A Traditional, Romantic Wedding at Villa Barone Manor in Bronx, New York

Juliana Da Cruz (27 and works in health-care administration) and Domenic Macera’s (26 and works in business development) wedding was all about timeless elegance with a touch of romance. The day kicked off with a traditional ceremony at Holy Rosary Church in Hawthorne, New York, followed by a night of dinner and dancing at Villa Barone Manor in the Bronx, New York. “The inspiration for this theme came not only from our personalities, but also from my wedding gown,” Juliana says. “Since my dress was all lace, it exuded romance, and I knew that I wanted to re-create that feeling in our other wedding details.” Villa Barone Manor provided the ideal backdrop for the day, the traditional interiors tying in seamlessly with the couple’s vision. The couple chose a classic color palette of ivory and white with a few colorful flourishes and worked with Westchester Floral Decorators to create high, eye-catching arrangements of classic ivory blooms, including hydrangeas and roses, to bring each reception tables to life. “Dom and I both come from large European families, his Italian and mine Portuguese, so when we began to look for a venue, we knew that one of the most important components would be the quality and the quantity of food available for our guests to enjoy,” Juliana says. Villa Barone Manor exceeded all the couple’s culinary expectations. Cocktail hour was characterized by endless inspired eats like lobster, rack of lamb, sushi and artisanal cheeses, while dinner boasted a menu of house-made fettuccine, intermezzo lemon sorbet and five dinner entrees to choose from. Dessert was equally decadent, with the couple treating guests to traditional wedding cake alongside a full-blown Viennese hour. Entertainment was also high on the couple’s must-have list, and Sound Spectrum Entertainment didn’t disappoint. The DJ’s upbeat mix of music kept guests of all ages on the dance floor. Juliana and Domenic also had a photo booth during the reception, so guests could visit when they needed to rest their dancing feet. A tip from Juliana: “Try to enjoy the entire day, and take it all in because it goes by so quickly.”