Fairy-Tale Feeling

Dreamy fall ambience and nods to family and Italian heritage made the Heigh Garden wedding of Elleyse Gemondo and Robert DiVita an occasion to behold. 

Elleyse Nicole Gemondo and Robert Stephen DiVita
Charleston | 09.28.24

Written by Taylor Maple   
Photographed by The Breiters

Elleyse Gemondo has always had an eye for style—she loves an inspiration board, she loves cohesion, and she loves when colors and textures complement each other in the perfect way. She has a background in fashion design and merchandising with a career that’s led her to Pittsburgh and New York, and there could be no better place to put those skills to use than in her own wedding. Robert DiVita embraced her vision, and together, they brought it to life on a day full of magic.

a lush space

The couple had a Catholic ceremony outdoors at Heigh Garden in Charleston. Given that Catholic weddings usually take place inside the walls of a church, they had to seek special approval from a bishop for the day they hoped for. Once that was secured, it was time to make the already gorgeous venue into a space totally unique to them.

Elleyse knew that the fall date they selected lent itself to an autumnal vibe, but she was also envisioning an aesthetic that would lean a little moodier. “I didn’t want it to be just your orange and your normal fall colors,” she says. “I wanted something different, too. So I mixed the pinks in with the palette. I wanted it to be dark, edgy, but also have a romantic vibe, too.” 

To help bring her goal to life, Adam’s Floral Creations in Charleston curated stunning flowers and lush greenery that made every corner of the couple’s venue feel like it was breathing life into the air around them. “He did a really good job with those flowers,” Elleyse says. “I’ve seen florists from all over the U.S. and been to the Macy’s Flower Show in New York City, and this guy could work there for them. He’s amazing.”

every last detail

It wasn’t just the big picture—the venue, the ceremony, and all the love that accompanied the day—that was perfect. Even down to the smallest touches, Elleyse and Robert paid close attention.

Elleyse wore a regal Maggie Sottero gown that looked timeless with a twist—a keyhole detail, cap sleeves, and pockets made it feel interesting yet effortless. Robert, his groomsmen, and Elleyse’s father wore green suits that gave a nod to their woodsy setting while still looking polished and classic. “I loved them. Everybody loved them,” Robert says. The ensemble was completed with brown leather ties and matching brown leather pocket squares. “That was actually my favorite part of the whole wedding,” Elleyse says of the men’s attire. “I told Rob that I like those more than I like my dress. I don’t even know how I came up with the green. I think I might have just researched fall weddings and saw green and said, ‘Oh, I’ve never seen that before.’” 

The food at the reception was everything you could want out of an Italian feast: sausage and peppers, an antipasto charcuterie board, lasagna, chicken alfredo, and wedding cookies. Framed photos of loved ones who passed away before the wedding sat at their own place settings, honoring them at the chairs where they would have sat. And between the hotel gift bags, rehearsal dinner favors, and parting gifts at the wedding, guests received D’Annunzio’s pepperoni rolls, bottles of limoncello the couple had hand-poured, samples of salt from J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works—a company based in Charleston that has hand-harvested Appalachian salt for generations—and Jordan almonds, a staple of Italian weddings.

connections across years

The love didn’t only radiate between Elleyse and Robert on their wedding day—they felt it from others around them, too. In addition to the family and friends who helped throughout the day, many of the day’s vendors, from the person organizing the light displays to the one doing Elleyse’s hair and makeup, were friends of hers from years past. Neighbors jumped in to help ensure the couple’s husky made it over for a photo or two. And Elleyse and Robert also had a special connection to a member of their wedding band: Stephen Pishner, from the band AMICI, performed at Elleyse’s parents’ wedding as an organist when he was just 10 years old. 

They had another tie to past weddings, too. When Elleyse and Robert lit unity candles as part of their ceremony, they stood on a ceremonial rug that had been made by a family member of Robert’s and had been used at family weddings in years past. “It was a really cool touch and meaningful to my mom’s side,” Robert says. 

These whispers of the past surrounded Elleyse and Robert on their big day, while their son Luca, who was about 18 months old at the time of the wedding, represented the future they are building together. “He was super cute in his little outfit, and it was fun to see him soaking that up and interacting with people. Some were important family members that he hadn’t met yet,” Robert says. “Aside from Elleyse, Luca was the star of the show.”