1. Real Weddings

Rachel & Lucio: A Traditional Wedding in Haddam, CT

When Rachel and Lucio met, they fell hard for one another and became high school sweethearts. They went their separate ways during college but found t

When Rachel and Lucio met, they fell hard for one another and became high school sweethearts. They went their separate ways during college but found their way back to one another after they graduated. The Bride Rachel Gollnick, 28, family nurse practitioner The Groom Lucio DeMarco, 29, teacher The Date August 24 After several years of dating, Lucio planned a proposal for Rachel while the two were volunteering in Ecuador during a nonprofit trip for the American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad organization. On the last night of the trip, Lucio stood up and proposed to Rachel in Spanish in front of the kids and counselors. The ring? A handmade band created by the children’s arts and crafts class. Soon plans were underway for a wedding in the couple’s home state of Connecticut in the town of Haddam.

Rachel and Lucio exchanged vows in a traditional Catholic ceremony at the bride’s family church.
The couple chose a simple, four-tiered, buttercream-frosted cake with pearl detailing and cascading pink dahlias. Warm Italian pastries were served with espresso to honor the couple’s heritage.
Square glass vases wrapped in brown satin were filled with maroon and pink dahlias, pink and green hypericum berries, and green accents.
Rachel wore a strapless, diamond white sheath covered in Alencon lace. To complement her low, loose hairstyle, she wore a veil and a fresh stephanotis bloom in her tresses as the finishing touches.
Rachel carried a hand-tied bouquet of cream roses, lisianthus, stephanotis, mini calla lilies, and white-edged ivy.
Bouquets of white and pink hydrangeas, white roses, greenery, and dahlias were tied with cream, satin ribbon and fastened to the aisle pews.
The Formalwear
A live band played as the couple took their first spin on the dance floor as husband and wife to a rendition of “When the Stars go Blue,” by Tim McGraw.
Guests were treated to traditional candy-coated almonds, which the couple had imported from Italy, in cream boxes tied with brown ribbon.