Who says you can't find true love on the Internet? Not Justine and Fred, who "sifted through the masses of people, and found diamonds in the rough on the personals site, Match.com." When the two met in person they instantly hit it off.
THE BRIDE
Justine Clemente, a 29-year-old account director at a medical communications company
THE GROOM
Fred Schembri, 34-year-old specialist at a pharmaceutical company
THE DATE
November 30
THE SCENE
Ceremony at Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church followed by a reception at Pleasantdale Château
A NYC PROPOSAL
It wasn't long until Fred decided to spend the rest of his life with Justine, and made plans to propose in Manhattan the night before Thanksgiving. The streets were filled with "balloons and magic," Justine recalls, as Macy's was preparing for its annual parade the following day. But the crowds were so aggressive and so huge that Fred could barely move, let alone get down on one knee. He waited until they got home to pop the question.
GETTING IT TOGETHER
"I devoted a lot of time and energy into planning our wedding -- I really poured my heart and soul into it," remembers Justine. "And I had a great time doing it." She gladly admits that the road to a perfect wedding wasn't without its bumps. "There were times I lost my composure, got frustrated, and became upset," she says, "but it was all worth it in the end." Thankfully, Justine got by with a little help from her family: Her fiance, mother, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law all did their parts to make the day go as smoothly as possible. And, as luck would have it, Justine's good friend Brian, who happens to be a meetings and events planner, was able to put in his two cents as well. "He was my adviser and served as the coordinator the day of the wedding," says Justine.
A TUNEFUL CEREMONY
The couple decided to hold a full Catholic Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church in South Orange. "It is a beautiful old stone church, which looks like a mini cathedral," Justine says. Since the ceremony was set to start at 3:30 in late November, the sun was nearly setting at the time guests arrived, so they were able to enjoy a gorgeous dusk sky. Music became a focus of the ceremony. A string quartet welcomed friends and family, and the couple added extra songs to the Mass, along with a few singers, an organ, and a trumpeter. At the end, church bells played as guests tossed rose petals at the exiting newlyweds.
A SWANK RECEPTION
The party continued at the elegant Pleasantdale Château in West Orange. The estate is situated on 40 acres of formal gardens, rolling lawns, and shaded ponds, and houses a music room, a library, an indoor pool, and an exquisite ballroom. "It is a truly unique, beautiful, fabulous space," Justine says. As guests arrived at the reception, they followed steps flanked with large wrought-iron luminaries and handrails draped with swags of tulle, and strolled along boxwood garlands and clusters of amaryllis. Candles lit the space, while shades of crimson, red, and rich orange brought the colors of the season indoors.
LUSH DECOR
"There was not a spot of the Château that was not adorned with flowers and candles," Justine says. The staircase banisters were decorated with floral clusters, the cocktail tables held mint-julep cups with roses and lemon leaves, and on the place-card table sat a large urn filled with blossoms. (Petals were also strewn around the place cards.) In the many unique rooms of the Château, fireplace mantels were covered with cascading flowers and pillar candles, and a large wrought-iron frame that surrounds a floor-to-ceiling window was dressed with blooms in hues of red, orange, and ivory. In the ballroom, the tall wrought-iron centerpieces held more than five dozen flowers. "We wanted guests to feel like they were sitting in a forest or lush garden," says Justine of the tall "trees" of flowers and candles. Ivory chiffon and more flowers draped the chandeliers, and upon each table were napkins tied with ivy and Black Magic roses. Crimson up-lighting around the perimeter of the room accented the beautiful architectural details of the space. And even the restrooms had bowls filled with water and floating gardenias.
THE FINISHING TOUCHES
Guests left the wedding with many special mementos: silver heart-shaped bottle stoppers, caricature drawings of themselves (the couple hired two caricaturists to entertain), and magnets depicting a cartoon of the bride and groom. The final touch was a perfect late-night treat -- a
New York Times for each guest and a coffee cart to provide people with coffee, sodas, water, and snacks (including hot pretzels!). "That was a
huge hit," says Justine.
--Joanna Saltz
photography © Karen Zieff
For the ingredients that make up this wedding, see right-hand column of this page.
-- Joanna Saltz
See More: Real Weddings: Black & White , Real Weddings: Formal Affairs