There are places where the light feels different. Not just because of the natural illumination filling the rooms or the pastoral view stretching beyond the windows, but because of something deeper – a sense that here, within these walls, someone decided to choose joy even when the world outside was painful. Casa Mancini, an eclectic and stunning estate in the heart of Ein Vered in the Sharon region, is exactly that place. And its story begins in a setting you wouldn’t expect – next to a burning fireplace, on a dreary November evening in 2024, when the news on television was unbearably heavy.
Yehudit remembers that exact evening. “The murder of the six hostages in Gaza shook me emotionally in a deep way,” she recounts, her words still carrying the weight of that period. “It was a crisis unlike anything I had ever experienced. I felt I didn’t want to leave the house, didn’t want to expose myself to the world. Both my partner, Dudu Kadir, and I were enveloped in great sadness, unsure of how to move forward.”
That November evening, as they lit the fire and settled into the living room, the show Hatunami aired on television. Yehudit looked at Dudu and asked, “What do you think about opening the house for brides? I think it would make us happy.” His response was simple: “We’ll do whatever makes you happy.” At that moment, from the deepest personal pain, a conscious choice to create joy was born. Not to collapse, but to create. Not to stay within the sorrow, but to open the home – and the heart – to something greater.
From November 2024 until June 2025, during a continuous period of war that continued to shake everyone, Yehudit and Dudu adapted their home to host brides. It wasn’t just a technical process of renovations and adjustments – it was a complete emotional renewal. Every corner gained additional meaning, every space opened to the light. “This house was always warm and enveloping,” explains Yehudit. “It wasn’t built as a commercial location, but as a family home with soul. It transformed from a private place to a space that generates joy in a time when we all needed it.”
When you enter Casa Mancini, the first thing that catches the eye is how perfect everything is – but not in an artificial or staged way. It’s a perfection that comes from a deep eye for detail and a true understanding of beauty. Dudu Kadir, Yehudit’s husband, is a master carpenter with extensive experience in design within the restaurant world. He created the furniture and led design experiences in renowned venues such as Café Noir, Sebastian, Augustin, and The Fourth Floor – places that are iconic in Israel’s culinary and design scene. “His eye for detail, the balance between material, color, and texture, is felt in every corner of the house,” Yehudit says with quiet pride.
The interior style is eclectic vintage – a perfect blend of items with history, art, rich textiles, and objects collected over the years. There’s something reminiscent of an antique shop from the movies, only everything here is functional and inviting. The courtyard and garden? Completely Tuscan – light walls, an enveloping garden, the atmosphere of an Italian villa in a village thousands of kilometers away, yet it feels like home. “It’s a house with depth,” Yehudit concludes. “Not a set. Not a stage. It’s a real place.”
The responses from the brides who visit Casa Mancini speak for themselves. Yamit, who got ready there for a wedding in August 2025, wrote: “And the house… words can’t explain the feeling. Every guest, friend, or family member who entered – their breath was taken away. I felt like a princess, but I also felt so at home.” Gal and Elior added: “I promise you this is the most beautiful place you could photograph! And you’ll get the most stunning pictures for the happiest and most important day of your life.” But the moment that touched Yehudit the most was when one bride told her at the end of the day: “I felt like I was in a dream, but a dream that embraced me.”
“That was the moment I understood that our choice was right,” Yehudit says. “It’s not just a beautiful location, but a space that allows a bride to breathe, to feel excitement, to cry if she needs to, and to feel held.” For her, accompanying a bride on the most important day of her life is an emotional responsibility. “It’s a charged day, full of expectations and emotions. My role is to be the quiet anchor – to make sure everything flows, that the space allows calm, and that the aesthetics support the experience rather than overpower it.”
The estate is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and can host up to 6 guests (including the couple) and 10 vendors. It includes a private room for the bride, a private bathroom, a makeup table with a large mirror, perfect natural lighting for photography, a balcony with a pastoral view, and, of course, breakfast and light refreshments lovingly prepared by Yehudit. But beyond all these technical details, what truly makes Casa Mancini special is its soul.
When Yehudit says that “Casa Mancini was born from a choice of light in a dark time,” there is no unnecessary pathos. It’s simply true. “Perhaps that’s why it manages to touch people,” she concludes. “It’s not just a place – it’s a story of love, creation, and joy. It’s a story of life deliberately chosen.”
And in the end, that’s exactly what every bride needs on her wedding day – not just a beautiful location for photos, but a space that holds her, reminds her that even in the darkest times, one can choose joy, create beauty from pain, and that love, in the end, always triumphs.
Casa Mancini, Ein Vered | For details and reservations: 054-678-7179
Price range: NIS 3,500–4,500