Destination Wedding Rabbi
Jewish Weddings Across the United States and Around the World
Mazal tov!
I’m Rabbi Matt Rosenberg, an independent rabbi based in Sacramento, California, and I travel to officiate personalized Jewish destination weddings throughout the United States and selected international locations.
A destination wedding may take you far from home, but your Jewish wedding ceremony can still feel grounded, intimate and deeply connected to tradition.
Whether you’re getting married on a beach, at a mountain resort, among the vineyards, in a historic city or somewhere that holds special meaning for your families, I’ll work with you to create a ceremony that reflects both Jewish tradition and the story the two of you are building together.
Your wedding destination may be extraordinary.
Your ceremony should be, too.
Why Bring a Rabbi to Your Destination Wedding?
When couples plan destination weddings, they often assemble a team of professionals at the location: a venue, planner, photographer, musicians and caterer.
Your rabbi is different.
The person standing beside you beneath the chuppah is participating in one of the most personal moments of your wedding day.
You should not have to meet that person for the first time shortly before the ceremony simply because your wedding happens to be far from home.
Working with a destination wedding rabbi means that we can build a relationship well before the wedding weekend.
We’ll spend time getting to know one another, talk through the Jewish traditions you want to include, create the ceremony together and arrive at your destination already knowing what the moment beneath the chuppah is meant to feel like.
A Jewish Wedding That Travels With You
Jewish tradition has crossed countries, cultures and continents for generations.
A destination wedding is simply another place for those traditions to come alive.
Depending on what is meaningful to you, your ceremony may include:
A ketubah signing
Bedecken or another gathering before the ceremony
The chuppah
Kiddush and wine
Exchange of rings
Traditional Hebrew wedding blessings
The Seven Blessings — Sheva Brachot
Personal vows
Hebrew and English readings
Participation by parents, grandparents, siblings or friends
Recognition of loved ones who cannot be present
Breaking the glass and a joyful Mazal tov!
We’ll talk through the traditions together and decide what belongs in your ceremony.
The goal is not to reproduce a generic Jewish wedding script in a beautiful location.
The goal is to create a Jewish wedding that feels unmistakably like the two of you.
Personalized Jewish Destination Weddings
Before I create your ceremony, I want to know your story.
We’ll talk about how you met, what drew you to one another, your families, your Jewish backgrounds, the values you share and what you hope marriage will mean in your lives.
We’ll also work through the practical pieces of the Jewish ceremony, including:
The ketubah and ketubah signing
Choosing witnesses
The chuppah
Rings
Hebrew prayers and blessings
The Seven Blessings
Family participation
Personal vows and readings
The overall flow of the ceremony
By the time we arrive at your destination, the ceremony will already belong to you.
Where I Travel for Jewish Weddings
I am based in Sacramento, California, and am available for selected destination weddings throughout the United States and internationally.
Destination weddings may include:
Hawaii
Mexico
Europe
Coastal California
Mountain and ski destinations
Beach resorts
Vineyards and wine regions
National park and outdoor settings
Historic cities
Family destinations
Private estates
Resort wedding weekends
If your wedding is somewhere not listed here, ask.
The destination itself matters less than whether the date, travel arrangements and ceremony are a good fit.
Northern California Destination Weddings
Some of the most beautiful destination wedding locations are close to my Northern California home base.
I regularly work with couples planning Jewish weddings in Napa Valley and California Wine Country as well as Lake Tahoe, Truckee and the Sierra Nevada.
[Napa Valley & Wine Country Wedding Rabbi →]
For couples getting married closer to Sacramento, you can also learn more about my work officiating Jewish weddings in Sacramento and Northern California.
[Sacramento & Northern California Jewish Weddings →]
Warm, Inclusive and Rooted in Jewish Tradition
Couples come to me with many different Jewish backgrounds and levels of religious practice.
Some know exactly what they want beneath the chuppah. Others know only that having a Jewish wedding matters to them and want guidance understanding the traditions.
Both are welcome.
I officiate LGBTQ+ weddings and work with couples to create ceremonies that are meaningful, respectful and grounded in Jewish tradition.
You do not need to perform a particular version of Jewish life for me.
We’ll begin with who you are and build from there.
Planning a Jewish Wedding From Afar
Destination wedding planning already involves enough logistics.
The ceremony should not become another source of confusion.
Much of our preparation can take place by video, phone and email before the wedding weekend.
I can also coordinate directly with your planner, venue and other wedding professionals as appropriate so that everyone understands how the ceremony will work.
That can include questions about:
Timing of the ketubah signing
Where the chuppah will be located
Seating and procession
Microphones and sound
Family participation
Ceremony timing
Rehearsal logistics
Outdoor weather plans
Ritual items that need to be brought to the destination
By the time you arrive, you should understand exactly what will happen and why.
What My Destination Wedding Officiation Includes
My destination wedding services include:
Pre-wedding consultations
Guidance designing your Jewish wedding ceremony
Help selecting meaningful Jewish traditions and rituals
Ketubah consultation
Guidance regarding witnesses and signing
Assistance with Hebrew prayers, readings and ritual language
Creation of a personalized ceremony
Coordination with your wedding planner and venue as needed
Officiation of the ketubah signing
Officiation of the wedding ceremony
Travel to your wedding destination
Rehearsals and participation in additional wedding-weekend events may also be arranged.
Travel expenses and logistics vary depending upon the destination and are discussed clearly in advance.
Destination Wedding Rabbi FAQs
Do you travel for Jewish weddings?
Yes.
I travel for selected Jewish weddings throughout the United States and internationally.
Availability depends upon the wedding date, destination and travel requirements.
How far in advance should we contact you?
The earlier, the better.
Destination weddings require additional travel planning, so I especially encourage couples to contact me well in advance for popular wedding weekends.
I am currently booking weddings for 2027 and beyond.
Can we plan everything remotely?
Yes.
Most of our preparation can take place by video, phone and email before the wedding weekend.
Many destination couples do not live anywhere near Sacramento, and that is not a problem.
Do you help us decide which Jewish traditions to include?
Absolutely.
You do not need to know exactly what kind of ceremony you want before contacting me.
I’ll explain the traditions and help you decide what feels meaningful and appropriate for your wedding.
Can the ceremony include Hebrew and English?
Yes.
We can create a balance of Hebrew, English, traditional Jewish liturgy and personalized material that works well for you and your guests.
Can you help us with our ketubah?
Yes.
I can help you think through ketubah wording, witnesses, signing and how the ketubah ceremony fits into the wedding day.
Can family members or friends participate?
Yes.
Parents, grandparents, siblings and friends can participate through readings, blessings, the Seven Blessings, holding the chuppah and other meaningful roles.
Do you officiate LGBTQ+ destination weddings?
Yes.
LGBTQ+ couples are welcome beneath the chuppah.
Do you attend destination wedding rehearsals?
Often, yes, depending upon scheduling and travel arrangements.
Not every wedding requires the rabbi to attend a rehearsal, so we can determine whether one makes sense for your particular ceremony.
Can you officiate at a beach, resort, vineyard or outdoor wedding?
Yes.
I officiate Jewish weddings in many kinds of settings, including resorts, vineyards, beaches, mountains, gardens and private venues.
For outdoor weddings, I strongly recommend having a practical weather backup plan.
Will you coordinate with our wedding planner?
Yes.
I’m happy to coordinate with your planner or venue regarding ceremony timing, procession, setup, microphones, the chuppah, ketubah signing and other ceremony logistics.
Let's Talk About Your Destination Wedding
If you’re looking for a destination wedding rabbi for a Jewish wedding in the United States or abroad, I’d love to hear about the two of you and where you’re planning to gather.
You don’t need to have the ceremony figured out before you contact me.
We’ll create it together.
Now booking destination Jewish weddings for 2027 and beyond.
Call or text (916) 572-6014 or email rosenbergmatt@gmail.com to talk about your wedding date, destination and plans.
Mazal tov — wherever you’re getting married, I look forward to meeting you there.