A Classic, Formal Wedding at St. Thomas of Villanova Church in Villanova, Pennsylvania

Maureen (31 and in sales and online advertising) and Andrew (35 and in consulting) both grew up just outside of Philadelphia but only met by chance at a bar in New York City. Maureen moved to the Upper West Side to pursue her career, while Andrew made his way to Gramercy after a five-year tour in the US Army. They both ended up going out to a local bar with some friends, and when the girls were being harassed by an older man who had one too many, Andrew came to the rescue. They got to know one another pretty quickly, and just before Andrew headed out, he asked for her number. "Of course he lied and asked for some bar recommendations first to look cool," Maureen teases. They held their wedding at St. Thomas of Villanova Church at Villanova University (Andrew's alma mater) in Pennsylvania with a reception at the historic Union League of Philadelphia. Maureen and Andrew kept to a timeless black-tie wedding theme with a primarily white and gold color palette with navy accented in the long, strapless bridesmaid dresses. The bride wore a strapless Matthew Christopher trumpet gown with a two-tier cathedral-length veil and sparkly Jimmy Choo peep-toes. She carried a classic bouquet of white garden roses decorated with pictures of her grandparents, while centerpieces incorporated arrangements of white hydrangeas sitting atop gold checked linens. At every place setting, a personal letter from the bride and groom was addressed to each of the 240 guests individually. "It was a special touch as we had a large wedding and wanted our guests to know how much it meant to us that they were there and being a part of our special day," Maureen says.