1. Real Weddings

Kate & Corey: A Formal Wedding in Troy, NY

Kate Pangburn and Corey Fong met in law school at Western New England College. “He was talking to one of his friends and I plopped down in between the

Kate Pangburn and Corey Fong met in law school at Western New England College. “He was talking to one of his friends and I plopped down in between them,” Kate says. “I put my two cents in and he was amused that some lowly first year would have the audacity to talk to third years.” Then, after only three months of dating, Corey graduated and moved back to Hawaii (his home state) to take the bar exam. But they didn’t stay apart for long -- Corey moved back to Connecticut for Kate the next fall so that they could be together as she finished her last two years of law school. The Bride Kate Pangburn, 29, paralegal The Groom Corey Fong, 30, attorney The Date August 19 Corey sent Kate to pick up Dunkin Donuts gift certificates to give to his staff at the law firm for the holidays. “I remember how tired I was, but I set out to go get them,” Kate says. When Kate arrived back home, the apartment was covered in rose petals leading up the stairs to the bedroom. “There was a teddy bear and a little box on the bed,” she says. “And he said ‘open up the box,’ so I started crying and opened it up, only to find a pair of princess-cut diamond earrings!” Shocked and disappointed, Kate wiped away her tears. “Do you like them?” Corey asked. She told him she did. “Then you will really like this,” he told her as he pulled a ring out of his pocket and knelt on his knees to ask her to marry him.

From the gown to the shoes, Kate found her entire ensemble at David’s Bridal. The bride wore a stunning strapless, A-line ivory gown with shimmering embroidery and beading. Her veil also was ivory, embellished with diamond beading. Kate loved her shoes with mini white bow ties on the top.
The bride and her maids got ready at the bride’s parents house in Duanesburg, NY. The ceremony took place at St. John the Evangelist Catholic church. “It is the most beautiful church I have ever set foot in,” the bride says. Kate chose to keep the décor simple so as to let the church’s architecture and beauty shine. The only additions to the church’s interior were two simple ivy pieces on either side of the altar.
The three-tier, round cake consisted of dark moist chocolate cake with Grand Marnier mousse filling (the couple’s favorite) and was covered in French vanilla buttercream frosting. Small wine-color roses and vines adorned the cake. To further tie in the rose theme, Kate’s florist added fresh roses with pearled stephanotis’ to the top tier. In addition to wedding cake, guests were served raspberry sorbet with berry sauce in chocolate-rimmed wafer cups.
The bride and groom chose to hold their reception at Franklin Plaza. Once an old savings and loan bank, Franklin Plaza has been refurbished into a banquet hall. The bar was located behind a bank teller’s counter and the coat check was what used to be a vault. The couple had a second reception a week later to celebrate the groom’s Chinese heritage -- this time the party took place in Hawaii. “So we honeymooned for the first week on Corey’s island of Oahu until the second reception, and then went to the island of Kauai for our second week, and stayed at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa. What a tropical oasis!” Kate says.
It was very important to the bride that her bridesmaids be comfortable, so Kate told her bridesmaids and flower girl to pick out their own wine-color dress -- in any style. The only requirement was that they be long in length. “It worked out perfectly,” Kate says. “It made everyone more comfortable and they still talk about how much they love their dresses!”
Striking dark and light–color roses, lilies, and hydrangeas graced tables. Half the centerpieces were arranged around high candelabras (provided by Franklin Plaza) and the others were bound low in vases surrounded by votive candles. “Margette did an awesome job!” Kate says.
The couple ordered raspberry and chocolate caramel gourmet truffles for their guests. The favors came paired in small boxes with wine-color ribbon and a quotation: “When once upon a time became happily ever after.”
The Couple
Kate’s bouquet was a beautiful combination of Sahara roses, wine-color calla lilies, vendella roses, and stephanotis with pearls in the middle. The flower girl carried a smaller version of Kate’s bouquet with an added streamer ribbon.