My Personal Cantor

Wedding Officiant -Debbi Ballard

Follow Me on Social Media

FB icon Twitter Icon Instagram Icon YouTube Icon Google+ Icon
  • About Me
  • Let Me Marry You
  • Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah
    • Bar Mitzvah in Israel with Cantor Debbi
  • LIFE’S PRECIOUS MOMENTS
  • Watch Me
  • Around The World
Home » resort wedding

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

Watch an Interview with Debbi

Categories

  • About
  • Baby Namings
  • Bar/Bat Mitzvah Adventures
  • Debbi's Deep Thoughts and Musings
  • Destination Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah
  • Events
  • Featured Content
  • Funerals
  • GLBT
  • Holidays
  • Jewish
  • Jewish, Interfaith, LGBTQ Weddings
  • Judaism
  • Let's Eat!
  • Slider
  • Thoughts
  • Wedding Vendors
  • Weddings
  • worship

Contact Me

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 ~

Follow Me On Twitter!

Tweets by @jewishweddings

What They Say

"Working with Cantor Debbi
made our event more amazing
than we hoped for! She is warm
and wonderful!"

Events Calendar

June 2022
MMonday TTuesday WWednesday TThursday FFriday SSaturday SSunday
30May 30, 2022 31May 31, 2022 1June 1, 2022 2June 2, 2022 3June 3, 2022 4June 4, 2022 5June 5, 2022
6June 6, 2022 7June 7, 2022 8June 8, 2022 9June 9, 2022 10June 10, 2022 11June 11, 2022 12June 12, 2022
13June 13, 2022 14June 14, 2022 15June 15, 2022 16June 16, 2022 17June 17, 2022 18June 18, 2022 19June 19, 2022
20June 20, 2022 21June 21, 2022 22June 22, 2022 23June 23, 2022 24June 24, 2022 25June 25, 2022 26June 26, 2022
27June 27, 2022 28June 28, 2022 29June 29, 2022 30June 30, 2022 1July 1, 2022 2July 2, 2022 3July 3, 2022

Upcoming Events

  • 10:00 am – 11:15 am, September 19, 2020 – High Holy Days with Cantor Debbi Ballard on ZOOM
  • 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm, September 27, 2020 – High Holy Days with Cantor Debbi Ballard on ZOOM
  • 10:00 am – 11:15 am, September 28, 2020 – High Holy Days with Cantor Debbi Ballard on ZOOM

Copyright © 2022 · Outreach Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in