1. Real Weddings

Laurie & Victor: A Tented Wedding in Bohemia, NY

Laurie and Victor met back in high school. “I was attracted to him instantly but too shy to start a conversation,” says Laurie. Fortunately, Victor ma

Laurie and Victor met back in high school. “I was attracted to him instantly but too shy to start a conversation,” says Laurie. Fortunately, Victor made the first move to get to know her, and the pair have been together ever since. The Bride Laurie Fries, 29, surgical coordinator The Groom Victor Coreas, 30, graphic designer The Date August 19 After thirteen years of dating, the two decided to finally tie the knot. “We didn’t have a traditional proposal,” she explains. “We had been together so long, it was understood that we would eventually get married; it was just a matter of when.” One day out of the blue, Victor decided to stop talking about it and actually set a date, and the pair wed in a summer celebration on Long Island.

The tables were set with brown table runners made by Victor’s mom. Thai chopsticks at each place setting were wrapped in the same decorative paper used to line the envelopes of the invites.
The Favors
The Couple
Victor’s boutonniere had a single white orchid surrounded by greenery.
The Menu
The Cocktail Hour
Laurie’s bouquet was comprised of white orchids, green calla lilies, and greenery and bound with a satin ribbon.
The ceremony was held in the backyard under a square wood frame that friends of the bride’s mother had constructed for the couple. The ceremony was written by the couple’s officiant. “Once we read the ceremony draft, we decided writing our own vows was not necessary,” says Laurie. “There wasn’t anything we could have said that would have been better than what she’d written.”
The three-tiered, offset square creation was devil’s food cake with buttercream icing. Each tier had a different filling: chocolate mousse, strawberry mousse, and cannoli. The groom’s cake was more immediately recognizable -- Fudgie the Whale from Carvel. “It was really funny and cute,” says Laurie.
The couple bristled at the thought of a cookie-cutter, reception hall party, so they were delighted when Laurie’s sister offered to host the festivities at her house in a nearby town. “The more we thought about it, it just seemed to make sense to have the ceremony there as well,” says Laurie.
The couple wanted to serve Asian food at their wedding and decided to carry that feel throughout the event. “We ended up with a modern Asian theme and chose a chocolate brown, white, and aqua color scheme,” says Laurie.
The couple made the favors themselves: three stalks of lucky bamboo in square vases with river rocks. “We also made a thank-you tag, attached with brown ribbon,” says Laurie.