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Wedding Officiant -Debbi Ballard

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Home » Lifecycle Events » Weddings » Page 5

Jess and Pete’s Wedding Part I – How I Became Their Interfaith Wedding Officiant ….

April 27, 2009 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

Saturday afternoon, I had the pleasure of performing the Interfaith wedding ceremony for Jess and Pete, an incredibly beautiful couple, both inside and out!  But it almost didn’t happen, and here’s why ….

interfaith wedding ceremony
Photo by Shardayyy Photography on Unsplash

Jess contacted me in the fall of last year, and we spoke for almost an hour about what she wanted for her wedding, and how I could help.  It seemed from the first minute we spoke on the phone, that we were both speaking the same language – everything I told her about my Interfaith wedding ceremonies was exactly what she wanted.  And she sounded like the perfect client for me – she was so bright and enthusiastic, very family oriented, and just wanted a warm, personalized, and meaningful ceremony.  It was the perfect match!  UNTIL ….

I asked her what date she was planning on getting married, and when I checked my calendar, it seemed that I had a tentative booking with another bride who I also had really liked on the phone, who I was scheduled to meet with a few days later.  I called her immediately to confirm, and see if she was still planning on meeting, and she was – and I told Jess I might not be able to do her wedding.  I was SO sad.

So,  few days later, I met with my other bride and her fiance.  We had coffee at Starbucks, and from the very beginning I could tell the fiance was very uncomfortable.  He didn’t want to answer any questions, and this couple couldn’t have appeared to be farther apart – in every possible way.  I was completely uneasy, and even stopped the dialogue a few times to ask if there was something I was asking that was making him uncomfortable, and he just wouldn’t budge.  Even the bride was getting uncomfortable because of his actions, and I was getting really bizarre vibes the whole situation.

I told them that in order for me to put my personal signature on an Interfaith wedding, I must feel comfortable with my clients, and vice-versa.  That in order for me to create a personalized, meaningful wedding ceremony, both parties must feel like they could share their lives with me, so I could get to know them and talk about what makes them so special.  I explained that unless I felt a strong connection between my couples and myself, I just couldn’t do the best job possible, and if I can’t do my best job, I can’t do their Interfaith wedding.  He told me that he wasn’t comfortable sharing anything, at all, and so I was faced with a choice.  I mean absolutely no disrespect to either this bride or groom – it was a simple decision, and one that I feel I made out of integrity and dedication to honoring the joy that comes from my experiences with my clients.

I immediately got on the phone, in the parking lot at Starbucks after that meeting, and called Jess!  If she would still have me, I would love to be her officiant!  We were both so happy when she said she had been waiting to hear from me and was hoping it had worked out that way!  YAY!

So, the next week, I spoke to Jess’s Mom and Dad, who are the most warm and beautiful couple.  We made our arrangements, and the rest was up to Jess, Pete, and me, to create a beautiful Interfaith wedding ceremony together.  I’m so incredibly happy we all made that choice, so please read on in part II, about the day of Pete and Jess’s magnificent wedding ceremony.  Some things just have a way of being what they were meant to be …

Want to create your own “dream come true wedding”? Contact Cantor Debbi today to see how you can co-create the event of your dreams.

PS: And don’t forget to stop by our sample ceremonies page to see what your ceremony might look like!

Filed Under: Weddings Tagged With: beshert, bride, groom, interfaith officiant, Interfaith wedding, wedding officiant

Seth and Dana’s Jewish Wedding Ceremony – Paradise at Home in Boca Raton, Florida

March 31, 2009 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

I admit, I’m a huge fan of Destination Weddings, but Seth and Dana’s Jewish wedding ceremony was the perfect example of why we should still have big, beautiful events right here at home.

So, things were off to a great start from the minute I heard from Dana, because she emailed me and told me that her fiance, Seth, was the son of a business associate/friend of mine, and they wanted to talk about me doing their wedding.  Seth’s Mom – Ellen, is the only other Whirling Dirvish I have ever met, other than Lara Mayer, from Max’s Bar Mitzvah.  I’m not quite sure what a whirling dirvish is, but I know that Ellen’s picture is under it, in the Webster’s Dictionary.  Truly.

Seth isn’t much different from his Mom.  He is SUCH a character.  And Dana is the perfect match for him.  From the first moment we met, we all shared a great connection, and I just couldn’t help but fall in love with this perfect combination of wit, humor, and sarcasm, and that made getting to know them SO much of an adventure.  I knew, when we met for the last time at Starbucks, that I was really going to miss my Thursday evening coffee sessions, because I always felt myself smiling for hours after leaving one of our meetings.  They are just so damned cute.  SO CUTE.  Together.  A perfect match, a match made in heaven, yes…beshert…..

Dana and Seth are so close, they almost share the same DNA.  I don’t think I ever witnessed an awkward moment, or a single answer that was any different from what the other answered.  They should totally be on the Newlywed Game – if it was still around.

glasses, candles and silverware on a table with flowers, Seth and Dana's Jewish Wedding Ceremony - Paradise at Home in Boca Raton, Florida

Photo by Evelina Friman on Unsplash

But, the best part of Dana and Seth, was their Jewish wedding ceremony.  From the minute I got to Woodfield Country Club, you could feel the love and excitement in the air.  The florists were putting together the chuppa and the walkway, and I knew from that first look that this was going to be an exquisite setting, and it was.

 

We held the Ketubah signing prior to the Jewish wedding ceremonyceremony, and their ketubah was so beautiful.  It was a special moment for their immediate family, and for Dana and Seth, as well.  Within a few minutes, we were off to line up for the processional!

Perhaps my ultimate favorite part of the wedding ceremony was the processional.  Dana and Seth picked the BEST music for their processional, and I began walking out to Jack Johnson’s “Better Together”.  A very popular pick these days, it’s also the most played song on my IPOD, so I was really psyched to be walking to my favorite song in the whole world.  Then, she chose a song by Van Morrison (I think it was Into the Mystic….will have to verify that) but it was such a pretty song.  Then, my ultimate favorite song played for her processional (which has now taken over JJ’s Better Together as #1 Ipod song) by Marc Cohn, called “True Companion”.  OMG.  What an amazing song.  I was beaming at her walking down the aisle, because the mood was just so happy, and exuberant, and I was so excited to be waiting for both Seth and Dana at the chuppa!

The wedding ceremony was beautiful – Dana wasn’t sure if she wanted to circle Seth for the Seven Blessings or not, and at the last minute, she chose to have me wrap the Tallit around them, but it was just as beautiful.

They exchanged their rings in the Jewish traditional way, first on the right index finger, and then moving them over to their own left ring fingers.  I concluded the Jewish wedding ceremony with the Birkat Cohanim, Julie Silver’s version, and on to the breaking of the glass and the pronouncement. They were married.  And beaming at each other.  And I was sad – that it was over.

Dana and Seth – I just think you two are so much fun, and I can’t believe time flew by us so quickly.  I’m happy you live right around the corner, because I really hope you’ll still make time for some coffee-Thursdays.  In the meantime, have a great time on that incredible honeymoon you are going on and thanks for the awesome memories.  Love u both!

Want to create your own “dream come true wedding”? Contact Cantor Debbi today to see how you can co-create the event of your dreams.

PS: And don’t forget to stop by our sample ceremonies page to see what your ceremony might look like!

Filed Under: Debbi's Deep Thoughts and Musings, Funerals, Weddings Tagged With: birkat cohanim, breaking of the glass, chuppa, jewish ring ceremony, Jewish wedding, ketubah, seven blessings

What to Expect at an Interfaith Wedding

March 25, 2009 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

This is a copy of the Interfaith wedding article I wrote that was recently published on www.surviveweddingseason.com – Enjoy!

Attending an Interfaith wedding can be a major source of anxiety for many wedding guests, these days. Many of us have attended weddings in our own house of worship. But when your family friend or relative tells you they are marrying a partner of a different faith that you don’t know anything about, that can cause a major case of wedding-guest jitters! What to do when you don’t know what to expect?

First and foremost – the fact that you are there, supporting your friend or family member is all that is really important to them. Today’s Interfaith couple knows that everyone is going to feel somewhat uncomfortable as a result of the unknown, but rest assured – the people feeling the most pressure are probably the bride and groom themselves. They worked hard to incorporate rituals and traditions of both of their faiths, and most likely, their main goal was to please each of their families, and not offend anyone.

Interfaith can mean a lot of things, and quite often, Interfaith also means Inter-racial, and Multi-cultural. Many religions such as the Jewish faith, Persian, Hispanic, Hindu, Muslim, and even Wiccan have rituals tied to the ceremony that provide strong symbolism in the lives of the married couple. Today’s Interfaith couples are more likely to cross cultural and religious boundaries, which brings many opportunities for very interesting wedding ceremonies!

An Interfaith wedding ceremony will most likely include language you have never heard, or rituals you don’t understand. You might be asked to sit and stand several times, or to read responsively. Most Interfaith couples will take their audience into consideration and refrain from making the ceremony “interactive”, so you can relax, and observe, and hopefully, even learn a few things from the experience.

Today’s Interfaith couples wish to incorporate the rituals of their faiths as symbols for their lives, rather than strong religious connotations. A good Officiant will often take the time to explain the symbolism that the couple has chosen to include, and to relate that ritual or symbol to the couple’s lives. A blending of traditions can be a beautiful experience, especially if one is relaxed and open minded. After all, the wedding ceremony is about the bride and groom, their love, and bringing both backgrounds together.

Today, there is so much material on the Internet about various religious and cultural wedding traditions, so it might be helpful if you are very uneasy to do a bit of research and watch some Interfaith wedding videos before attending the Interfaith wedding ceremony, so you can understand and even recognize the cultural symbols when you see them. Every bride and groom wants their guests to feel comfortable, so relax! Just being there for your friend or family member is the most important thing you could possibly do. Enjoy!

Want to create your own “dream come true wedding”? Contact Cantor Debbi today to see how you can co-create the event of your dreams.

PS: And don’t forget to stop by our sample ceremonies page to see what your ceremony might look like!

Filed Under: Debbi's Deep Thoughts and Musings, Weddings Tagged With: Interfaith, wedding, what to expect

Check out my latest Guest Blog post!

March 16, 2009 by Debbi Ballard 2 Comments

I got a DM on Twitter a couple of weeks ago from Liuba, at surviveweddingseason.com, asking me if I’d be interested in writing some tips for her website, and I’m super excited to say that my blog entry was published today!

Please head on over – not just to see my post, but to check out all the great information Liuba provides on her blog.  It is actually written to appeal to the guests of the wedding, which is a pretty unique perspective –

So, if you like what I wrote – please drop me a note – and Liuba, as well.  Or, if you like Liuba’s site – let her know that too.  I love supporting my peers through social media!

Thanks, Liuba!  Stay tuned for “What to expect at a Jewish Wedding”…soon to follow!

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Filed Under: Weddings Tagged With: Interfaith wedding, Jewish wedding, wedding, wedding guest, wedding survival, wedding tips

Taking a Moment..

March 13, 2009 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

I just looked at the date, and realized we are halfway through March, and I haven’t even finished blogging about February, yet.  March has already been a very fun month for me, as I just got back from spending a few personal days in Atlanta, and had such a great time.

When I came back from the Puerto Rico Interfaith wedding, I quickly got ready for Leah’s Bat Mitzvah.  I have a friend who tutors children, and they were looking for someone to officiate the Jewish ceremony, so we worked as a team together.  It was really enjoyable, and the family was so much fun to work with.  The Bat Mitzvah was held on a Saturday evening, so we held a Havdalah service, which seems to be super popular these days.  It happens to be my favorite Bat Mitzvah service, because I love including the contemporary Havdalah music and including everyone in the song and ceremony.  What great fun!  Leah did a great job, as did her sister, who also chanted from the Torah.  It was a beautiful night!

Just before the Bat Mitzvah, I spent a few personal days in Orlando as well, and saw my newest favorite musician, Matt Shenk.  He’s so awesome, and his music is at the top of my “most played” list in Itunes.  He is a master guitar player, has an awesome voice, and his words are so relatable!  Check him out at www.mattshenk.com.

Last week, I had the pleasure of officiating the Interfaith wedding of Micha and Sam.  I don’t have pics yet, so I am saving the blog story, but they were so adorable, I just had to mention them here.  One of the youngest Interfaith couples I have married, they are also one of the most mature.  I can’t wait for them to get back from their honeymoon, so I can hear how their first week of marriage went!

This weekend, I am performing the Interfaith wedding ceremony for Annie & Greg. Annie is working incredibly hard at pulling off her wedding on a tight budget, and I think she has done an amazing job.  I can’t wait to see the result of her efforts.

I am also performing a Baby Naming for Mason and Emily, Sage and Jonah.  This is the couple I wrote about last week, titled, A Baby Naming, For all the right reasons…I can’t wait for this beautiful event, and to meet these two lucky little boys.

Trevor is home, and in between, I’m going to try to spend as much time as possible with him.  It’s a busy month, and I am so blessed to be so busy!  And I count those blessings, every day…

B’Shalom,

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Filed Under: Baby Namings, Bar/Bat Mitzvah Adventures, Debbi's Deep Thoughts and Musings, Jewish, Judaism, Weddings Tagged With: Baby Naming, Ceremonies, Jewish, Judaism, Weddings

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~ Officiating Jewish & Interfaith Weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, Funerals, and any other Jewish Lifecycle Services in Florida, USA – Destination Weddings in North America, Mexico, Caribbean & Worldwide ~

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10:00 am: High Holy Days with Cantor Debbi Ballard on ZOOM

September 19, 2020 10:00 am – 11:15 am

Join Cantor Debbi Ballard and Rabbi Steve as they bring their AWESOME and AMAZING High Holy Day services online to their community via ZOOM on Sunday, September 19th, 2020 at 10:00 am.

Now, friends and families of Cantor Debbi, regardless of location, can join in to her musical, warm and uplifting services.  Shema Koleinu serves families who do not belong to a traditional house of worship and we are a welcoming and inclusive community, supportive of anyone who wishes to connect Jewishly on their own terms.

Register for services here.

We look forward to sharing our services with you!

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7:00 pm: High Holy Days with Cantor Debbi Ballard on ZOOM

September 27, 2020 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm

Join Cantor Debbi Ballard and Rabbi Steve as they bring their AWESOME and AMAZING High Holy Day services online to their community via ZOOM on Sunday, September 19th, 2020 at 10:00 am.

Now, friends and families of Cantor Debbi, regardless of location, can join in to her musical, warm and uplifting services.  Shema Koleinu serves families who do not belong to a traditional house of worship and we are a welcoming and inclusive community, supportive of anyone who wishes to connect Jewishly on their own terms.

Register for services here.

We look forward to sharing our services with you!

Read more

28September 28, 2020

10:00 am: High Holy Days with Cantor Debbi Ballard on ZOOM

September 28, 2020 10:00 am – 11:15 am

Join Cantor Debbi Ballard and Rabbi Steve as they bring their AWESOME and AMAZING High Holy Day services online to their community via ZOOM on Sunday, September 19th, 2020 at 10:00 am.

Now, friends and families of Cantor Debbi, regardless of location, can join in to her musical, warm and uplifting services.  Shema Koleinu serves families who do not belong to a traditional house of worship and we are a welcoming and inclusive community, supportive of anyone who wishes to connect Jewishly on their own terms.

Register for services here.

We look forward to sharing our services with you!

Read more

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