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Wedding Officiant -Debbi Ballard

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Home » Lifecycle Events » Weddings » Page 9

Russia revisited – this time in Aruba!

August 25, 2008 by Debbi Ballard 2 Comments

This has most certainly been a whirlwind 2 weeks! I just returned from Aruba, and WOW – was it an amazing trip, for so many reasons! First of all – I simply cannot believe that I forgot my camera, so before I even start writing – I want to say THANKS to Vlad for copying his pictures to my computer last night so I didn’t have to come home empty handed.

So – let me start with some background. I did the wedding for Felix and Evelina at the Riu Palace, Aruba.

Evelina contacted me several months ago, because she had heard that I had done the wedding for Dan and Rita in Mexico, and she is very good friends with Rita’s sister, Yelena. Oddly enough, while Dan and Rita had their wedding at the Riu in Mexico, Felix and Evelina chose the Riu in Aruba. And it was a great choice!

I arrived in Aruba at 3pm. Evelina was greeting some of her friends on the front steps of the hotel as I arrived, and we knew each other immediately! We all got introduced, and I went to settle into my room, before our scheduled meeting together. We had lunch, and sat down to discuss the details of the wedding ceremony, and since they hadn’t ever sent me their profile, we had some catching up to do. But, even in the first five minutes of knowing both of them, I knew this was going to be a weekend to rival Mexico! (Sorry Rita!!)

They are the cutest, sweetest couple, with SUPER fun friends, and beautiful family. The family dynamics were a bit different than Mexico (and I suppose I should stop comparing at all) but, there were so many similarities as well. We connected instantly, and it was a really great chance for me to start getting to know Felix as a person as well. I had more opportunities to talk to Evelina, so it was bonding time for Felix and me! And I really enjoyed that opportunity to get to know him better.

We were very happy because they had an island DJ, but, the DJ didn’t have the traditional Jewish music medley that we typically play, and with some hunting, I was able to get them a copy of the tunes. We quickly sent the music to the DJ, and went on with the night. We all met in the Don Nicolas restaurant for dinner (27 of us) and I got to meet all the family and guests. Later that night, I had been in the lobby checking email, and on my way through the lobby bar to the elevator to my room – I bumped into F&E, and their good friends Vlad & Tanya, Shilana, and Max & Anna. They were having some festive cocktails – and they invited me to join them. We had so much fun, and I felt like we really had a great time connecting together!

Saturday was a beautiful day and we all enjoyed the magnificent pool and beach before getting ready for the wedding. We signed the ketubah in the small gazebo, and then the processional followed out to the chuppah on the beach.

It was breathtaking. The best part??? They found a steel drum player that learned the melody to Sunrise Sunset, the traditional song from Fiddler on the Roof. He played the song while we walked down to the chuppa. By the time we were all gathered, there were probably a hundred people gathered outside to watch the wedding, and they stayed and listened to the whole thing!

We almost had a small problem, though, during the ceremony. It was HOT – I mean H-O-T, and Evelina was getting a little light headed. I thought she wasn’t going to be able to make it – but thankfully, an amazing cool breeze came along, and saved the day. I sang the Priestly blessing, recited the 7 blessings, and overall, it was a beautiful ceremony. What made it even more beautiful was that the sun was setting just as the ceremony was over. We enjoyed a champagne toast on the beach – and then it was on to the pool deck, for a private reception.

The rest of the weekend was fun and relaxing. By the time today rolled around, I felt like I had made amazing new friends, and was sooo sad to leave them. Both Evelina’s and Felix’s parents were so lovely, welcoming, friendly, and incredibly kind to me. They both made it a special point to let me know how happy they were that I was there, and I felt great about our connections. F&E’s friends – well, what can I say? I had some VERYYYYYYY interesting conversations with them all, (Russian summer camp was quite a different experience) and I was so impressed at how classy, bright, and beautiful (inside and out) they all were. Vlad, Tanya, Shilana, Max & Anna – you all made my weekend such a beautiful memory! I hope you all keep in close touch, and let me know when those next 2 proposals happen! I’m going to be looking for them.

But, the most beautiful part of all, was Felix and Evelina, themselves.

This morning, as we took our last dip in the water, Felix asked me if I had a good time. “Of course!”, I said. “I had a simply amazing time”. But I knew at that moment, that he was really concerned about my happiness, and he told me that it really mattered to him that I enjoyed myself. And I thought – how amazing is that? He was worried about ME having fun? They opened their hearts to me, generously included me for 3 full nights, and Felix was worried that I was having fun? Yes, Felix. I had an amazing time. And yes, definitely one of the best! And once again, my life is richer for having you and Evelina in my heart, and for having shared your most incredible memories with me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Please send my love to your families, and know that our special memories will live long in my heart. I am so blessed to have known you all.
Love, Peace, and Blessings,

Filed Under: Jewish, Interfaith, LGBTQ Weddings, Weddings Tagged With: aruba, ceremony, destination wedding, Jewish wedding, love, marriage

See ya soon!

August 21, 2008 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

I feel like I just got back from the Sykes/Krew wedding in the Bahamas, and now it’s time to depart again…this time for ARUBA!  I’m heading off to the brand new, beautiful RIU Palace in Aruba, where I will officiate the Jewish wedding of Evelina & Felix.  This is a 7-month-later flashback to “Russia-Meet Mexico”, except, this time Russia is heading to Aruba.  Evelina was referred to me by Rita and Dan, and there’s a connection there – which I’ll tell more about when I get back.

In the meantime, I’m waiting for Michael to settle in from the trip, and send me his pictures, since I left my camera card in my laptop last weekend.  As soon as I get them, I will post pictures, and a review of the Sheraton Cable Beach, and then I will post about my 4 days in Aruba.

Stay dry, Florida!

Filed Under: Jewish, Interfaith, LGBTQ Weddings, Weddings Tagged With: Destination Weddings, travel, wedding

Splurge! A great article I wanted to share, from about.com

August 16, 2008 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

This is a great article that I found on about.com, that I wanted to share. I especially appreciated Nina’s commentary on how important the officiant is. Many people forget about the officiant, but it really is what makes or breaks the wedding. Set yourself apart with a personal choice of an officiant, it’s sure to pay off in positive rewards!

What’s Worth It (And What’s Not!) – Splurge and Save Smartly on Your Wedding

By Nina Callaway, About.com

So many articles tell you how to save money on your wedding, but do you know where to splurge on your wedding? Here’s what’s really worth the cost, and how to be savvy even while you’re splurging.

  1. Wedding Photography

    Sad as it is to acknowledge, most of the wedding details that you worked so hard on will be mere memories the next day. The food will be eaten, the dress put away, the monogrammed napkins crumpled. But the photographs will be there to remind you of the memories and document your wedding day. So make sure that they’re top notch by splurging to get the best photographer that you can.

    Be Smart Take the time to shop around and find a photographer who you feel comfortable with, and who fits in your budget. Consider packages, which often give you a better bang for your buck. Be sure to ask to swap out things you don’t want, and be savvy about expensive extras like “Deluxe Wedding Albums.” Make sure that you get a set of pictures printed by the photographer – the finishing work (editing, cropping, printing) should be far better than what you could do yourself. But see if you can get a CD of the images so that you can cheaply print out extras for extended family members and friends who want a picture.

  2. Your Wedding Dress and Appearance

    If you’ve ever had a day where you just didn’t feel pretty (and really who hasn’t?), you probably didn’t have a very good time. Feeling confident and beautiful will not only help you enjoy the wedding, but it will help you shine in your wedding photographs as well. So don’t just buy the cheapest wedding dress you can find, but splurge a bit to get the wedding dress, tuxedo, makeup or accessories that will really make you feel great.

    Be Smart The right dress for you is not necessarily the most expensive. Shop sales, outlet malls, and discount stores, including national chain bridal shops. Consider buying a bridesmaid’s dress or an evening gown in white or champagne. And don’t forget used! You can get a designer dress for a fraction of the price from eBay or bridal consignment shops.

  3. The Right Wedding Officiant

    As far as I’m concerned, it’s all about the wedding ceremony. The reception is just gravy – a big party celebrating what happened during the wedding ceremony! So make sure that the person marrying you is someone you feel comfortable with and who shares your beliefs. So, if you need to fly in your childhood priest or rabbi, or simply take the time to find the right person locally, it will be worth it.

    Be Smart Found a beautiful wedding ceremony location, but don’t like the officiant? Find out if you can bring in your own minister or layperson. Don’t know where to begin? Here’s a guide to finding the right officiant to marry you.

  4. Your Sanity

    Planning a wedding is stressful! The pressures on a bride and/or groom to have the most perfect wedding are immense. So make sure you’ve budgeted some money for things that will help you relax. Whether that’s hiring a wedding coordinator, or a day at the spa with a friend, being relaxed will make a huge difference in how much you enjoy your wedding day.

    Be Smart Relaxing doesn’t have to be expensive! There are even free and easy ways to relax. And don’t forget to delegate. Your friends and family want to help – you don’t have to do everything yourself!

  5. What’s Most Important to You

    Whether you’re a gourmet who wants to make sure the food is top notch, or a sports nut who’s dying to have a special grooms cake, it’s worth it to spend money on those little details that make your wedding special to you. In my wedding planning questionnaire for the newly engaged, I ask couples to individually rate what’s most important. This information can then be used when you set your budget, allowing you to allocate a little extra cushion for those important things.

    Be Smart Be sure to use a wedding budget worksheet, and remember that you’ll have to cut the budget in other areas in order to accommodate the splurges. Remember that there are many ways of including special personal details that are free or inexpensive, including special wedding readings at the ceremony, naming your tables after places you’ve been together, or using family heirlooms such as your mother’s wedding veil.

Filed Under: Jewish, Interfaith, LGBTQ Weddings, Thoughts, Weddings Tagged With: advice, officiants, saving money, wedding budget, Weddings

What a Wacky, Wonderful Wedding! WOW!

August 10, 2008 by Debbi Ballard 1 Comment

A couple of months ago, Shirley Fuchs sent me an email, asking me if I could officiate a small, private wedding ceremony on Hollywood Beach, for her daughter, Dana, and her Fiancee, Shawn. “No Problem!”, I said! Well…she went on to tell me that there were just a few details that I might have a difficult time with, as Dana and Shawn were just a little bit – kooky. (In a beautiful way, for sure!)

“Kooky?”, I asked? “Yes, Kooky”, she replied. I wondered if this meant something “off color”, or something that would not quite go along with the fact that I am a member of the clergy, but she assured me it was completely clean, and quite adorable. You see, they have a 3 year old daughter, Destiny, and they wanted a cartoon character to perform their wedding – and they wanted their officiant to “dress up” in a costume they would provide. MMHMM, I said. And just what character would they like to have their officiant dress up as?

DORA, THE EXPLORER, her mother said.

MMHMM, I said – again. We’re talking August, on the beach in Florida, and you want me to dress up as DORA? Right. She told me they were looking for someone open minded, fun, easy going, and very much a team player. Well, that’s me. But DORA?

What the heck, I figured. You only live once, and like Wayne tells me all the time – I have to cut loose, have some fun, and take a walk on the lighter side of life. So – we agreed. They provided the costume, and I would take a hit for the team! Boy, did I ever. But – I got so much more than I bargained for. Once again, Dana and Shawn were the sweetest couple, and I fell in love with them. They had 21 guests on the beach, and dinner at the Marriott on Hollywood Beach, and there was me – in my Dora costume.

Even though this was a small, private wedding, I still felt I needed to spend the time getting to know them. So, we spoke several times by phone, before they arrived in FL, and we met the morning before the wedding. In that hour, I found out some great information that ended up providing tons of humor for their wedding ceremony. I knew I was going to need to get creative – but this really should have won an academy award!

You’ll have to read their ceremony. I really think I did a great job, if I do say so, myself. We had tons of laughs, I found a new “niche” for my wedding practice, and Dana and Shawn had the wedding of their dreams. I am definitely going to put a video of this wedding up as soon as I can figure out how, but for now – just check out the ceremony. It is sure to provide a few laughs! Dana & Shawn – I can’t tell you how much I LOVED being part of your day! More couples should be as light hearted and fun loving as you! Thanks!

Filed Under: Weddings Tagged With: beach, Cartoon Character, Dora, Fun, love, marriage, Wacky, wedding

My first published Ezine article!

July 31, 2008 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

Great News! My article on planning an Interfaith wedding was published today on Ezine!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Making-an-Interfaith-Wedding-a-Family-Affair

You might be thinking that planning your Jewish/Interfaith wedding will be all about the conflict – but you can create a ceremony that everyone will love. By focusing on the relationship, and choosing traditions and readings to honor both sides, your family and guests will love what you create.

Many of my clients begin their Interfaith wedding plans with strong feelings of fear and trepidation. They often fear their family members will not approve, and they are overwhelmed with fear of offending a single guest by their ceremony choices. But today’s Interfaith weddings can be crafted so that everyone not only feels comfortable, but honored, by your commitment to be fair and inclusive to both parties’ faith and heritage.

When a couple comes to me, most often, one of them is Jewish. They are afraid that if they include Jewish traditions, they will offend the non Jewish partner’s family. Likewise, a mention of Jesus could be just enough to send that Yiddeshe bubbe flying for the nearest exit! You CAN create balance, but in order to do so, it requires a lot of open communication and a little strategy.

The first thing I recommend is keep everything as close to neutral as you can. Keep the foreign language to a minimum, and try not to “name” your spiritual reference. If you can agree that you both believe in G-d, then that will suffice when invoking a spiritual presence.

There are a few major components of a Jewish wedding that most people want to include. The chuppa, the ketubah, the wine, and breaking the glass, are all traditional rituals that are meaningful. Incorporate these into your ceremony, and ask your officiant to go into detail to explain what those rituals are, and why we include them. The more you explain, the less alienated your non-Jewish guests will feel, and everyone will appreciate the time you took to make them feel comfortable.

For every ritual or tradition from the Jewish faith you choose – choose another from your other faith. A song, or a reading that invokes spiritual presence provides a beautiful balance. Incorporate a unification ceremony, such as a sand ceremony or unity candle. Readings such as the Apache Wedding Poem, or readings from Kalil Gibran also invoke spirituality, without isolating.

Choose an officiant who is highly experienced in crafting wedding ceremonies that reflect your backgrounds. Ask to see samples of ceremonies that the officiant has written, to see exactly how he or she blended the rituals of past clients, and imagine yourself sitting in the room listening to the wedding you are reading. Was it fair? Did it honor both sides? Did you feel embraced and included, rather than out of place? Most people don’t mind hearing something new – if you deliver it in just the right way.

I have found that the more I explain in a service, the more appreciative the non-Jewish guests are, and even the Jewish guests often learn something they didn’t know. Your parents will appreciate that you took the time to balance each side, and so will your guests. In the end, you will have a ceremony that focuses on your love, not your differences. Focus on the aspects that bring you together, and your guests will feel honored that they were asked to be a part of that. Stay true to who each of you are, and recognize that it is also your differences, as well as your similarities that make each one interesting to the other. When both are honored, conflict cannot exist.

Your wedding then becomes a celebration of your individuality, and the commitment you are making to come together as one. With tolerance, understanding, patience and communication, your Jewish/Interfaith wedding ceremony will be absolutely beautiful.

Filed Under: Debbi's Deep Thoughts and Musings, Weddings Tagged With: interfaith weddings, Jewish

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717 Shotgun Road,
Sunrise, FL 33326
954-646-1326



~ 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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