elizheva & robert | costanoa wedding

This wedding was so full of vibrance, ceremony, celebration and love….so it seemed not only appropriate but essential for my post to be extra long, extra bright and extra sentimental to reflect the feeling of such a wonderful day. Elizheva did an amazing job creating all of the handmade details that brought so much soul to this wedding, from the handmade huppah that she designed from ribbons given by her guests, to the hand knit yamakas, to the purple petticoat that she added to the inside of her dress and the purple glitter that she added to the soles of her shoes! Every detail reflected the personality of this creative and incredibly lovable couple. Robert is the architect behind Fink Architecture, so finding the perfect venue was obviously an important descision. They both fell in love with Costanoa for it’s beautiful eco design and it’s functionality in housing many of their guests for a weekend of celebrations. Guests could chose to stay at the  lodge, in cabins, or even in tents with heated beds, while still remaining within walking distance. Elizheva is a very active member of the Jewish community in Berkeley, so incorporating Jewish tradition was important to her. She made these traditions feel so inclusive to all of the guests, with custom programs providing detailed explanations of the significance of each tradition that was celebrated.

Elizheva and Robert’s entire wedding was inspired by the Jewish faith, the wildflowers of California and all shades of purple, and these inspirations could be seen and felt through every part of the day and brought cohesion to a day that had many ceremonies in various locations. The morning began with a women’s gathering where Elizheva’s closest ladies sang and danced and gave their blessings to the bride, while the men gathered amid the eucalyptus tress and shared their words of wisdom over shots of whiskey. I was so moved by the women’s gathering, and it set the tone for a day filed with so much emotion. Then they had their amazing klesmer band Kugelplex lead the men to meet the women where their custom ketubah was signed and the veiling ceremony performed. The band then led a procession to the ceremony site where Elizheva and Robert where surrounded by family and friends who gave readings, shared words and sang songs as they were married to each other under the huppah. That joyful moment flowed into yet another, as the dancing and swinging began, followed by guests entertaining the couple with a show full of costumes, talents and pure comedy, and then another with the speeches and sharing the family-made challah bread, and then another with even more dancing. The whole day was a colorful blur of fun and love, and I couldn’t be happier for these two perfectly complimenting people.