Ceremony: St. Paul Catholic Church; Reception: Andiamo Italia; Cake: Sweet Dreams Bakery; Florist and Event Planner: Jerry Stockie for Venetian Flowers; Hair: Kristina Mara for Figo Salon Birmingham; Makeup: Dawn Baker, Invitations: Flair Necessities, Wedding Gown: Pnina Tornai at Kleinfield, Photographer: Jessica Johnston Photography

At our wedding reception, my sister and maid of honor, Aubrey, said it best when she toasted: “today my sister married her Prince Charming.” Our relationship has always seemed like a romantic fairytale. It’s a love story that one can only dream about. I still feel so blessed that such a perfect gentleman swept me off my feet. Joseph is and will always be my prince charming. Joseph is the kindest, most caring, sincere, genuine and loving person I know. He has the qualities, demeanors and manners only a true prince would posses; he is truly one-of-a-kind.

We met in college at Michigan State University where Joseph was a freshman and I was a sophomore. Joseph used to tutor me in economics, which was a class that I struggled with. During our friendship, I used to always think, “whomever he marries will be the luckiest girl in the world.” Little did I know, that friendship would blossom into more, and ultimately that “lucky” girl would be me.

Fours years later, on a perfect summer day, he proposed to me on top of the Empire State Building in New York City. I had been told we were going to the city for a business meeting my father-in-law had scheduled, but that was a ploy to prevent me from suspect anything. Later, I found out there was no business meeting; the trip was strictly for the engagement.

We arrived in NYC early in the morning and had lunch with my fiancés family. Then Joseph asked me what I would like to do all afternoon. I hadn’t been to NYC in years and was truly overwhelmed by the options so he suggested the Empire State Building since I had never been there before.

When we made it to the top, Joseph handed our camera to a fellow bystander to take our picture, while he proceeded to get down on one knee. Surprised, I asked “What are you doing? I thought we were taking a picture,” until I realized he was on one knee for a reason and said the magical words, “will you marry me?” The rest is history and 363 days later we were married.

We truly had a fairytale wedding. There were over 450 guests in attendance, a five-course dinner, appetizers, orchestra, ice sculptures and so much more. The color scheme was white and gold, which was carried out throughout the entire day. Everything from the bridal bouquet to the ceremony, reception and bridal party dresses fit that scheme. It was something that I had always dreamed. Being 50 percent Chinese, I wanted to incorporate aspects of my culture into our wedding. Earlier in the day, we performed a tea ceremony where I was presented with gold pieces as gifts. Towards the end of the reception I changed into a traditional red Chinese gown. At this time I wore all of the gold pieces I had received earlier. The day was perfect and something I will remember for the rest of my life.

Location: Boston Harbor Hotel Boston, MA; Cake: Konditor Meister Braintree, MA; Entertainment: Chuck Wansley After Hours; Ceremony Quartet: The Boston Conservatory Boston, MA; Florist: Ray’s Flower Shop Fall River, MA; Day-Of Wedding Coordinator: Ken Maccarone for KM Design Studio Providence, RI: Ice: Art in Ice Warwick, RI; Rentals: Be Our Guest, Inc. Boston, MA; Stationery: Chewing the Cud San Francisco, CA; Stationery Printer: Flybird Press San Francisco, CA; Tuxedo: John Vavartos; Groomsmen Tuxedo’s: Classic Tuxedo Providence, RI; Wedding Gown: Angel Sanchez; Reception Gown: Amsale; Bridesmaid Gowns: Jim Hjelm; Brides Hair: Christy Lee for Moss Salon Providence, RI: Bridesmaids Hair: Katie Bowie Warwick, RI; Brides Makeup: Naomi’s Studio & Salon West Hartford, CT; Bridesmaids Makeup: Marlo Freedman for Rouge Cosmetics Salem, MA; Brides Jewelry: Adorn Brides; Photography: Mike Colón Photographers Newport Coast, CA

“our eyes locked and it was as if we were the only two people alive.”

“I feel complete,” Tracy Freedman expressed about marrying Douglas Trouf, in a way that only someone else that is married can understand. Although they went to high school together, Tracy’s interest wasn’t piqued until several years later when a mutual friend coerced the two into exchanging pleasantries at a gathering at Doug’s home.

A mutual love of fashion, fondness for enjoying quality time in with Doug’s bulldog, Gabby, as well as an affection for going out, made love come quickly. And before long Tracy was moving in, Gabby was getting spoiled rotten, and Doug was scheming the perfect birthday proposal.

After receiving her parent’s blessing, Doug was on a mission to set an heirloom diamond that belonged to Tracy’s grandmother—but things didn’t exactly go according to plan. Her birthday came and went and “the ring wasn’t ready,” Doug recalls.

A couple of days later, on a random Wednesday night during a Celtics playoff game, Doug got the call and anticipation overruled logic with an impromptu proposal in the comfort of their home. “Gabby was flipping out, crying and jumping all over us; it was perfect,” Tracy remembers.

When it came time to plan their big day, it wasn’t easy for the overly-apprised fashion editor of “Grace Ormonde Wedding Style.” After exhausting most venues because they didn’t fit the bill for the “modern opulence with an urban edge” vibe they desired, not to mention, they weren’t willing to accommodate a four-legged guest, Tracy and Doug finally acquiesced on the Boston Harbor Hotel when they got word that their “special request” was a go.

Tracy wished to get married under the hotel’s famous arch for its uniqueness in the fact that “we are the only people to ever do it,” and Doug, an avid Red Sox fan, loved the “city feel,” plus it didn’t hurt that John Henry docks his boat, Iroquois, at Rowes Wharf just a glance away. Finally, everything seemed to fall into place—except the gown.

Following a disappointed bridal salon appointment, Tracy awaited New York bridal market for the endless options it would offer. She was at her last appointment before leaving the city, when it came down the runway. “I knew it was the one,” Tracy ogled about the Angel Sanchez gown, which would end up being couture.

The Saturday evening nuptials officiated by Tracy’s close family friend, Judge Homonoff, were “all about romance.” As she tearfully walked down the aisle, “our eyes locked and it was as if we were the only two people alive,” Doug describes. Tourists walking by stopped to watch as guests shouted “Mazel tov,” and the festivities never stopped.

The head table featured James Story orchids in memory of a deceased coworker, combinations of red, silver and black lended toward the fashion-forward décor, and 205 guests danced the night away.

They enjoyed 10 blissful days in St. Thomas before Tracy had to return to work for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and Doug had to get back to his job in financial services. Work requires that they both travel a lot so they really enjoy their time together at home with Gabby. Agreeing that their wedding was “the best day of our lives,” they are equally excited to see what the future has in store for them.

Article by Jessica Latimer

Civil Ceremony: Private Residence New York, NY; Ceremony: Royal Riviera Hotel Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France; Reception: Private Estate Bridge Hampton, NY; Civil Ceremony Dress: Dior; Wedding Gown: Amsale; Reception Dress: Oscar de la Renta; Reception Planner: Sidekick Events New York, NY; Photography: Tanya Malott Photographer Atlanta, GA

In a frenetic world, marriage is “an island of tranquility…it is a remarkable gift.”

The night David Janke’s sister introduced him to Elizabeth Jennings at a Manhattan music club, his interest wasn’t piqued until Elizabeth started to come to in the St. Vincent’s emergency room. She’d sustained a broken nose and concussion in a fall, but her sense of humor remained miraculously intact, and David found her playfulness “uncommon.” He stayed “the whole time,” she remembers. “He was wonderful. He held my hand while I got stitches.”

When David invited her, months later, for drinks at The East Side Company Bar, “We just hit it off wonderfully,” he says. “We were seeing each other from that moment on.”

On Halloween in 2008, Elizabeth awaited a delivery for David as she packed for a holiday. Instead, a courier brought an envelope addressed to Peter Jennings, in care of her. “It was a really beautiful letter that David had written to my father… asking for my hand in marriage,” recounts Elizabeth, who “had a very close relationship” with the late news anchor. The postscript beseeched “Mr. Jennings” to instruct his daughter to meet David in the hallway if he indeed blessed their union.

David’s proposal was a surprise; his desire to “find a way to ask my dad” was not, says Elizabeth, who never imagined he would do so in such an eloquent, memorable way. David regrets, he says, “never getting to know” her father.

Officiated by ABC News Medical Editor Dr. Timothy Johnson and attended solely by family, their August 28, 2009 civil ceremony at the bride’s Upper West Side childhood home was intended as a legality, but because of the intimacy, “It turned out to be so much more,” says David, BlackSwan Partners’ co-founder. “It was that wonderful first step. Then, we took off on an adventure.”

They flew to France that night bound for Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, a seaside hideaway they’d selected for its accessibility to family and friends traveling from Europe and the Middle East. All forty guests joined the couple for Friday’s rehearsal dinner at a friend’s lovely home overlooking the bay. On Saturday, the Royal Riviera Hotel garden was the setting for their traditional exchange of vows. Elizabeth’s brother, Christopher, escorted her as bagpipers played: a tribute to their father’s heritage. “It was a powerful moment; I was distinctly moved,” David remembers. At midnight, following dinner and dancing at the hotel, a bus whisked guests to Jimmy’z Monte-Carlo nightclub.

Three weeks later, the newlyweds hosted a reception for 180 at the Jennings Estate in Bridgehampton, New York. Elizabeth says their toasts to each other “set the stage for a palpably loving evening” of dinner, dancing, and more toasting with vodka they’d crafted the day before with David’s Russian family.

Although 2010 honeymoon plans are indefinite, they’re avid travelers with “fully formed senses of adventure,” says Elizabeth, who recently completed two Master’s degrees at Columbia. They’re equally content “hanging out watching the news,” she asserts.

In a frenetic world, marriage is “an island of tranquility,” David believes. “I’ve never been more myself than I am in front of Lizzie. When you find that, it is a remarkable gift.”

Article by Kim Knox Beckius

Location and Caterer: Cabo Azul Resort San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico; Event Planner: Nelya Srulovich, Amazing Flowers & Events San Francisco, CA; Florist: Elena Damy Floral Design Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Rentals: Del Cabo Event Design San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico, Oxten San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico; Videography: Weddings on Film San Francisco, CA; Photography: Photomomentum San Francisco, CA

I don’t remember everything he said, but I do remember him saying ‘I love you’ over and over and over again.”

Although Milana Vulis and Greg Berguig were only 10 years old when they shared their first kiss instigated by a game of Truth or Dare at summer camp, it would take several years and many miles from their Bay Area hometowns for the two to fall in love.

Acquaintances as teenagers, it was while both were students at Brown University in Providence, R.I., that a friendship blossomed. Although family members say they saw it coming from a mile away, it wasn’t until their senior year that the two admitted that friendship had grown into love.

“It was just such a natural progression from being best friends and then taking it one step further,” recalls Milana. “There was never a clear moment of when it became love.” Greg remembers, “We became really close in college. We were each other’s support. Senior year it was just like: this makes sense.”

Often apart in the ensuing years as each followed their respective career paths—Milana is in medicine; and Greg in business—the couple was finally able to live together, settling into Brooklyn in the summer of 2007. One year later Greg decided it was the perfect time to propose.

After a cooking class that Milana had arranged as a seventh anniversary gift, Greg surprised her with a detour to the New York Botanical Garden. “He kept making us go from one location to another until finally he found the perfect spot behind some rocks near a waterfall,” Milana says. “He squatted down on one knee and proposed. I don’t remember everything he said, but I do remember him saying ‘I love you’ over and over and over again.”

With nine months to plan the wedding before Milana was due to begin her residency, they began searching for a warm, outdoor location. And Mexico’s Cabo Azul Resort in Los Cabos provided the perfect location for the multi-day event.

Friday evening 180 guests enjoyed a welcome Shabbat dinner, complete with challah bread specially made by the resort’s chef. Prior to Saturday’s sunset wedding ceremony, the bride and groom posed for pictures—the first time they saw and talked to each other that day—while guests enjoyed a cocktail hour.

The ceremony opened with the flower girl and ring bearer singing a traditional Jewish song for the Havdalah service. Family members served as bridesmaids and groomsmen as the two exchanged vows in the resort’s magnificent open-air chapel overlooking the Sea of Cortez. Candles, fire torches and a chuppah designed by Milana herself elegantly decorated the space.

“The best moment was when I walked down the aisle and we both stepped under the chuppah,” says Milana. “It was as if we were the only two people there and we were truly part of a spiritual experience.”

At the reception, a band from Israel played “Besame Mucho” as the newlyweds shared their first dance. The resort’s chef prepared a multi-course meal and a traditional French croquembouche. Beachside fireworks at midnight added to the celebration.

Sunday evening’s relaxed, all-white barbeque beach party, complete with a local Mexican band, capped the weekend’s events. “That last night there,” Greg says, “what a great way to start off our marriage.”

Article by April C. Miller

Reception and Caterer: Montage Beverly Hills, CA; Cake: Nancy Kay’s Confections Los Angeles, CA; Event Planner: Kimberly Bradford Event Planning and Design Costa Mesa, CA; Florist: Nisie’s Enchanted Florist Los Alamitos, CA; Groom’s Attire: élevée Van Nuys, CA; Wedding Gown: Kenneth Pool; Photography: TripleCord Photography Ladera Ranch, CA

“There was never enough time in the day for me to spend with her: 24 hours wasn’t enough.”

When Earl Watson led Jennifer Freeman to a candlelit lily pond and asked her to close her eyes, he expected his proposal to elicit “a hug and kiss—not a punch.” Startled to see the NBA point guard on bended knee, the television and film actress jabbed him playfully and demanded: “This had better be for real.” After all, she’d arrived at Virginia Robinson Gardens to represent Earl at a Christmas Eve charity event—or so she thought. Earl’s scheme nearly fell through though when his flight was canceled. As they danced to her favorite song, “At Last” by Etta James, “It was surreal,” admits Jennifer, who didn’t expect her beau to make it, much less a ring.

After meeting a few months earlier at a summer barbecue, their paths crossed repeatedly, and they often found themselves lost in conversation. “Destiny had a way of putting us in front of each other,” Earl believes. “There was never enough time in the day for me to spend with her: Twenty-four hours wasn’t enough.”

Earl’s godfather, television producer Ed. Weinberger, insisted they wed at his Bel Air estate. “We couldn’t have picked a better place,” says Jennifer. As she prepared for the ceremony, flowers arrived with a two-word note: At Last. “I didn’t want to start crying, but I couldn’t help it,” Jennifer recalls. Earl’s second note, with a diamond heart necklace, made her laugh: “It’s too late to run.”

Walking down the aisle with her mother, “I was so excited that I wanted to burst,” Jennifer remembers. Earl “looked at me like there was no one else there, and I was the most beautiful woman in the world. I wanted to cherish that moment forever.”

Although Earl was determined, “there’s no way I’m going to cry,” he was soon caught off guard. “The agreement was: We would say traditional vows, then we wanted to say something to each other from the heart.” Instead, “Jennifer pulled out vows that had been written down and looked like they’d been proofread and rewritten three times. “She said the most amazing words. It came from the deepest spot in her heart. I couldn’t compete,” laments Earl, who sparked laughter when he blurted: “You made me cry.”

“He’s always been able to express himself,” says Jennifer. “I wanted to write something and tell him exactly how I felt. I wanted it on tape, so he could replay it.”

More than two-hundred guests joined the newlyweds at the Montage Beverly Hills for dinner and dancing. “Everyone was genuinely happy for us, which created so much positive energy,” Earl says. “We were the last ones there,” says Jennifer, and as they swayed to “At Last” and “Unforgettable,” she thought, “I couldn’t have dreamed of a better wedding.”

The couple hosted a post-wedding barbecue before their week-long Turks and Caicos honeymoon. Although their careers sometimes require time apart, “We’re constantly in touch, talking on the phone, texting,” says Jennifer. “He knows everything about me, good and bad.” “There’s nothing that Jennifer could ever do or say that would stop me from being in love with her,” Earl assures. “It’s unconditional love—forever.”

Article by Kim Knox Beckius

Location: Çırağan Palace Istanbul, Turkey; Wedding Gown and Cocktail Dress: Ines Di Santo; Photography: Ayşe Kaya Photography Istanbul, Turkey

…because he never bored her “for even a day. Every day, I was in love with him.”

It was one week before finals—and before his internship in India—when Ziad Naamani met Esra Tara in a Cornell University library. “She didn’t know how I felt in the beginning,” he says. “I tried to talk to her. She was giving me a hard time.” Although studying in the library wasn’t his habit, he returned daily. “He got really good grades that semester,” quips Esra. They kept in touch by phone that summer, and once senior year began, “We were together,” she says.

After graduation, they moved to New York City, where he works in consulting and she pursues a Ph.D. in neuroscience. “We were deeply in love,” says Ziad, who began planning months before proposing over breakfast in June 2008. “I prepared a very long speech that I practiced and practiced,” he says. Esra didn’t realize the extent of his efforts until she discovered drafts in his drawer.

Ziad, who is Lebanese, and his parents then flew to Istanbul. “He proposed three times total: to my father, to my family, to me,” Esra explains. Convincing Ziad, whose family is scattered worldwide, they should marry in Turkey proved easy. “He loves Istanbul,” says Esra, who “didn’t really think about getting married anywhere else.”

“We sent invitations to all continents,” she says. Planning an overseas wedding for 550 “would have been impossible without my mom,” Esra acknowledges. Nazli Tara handled details in Turkey and visited New York as needed. After nine hours of dress shopping, she “was half asleep on the couch,” but “she woke up” when Esra donned an Ines Di Santo gown. “She loved it,” Esra recalls. The designer’s daughter, Veronica, who was at the trunk show, happily discussed customizing the gown, plus creating a cocktail version.

Guests gathered at Çirağan Palace overlooking the Bosphorus for cocktails preceding the 9 p.m. ceremony. Turkish nuptials are “very simple” and essentially require “saying yes and signing your names,” Esra describes. She’d fretted while coaching Ziad to respond properly in Turkish: “You’re not supposed to make a mistake,” she says. “He did it perfectly. I was the one who messed it up,” recalls the bride, who was nervous and unexpectedly emotional.

Their first dance followed. “We just stood there and swayed,” says Esra, admitting that after two months of lessons, “We realized we were so bad.” While their parents’ guests dined at tables, younger partygoers enjoyed the chic lounge, a Mediterranean fusion buffet, and dancing under a full moon. After midnight, the party moved indoors. “At 5 a.m., people were still dancing,” Esra says. Several friendships and relationships were sparked, testament that “weddings really do bring people together.”

The newlyweds honeymooned in Paris and Bora Bora. They dream of eventually living “someplace that doesn’t involve an ocean between us and our families.” Yet, “We’re happy together every day,” Esra affirms. “We had a lot of differences because of where we come from, what we’ve seen and the lives we’ve led. It surprises us that we’ve come this far,” remarks Esra, who fell for Ziad because he never bored her “for even a day. Every day, I was in love with him.”

Article by Kim Knox Beckius

Ceremony Location: San Francisco City Hall San Francisco, CA; Reception Location: Asian Art Museum San Francisco, CA; Cake: Perfect Endings Napa, CA; Caterer: Paula LeDuc Fine Catering Emeryville, CA; Event Planner: Kathy Higgins Weddings Napa, CA; Florist: Asiel Design San Francisco, CA; Groom’s Attire: Tom Ford at Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills, CA; Linen: Wildflower Linen Buena Park, CA; Rentals: Classic Party Rentals San Francisco, CA; Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier; Photography: Melissa Ann Bagley Photography San Francisco, CA

“We’ve embraced our passion for adventure” and are not “shy about living life to the fullest,”

The watering can’s attached note seemed “awfully sentimental for lunch on a Saturday,” but Blair Rich was unsuspecting, even when she spied her beau “standing in the backyard beaming.” Keith Sherman’s hectic morning involved visiting her dad, chilling rosé, picking up her favorite foods, spring cleaning, then, anxiously awaiting Blair’s return. Even after she noticed the beribboned Meyer lemon tree—a culinary accessory she’d long coveted—Keith had to coax her to water it before she discovered the ring box concealed within its branches.

They’d discussed marriage, but Keith’s diamond purchase was a gamble. “I am not the easiest person to shop for,” admits Blair, who was delighted with his selection. They’d also envisioned a destination wedding, but with Blair’s demanding executive job at Warner Bros. and her ninety-year-old father’s limited travel range, they narrowed their search. “My mom made us this massive binder” featuring every venue “from the southern tip to the northernmost part of the state,” says Blair, who recognized immediately that San Francisco offered the requisite sophistication and beauty they were looking for.

After a fruitless New York dress search, Blair beseeched Keith’s help. “I’m absolutely not going with you,” he asserted, questioning why she hadn’t tried Monique Lhuillier’s L.A. salon. The gown on display caught her eye during a drive-by, and although she was in jeans and had no appointment, she had to try it. “It looked like it was made for me,” says Blair. Lhuillier cut her vacation short to begin customizing the gown.

Guests became acquainted over dim sum Friday and all 170 donned black and white, as requested, for Saturday’s celebration. As she climbed into a vintage Rolls Royce with her father, Blair was “much calmer” than she’d imagined. Keith nervously descended City Hall’s massive staircase, but as the Pacific Boychoir sang, the couple’s nephews and nieces processed, and Blair appeared “laughing and smiling,” he felt relaxed and elated.

Mayor Gavin Newsom conducted the service; a rabbi oversaw traditions from Keith’s faith. As guests exited, lion dancers escorted them to the Asian Art Museum. “Everyone was clapping and cheering” as the newlyweds ascended stairs to join the cocktail party on the loge, Keith remembers. “It was definitely one of our favorite moments.”

Blair’s mother was instrumental in the Art Deco and film-inspired design of Samsung Hall, where smoked-mirror tabletops were graced with platinum-painted Manzanita trees and fragrant gardenias bathed in spotlight. “It was the most gorgeous room I have ever seen,” Blair raves. “Everything was perfection.”

Blair collaborated with the caterer on an extraordinary menu; Keith teamed with the sommelier to pair wines; Blair’s brother, Anthony Rich, produced the day’s uninterrupted musical entertainment. Once DJ Mr. Best spun the last tune at 5 a.m. and their after-party suite at the St. Regis cleared, “Our minds were just racing: We were desperate to hang on to what we remembered,” Blair recalls.

Following Sunday brunch at the St. Regis, the couple traveled to Big Sur. They’ll honeymoon in early 2010, likely in Africa. Their careers—he’s in commercial real estate—make their time together precious. “We’ve embraced our passion for adventure” and are not “shy about living life to the fullest,” says Blair, whose cooking isn’t the only thing that’s now infused with zest.

Article by Kim Knox Beckius

Ceremony Location: God’s Point at DH Ranch Barnes, KS; Cocktail Location: I.O.O.F. Park Barnes, KS; Reception Location: Center Street Barnes, KS; Cake: Karen Meyer Hanover, KS; Caterer: Jim & Arlyss Vathaur, Chellie Powers; Event Planner: Soirée Event Designs Mission, KS; Florist: Branches & Twigs Kansas City, KS;Rentals: Celebrations Party Rentals Lee’s Summit, MO; Suit: J. Crew; Wedding Gown: Marchesa; Photography: Marco & Jan Simonelli, PhotoMementos Photography Kansas City, KS

Michelle Hynek didn’t have her glasses, but when a girlfriend confirmed, “Yes—He’s very cute,” the photo shoot producer approached Jason Anthony at an L.A. charity event and asked with uncharacteristic boldness, “Where are you going?” His admittedly cheesy response: “Anywhere you are.”

Jason soon learned “anywhere” included rural Barnes, Kansas. Population: 165. Before the annual Hynek Family Fish Fry in August 2007, the marketing executive “conjured up a plan.” When Michelle’s dad, Larry, announced a vintage jewelry and clothing-filled trunk had been discovered in her late grandmother’s barn, Michelle took the bait. She was stunned to find a ring and to see Jason on his knee. They emerged to toasts and queries: “Where would the wedding be?” Jason blurted: “Kansas.”

In her heart, Michelle concurred, but a hometown wedding three hours from the nearest city presented a “logistical nightmare.” The challenge, says Jason, was executing “big city ideas with small town resources.” Michelle’s sister, Kara, had to seek city council approval to erect a tent over Barnes’ central thoroughfare. When Michelle appeared on friend and bridesmaid, Rachel Zoe’s reality show, Manhattan-based designers, Marchesa, required convincing that the gown must suit a remote hilltop, not a red carpet.

Bigger concerns: ensuring out-of-towners’ comfort while keeping locals’ angst and incredulity in check. In Barnes, “You get married in the church; you have your reception in the Legion. That’s just what’s done,” Michelle explains. Apprehension dissolved when 150 newly-arrived guests met 100 invited Hynek clan members for Friday’s welcome dinner at Our Daily Bread and dancing at The Horn. Saturday’s “Kansas Experience” featuring skeet shooting and tractor rides at brother Brent’s house and a rehearsal dinner picnic provided additional bonding time. “It was remarkable how people from such different lifestyles embraced each other,” says Michelle.

As they approached God’s Point for Sunday’s ceremony, Larry and Michelle cried and giggled. Watching their horse-drawn buggy, Jason “just wanted Michelle there as quickly as possible.”

“I don’t think we took our eyes away from each other during the entire ceremony,” remembers Michelle. The only one that was nervous was friend Steve Sclimenti, who pronounced them wedded by the powers invested in him by ordainmenow.com.

After mint juleps and bluegrass in I.O.O.F. Park, the party moved to Center Street, where relatives’ collaborative efforts created the “simple elegance” Michelle had envisioned. A DJ spun tunes until 2 a.m., when guests headed to Brent’s for pancakes and bacon.

When the newlyweds arrived at their accommodations without an overnight bag, the clerk suggested: “Take my car to Walmart.” Their one regret about shopping for toothpaste and jerky in formal attire at 5 a.m.? “We didn’t take a photographer with us,” Jason laments.

After a weeklong Costa Rica honeymoon, the couple returned to L.A., but Kansas is never far from their hearts. Guests want to return. Cousin Tubby has already visited newfound friends in L.A. and Larry ships out farm-fresh filet mignon.

Once-suspicious Barnes is changed not for the worse, but for the better. The community even plans to expand its August festival to include aspects of the “Kansas Experience” and the Hyneks’ fish fry. The wedding, says Michelle, “was a very big deal to a very small town.”

Article by Kim Knox Beckius

Location and Caterer: Fisher Island Club Fisher Island, Miami Beach, FL; Cake: Ana Paz Miami, FL; Entertainment: GDO Entertainment Featuring Greg Denard Boca Raton, FL; Event Planner: Divine Design by Guerdy Fisher Island, Miami Beach, FL; Florist: Ocean Flowers Fisher Island, Miami Beach, FL; Ice Bar: So Cool Events, Inc. Miami, FL; Rentals: Panache, A Classic Party Rentals Company Lakeland, FL; Wedding Gown: Les Noces Couture Montreal, QC, Canada; Photography: Tony Gajate Photography Sunrise, FL

“I forced myself out that night,” says Andrew Priston, who reluctantly joined friends at a Montreal restaurant on the first anniversary of his sister’s death. Lindsay Rosen was perplexed that September evening by the charming Englishman, who held her gaze, but never approached her table. “Leaving already?” Andrew finally inquired, interrupting her departure with a dinner invitation. “When I saw Lindsay, all my trouble seemed to disappear. Her smile was mesmerizing,” Andrew remembers.

“We had a laugh right from the beginning,” he says of their date. “We saw each other continuously for three weeks straight,” adds Lindsay. Eight months later, in May of 2008, she expected to fly home following the “Sex and the City” premiere in New York, but Andrew, who was headed to London, asked her to accompany him. Lindsay was unfazed when he revealed they were Venice-bound instead. “He’s very spontaneous and romantic,” she says of the futures trader. Although she didn’t anticipate a proposal as they strolled through Hotel Cipriani’s rose garden, “It felt natural,” she says. Andrew, who “wanted it to go just right,” was a bit thrown when it started to rain, but Lindsay reminisces: “We were both just over the moon afterward.”

Disinclined to wait a year for summertime in Montreal, Lindsay discovered Fisher Island while browsing The Leading Hotels of the World website, and when the couple visited, “We absolutely fell in love,” she says. Working with planner Guerdy Réjouis-Abraira, they designed a weekend-long vacation and celebration for 102 guests.

“Island chic” was the dress for Friday’s welcome dinner featuring a reggae band, Brazilian dancers and a museum-style display of elaborate, edible sculptures by Ana Paz symbolizing aspects of the couple’s life.

Saturday evening, charismatic Rabbi Frank presided over their exchange of vows beside the enormous banyan tree in the Vanderbilt Mansion’s courtyard. His meaningful words allowed those of all faiths to appreciate the ceremony’s symbolism.

“I find white to be very relaxing,” says Lindsay of the cocktail hour’s predominant hue. Stilt walkers and unicorn-costumed women circulated. A fire blower performance preceded dinner indoors, where Philippe Starck ghost chairs, lush florals, floating candles and custom-mirrored tabletops continued the color theme.

The supreme surprise came when a hidden stage was unveiled and Andrew introduced Diana Ross. “She’s timeless,” he says, of his late sister’s and mum’s “idol.” Lindsay chimes in, “We were like 100 groupies. I knew it would be great, but I was still in awe that it was actually happening.”

Lindsay donned a Melissa Odabash sequined mini dress at midnight and a DJ kept the party lively until 3:30 a.m. The newlyweds spent twelve days honeymooning in “the most glamorous desert. You haven’t felt service” until you’ve visited Dubai, Lindsay insists.

“We had the best time,” she says of their wedding, but more important than the event is their unwavering commitment: “Our energy and strength together as a couple shows, and it’s contagious,” she says.

As they eagerly anticipate their first child, their shared sense of humor ensures their bond. “Laughter is an important element of life,” Andrew believes, and “there’s no shortage of laughter in our house.”

Article by Kim Knox Beckius

Location: Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris, France; Cake and Caterer: Le Cinq Restaurant, Four Seasons Hotel George V; Florist: Leatham by Jeff Leatham at Four Seasons Hotel George V; Tuxedo: Giorgio Armani at Barneys New York, NY; Wedding Gown: Vera Wang; Photography: Christian Keenan Photography Jersey, United Kingdom

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but for Cherise Wong and Rick Liu, absence made them realize they couldn’t live without one another.

Cherise and Rick met through a mutual friend while attending the University of British Columbia—she studied biochemistry and he finance—but it wasn’t until they were both jet set for Hong Kong that “things took off,” notes Cherise. She was there for a student exchange program, while Rick was there for an internship.

After they graduated, Cherise pursued a masters of science degree in Baltimore at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Rick found himself in New York as a hedge-fund manager. Although being a couple hundred miles apart proved to be difficult, Cherise found that “the distance between Ricky and myself really helped us realize how much we love each other.”

They had briefly discussed the idea of marriage, but it was a faint thought when Cherise visited Rick for Thanksgiving. On their walk to dinner, Cherise recalls: “Ricky said ‘I love you, I love you so much’ repeatedly, that with each time he said it, it seemed to build greater in meaning and intensity.” Despite a light rain, under the candescence of a street light, Rick placed their umbrella on the ground and got down on bended knee.

It was extremely important to Cherise and Rick to enjoy their engagement so they took six months before they embarked on planning their “dreamlike” destination wedding. “When it came time to think about the wedding ceremony and reception, we knew we wanted a small and intimate location,” Cherise reveals, adding what could be “better than to have all of our closest friends and family go on such a wonderful trip to arguably the most romantic city?”

After electing for the Salon Anglais—modeled after a Versailles library—at the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris, Cherise and Rick were sure that they would be able to achieve the “warm, inviting, classy” and “not over the top” feel they were going for.

Rick found himself to be “pretty relaxed” the morning of the wedding—he even enjoyed a leisurely espresso and a walk along the Seine River. But when he saw his photographer step through the door of the church he admittedly became “pretty nervous.” As the processional began “the anticipation of what was to come really hit home and in an instant I began to cry,” remembers Rick. As Cherise came toward him with her father, she could see that his “eyes were wet with tears. I thought to myself—all the while smiling—that today was our day; not mine and not his, but ours to share with all our friends and family.”

Looking back, they agree that “the day was just so amazing.” Just as they enjoyed their engagement, they we able to enjoy their wedding with “in-depth conversations” and French fare in a city that pays homage to their love.

Already in Europe, Rick battled between the “options of Greece and Italy” for a honeymoon, eventually opting “for what I felt she could enjoy the most of.” So off they went on a tour of Italy; “we visited a few regions of Tuscany…From there we went to Florence, staying there for three nights,” and eventually found themselves in the city of canals. Venice “was like being in another world,” describes Rick.

Article by Jessica Latimer