1. Real Weddings

Jessica & Thomas: A Formal Affair in Summit, NJ

Thomas (Tommy) Troncoso is lucky that Jessica Kleiman had such a bad blind date. Jessica, who knew the advertising copywriter through her postcollege

Thomas (Tommy) Troncoso is lucky that Jessica Kleiman had such a bad blind date. Jessica, who knew the advertising copywriter through her postcollege roommate, never considered him boyfriend material. THE BRIDE Jessica Kleiman, 31, PR director THE GROOM Thomas (Tommy) Troncoso, 32, advertising copywriter THE DATE December 21 Soon enough the script flipped when Jessica, a PR director, found herself set up with his coworker whom she ended up hating -- fortunately, Tommy was there (at the work event) to save the date. Six years later, after so many of their friends were engaged or married, Tommy shocked Jessica with a proposal on their New York City street corner. He said to me, 'Oh, there's something I forgot to tell you that's not going to make you happy...guess who got engaged?' Jessica recalls. But before she could ask who, Tommy was on one knee.

As per the couple's request, mostly '80s tunes lured guests onto the dance floor, moments after Jessica and Tommy first danced to Time After Time, by Cyndi Lauper -- an appropriate tune for a longtime duo.
The Bridal Bouquet
Jessica and Tommy exchanged vows at the Grand Summit Hotel under an exquisitely handcrafted huppah. The bride's father constructed and painted the structure and her mother, a fiber artist, designed and created a beautiful lavender silk covering printed with Hebrew phrases, the couple's invitation wording, and colorful designs in shades of orange, red, and gold. What was so wonderful was that my parents have been divorced since I was five and they came together to build this first 'home' for us on our wedding day, Jessica says.
The Groom
For the finale to the feast, Jessica designed the delicious white wedding cake with cannoli-cream filling to resemble a stack of gifts -- the only nod to the impending holiday.
Jessica entered this new home in a sleeveless, scoop-neck A-line Wearkstatt gown, carrying a vibrant bouquet of roses in shades of orange, deep red, and yellow, with burgundy hypericum berry accents.