the new year! Rennie and John  Rabbi, from all of us thank you so much. It was a wonderful Bar Mitzvah service, you made Ryan feel so comfortable and helped make him shine on his most special day. Shalom, Sharon & Eric. Hey Rabbi!!! I don't even know where to begin - THANK YOU again!!! It was just magnificent! I will definitely post on your site and get you pics/video once we receive them. You were spectacular and I cannot tell you how many of my guests came up to me and said that you were awesome - you really were. And who knew you could sing like that? Just great! Thanks for getting the license out so quickly. All the Best, Beth & John  Your Toronto friends, Andrea & Alex Rabbi Blane, Thank you for making our wedding as wonderful and memorable as it was! Our ceremony was even better than we imagined, and all of our guests were talking about how it was so much fun to hear you sing with the guitar and be able to participate in the ceremony. We loved the way you explained all of the aspects of a Jewish ceremony so that everyone knew the significance of each part, and all of our guests felt involved. We are so glad that you officiated our ceremony and we would highly recommend you to future brides and grooms! Brooke & Seth Hi We just want to thank you for the vow renewal ceremony today, my parents and we really enjoyed it. It was just amazing and a lot better than expected. We will always remember this day, because this ceremony made it really special. Thank you! Katja & Birgit Thank you so much one more time! It was an amazing ceremony! Here's our video- Anna & Andrew http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDoYeuAkhgA Hi Steve, and thank you again. Sorry I didn't get back at you sooner as Edward and I were in our honeymoon =]. He and I feel very grateful about your officiating at our wedding. It was a really magical moment for us and the family. “You were highly recommended right from the start by our close friends Isabel and Danny, who you wed on April 4th 2010. When I called you and asked if you were available to wed James and I, I knew you were the one for the role as our Officiant. Your openness, pleasant voice, calming demeanour, and sense of humour struck me as the right candidate for the job and indeed you were! You exceeded our expectations.  On our wedding day you were punctual and professional. In addition, you took the time to personalize our wedding by mentioning “trinity” (a deep meaning for us) and thanking our friends and family for the tapestry of wonderfulness they have created. Without them, or you, our paths may not have crossed or our lives may not be so beautiful and wonderful. Steve, I hope you continue to touch the lives of others in such a significant and meaningful way as you have done for both James and I. Our wedding was perfect, and you were a large piece of that puzzle. James and I are still smiling in result… Thanks again! Best regards, Heidi” Rabbi Blane,
We couldn't have chosen better people to co-officiate our
wedding.. everyone said it was the most wonderful and fun and beautiful
ceremony they have ever been to.. and we had such a great experience..
it was beautiful.. The gentle and reassuring approach that both, you
and Father David infused into our ceremony put to rest any concerns
with respect to our choice of an interfaith marriage..
 We loved the energy between you and Father David and your singing
was beautiful!! It was more than we could have asked for.. Thank you so
much for making it such a great experience for us and our guests!!
with love, Anna and David Dear Rabbi- It was a great blessing for me also. I told my wife when I got to the car that it was one of the most wonderful interfaith ceremonies I have participated in - thank you. Father T. Hi Steve,  Best, Jason & Meredith Dear Rabbi Blane, Sorry that it has taken so long to send this email. Roxann and I wanted to thank you for the great job that you did officiating at our wedding. Everyone who attended thought that you did a great job. Roxann and I was very happy with the wedding. It was all that we expected and more. Many people commented on the ceremony. They liked your sense of humor and the fact that you explained everything during the ceremony. We are glad that we chose you to officiate. We also wanted to thank your for blessing Meagan's baby. It meant a lot to us. If you ever need a recommendation, Roxann and I would be happy to oblige. You helped to make our day very special. Scott and Roxann Steve, The service was fabulous. We enjoyed meeting you. We thought the entire thing was perfect. Many thanks for helping to make our day such as great memory. Mike & Marla Hi Steve Thank you so much for helping to make our day so special! What you do for people like us is amazing, to play such an important role on such an important day in our lives and to make it such a joy, we will never forget - Mazal Tov to you too! Kevin & Claire Hi Steve, It was so wonderful having you as our Officiant - We wouldn't have had it any other way. Thank you for everything.We will definitely keep in touch. Take care. Yari & Herve You were great at the ceremony. We all enjoyed your readings. Thank you for all you do.   We
received so many compliments on our ceremony. A lot of our friends said
that they loved the Rabbi and that the ceremony was so beautiful and
that it was the best ceremony they'd ever seen! Khan & Erin Rabbi Steve, We had a wonderful time. Everyone was saying that I could not have picked a better day or a better person to officiate! The quotes you choose for the ceremony were absolutely perfect! By the way, I will be recommending you to all of my unmarried friends! Love, Pablo & Tammy Alina and I just wanted to take the time to thank you for the wonderful job you did at our wedding. Your ability to translate one culture into another was uncanny, and very well spoken. Everyone is still talking about the Guitar and how fun it was for them to witness and experience our wedding, and we are forever grateful that it was because of you, that it was more of an experience than a "normal ceremony". You took the time to translate ancient traditions into lamens terms for those in attendance who maybe were unaware, and gave everyone a little involvement in our big day. So again, thank you for all you did, (especially making sure I wasn't dropped off of the chair), and for making mine and my wife's wedding, a day we'll not soon forget!!! Thank You So Much Sincerely, Timothy and Alina  "Our ceremony was perfectly beautiful. Steve Blane made it personal and intimate, just as we wanted it. He even mentioned our beloved dog Juana and read words in Spanish so that my grandmother could understand!! We are very very grateful!!" Mariangella & Ansley Dear Rabbi Steve, Thank you so much for a wonderful, funny, interesting and very memorable ceremony! All of our guests were so impressed with you. Most of the time Wedding ceremonies are long, boring and dull. Yours was just the opposite. You delivered everything that you promised and much more! Again, thank you for everything. Please use our names for future references. Love, Michael and Natalya  We both thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making us officially family! You did an amazing job and we plan to keep in touch. Everyone truly enjoyed the ceremony and its all thanks to you! Photos will be on the way! Yeshnaya and Mike Rabbi Blane Wow was that a dream come true - I cannot thank you enough - people have been calling us - going on about how much they loved you as our interfaith rabbi and how they are all going to convert now - hehe... I will for sure send you pictures - We must stay in touch - and we would love to come to one of your services so please let us know where - you are fabulous and I hope our months of back and forth communication was worth it - I know it was for me and my HUSBAND (wow) love mia  Rabbi, Thanks so much for everything. You were a smash hit! Quisha & Rob  Thank you so much for officiating at the wedding. You were great! It made our day awesome and everyone has told us how great our ceremony was! We have heard nothing but good things! Thanks again for everything! We will definitely stay in touch! Nikki & Gary Hi Rabbi Blane, Thank you so much!!!!! The ceremony was everything I could have asked for. Everyone was coming up to me and asking about you. They thought you were wonderful and loved the ceremony. I will send pictures soon... Thanks for everything, Sam and Brandon Dear Rabbi Blane, Here are is an album of pics one of our friends took during the ceremony... thank you so much for your kind words in your email - we appreciate them and the beautiful ceremony you put together for us! We look forward to staying in touch with you. As an aside, it looks like we have a common friend. A close friend of mine from law school... Speak with you soon. Stu and Jill Hi, Rabbi! Bob and I feel that it was an honor to have you officiate at our wedding. We are both very fond of you. Thank you for the kind words. Stay well, and keep in touch! Shalom, Liz Hi
Rabbi Blane! I don't even know where to begin. First, I want to thank
you for an amazing ceremony. Many of the people there have never been
to a Jewish wedding and I am so glad you were able to be their first
experience. I can' t tell you how many people came up to us to tell us
how much they enjoyed our ceremony. Many people told us it was the best
ceremony they have ever been to and I have to agree. It was the perfect
mix of comedy and sincerity and I along with everyone else loved every
minute of it. Minister Anthony was also a wonderful choice. He was warm
and caring and we both really enjoyed working with him. Oh and the
music was such a great addition to the ceremony! It's funny even before
your email Shawn and I were talking about coming to see one of your
services. You just have to let us know where you will be so we can come
see a service. Thank you again for everything it was even better then Shawn and I could have ever imagined. Shawn & Stephanie  Hi Rabbi Blane! Thanks again for officiating our wedding it was
a wonderful ceremony that we will remember fondly always. We will be
sure to send you pictures once we receive them from the photographer. Boris & Jeanette Dear Steve... You added so much!!! I have been telling everyone that this was the best service in which I have been involved. I know that the ceremony will always be cherished by Erik & Tina...so unique....so special...After the ceremony was completed everyone was telling me how great it was...what a success!! And Rabbi.....it was because of YOU!! Thanks for the great experience. Shalom, Judge Matt Re: Tom's Bar Mitzvah Dear RB- The "reviews" have been unanimously positive. Even my brother was impressed! The consensus is you were superb: the service was not too long, the "congregants" could sing along and participate with the service, the transliterated prayers were easy to follow (many, as I said, confessed they had trouble reading Hebrew), and there was no cereal filler. You were quite a hit, with quite a few guests saying they wish they lived closer by so that could "join" Sim Shalom, or that you lived in their area. Your voice was much complimented, and people truly enjoyed and appreciated your humanity and humour. We were so pleased with the Bar Mitzvah training and service, and quite happy Tom was able to prepare under your patient tutelage. All the best, V&G  Happy New Year! Mike & I thank you again for performing the Jewish ceremony and for the good wishes on our marriage. The overall feedback received on the ceremony was positive. Our guests enjoyed the service and many even commented on your musical talent. Best regards, Angela & Mike Rabbi Steve, Thank you for a most enjoyable experience at Mary Beth and Ian’s wedding. You are a good man and great to work with! Have a good Winter! Father Steve  Rabbi Blane, Thanks so much for being a part of our wedding day. The words you spoke were so special to us and we are so glad you were able to officiate! You were the perfect choice! My mom actually couldn't stop talking about how handsome you were and everyone kept saying that the ceremony was just perfect! We couldn't have picked a more perfect spot. Thanks for all your advice and kind words of wisdom. Best regards, Tammy Rabbi Blane-
I can't tell you how much I appreciated your "officiation" of the wedding! You were superb and I can't thank you enough. :) Ian Thank you Rabbi Steve. Everyone said it was one of the nicest ceremonies they have been to. I'll be sure to send you the pictures as soon as I get some!  We just got back from our trip a week ago and had a blast in Portugal and Morocco. We haven't forgotten about what you did for us and words can't convey the gratitude we feel for having you as our officiant. You saved our wedding! We didn't know what to do with ourselves when that thunderstorm hit! But your calm positive attitude was so reassuring, it helped us get through the morning. You were also our voice of reason when we thought we could brave the storm and I thank god for your sound suggestions and for your kindness in offering your apartment to us! Our wedding reaffirmed my belief that sometimes you just need to let go and put it in the hands of god-and if you have a heart full of the best intentions, things will work themselves out... and it did. It really did. I couldn't have asked for more. Thank you also for the beautiful ceremony. Your genuine sincerity and eloquent speech made the moment so meaningful and unforgettable. So thank you again from the bottom of my heart for being so kind, considerate, and doing whatever you could to make it happen for us. It was a blessing to have you a part of our wedding! If you are ever in Hawaii, please also look us up, we'd love to show you the island. Thanks again for everything! Jose and Melissa Dear Steve, I had a number of Mick's kids ask me how you knew us so well? i think the energy i picked up on in your kindness and openness was so true to who you are. You brought light into our lovely day!! We just loved the ceremony!! T hanks so so much!! jp For couples looking for a wedding officiant in the NY area, we would enthusiastically recommend Rabbi Steve Blane. He officiated our civil ceremony in Central Park on April 9th, 2010. One expects an officiant to say the necessary words to make a marriage official but Steve brings a lot more than that to a ceremony. The words he chose to speak were meaningful and very representative of the love and commitment we felt. Steve also has the wonderful gift of putting people at ease while instilling confidence. For nervous and overexcited wedding couples (are there any other kind ?), those qualities can't be appreciated enough ! We wanted to thank you from our hearts for doing such an amazing ceremony. Thank you for your patience and your kind words.  We hope this e-mail finds you well. Attached are some pictures from our September wedding. We wanted to thank you again for co officiating. Our wedding was perfect and we thank you for being apart of it. Thank you again, Stacy & Thierry  Hi Steve, Thank you for being a good sport and coming to sea with us on a December day. You made our ceremony simple but thoughtful- exactly how we wanted it! Thank you, Christa & Thor |
Testimonials |