While attending a Birthright trip to Israel the last year she was eligible, Kelly Lippman met the love of her life, Elad Levine. “He was a soldier put on my trip, just before he finished his seven years of service,” explains Kelly. On their first night at the Bedoin tents, they watched the sunset together and soon fell in love. Their relationship spanned continents, dating long distance for a while until Kelly moved to Israel to be with Elad. 

“Everything that I had wanted to experience life-wise with my partner just worked, and I felt secure,” Elad shares of when he knew Kelly was The One. After they had moved to the states together, he asked her parents for their blessing to propose and secured a ring while visiting his family in Israel. On a family ski trip to Utah, “he took me on a horse-drawn sleigh ride… where he did not propose,” laughs Kelly. When they returned to the lodge, Kelly’s parents encouraged them to view a moose outside on the slope. “Instead there were candles arranged in the snow, and Elad got down on one knee,” she smiles. 

Though they originally planned for an April 2020 wedding in Santa Barbara, they were forced to postpone due to the pandemic. “Once we started to re-plan, we decided we wanted to be closer to home,” affirms Kelly. They searched for venues in the Los Angeles area with their planner, Alyson Fox of Levine Fox Events, Inc., ultimately deciding on a unique, sentimental site for the joyous celebration. “Having the wedding at my parents’ home could not have been more perfect!” confirms the bride. 

Just over 100 friends and family members joined together at the elegant estate featuring a beautiful brick exterior and stately white columns at the entrance, which was bedecked with billowing blooms and verdure in a sunny color palette. Attendees were offered monogrammed fans and parasols before taking their seats for the outdoor ceremony. A grassy aisle scattered with vanilla-toned petals led to the magnificent chuppah adorned with bright yellow blooms, creamy florals, and greenery at the base of a colossal oak tree. 

String musicians performed delightful melodies as the wedding party processed. Elad and his groomsmen were handsome in sharp tuxedos, and bridesmaids were stunning in floor-length yellow gowns of their choosing. At last, Kelly walked down the aisle carrying a bouquet of cream peonies to “La Vie en Rose.” She was resplendent in a low-back gown, which complemented the lace-trim veil she wore over her long tresses. The pair kept with traditional Jewish wedding customs for the ceremony, which was led by the rabbi of the bride’s late grandparents; however, they exchanged their own vows. 

“Finally getting to celebrate with all of our people after waiting so long was the best feeling!”

After Kelly and Elad were pronounced husband and wife, guests enjoyed an alfresco cocktail hour before making their way into the reception space. An array of libations and four specialty cocktails – a basil gimlet, grapefruit Paloma, skinny margarita, and spicy skinny margarita – were served from an emerald-hued round bar that blended seamlessly with the hedge wall backdrop. Loved ones mingled at comfortable lounge areas featuring upholstered seating enhanced with garden-inspired patterned pillows. 

Once inside the impressive draped canopy decorated with capiz-shell chandeliers, “the yellow and garden theme continued, but it was kicked up a notch with Alyson’s gorgeous vision!” shares Kelly. Modern square tables with gilt bases and long rectangular tables strewn with neutral linens were surrounded with white-and-gold chairs. Low centerpieces comprised of garden roses, tulips, ranunculus blossoms, dahlias, and other yellow and ivory florals accented with verdure were illuminated with votives along with romantic candlelight emitted from taper candles atop gilt and gold-and-crystal candlesticks. 

Following the dinner service, friends and family savored slices of a five-tier wedding cake embellished with lace details inspired by the bride’s gown as well as sugar flowers that appeared to grow out of the confection. The rest of the night was spent dancing beneath the stars. “We had a band for most of the evening and then switched to a DJ late at night,” notes the groom. Since they needed to work within noise-ordinance guidelines, a silent disco kept the party going – with help from comfortable flats for the ladies, custom hats passed out on the dance floor, and late-night snacks including In-N-Out Burger. 

After multiple postponements and venue changes, the couple was thrilled with how their incredible big day turned out. “Finally getting to celebrate with all of our people after waiting so long was the best feeling!” exclaims the bride. “There is nothing more special than getting to celebrate your love with all of the people in your life.”

This real wedding was originally published in the Summer 2022 issue of Inside Weddings magazine. 

To order a copy of the Summer 2022 issue, visit our library of Inside Weddings back issues available for purchase.

Kelly's bridal shower was also featured on InsideWeddings.com! See her garden bridal shower here: Vintage, Downton Abbey-Inspired Garden Tea Party Bridal Shower