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Wedding Officiant -Debbi Ballard

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Home » destination wedding

Traveling with a Ketubah? Read this First!

January 11, 2010 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

I’m happy to re-print an article written by Daniel Sroka, the amazing artist from ModernKetubah.com.

I work with so many Destination Brides, and I know that so many brides must encounter this challenge when they are getting ready to travel for their weddings.

If you are in the ketubah market, I highly recommend Daniel’s work, as an original, inspirational artist and designer.  Enjoy!

***************************************************

by Daniel Sroka of www.modernketubah.com

When my wife and I got married, we were still living in San Francisco, but our wedding was closer to our family in New Jersey. Let me tell you, planning a long distance wedding has its challenges! One of which is how to safely bring your ketubah on the plane with you. I get asked this a lot, so I thought I’d share some advice. First, have me ship your ketubah to you, not to the wedding site. It is really important that you see your ketubah in person, well before the ceremony. This will let you look it over carefully, and make sure that it is exactly what you ordered. And if it got accidentally damaged in shipment, this will give me a chance to replace it for you.

Traveling with your ketubah

I ship your ketubah rolled between sheets of acid-free tissue paper, and placed in an extra-strong shipping tube. Experience has shown that this is the safest way to ship unframed fine art. (Shipping it flat is both more expensive, and results in more damage.) So the best way to travel with a ketubah is to reuse this shipping tube. Place your ketubah between the tissue paper I provided, and carefully reroll in and place it in the tube. You now have a safe and portable package to carry with you. Be sure to bring it with you in carry-on, or stash it safely deep in the middle of your suitcase, surrounded on all sides by clothes.

ketubah_shippingtube

When you arrive

When you get to the location of your wedding, take your ketubah out of the tube, and let it unroll. The paper will keep its curl for a while, but don’t worry. The paper of your ketubah is 100% cotton-rag, so it will easily “forget” the curl over time. When you remove it, you could gently use the tube to roll it in the opposite direction to remove the curl more quickly. If you feel uncomfortable doing this, just lay it flat like I suggested for a day or so to get rid of the worst of the curl. For my own wedding, I used an inexpensive poster frame to flatten the ketubah, and then protect it throughout the wedding and reception. When you are ready to have it framed, your framer can make sure that any remaining curl is removed.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: destination wedding, ketubah, travel

Interfaith Destination Wedding: Jen and Ilan in St. John … Amazing time in paradise!

July 4, 2009 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

I just got off the plane from St. Thomas, and I’m so filled with love and joy from the amazing Interfaith destination wedding in St. John, that I just had to write about it right away, even though I have a million blog entries to write that are past due..well, maybe not a million..but you get the point!

Last night, Jennifer and Ilan were married at Hawk’s Nest Beach, on the magnificent island of St. John.  They are a Chicago Interfaith couple that found me online, and from the moment Jennifer and I spoke, we knew we were going to have a great relationship, and once again – it couldn’t have been better!

Interfaith Destination Wedding: Jen and Ilan in St. John ... Amazing time in paradise!

Jen and Ilan weren’t the “average couple”.  They first began planning marriage back in 2001, when they were pregnant with their first child, but as many couples find – life was already presenting them with challenges they weren’t quite ready to face.  So, they decided to put their Interfaith wedding on hold, and went on with their lives, learning the lessons and gaining the maturity they needed to make the commitment to each other.  Many thought that might never happen, but on Tuesday, June 29th, the day finally arrived.  Jennifer, Ilan, Jamie, and Michelle walked down the aisle together!

I loved getting to know Jen and Ilan, as well as their family and friends.  After hearing about the bumpy roads they had endured, and getting a sense that this bride and groom couldn’t possibly have been more different from each other, I wasn’t quite sure this was a match made in heaven.  That just goes to show us that sometimes, our initial impressions couldn’t be more wrong, because after spending 3 days with them, I have realized that they really were made just especially for one another, and that the work of G-d is a wonderful miracle.

We all had so much fun together!  As we were making plans for their Interfaith destination wedding, Jen kept talking about the villa.  I’m assuming a villa meant a little townhouse, but again, dead wrong was I!  I arrived at The Westin for their rehearsal dinner, and afterwards, Jen and Ilan brought me back to the villa, along with the rest of their bridal party.  We walked into PARADISE.  The Rhapsody villa in St. John is absolutely the most beautiful place I have ever seen, and perfect for group relaxation, family gatherings, and parties!  You simply have to check this place out!

Jen’s family and friends were a blast to hang out with.  I spent most of the weekend with Cheryl, their cousin, and friends Julie and Margie, and Rick and Paul.  Rick and Paul were nicknamed “Cabana Boys” because anything any of the girls wanted, they were there to provide, and they were 2 of the nicest guys I’ve ever met at an Interfaith destination wedding, or any wedding I have officiated!  The families got along great together, and everyone was there to celebrate the joy of Ilan and Jen finally getting married!

The Interfaith wedding was held about 10 minutes from the villa, at Hawk’s Nest Beach.  In about 5′ of sand, and about 98 degree temperature, (but who was noticing?) under my made-to-travel-chuppah, Jen and Ilan finally got married.

 

On Wednesday, we all gathered for brunch, and it was already time to leave.  I can’t wait to see the pictures, and to see Julie, Margie, Jen and Ilan again when I go to Chicago in November.  I was so sad for this beautiful Interfaith destination wedding to come to an end, because I know that in real life, we would all have been such good friends.  But, that’s what makes my job so amazing – is that I make and keep friends all over the world, and these are friends I know will be around for a long time!

Love you guys, miss you much and can’t wait to see the pictures!

 

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.

Filed Under: Jewish, Interfaith, LGBTQ Weddings, Weddings Tagged With: chuppah, destination wedding, Jewish wedding, traveling chuppa

My Puerto Rico Adventure – Eden and Ed’s Jewish Interfaith Destination Wedding Ceremony

March 3, 2009 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

Another Interfaith Destination Wedding, this time a perfectly blended, earthy, universalist-style destination wedding ceremony in Puerto Rico, has come and gone, and this one went WAY too fast! I know I say this all of the time, but I am just so fortunate in that every one of my wedding couples is amazing – but truly, Eden and Eduardo were such an amazing Interfaith couple in so many ways.  It was such a great experience getting to know them, and to be such a special part of their most special day.

Eden and Ed live in Washington, DC, and they were referred to me by Rabbi Lev at www.interfaithfamily.com.  As soon as Eden contacted me, we both knew right away we were going to be the most perfect match, and we definitely had that assumption right on all counts!  Eden has one of those personalities that just comes right through the phone and you imagine that girl in junior high school who was just bursting with enthusiasm sitting next to you with a GREAT BIG SMILE on her face, and energy that would last for days.

Well – that’s EXACTLY what you got with Eden!  As I was writing notes about the feelings I had about her and Eduardo as we had our conversations on the phone, I kept thinking “earthy, warm, syrup-y, and sweet”.  Again – I totally had it right!

Getting to the destination wedding venue wasn’t quite as easy as forming the initial connection, but it was a fun and conversation-sparking adventure nonetheless.  They were married at The Villa Montana, in a small town, in the north-western part of Puerto Rico, called Isabela.  It was about a 2 hour car ride from the San Juan airport.  Well, I was supposed to depart Fort Lauderdale at 6 am (ick), but I just happened to check on my flight the night before, and found out that flight no longer existed.  I was sooooo upset, because they were having the rehearsal dinner that evening and wanted me there.  The flight I was booked on now left at 11 am, arriving in SJU at 3 pm.  That should have put me there for the rehearsal dinner around 5:30.  Right.

As I made my way off the plane, I went to the pickup area, expecting to be met by a driver, but nobody was waiting for me.  (what a lonely feeling!!)  I called the hotel, and she began checking, and came back and told me the driver was there – but his van had just been TOWED AWAY, and he was trying to get it back.  After about an hour or more, he finally arrived to pick me up – and we were on our way – in Friday night rush hour traffic.  UGH.

At 6:30, I finally arrived at the beautiful little Villa Montana in Isabela.  Paradise.

This place had the small, intimate feel of a guest house, but was loaded with amenities and beauty.  I was immediately greeted by many of her family members as I was rushed to the rehearsal dinner on the beach, and there was Eden, and I just fell in love with her – as I knew I would.

Eden and Ed's rehearsal dinner BBQ at Villa Montana Friday night
Eden and Ed’s rehearsal dinner BBQ at Villa Montana Friday night

That night, I got to know many of her guests, and met her family, as well as Eduardo’s.  Ed’s family is from Puerto Rico, and were the most wonderful, gracious, and appreciative family I have met in a long time.  I just knew the Jewish Interfaith wedding ceremony would be amazing.

The next morning, I was able to spend quite a bit of time with Eden and Ed’s family and friends over breakfast on the beach.  We spoke for hours about Eden and Eduardo, their personalities, experiences, and their lives.  They told me incredible stories that really helped paint a perfect picture of my newest favorite Interfaith couple, and I was able to create a perfectly blended, earthy, universalist-style destination wedding ceremony that was a perfect match for their personalities.  We even re-wrote the words to The 7 Blessings, taking the religious language down a notch, and focusing on the meaning and appreciation of life.  It was quite beautiful.

Eden and Ed, Sister Sacha and Dad at Eden and Ed's Jewish Interfaith destination wedding ceremony in Puerto Rico
Eden and Ed, Sister Sacha and Dad at Eden and Ed’s Jewish Interfaith destination wedding ceremony in Puerto Rico

Watching Eden and Ed before me, as I performed their Jewish Interfaith marriage, was the perfect culmination of the experience.  Standing before me was not only a couple in love, but two best friends, laughing, touching, giggling, beaming, and kvelling together.  Knowing their closest friends and family were behind them, being witnesses to this magical moment, you could see the joy in their faces, and their hearts, as they spoke their vows to each other.

Certainly, the destination wedding dinner party on the beach was also quite fun, and I had the most wonderful time with their friends and family.  To everyone I met at the wedding ceremony – thank you for making me feel SO comfortable, and welcomed, and thank you for helping me create another beautiful destination wedding.  Bob & Carol – thanks for the ride the next day to the airport, you are a wonderful couple!  Paula & Ira – thank you SO much for your hospitality – and Eden & Ed – Mazel Tov and Buena Suerte.  You are a beautiful couple that I will remember forever.  See you in DC in May!

Eden and Ed, married at the beach, destination wedding in Puerto Rico
Eden and Ed, married at the beach

B’Shalom,

signature Debbi Ballard, Cantor, Rabbi and wedding officiant with My Personal Cantor

 

 

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, Jewish, Interfaith, LGBTQ Weddings Tagged With: destination wedding, humanist wedding, Interfaith wedding, Isabela, Jewish, love, marriage, Puerto Rico, resort wedding, wedding ceremony

Off I Go Again – Co-Officiating a Wedding in Orlando, Memorial Service, and a Destination Wedding in St. Maarten

November 29, 2008 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

I’m up bright and early to finish off this Thanksgiving weekend with quite a bit of activity. I’m getting ready to leave for Orlando, where I will be co-officiating the wedding of Megan and Michael tonight at the Winter Park Civic Center.  The wedding is a Catholic-Jewish wedding, and I am co-officiating with Father Tim.  The Interfaith wedding ceremony is a great blend of traditions, and I look forward to writing more about it when I return.

On Sunday morning, upon my return, I am leading a memorial service for a wonderful man who was a legendary father and grandfather.  The stories I have heard about him made me remember my own, and reminded me that even though I had a short time with him in my life, he left me with memories I will cherish forever, and a legacy that leads me through life even today.  How fortunate we are if we have parents and grandparents who shower us with unconditional love.  I know that this man’s presence was terribly missed at the family’s Thanksgiving this year, but they remembered him with joy and happiness, a true testament to the legacy he left behind.

Shortly after I return, I will be leaving for St. Maarten, where I will be wedding officiant for the destination wedding of Keith & Faith.  This is an amazing power-couple!  I cannot wait to spend time with them and their families, and I know this trip is going to be another life-changing experience.  I love my job!

Stay tuned, and have a very Happy Thanksgiving weekend.

Oh – PS – GO GATORS!

signature Cantor, Rabbi, and Wedding Officiant Debbi Ballard

Filed Under: Debbi's Deep Thoughts and Musings, Funerals, Jewish, Interfaith, LGBTQ Weddings, Weddings Tagged With: catholic wedding, destination wedding, Interfaith wedding, Jewish wedding, On The Road

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

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