“We chose The Grand Plaza since it was newly renovated and we would be the only wedding. The ballroom is beautiful and has a huge chandelier hovering over the dance floor. With the lighting surrounding the chandelier and the space itself, we realized this is where we wanted to celebrate our wedding with our family and friends.
“At the venue, we worked with Carmela Pampillonia, event planner, and Chris Cenci, the general manager. Both were more than helpful at making our wedding planning so easy. What also drew us to The Grand Plaza is the privacy we would have and the fact that we would be the only wedding that night.”
Their Vendors
Ceremony: Church of the Holy Child
Reception: The Grand Plaza, 718.967.4034, grand-plaza.com
Gown: Randy Fenoli. at Kleinfeld, NYC
Bridesmaids: David’s Bridal
Tux: Tuxedo World
Photographer & Cinematographer: Hanson Photography, hansonvideoproductions.com/photography
Makeup: Amanda, D’Pascual Salon
Hair: Marcela, D’Pascual Salon
Florist: Sam Gregorios
Cake: Renato’s Pastry Shoppe
DJ: C4 Event Group
Favors: Krispy Kreme
We met through the dating site Match. Our first date was a movie and drinks afterwards at Tommy’s Tavern and Tap. The proposal was on the night of our annual Christmas dinner at Blue, one of our favorite restaurants in Staten Island. Matthew came home from the gym with two dozen red roses, my favorites. Blue was full of Christmas lights, trees, and decorations. Matthew had made reservations in the main dining room next to the restaurant’s biggest Christmas tree. When dessert was served, he got down on one knee and asked, “Will you marry me?” We embraced and, filled with emotion, started to cry as the restaurant cheered while he placed the ring on my finger. We took pictures in front of the Christmas tree and went to my parents. My brother and Matthew’s parents were there and the house was filled with engagement balloons, a cake, and champagne to celebrate.
We chose The Grand Plaza since it was newly renovated and we would be the only wedding. The ballroom is beautiful and has a huge chandelier hovering over the dance floor. With the lighting surrounding the chandelier and the space itself, we realized this is where we wanted to celebrate our wedding with our family and friends.
At the venue, we worked with Carmela Pampillonia, event planner, and Chris Cenci, the general manager. Both were more than helpful at making our wedding planning so easy. What also drew us to The Grand Plaza is the privacy we would have and the fact that we would be the only wedding that night.
Our ceremony took place at the Church of Holy Child, the parish where I grew up. Father Wilfred “Willy” Dodo performed our wedding mass and has been with the church for many years. We are very thankful and happy he performed our mass in front of our family and friends.
Up in our bridal suite we had many of the foods being served at our cocktail hour. We enjoyed fried calamari, mussels fra diavolo, sesame chicken, miniature cheeseburgers, beef tacos, and farfalle with wild mushrooms. We also enjoyed our signature drink, the French martini. Our guests enjoyed the same dishes we had in our bridal suite plus passed hors d’oeuvres including gorgonzola-stuffed mushrooms, mini fried eggplant caponata, mini beef Wellington, and coconut shrimp. They also enjoyed a carving station with loin pork stuffed with spinach and roasted peppers, a Mediterranean station, and a pasta station. The ballroom was beautifully decorated with centerpieces from Sam Gregorio’s, along with a flower ring behind our sweetheart table and flowers decorating our memory table for those no longer with us. For our color palette, we chose different shades of purple, pink, and white, a touch of green, as well as roses, baby roses, and carnations. We even added flowers to our cake. Right above the dance floor was a beautiful chandelier which made the atmosphere for our first dance all the more beautiful.
Dinner started with champagne with strawberries and a baby spinach salad. For entrées, guests chose a New York strip steak, pan-roasted branzino in a lemon caper butter sauce, or chicken breast stuffed with fontina cheese and prosciutto. Everything was delicious. Our cake from Renato’s had one layer of chocolate cake with banana cream, sponge cake with cannoli cream, and for the top layer, a funfetti cake with strawberry filling in a white buttercream frosting.
Grand Plaza also put family style chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, and brownies on all the tables and had a very popular Belgian chocolate fountain with marshmallows, fruits, pretzels, and other delicious items plus the sundae bar which also proved to be very popular. At the end of the night our guests took home a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and coffee pods.
Matthew and I thank our parents Fran, Kevin, Lois, and Richard for helping us every step of the way and giving us a day to remember all our lives. Thank you to our bridal party, Kayla, Christina, Teresa, Alexa, Frankie, Kevin, Michael, TJ, and Landon for being part of us becoming Mr. and Mrs. We are extremely grateful to all our family and friends for celebrating with us and for being part of the best day of our lives.
The Grand Plaza, Staten Island, NY, 718.967.4034, grand-plaza.com
