Bridal Styles

A Couple Destined to be Together

The Beginning

Angelica and Lorenzo’s fathers served in the Italian army together. When Lorenzo’s family moved to New Jersey, the fathers reconnected and the families became good friends. It was at a Fourth of July celebration, that Angelica and Lorenzo spent the whole night together, talking and getting to know each other. “I was only fourteen and he was seventeen, but we both knew we were going to spend the rest of our lives together” remembers Angelica.  They were so young that they decided to take things slowly but two years later, Angelica got tired of being “just friends” and asked Lorenzo what he saw for their future. His answer was simple “I see you as my wife and the mother of my kids”. They weren’t “ just friends” after that!

The Proposal

On October 20^th 2007, Lorenzo took Angelica to their favorite sushi restaurant for lunch, then to Serendipity for dessert, followed by a walk in Central Park, where he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him! “I was never in more shock in my entire life and as if the day wasn’t perfect enough, he had ALL of our family and friends waiting for us for a huge celebration at home!” recalls Angelica

The Bride’s Look

Angelica knew that she wanted something different for her wedding day, a dress that was “simple” or “typical” was not an option. “I had seen a picture of a dress in a magazine before I was even engaged and fell IN LOVE! I hung on to the picture and when it was time, I knew where to go! Bridal Reflections in Manhattan was one of the few places that carried St.Pucci dresses. I tried on about twenty dresses but in my heart I knew I had already found my dress! “Her dress was definitely not typical, a gorgeous Victorian gown with yards and yards of rich silk and beautiful intricate embroidery.

A gown as unique as this needed a very unique headpiece to compliment it. “I heard Bridal Styles Boutique had a huge, beautiful selection so I knew I’d find what I was looking for there. When I showed Edward a picture of my dress, he knew just what to bring out! He brought out two stunning pieces and after much thought, me, my mother and Edward chose my piece. It was a custom, handmade piece; therefore if my goal was to be different, then this piece was definitely for me! While I was there he also designed a short veil edged with Swarovski crystals for the reception. I bought beautiful jewelry for my bridesmaids and flower girl there as well. Their products are like nothing I have seen before! They really have something for everyone!” recalls Angelica

The Wedding

Almost two years of planning and preparing passed before the big day arrived. It started at Mt. Virgin Church in Garfield New Jersey. There in the church where the bride had grown up, stood Angelica and Lorenzo at the altar, surrounded by a 28 member bridal party filled with brothers and sisters, cousins and closest friends. After the cousins recited a reading and a sister-in-law sang, the bride and groom exchanged their vows and the young sweethearts finally became husband and wife. The church filled with applause!

A beautiful reception followed at the picturesque Westmount Country Club in West Paterson New Jersey. Atlas Floral Decorators transformed the elegant ballroom into a paradise.”When the matre’d escorted Lorenzo and me into the ballroom, we were completely speechless, everything I had envisioned and much more surrounded me! They truly went above and beyond!” The 320 guests enjoyed an Italian feast and danced the night away to the sound of MGM Band from Staten Island NY. “There were a few songs that meant a lot to me and Lorenzo, and they had no problem learning them and surprising us at the wedding!” remembers Angelica. All of the priceless moments were captured beautifully by ESP Photographers from Hasbrouck Heights in NJ. “After seeing what beautiful work they did for a good friend I knew I had to hire them. Their albums are just so personal and romantic and Deon is just the sweetest person to work with! When the wedding highlights that Classic Video Productions made me cry, I knew they were the ones I wanted to shoot my wedding! Two other extremely helpful vendors were Jaynee’s Party in Englewood NJ, who made my wedding and shower invitations and Towne Limo from LyndhurstNJ. My driver had everything from safety pins, to umbrellas, to mints in his bag!!!” Planning a wedding can be very stressful but Angelica, with the help of her “amazing” mother and many excellent vendors got to experience the wonderful day that she and Lorenzo had dreamed about since they were kids.

The Most Memorable Moment

For Angelica- “My most memorable moment had to be our first dance. We danced to “Endless Love” surrounded by our entire bridal party, as well as our family and friends. The feeling of dancing for the first time with your husband and knowing that everyone who loves you and believes in your love was there to witness it, was a wonderful feeling.”

For Lorenzo- “The most memorable moment was our exchange of vows. I waited for this moment for seven years and couldn’t have been more ready to become husband and wife!”

Words of Advice from the Newlyweds

“There’s a lot that goes into planning a wedding that can drive you nuts, but when it’s all over you’re going to miss the excitement and the special treatment, so make sure you have fun with it! Don’t let ANYONE (family, friend or vendors) ruin your wedding planning experience! In the end, everything falls into place. The worries are natural but when you truly love one another, you stay focused on the end result…spending your lives with one another…and that makes all the sacrifice and stress worth it!”

Photographs provided by ESP Photography Studio  www.espstudio.com