“Law & Order” Star Odelya Halevi Marries Aaron Mazor in 'Fairy Tale' Wedding 'Surrounded by Nature' in Israel (Exclusive)

Odelya Halevi said "I do" successful a spot that's adjacent to her heart.

The Law & Order star, 36, joined Aaron Mazor astatine Ronit Farm successful Tel Aviv, Israel, connected Friday, May 30, surrounded by 180 guests. She tells PEOPLE that Israel, wherever she was calved and raised, was a "natural" prime for nan couple's multiday wedding celebration.

"For me, Israel isn’t conscionable a place; it’s home. It holds immoderate of my astir cherished memories. The people, nan energy, nan onshore — it’s wherever my bosom ever returns," she explains, noting, "Aaron, who’s besides Jewish, has travel to emotion it profoundly arsenic well."

Halevi says nan brace ever envisioned having a destination wedding wherever each of their loved ones would stitchery and walk clip together complete respective days. They besides saw it arsenic an opportunity for their friends to get to research "a spot that intends truthful overmuch to us."

But juggling nan wedding readying pinch their engaged careers wasn't ever easy, she says. Halevi joined the Law & Order franchise erstwhile the original bid returned in 2022, playing Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maroun. Mazor useful arsenic a luxury existent property supplier connected nan Hudson Advisory Team astatine Compass.

"To minimize nan challenges, we started readying a twelvemonth successful beforehand and hired Liraz Weiman, who’s an incredibly talented arena planner," Halevi says. "When things sewage stressful, I tried to springiness myself grace and fto spell of things that were retired of my control. The challenges only brought america closer."

They landed connected Ronit Farm — which features acres of lush gardens, a lake, a greenhouse, gazebos and much — arsenic their wedding venue because they wanted to beryllium immersed successful nan area's stunning earthy scenery.

"We chose to wed successful nan afternoon, surrounded by quality — trees, h2o and nan quiet serenity of nan landscape. It felt for illustration a fairy tale," Halevi says. "The world tones we picked were meant to bespeak that mounting — natural, lukewarm and grounded."

The wedding festivities kicked disconnected successful style connected Thursday, May 29, pinch a henna-themed invited reception, hosted by nan bride and groom.

"I travel from a Middle Eastern background, and honoring my practice and civilization was incredibly important," Halevi notes.

The character wore a dress by 1 of her favourite designers, Dror Kontento, for nan occasion. "The dress reminded maine of nan desert, which was nan correct vibe for our henna," she says.

Halevi past amazed her guests by changing into a 2nd dress, which was designed by Kineret. She accessorized pinch jewelry from KERENWOLF.

For nan large time itself, Halevi chose 2 different dresses by Israeli designer Lihi Hod. She says she instantly knew Hod was "the one" — manner speaking, that is — erstwhile nan brace first met successful New York City.

"Her dresses are renowned for their fusion of timeless elegance and modern romanticism. And supra all, comfort," Halevi tells PEOPLE.

Her ceremonial dress had nan cleanable "vintage feel," she says, while her 2nd look was "a blend of aged Hollywood glamour" and "contemporary flair."

Never miss a communicative — motion up for PEOPLE's free regular newsletter to enactment up-to-date connected nan champion of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from personage news to compelling quality liking stories.

Adding nan cleanable finishing touches to her bridal style statement, she wore a postulation of jewelry pieces civilization designed by Bichachi Jewelry's Sefi Bichachi, including earrings, a bracelet, a pearl necklace and her wedding band. "These were meticulously crafted from gorgeous materials," Halevi says.

The bride walked down nan aisle to a Hebrew opus called “Shlemeem,” which intends "whole" successful English.

"Aaron has been studying Hebrew, and this opus has been playing connected repetition successful our home. We felt for illustration this opus could’ve been written for us," Halevi says. "The words 'come to me' were playing arsenic I walked down nan aisle, and it was a emotion that I will ne'er beryllium capable to picture successful words."

The mates recited handwritten vows successful a ceremonial that was officiated by a rabbi and included nan Jewish contented of breaking a glass. "We scheme to support those solid fragments and create thing beautiful retired of them," nan character notes.

After nan ceremony, nan newlyweds treated their guests to nan tastes of Israel pinch a buffet filled pinch tempting section delicacies. "The nutrient successful Israel is immoderate of nan champion successful nan world, and we wanted our guests to person nan expertise to effort it all," Helevi says.

And because nan groom has "an insane saccharine tooth," they went each retired pinch 7 different desserts alternatively than conscionable a azygous wedding cake.

Following nan meal, guests danced nan nighttime distant to euphony from aggregate DJs, including Adidor, Jenia and Eyal Hen.

The wedding play wrapped up connected Saturday day pinch a casual gathering astatine nan Hilton Bayz Beach Club. Halevi wore yet different civilization look for nan occasion: a sheer formation cover-up pinch sparkly metallic detailing by Shani Shemer.

The newlyweds and their guests relaxed, soaked up nan sun and enjoyed clip connected nan beach. "It was a awesome measurement to extremity a magical weekend," Halevi says. The sunset was genuinely a cleanable farewell to nonstop america off." 

Halevi and Mazor first met erstwhile they were each invited separately to spot their communal friend, comedian Andrew Schulz, execute astatine Radio City Music Hall successful New York City. "We met concisely during intermission and sparks flew. After nan show, we headed to nan afterparty wherever we fell into a meaningful conversation. Aaron thought I was a small kooky, and I knew correct distant that he was a keeper," she recalls.

They exchanged rings successful August 2023 successful nan picturesque French colony of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie successful Provence. Mazor projected successful a secluded plot astatine an 18th-century residence that's now a hotel. "It felt for illustration we were nan only group connected nan planet," Halevi recalls of nan romanticist moment.

The PEOPLE App is now disposable successful nan Apple App Store! Download it now for nan astir binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!

Now that nan 2 person tied nan knot, they are looking guardant to sharing life's adventures together.

"Our emotion will proceed to turn done regular choice, shared intent and lasting romance," Helevi says. "And we genuinely can’t hold to commencement a family."

But first connected nan schedule is simply a honeymoon successful Africa — pinch an unthinkable itinerary.

"[We're] starting pinch a once-in-a-lifetime gorilla trek successful Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. From there, we’ll travel to Tanzania to witnesser nan Great Migration crossed nan Serengeti, staying astatine a fewer unthinkable camps on nan way. By design, we are ending nan travel by unwinding successful nan turquoise waters of Zanzibar," nan character says.

Additional Credits:

Hair and Makeup: Shay Halaly Ziv @shay_shaz

Videography: Genadi Fumm @genadi_fumm

Florals: DNA House of Design @dna_houseofdesign

DJs: Dor Adidor Adi @djadidor, Jenia Tarsol @jeniatarsol, Hype @hypemusic.co.il

Event Planners: LW Events by Liraz Weiman @lwenents_, Daniella Eckshtein @daniellaeckshtein

Social Media Photographer: Avia Achrak @avia.digital