Who’s
Marrying You?
WEDDING PLANNERS AND OFFICIANTS OFFER ADVICE TO HELP COUPLES SELECT THE RIGHT OFFICIANT FOR THEIR CEREMONY.
BY ANDREA VALLUZZO
hen it comes to wedding planning, the officiant is at the heart of the ceremony. Every wedding officiant has a process so couples should find out what that is, and make sure the officiant is flexible and willing to work with them, explains Mickey Amore Rodriguez, an ordained minister, wedding officiant and justice of the peace in Clinton.
W“Prioritize a personal connection and make sure they are receptive to your love story,” she says.
The atmosphere of a ceremony can set the mood for the rest of the event, carrying over into the reception so couples should be clear in communicating their wants to the officiant to make their vision reality.
“It is not only setting the tone for the event, but it is setting the tone for the couple’s married life together,” says Rev. Theresa Crisci, an ordained interfaith minister in Milford.
Wedding officiants, whether a member of the clergy, an ordained minister or a justice of the peace, wed the couple while keeping the ceremony moving along and keep the attendees in order during the service. They also fill out the marriage license and file it with the town clerk.
Here’s what else to know when choosing an officiant.
Find an Officiant Early
Couples should interview a few wedding officiants shortly after they have locked in a date and venue (at least eight months before the wedding). Reading reviews online on sites like The Knot and WeddingWire is a good place to start and often, venues or wedding vendors will have recommendations.
Ask a friend or hire a pro?
There are pros and cons to asking a friend or family member to officiate your wedding. Among the pros: they know the couple well and can share details of their love story from firsthand knowledge. Among the cons: some may not be comfortable with public speaking, easily flustered or able to keep the audience on point as well as coordinating with the wedding party members as well as other wedding vendors. Couples should also consider the time commitment involved when choosing a person.
The Ceremony Script
Sarah Sullivan, a wedding officiant from Bristol, says many couples want to have a personalized ceremony and that includes more than just writing their own vows or choosing readings. “I talk to the couples about their love story and find out what they would be willing to share,” she says. “It’s a stressful day and couples don’t want to be surprised on their wedding day. Once I learn their story and they let me know what they would like to do, I create the ceremony for them and I share it with them and if any revisions need to be made, I make them.”
Secular vs. Religious Ceremony
While religious weddings are a bit more flexible than decades ago, couples’ options may be more limited when marrying inside a religious institution. Often, the in-house clergy member will officiate the ceremony in these cases. Some priests cannot officiate outside their church and there is more of a defined structure to these ceremonies. Couples choosing to get married by a priest, for example, should be aware of any stipulations and time frames, say if a church requires couples to undergo premarital counseling. A secular officiant can conduct a wedding anywhere: at the reception venue, on a beach or in a backyard or living room, says Kathy Vass, a justice of the peace in Stratford. “While they cannot offer the sacrament of marriage or communion from the (Christian) church, an officiant who’s educated themselves on various cultures and rituals can lead certain elements like community blessings, handfastings or candle lightings.”
Rev. Theresa Crisci acted as the officiant for Tasha and Jay Kumar at their wedding.
1,000 PAPER CRANES
JULIES LY & TUAN VO | JUNE 30, 2023
WRITTEN BY MICHELLE
BODAK ACRI
PHOTOGRAPHED BY CAIT FLETCHER
Julies Ly and Tuan Vo proposed to one another on April 29, 2021, 10 years to the day from when they’d started dating. When Vo placed a sparkling diamond in front of Ly, he asked her to be his “happy ever after.” And when Ly presented Vo with the wood engagement ring she’d made for him, written on the intricate box that enclosed it was the exact same question: “Will you be my happy ever after?”
The phrase “wasn’t something we’d ever said to each another before,” laughs Ly. “But I guess we’d been dating for so long that we’d started to think alike” and both knew just what they wanted.
Ly, who is of Chinese and Vietnamese descent, was born in Bridgeport and raised in Shelton, while Vo moved to
Connecticut from Vietnam with his father when he was 15, and remained here, even when his father chose to return. The pair met when Ly was 16 and Vo was 17.
“The first thing I noticed about Tuan was how hardworking he is,” remembers Ly.
“Even in high school he pretty much worked full-time in order to provide for himself. He made it a habit that he was going to work
VENUE La Bella Vista
PHOTOGRAPHER Cait Fletcher Photography
DRESS DESIGNER Maggie Sottero
DRESS BOUTIQUE The Wedding Embassy, Watertown BRIDE’S SHOES Lulus.com
GROOM’S ATTIRE Men’s Wearhouse
JEWELER Vicki Thaler Designs, West Hartford
CAKE Modern Pastry Shop, Hartford
FLOWERS OraBella Design Studio, East Haven
HAIR AND MAKEUP A Touch of Color Makeup
JUSTICE OF PEACE Jessica Baldwin
hard for his future and be successful in life. He persevered to get that American dream.”
The couple’s dream for their 2023 wedding was for it to take place on April 29, so that they could retain the same anniversary. Unfortunately, the venue they wanted, La Bella Vista in Waterbury, wasn’t available for that date. The solution: a private ceremony at Waterbury City Hall on April
29 and a second formal ceremony and reception at La Bella Vista on June 30.
In addition, a tea ceremony was held at Ly’s childhood home on June 29, at which, in Buddhist/Vietnamese tradition, the couple honors their ancestors and invites them to their celebration.
When it came to the big day, “I
knew I wanted to include my Asian culture and I wanted to be very DIY/ hands-on,” says Ly, who teaches art at Bear Path Elementary School in Hamden.
“Origami is my thing and I love paper cranes and what they symbolize (hope, good fortune, longevity and
Welcome to the Hopk ins Inn
Perched above the northern shore of Lake Waramaug,
The Hopkins Inn has welcomed guests since 1847. Offering expansive views of the lake, the B erkshire Foothills, and nearby vineyards from the dining room and guest rooms. The restaurant is renowned for its contemporar y Austrian cuisine.
healing). In fact, “in Japanese culture it’s said that if you make 1,000 paper cranes (the act of which is called senbazuru) you get to make a special wish.”
Just in case, Ly made even more than 1,000 over their two-year engagement. Hundreds of those cranes fluttered in the breeze behind the couple as they exchanged vows beneath a pergola laden with pastel blooms and lanterns that echoed the colors of the delicate birds. Still more were incorporated into the bouquets and boutonnieres of the bridal party, climbed all three layers of the wedding cake and featured prominently on the tables. No one, however seemed to spend much time at those tables because “we were all too busy dancing,” says Ly. “Even my elders, who I never thought would dance, got out there.” In the mix of three songs to which the bride and groom had their first dance was “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri: the very first song the couple ever slow danced to, which was at the bride’s senior prom.
Fun fact: If you looked closely at the groom’s feet once the night got underway, you would have seen that the DIY bride had painted the “swoosh” on the Nikes that her new husband and his groomsmen changed into so that it matched their wedding color.“
The entire day was amazing,” sums up Ly. “No wedding is perfect, but even the little mistakes that happened are all memories to me. I just had the time of my life.”
You know what the couple wished for on their 1,000 cranes, right? To be “happy ever after,” of course.
To submit a wedding for The Connecticut Bride, scan the QR code on page 77 or email ctmagazineeditor@hearst.com.
end up pledging to be together forever more than 20 years later? After preschool, Hofmann, who grew up in Coventry, and Storo, who grew up in Vernon, attended different school districts and eventually grew apart. Then one fateful day, while attending orientation at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Hofmann turned a corner in the bookstore… and walked straight into Storo.
Yes, they realize this sounds like something straight out of a movie. Still, the newly reunited pair didn’t have any classes together and had different friend groups, so, in decidedly non-romcom fashion, they waved when they occasionally saw each other on campus, remained friends on Facebook, and that was that.
Then came graduation for Storo, who decided that it was time to look for a “meaningful” relationship. Who did he reach out to? Hofmann, of course.
Their “never-ending” first date started with a hike, then progressed to dinner, then to ice cream— and they just kept going from there.
“Austin was so grounded and true to himself,” recalls Hofmann. “He’s such a genuine, good-hearted person.”
As to what prompted Storo to reach out to his preschool crush after all this time, Storo told Hofmann that it was because she seemed “different than other girls.” “In what way?” she asked. His answer: “You had guinea pigs.”
VENUE Engine Room
PHOTOGRAPHER Devolve Imaging Photography
DRESS DESIGNER Martina Liana
DRESS BOUTIQUE Alexandra’s Boutique, Fall River, Mass. GROOM’S ATTIRE Zahner’s Clothiers, Vernon
JEWELER Vicki Thaler Designs, West Hartford
CUPCAKES Zest Fresh Pastry, Stonington
FLOWERS Olivia Biagioni Hair, Avon
MAKEUP Linda Patrick, Avon
Yes, Hofmann’s self-acknowledged “obsession” with guinea pigs, and the photos she regularly posted of them on social media, ignited the spark. In fact, when the animal lovers said their “I dos” in an intimate destination ceremony with immediate family on Oct. 5, 2023, at Olympic National Park in Washington, they brought with them felted-wool re-creations of Pip and Pio, their guinea pig “children.”
A month later, they celebrated with family and friends at a Nov. 4, 2023 reception at Engine Room in Mystic and the signature drinks were named after their pets.
“I love Halloween, so we knew we wanted to go with a dark and moody fall reception,” says Hofmann. “But I still wanted to look ‘bridal’ so the goal was ‘gothic glam’”— a look she gloriously personified right down to the statement-making salt-and-pepper diamond ring on her finger.
In lieu of a first dance, the couple surprised everyone with a performance of “Northern Wind” by City and Colour, Hoffman’s favorite band.
“I’ve always played a lot of instruments and started singing with a group in college and Austin has always played guitar, so I said ‘let’s do something different,’ which kind of seemed to be the theme of our wedding,” explains Hofmann.
Additional highlights of the night included striking photos from the intrepid travelers’ ceremony on each table, moody florals and flickering candlelight, singing “Happy Birthday” to Storo’s brother and an audio guest book to record messages.
The evening also featured cornhole boards the crafty couple made themselves and hand-poured candles as favors, (Hofmann’s mix of “suede, smoke and autumn pumpkin”) and a black-leather jacket with “Til Death” emblazoned across its back that Hofmann slipped into before the beaming newlyweds rode off into the night in her brother’s classic convertible BMW M3.
To submit a wedding for The Connecticut Bride, scan the QR code on page 77 or email ctmagazineeditor@hearst.com
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One recent bride commented, “From the picture perfect bridal suite to the ceremony site that ts so perfectly tucked into nature, to the sailcloth tent — we were sold. We were able to have our dream wedding.”
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Juniper Studios
Cassi Claire
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LA Boutique
Idena Beach
Gary Hall Never There Yet
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Cassi Claire
Kristen Phelps LA Boutique
Idena Beach Gary Hall Never There Yet
Cassi Claire
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Idena Beach
THE HEIGHT OF ELE GANCE
Love &Culture
Here are six venues where you can pose in front of a book-lined library, historic fighter jet, famous work of art or even a whale.
By Bethany Kandel
Fertile vineyards, historic mansions, picturesque gardens, castles, barns and beaches; Connecticut has some of the most beautiful and varied wedding venues to choose from. But why not consider something truly different?
Some of Connecticut’s cultural institutions, including museums, aquariums, libraries and colleges are available to host weddings.
MYSTIC AQUARIUM
55 Coogan Blvd., Mystic
If you love sea creatures, then a wedding at Mystic Aquarium could be just the spot.
The aquarium can host 200 people with a dance floor, or up to 500 without one. Most ceremonies take place at the underwater viewing area in front of the beluga whale tanks,
followed by cocktail hour in the newly renovated courtyard.
Dance the night away in the main gallery surrounded by the shark touch tank, Caribbean reef and more. Or up your game and add a unique animal experience: invite penguins to join you and your guests during cocktail hour, book a private sea lion show during your party or have the shark touch tank open all night so guests can get up close and personal with sharks and rays.
Bee and Kristina got married at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut in 2021.
NEW ENGLAND AIR MUSEUM
36 Perimeter Road, Windsor Locks
Your marriage will take flight when you tie the knot at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks. For an unforgettable event, there are various venue options in three connected aircraft hangers with more than 100,000 square feet of space and 100 aircraft on display.
Say your vows in the B-29 Hangar, alongside their WWII era Superfortress propeller plane. Cocktail hour is among the civilian collection, including the 1940s Sikorsky Excambian, which offered non-stop trans-Atlantic flights in the 1940s. Dinner and dancing kicks off in the Mili-
tary Hanger, as the couple emerges from the Sikorsky “Tarhe” Skycrane helicopter.
During the party, guests can climb into the cockpits of planes not normally open to the public for once-in-a-lifetime photos. A designated docent is available to fill guests in on the aircraft history as they tour its exhibits, including one on women in aviation and the Tuskegee Airmen.
And to top it all off, enjoy several flight simulators for an immersive experience not usually found at a wedding
WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART
600 Main St., Hartford
Elegance is key when getting married at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, a Hartford gem. The grand beaux-arts and classic modern galleries form the backdrop for your big day. Invite up to 300 guests to gussy up and mix and mingle.
Depending on your style, go contemporary saying your vows with a contemporary photography exhibit on display, or old-school with European renaissance paintings setting the scene. Your guests are sure to be impressed not only with the artwork by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Piet Mondrian, but with the architecture, including 50-foot vaulted ceilings and a stainedglass skylight. Let your guests feast in the presence of Pietro Francavilla’s Venus sculpture, dating back to 1600, in the Avery Court. Or head outdoors for dancing under the stars in the Gengras Courtyard.
Include additional galleries and docent tours to make your celebration truly special. And don’t miss the opportunity for the bride to make a grand entrance down the marble staircase. It’s also perfect for a photo op for your entire wedding party.
COREY LYNN TUCKER PHOTOGRAPHY / CONTRIBUTED
NEW BRITAIN MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
56 Lexington St., New Britain
Add an artistic touch to your wedding when you get married at the New Britain Museum of American Art.
Expect to “wow” your guests with the stunning backdrop of world-famous American masterworks. Pose for photos in front of landscape masterworks of the Hudson River School; say “I Do” beneath the colorful, monumental Eva LeWitt wall
sculpture and dip your bride in front of the sky blue Dale Chihuly glass sculpture. Up to 150 people can join a chic wedding reception in numerous galleries of the museum with contemporary art as the background. Add a guided art tour for your guests. Then, stroll the outdoor sculpture garden overlooking historic Walnut Hill Park for a perfect event.
THE CAROUSEL MUSEUM
95 Riverside Ave., Bristol
If you have fond memories of riding a carousel as a child and can’t get the calliope tunes out of your head, then The Carousel Museum in Bristol, might be just the place to say “I do.”
The museum is housed in a restored 1901 post-and-beam factory that was once used by the Bristol Manufacturing Company. Up to 150 guests can travel back in time with the collection of classic hand-carved beauties, chariots and antique treasures from the golden age of amusement parks on display. More than 100 years of
carousel art and history surround you. You can even find an assortment of fun memorabilia in the gift shop to use as wedding favors.
If there are kids on the guest list, they may like a ride on the children’s carousel (up to 100 pound weight limit). After your vows, ring an antique bell to announce the new couple.
Best of all, your rental fees go towards supporting the museum’s mission to preserve and restore these fun works of art for future generations to enjoy.
ALLEGRA ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY / CONTRIBUTED
JAMES BLACKSTONE MEMORIAL LIBRARY
758 Main St., Branford
Imagine walking down the spiral marble staircase in your bridal gown to your loved ones standing below at the James Blackstone Memorial Library. Or standing under the domed ceiling in the grand rotunda. For the true bibliophile couple, what’s better than taking your wedding photos in the stacks.
The library can host 300 seated guests or 475 standing. There’s also an outside terrace and grand reading room and plenty of room for a dance floor. The library opened in 1896 and many of the furnishings and fixtures are original to the building and perfect for those social media shots.
CHRIS RANDALL PHOTOS / CONTRIBUTED
CAROL M. HIGHSMITH / BUYENLARGE / GETTY IMAGES
Weddings Start Here
Events at The Starting Gate are unforgettable Drive through the gated entryway to our mountainside stone and cedar venue where the views are uncompromised. Rich in family history, first looks, and spectacular memories, The Starting Gate is the perfect destination for your special occasion We offer an amazing outdoor wedding garden for ceremonies, an incredible four-season deck with breathtaking views of the golf course and Pioneer Valley, as well as a 9,000 square foot ballroom that can accommodate up to 300 guests. Our team of expert planners focus on every detail from beginning to end to make your event uniquely yours
Photography by Robert Norman Photography
SOMETHING OLD, NEW, BORROWED BLUE.&
BY LINDA TUCCIO-KOONZ
Embrace tradition with “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.” The old rhyme is part of a tradition from the Victorian era that was intended to bring brides luck on their wedding day. Borrow from the past with a vintage treasure, or try one of these Connecticut-made creations to add a little luck to a couple’s special day.
(1) Cy Collective
The bride who is inspired by nature will love this graceful “tree necklace” with labradorite and topaz ($298), from Ridgefield designer Linda Zhang. Matching earrings feature gold branches ending in gemstone beads ($190). Zhang’s line is sold around the country and in her Ridgefield shop, Cy Collective, which features creations from local artists. cycollective.net
(2) And Company on Bank
Dragonflies are symbols of transformation. Since two become one in marriage, so to speak, this vintage brooch expresses that sweet sentiment, says Melissa Martins, curator at And Company on Bank. This artists’ collective features the works of 30-plus artists and makers, everything from candles to romantic photography. $25, New Milford and on Facebook and Instagram, @andcompanyonbank
(3) Adorn Vintage and Restoration
Brides wanting to add timeless accessories to their wedding look can browse Adorn Vintage and Restoration in Southbury for purses like a beaded Walborg clutch ($35), or an Edwardian style German silver purse from the late 1800s ($145). Also in the shop, a vintage marcasite and amethyst brooch, which doubles as a pendant ($130). adornvintageandrestoration.online
(4) Izzy’s Fine Collection
Christina Bacchus, based in New Milford, makes elegant hair clips and combs with rhinestones and faux pearls; prices start at $10.
On Facebook and etsy.com/ shop/IzzysFineCollection
(5) Hour Lake
Start your day luxuriating in this oversized Turkish robe, embroidered with your name or customized to say “Bride” or “Groom.” These unisex robes are from Hour Lake, an online boutique inspired by the beauty of Connecticut’s Candlewood Lake, owner Sandy Fish says. (Customization is done in Brookfield.)
$85, hourlake.com
Complete Your Ceremony with
A Great Wedding Officiant
(*and these are some of the best!)
Theresa Crisci Interfaith Minister tlcceremonies.com
Mickey Rodriguez Justice of the Peace Ordained Minister officiatemyweddingct.com
Eva Torres-Luciano Justice of the Peace Ordained Minister (Bilingual/Spanish) evasweddings.com
John Kennedy Ordained Minister perfectforyouceremonies.com
Shelley Armatino Justice of the Peace Ordained Minister marriedbyshelley.com
Jessica Bourbeau Justice of the Peace Ordained Minister soulwerkswellness.com
A Professional Wedding Officiant:
• Crafts beautiful ceremonies
• Cares about you and your love stor y
• Suggests suitable rituals or customs
• Directs your wedding party
• Coordinates with other wedding professionals
• Knows the state marriage laws
Marie Tyler Wiley Ordained Minister ctjpmarie.com
Bryan Anderson Justice of the Peace Ordained Minister bryanandersonjp.com
Heidi Keyes Justice of the Peace Ordained Minister heidikeyes.com
down the aisle ∥ multicultural ceremonies
The bride and groom, Jennifer Chudy and Nitin Walia, incorporate Indian traditions into their multi-day wedding in Groton.
Fusing Cultures
BY JAYDEN NGUYEN
Diana Sullivan’s favorite multicultural wedding moment starts with a horse.
“The groom’s parents introduce him and he’s on his horse. There’s so much joy, so much fanfare,” the Connecticut-based wedding planner says about a baraat she planned, an Indian wedding procession for the groom. “Then the parents come together... the moms hugging and the dads hugging. It’s just this beautiful moment of, quite literally, the families coming together.”
Sullivan is the owner and creative director of Jubilee Events, a company that helps provide event rentals, plan parties and weddings, including multicultural weddings.
Multicultural weddings typi cally involve blending different religions or cultures into a couple’s wedding day.
“It really can look a variety of ways, but the final product is really a result of what means most to the couple themselves,” Sullivan says.
Although the couple has final say over what rituals and traditions are included in the wedding, Kimberly DeBose, owner of Connecticut-based wedding planning company Curated By Kim, says a couple’s loved ones are often involved in the planning process as well.
Clockwise, the bride and groom make an entrance during their Ghanaian multicultural wedding, featuring traditional attire. Gift boxes for guests featuring items brought from India by the bride and groom. The groom’s baraat, a wedding procession for the groom that involves lively celebration in Indian culture. The mothers of the bride and groom exchange a hug on one of the wedding days.
“The planning goes beyond just the couple,” DeBose says. “We have tons ...with the parents and anyone else special in their lives that really have a pulse on what’s supposed to happen culturally.”
DeBose’s company has specialized in multicultural wedding events since it started in 2019. After discussing budget with a couple, DeBose says she starts her wedding planning process by figuring out what traditions each person wants to highlight over the wedding weekend.
“These weddings typically are more than one day,” DeBose says. “There’s really so many different layers to it, and if you’re coming in with a Western wedding mindset, it’s just a totally different arena in terms of planning.”
While a typical Western wedding may include a 30-minute or hour long ceremony followed by a cocktail hour and a reception with dinner and dancing, multicultural weddings are not always that, DeBose says.
Sullivan says.
“We’ve created (napkins) based on a pattern that a grandparent wore when they came from their country of origin over to the United States,” she says. “It all holds such special meaning.”
Food, decor and stationary are wedding elements Sullivan frequently infuses culture into. In one wedding Sullivan helped plan, the couple traveled to India and brought back gifts like bangles, rose tea and other items that were significant to them to share with their guests in their wedding mementos.
“It was just this beautiful treat,” Sullivan says. “It meant something to them, and it was something that they were really proud of. Because of that, guests were really excited to spend time with that and walk away with something that was symbolic of that couple.”
“It all holds such special meaning.”
“With an Indian wedding, we’re going to have a ceremony at the top of the morning,” DeBose says. “We’re going to have baraat, there’s food and drinks served during the ceremony.”
Sullivan says planning for a multi-day wedding revolves around what the couple wants to focus on, regardless of their culture. “Since COVID, we’ve seen the rise of people doing full weekends no matter what the cultural background is,” Sullivan says.
Sullivan says she once planned a weekend wedding for an Indian bride and American groom with the first day of the wedding focused on the bride’s culture, featuring traditional Indian foods, colors and a baraat. The second day included a Catholic ceremony incorporating the color palette from the first day; there were American and Indian foods for the reception.
“There’s so much that we may not realize has so much meaning, like a color, a certain metallic, a certain drink that is served,” Sullivan says. Even the patterns used in napkins or linens during a multicultural wedding can have a significant meaning,
Besides specific elements, DeBose says it’s important for couples to consider finding and hiring professionals that “can understand their culture.”
“Photographers that understand key moments, planners that understand what’s actually happening, DJs that understand transitions,” DeBose says. “To me, if you’re planning a fusion or intercultural wedding you want to pick great vendors that get your culture and have a pulse on it.”
Sullivan and DeBose say that couples who may feel hesitant about having a multicultural wedding “shouldn’t be afraid of fusing cultures” and that “nothing is too difficult.”
“People fall in love in all different ways, shapes and sizes,” DeBose says. Both wedding planners say that weddings look different today than they did 20 years ago, and they want couples to understand that their love deserves to be celebrated and that their wedding ideas are possible.
“There is not just one way, there’s not just one tradition,” Sullivan says. “I think that’s what allows us to have these beautiful and personal celebrations.”
The Greek Way
BY LAYLA SCHLACK
“If we weren’t going to get married in Greece, it was pretty much (decided) that we were going to get married at St. George,” Panagiota Tsilfides says.
And so in June 2023, the Pennsylvania resident and her now-husband, James Giansante, came to Connecticut to hold their wedding in Norwalk’s St. George Greek Orthodox Church — the church in which Tsilfides grew up. It was followed by a reception at The Knowlton in Bridgeport.
Tsilfides says that Giansante, her college sweetheart, learned the appropriate Greek dances. The wedding week was steeped in Greek tradition; her family did a backyard barbecue with live Greek music the day before the wedding. The reception included a money dance, during
which guests showered the bride in money.
“I don’t even know where that originated, to be honest, but it’s a huge thing for us now,” Tsilfides says.
“I know in like other areas ... Greeks usually will pin money down the bride’s dress, but here we kind of just throw money.”
Also at the reception, Tsilfides worked in some of Giansante’s cultural heritage.
“We did the Pittsburgh cookie table, which is something I never was aware of until I moved here to Pittsburgh,” Tsilfides says. “It is a Pittsburgh immigrant tradition. So, when immigrant families did not have enough money to buy a wedding cake, their friends and family would contribute cookies and different types of desserts to kind of help fill that gap.”
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