Eliana and Michael wanted their wedding to feel like a midday hike—sun shining bright, trees all around them, colorful flowers abound—so LA River Center & Gardens was the perfect venue for them. And while they were super laidback (they directed guests to wear something comfortable they loved), they also wanted to incorporate meaningful Jewish wedding traditions all throughout their day. Put it all together and you have a dreamy, whimsical wedding full of emotion and celebration. See their wedding photographed by The Shalom Imaginative below!
A moment for this chuppah… Just, wow. The couple were inspired by dreamsicle orange and dusty pink as their wedding colors (drawing inspo from Eliana’s own bat mitzvah invitation!), which floral designer With You Floral paired with bright pastel purple and greens, and lots of funky foliage. It made for a spectacular pop of color amongst the lush greens of the lawn and gardens at LA River Center.
In Jewish weddings, the Ketubah signing typically takes place before the wedding ceremony. They signed theirs in the atrium at the venue, and then moved out into the garden where guests gathered for the wedding.
E + M’s friends walked their dog Shluffy down the aisle!
They opted for many Jewish wedding traditions throughout the ceremony, but personalized certain elements. Eliana says, We did a non-traditional Bedeken. Unlike a traditional ceremony where the man attempts to identify the correct woman, we stood back to back and then turned slowly to face each other to truly see each other for the first time. It was about departing from the ideas that we have about each other, and trying to really see one another as we are. We both bawled (mostly Michael).
The breaking of the glass was another favorite memory of theirs.
Their outfits fit right into the ethereal tone of the day. They both wore flowers in their hair. Eliana wore a flowing, light dress with a lace veil, and Michael’s wore a neutral-colored linen suit.
The Shalom Imaginative captured their big day on both digital and film, making for even dreamier imagery.
Modern centerpieces following their candy-colored palette also featured fruits like melons and grapes for added texture and interest in keeping with the nature-inspired vibe.
Such a pretty floral sweetheart table!
Another Jewish wedding tradition they incorporated was the hora dance, which both the couple and their guests had a blast participating in!
How Eliana and Michael describe their wedding style: airy, textured, vibrant, whimsical, committed, joyful, lucky
They topped off their gorgeous LA garden wedding with pastel neon wedding cakes featuring more funky flowers and fruit.
Congratulations to the happy couple!
Venue: LA River Center & Gardens | Photography: The Shalom Imaginative | Event Planning: Blossom Events | Floral Design: With You Floral | Catering: Todo Verde | DJ: DJ Keelez | Dessert: The Dough Life | Bartending: LA Speakeasy
