1. Real Weddings

Darla & Mike: An Outdoor Wedding in Cincinnati, OH

Some people rely on magazines for keeping up with current events or fashion. But Michael Mackay actually used one to find his wife, Darla Sbarbati. Da

Some people rely on magazines for keeping up with current events or fashion. But Michael Mackay actually used one to find his wife, Darla Sbarbati. Darla had placed a personal ad in Cincinnati Magazine in March 1989 and responded to Mike's letter over a year later. Following a two-hour phone conversation, the two met at a local restaurant and a romance was born. THE BRIDE Darla Sbarbati THE GROOM Michael Mackay THE DATE June 3 In October 2000, while on a trip to Nashville, Indiana, Mike surprised Darla with a custom-designed engagement ring when he proposed atop the city's highest point, a restaurant at the top of a hotel. During a seven-month engagement, the couple planned a contemporary, casually elegant, garden wedding with a Caribbean flavor.

The Couple
Darla's love of dancing necessitated a dress that could move with her, but she wanted a formal wedding gown. The solution? Not one but three wedding gowns. For the ceremony, Darla wore a floor-length sheath.
The bride and groom are both members of the United States Amateur Ballroom Dancing Association, so naturally they couldn't wait to show off their first-dance moves to Kiss of Life by Sade.
During their brief ceremony beneath the beautiful canopy of a gigantic oak tree, Darla and Mike exchanged traditional and personally written vows based on letters to each other through the years.
Darla's bouquet was filled with jewel-toned mini calla lilies.
Darla and Mike's cake had four-tiers: amaretto with mocha mousse and chocolate filling, chocolate with Grand Marnier and chocolate mousse, raspberry with fudge and white chocolate mousse, devil's food with a raspberry mousse and chocolate fudge filling