Seven years ago, Yarden was having her nails done at a shopping center when she struck up a conversation with another woman in the salon. After chatting a bit, the woman asked if she was single and if she was willing to meet “a great guy who lives just a few blocks away.” The woman ended up introducing Yarden to her nephew, Tomer, who ended up calling Yarden a few weeks later. After three months of coordinating their busy schedules, the two were finally able to meet in person.

“Our first official date was in our hometown, taking our dogs for a walk near Tomer’s house on a Friday night,” Yarden describes. “I felt good and secure with him since we spoke a lot on the phone before we actually met.”

After being released from the army, Yarden and Tomer traveled to South America together. Upon their return, both began their academic studies at the same college and eventually moved in together near the beach in Tel Aviv. There, on the beach, Tomer popped the question. Since it was his birthday, Yarden wasn’t expecting a proposal; but her mother organized a birthday dinner for Tomer, which turned into a party celebrating the couple’s engagement.

Although Yarden had her sights set on a small hotel wedding during the summer, the big day turned into a lavish affair at Hangar 11 TLV with nearly 1,000 guests. The wedding planning process lasted five months, during which the couple had a second engagement party. Tomer’s mother also stepped in to assist with all the details.

“I loved planning the wedding and enjoyed every second of it,” says Yarden. “We had a great connection with the production company and felt we were in good hands.”

On the day of the wedding, the bride and groom got ready at their parents’ houses – the bride accompanied by her mother and friends, and the groom spending time with his brothers. Prior to the ceremony, Yarden was picked up at the Norman Hotel for photos, and the couple arrived at Hangar 11 at 7pm for an intimate gathering with 300 of their closest friends.

After the ceremony, the rest of the guests joined in for dinner, dancing, and a show. The newlyweds were treated to two separate movies created for them by their family and closest friends, and everyone celebrated into the wee hours of the morning.

“When the wedding was finally over at 4am, after nine hours, we were surprised it was over so fast,” Yarden says. “We felt amazing and truly loved.”

>Written By: Lauren Malamala