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Category Archives: Darianna Brides

Real Bride: Kristen Frustaci-Burke

The only thing better than saying yes to your dress is saying I do, and then being featured as a Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo Real Bride!

Real Bride Kristen and her husband Ryan were married in January at a breathtaking beach ceremony in Punta Cana.  Read their love story below

The Meeting

Ryan and I met in class at Temple in August 2011. We started as project partners and friends but that quickly turned into dating. His story though (which is much better) is that he saw me walking through campus one day, looking pretty sad and he decided he just had to make me smile. He says once he did, he knew he was going to marry me 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Proposal

April 21st 2016 – I, along with everyone else, had been waiting for this day but I had no idea when or where to expect it. I came home from work one night and our dog ran up to me dressed in a tuxedo. Ryan followed quickly behind and started talking. I was so confused as to why the dog was wearing a tuxedo, it took me a few minutes before I realized that Ryan was proposing and that the dog had a ring tied to his tux!  Once I did, I immediately said yes (and then noticed the 2 dozen roses and champagne)! We went to celebrate with my parents that night and continued all weekend. It could not have been more perfect.

The Dress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My mom and I started shopping for my dress pretty early. We had a year and half before the wedding but we wanted to get started! I was pretty sure of the type of silhouette I wanted, but was open to trying on everything! I just wanted to find something that was appropriate for a beach wedding.

My second dress appointment was at Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo and I think the Sincerity dress was the 15th gown I had tried on. I just fell in love! It was different than anything I had ever seen, super comfortable and of course my mom cried! We left that day planning to schedule another appointment and bring my friends to see but when I called, I was told the sample dress had been sold and the designer might stop making it. I cried, called my mom and we bought it over the phone! A couple weeks later, it was in and I was able to say yes to the most perfect dress with my mom and friends there to celebrate.

The Venue

We got married at the Majestic Colonial in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. We had vacationed there the year before and thought it was amazing. We had watched weddings on the beach and had a great time. We knew the setting was perfect for us and that our families and friends would love it too.

Planning

The guys reppin’ the future Super Bowl Champions before the wedding

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our wedding was  easy to plan. We are both laid back and knew we wanted a destination wedding.  We decided February 3rd would be perfect and didn’t think anyone would mind leaving the cold for a few days.

Little did I know, the Eagles would be in the Super Bowl the day after our wedding!

Our bridal party was small – my two best friends Amanda and Jess were my MOH and bridesmaid. Ryan’s best friend Larry and my brother Matt were his best man and groomsman. We wanted our color scheme to be “beachy” and the only requirement was that it match the orange Tiger Lilies I wanted in my bouquet. The girls wore light blue and the boys were in tan suits. Honestly, the resort took care of so much it was simple to make decisions! It ended up being absolutely beautiful.

Pre-Wedding Parties

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My aunt and cousin hosted my bridal shower on a Friday night at Cedar Brook Country Club. It was beautiful and we had a lot of fun, it was a great girls night! My amazing MOH and friends planned a bachelorette party in OCMD – exactly what I wanted. As I asked everyone to travel for my wedding, I didn’t want anything over the top for my bachelorette party. We hung out at the beach, played games, listened to music and relaxed. It was wonderful and I am so grateful to have friends that know me so well and put so much effort into making it perfect.

The Day Of

 

 

The whole day, start to finish, was incredible. I spent the day with my mom and bridesmaids, getting our hair and make up done and anxiously awaiting the 5 o’clock ceremony. Ryan was with the guys in another room getting ready and we did not see each other until I walked down the aisle.

My something old was the perfume I wore, Chanel, that belonged to my grandmother. All of my cousins wore it on their wedding day so I carried on the very special tradition.

I borrowed my mom’s topaz ring which my dad had given her years ago, I honestly didn’t think about it until right before we left but it worked out perfectly.

I think my favorite part of the day was walking down the aisle. It was a gorgeous day and while we were waiting to walk, the music started playing for the bridal party. The speakers blasted Kenny Chesney’s “Anything but mine”, it was so unexpected and the tears started flowing! My dad and I walked down the aisle to the Beatles “Here, There and Everywhere” steel drum version (like Phoebe in friends!) Absolutely perfect for the beach!

The Ceremony & Reception

Kristen, Ryan, and all their guests

 

 

We could not have asked for a better day. The sun was shining and there was a nice ocean breeze, we even ended up with a double rainbow over the water – absolutely perfect.
My cousin was our officiant, which meant a lot to us. The ceremony was short and sweet. The photographer took incredible pictures of us all on the beach and then we headed to the outdoor reception.We had a great dinner and spent the whole night dancing. Ryan and I danced to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by UB40, which has been our song for a long time and very important to us – also perfect for our beach setting!

My dad’s good friend surprised us all when she jumped up on a chair and started rapping “Rappers Delight”, it was hysterical! And as I said, the Super Bowl was the next day so there was a lot of E-A-G-L-E-S chanting! From the gorgeous flowers to the late night reception karaoke, the whole day was incredible and we could not be happier. A major bonus – the party continued into Sunday and we got to celebrate the Eagles victory! We are so grateful to all of our friends and family for celebrating with us and would love nothing more than to do it again!

Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo is a multi award-winning bridal & tuxedo store located in Warrington, Bucks County, PA.  Call or go online to make an appointment with us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Disney Fairy Tale Wedding

Your Happiest Day on Earth At the Happiest Place on Earth

Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons

I cannot think of a better team to emulate than the Wedding Consultants at Walt Disney World.

“At Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons we have couples who come to us from around the globe because they know that we are committed to delivering the wedding of their dreams.”

That statement made by the Disney Wedding Consultant we met with last week at Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons in Lake Buena Vista, Florida really resonated with us because of how committed we are at Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo on delivering great service.

It was a real privilege to meet with one of their Wedding Consultants, part of a group that plans and manages over one thousand weddings every year.

We were given two hours of time answering questions, touring the incredibly beautiful Wedding Pavilion.  We learned how having your wedding with them is not only a great choice, but easy to plan. Like everything else in Disney, it is all about the guest experience and no details are left to chance.

Upon entering “Franck’s Bridal Studio” next to Disney’s Wedding Pavilion, that Disney enchanting feeling was everywhere with bright sunlight shining through beautiful stained glass windows, towering cakes with sparkling toppers, bright and elaborate flower arrangements, gorgeous photo albums, and smiling faces.

It is here that guests come to do a face-to-face planning session and although we weren’t there to plan a wedding, already they exceeded expectations I didn’t even realize I had.  I can only imagine how a bride feels walking in those doors.  Princess-like comes to mind…

We were delighted by the friendliness and excitement of the consultants, and amazed at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion itself.  It offers a lovely bridal suite and separate comfortable groomsmen room, perfect for spending a few minutes calming those bridal nerves, but when those doors opened – just WOW.

It was referred to as the “crown jewel” and it surely was.  A long and mesmerizing aisle leads to a wall of windows overlooking the lake to a direct view of Cinderella’s Castle. It truly was the stuff of little girls’ dreams come true with a happily ever after.

It was suggested to begin your planning on their website.  It allows for basic planning on the numerous options they have, from simple vow renewals to full-on galas.

For example, plan an intimate ceremony for two guests, or invite 200 to the Contemporary Ballroom, or gather 1,000 of your family and closest friends at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort.  Theme parks are available as well for an even more personalized and memorable day.

Once you have an idea of particulars, you will be contacted to dig into the planning and that’s where these professionals jump right into action, helping you put together your perfectly magical wedding!

Want to get married on the deep blue sea? They have a group who will help you plan your event on the Disney Cruise Line!  California dreaming? They will take care of arranging the details at the Disneyland Resort in California. It’s Disney. It’s what they do.

It is suggested to begin your planning approximately 16 months prior to your preferred wedding date with a selection of your top three times and locations.  Remember, they do over a thousand weddings every year… booking early is definitely recommended to get your top choice.

Our couple, Vicki and Steve, are planning their April wedding through Disney Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons.  We asked for their experience so far and in Vicki’s own words:

“Certain details of our wedding were absolutely a no-brainer, such as Disney’s Wedding Pavilion and Cinderella’s Carriage, and we ultimately chose the Grand Floridian Ballroom for our reception for roughly 75 guests. We visited Franck’s Bridal Studio for our tasting. This was so much fun and our planner made sure everything was perfect. If we could make this decision again, we would have decided on a Disney Wedding much quicker instead of spending hours touring local venues. I can honestly say that a Disney Wedding is 100% easy to plan because the Wedding Consultants take care of everything imaginable.  I have yet to stress about any aspect of our wedding!”  Here are Vicki and Steve in front of Franck’s Bridal Studio in December, 2016 for their tasting!

Also, our own beautiful and super-fun bride Amanda Rainear and her handsome groom Jamie were just married at Walt Disney World on December 2nd.  About her wedding in Disney, Amanda said:

“There is no wedding venue anywhere in the world that compares to Walt Disney World.  Honestly, there isn’t even a comparison to make. Disney World really is the most magical place on earth.  They have blended their guest-focused culture with the hyper-emotional nature of weddings and the experience is second to none. On my wedding day, I truly felt like a princess in my dress from Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo and I even had a few children ask if I was a Disney character!  As a lifelong Disney fan, there is nothing that will ever top that.”

With so many perfect places for photos, one of their favorites was Disney’s Boardwalk.

We wish to thank the professionals from Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons for their time and hospitality. We will always remember our visit, along with being “committed to the wedding of your dreams.”  When you go, you will feel the magic!

When you come to Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, you will feel our magic, too!

Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo is an award-winning bridal and tuxedo store in Warrington, PA, catering to brides and grooms in Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia.  www.DariannaBridal.com

 

Featured Blogger: Kathleen Smith, Consultant at Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo

Part 2: I Said YES To My Dream Dress

Philadelphia wedding dress sketchesWedding dress shopping.  When a bride hears this, it may evoke any number of emotions. For the most part this will be excitement and joy, yet, for some the process overwhelms.  As a bride-to-be working for Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo I have now been on both sides of the experience.  I love being able to relate to our brides so closely!

I am a year out from my wedding and yes, I already have my dress!

Continue reading "Featured Blogger: Kathleen Smith, Consultant at Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo"

Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo’s Real Bride: Heather Wilkinson-Slobodinsky

Heather in Enzoani’s “Jenny” and Mark wearing Ike Behar
Heather in Enzoani’s “Jenny” and Mark wearing Ike Behar

The Meeting:

Mark and I met in January 2013 in physical therapy school at Temple when both of our classes were at a conference in San Diego and have been together since then.

The Proposal:

August 8th, 2015 in LBI. I absolutely thought he was going to propose the night before since we were going to have dinner at our favorite restaurant in Philadelphia and was pretty bummed when I was wrong!  But little did I know, both of our families were totally in on the surprise for the proposal to happen in LBI where Mark’s parents own a beach house. My parents and sister had planned to come down to LBI for the weekend and my mom suggested that we take “family photos by the beach” before dinner. This was actually the ploy to get everyone to the beach for Mark to pop the question.

Continue reading "Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo’s Real Bride: Heather Wilkinson-Slobodinsky"

Featured Blogger: Kathleen Smith, Consultant at Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo

Part 1: The Engagement

Kathleen & Kenan
Kathleen with her fiancee Kenan…ENGAGED!

We are so happy to feature our very own Kathleen Smith as she travels the road of a bride-to-be! This is such a great perspective – she is an engaged bridal and formalwear consultant for our Bucks County bridal store, so she is living and working the whole bridal experience for another 11 months.

Her first installment features the emotions surrounding the best day of her life (so far) – her engagement. Read on for a whole bunch of “Awwww” moments!

Best Day of My Life; the Day I Got Engaged

I am a bridal and formalwear consultant at Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, a Bucks County bridal store, and helping brides and grooms find the perfect outfit for their big day is truly a privilege. I get to hear their stories and talk about their wedding plans. It’s so much fun and now I’d love to share my story as a bride-to-be.

As I think about the day I got engaged I can’t help but feel giddy; at no other time in my life have I felt more excitement.

Continue reading "Featured Blogger: Kathleen Smith, Consultant at Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo"

Darianna Bridal Real Bride: Claire Melvin

claire1The Meeting – A Match Made on Match: Will and I met on November 26, 2010. I used to fib about how we met for the first few years, but since everything worked out so well… We met on Match.com, and really hit it off right away. I don’t know if it was love at first sight, but we certainly knew we wanted to see each other again and soon.

The Proposal: A complete surprise! I thought we were going to have lunch and see a movie in Doylestown, but he had other plans. We had our worst lunch date ever at a local pub. Will wasn’t really talking to me and acting very odd. We left and headed to the County Theater.

When we got close, I noticed that the marquee read, “Claire will you marry me?” I was so confused and shocked, when I turned around Will was on one knee holding the ring. He told me how much he loved me and wanted to start our life together. I snatched the ring out of the box and said yes!

Continue reading "Darianna Bridal Real Bride: Claire Melvin"

Darianna Bridal Real Bride: Allison Barrett-Ferraro

alison1

The Meeting:  Alex and I first met when we were introduced by a mutual friend during our sophomore year at Gettysburg College. It wasn’t exactly love at first sight, and we only chatted briefly before going our separate ways.

Two years later, we were reintroduced by another mutual friend, and as we got to know each other better I developed a crush on Alex. With the encouragement of my girlfriends, I got up the courage to ask Alex to my sorority’s formal. Alex agreed to be my date, and I was thrilled when he also asked me out to dinner.

We started dating in March 2012, two months before our college graduation. After graduation, Alex moved to Pittsburgh for law school and I moved home to Philadelphia and started working at an advertising agency. It wasn’t easy being so far apart, but I knew he was the one so the countless hours spent in the car driving across the state to visit each other were worth it. Continue reading "Darianna Bridal Real Bride: Allison Barrett-Ferraro"

Darianna Bridal Real Bride: Dianna Hansen-Cichonski

wedding6The Meeting:  Justin and I met in 4th grade at St. Timothy’s Catholic School.  We went to our first boy/girl party at a friend’s house and he got down on one knee and proposed to me with a mood ring!  

Unfortunately, the romance did not last, and we moved on without contact until…

May 1, 2007 at another party.  We spotted each other from across the room. Justin came up to talk to me and we have been inseparable ever since.

Continue reading "Darianna Bridal Real Bride: Dianna Hansen-Cichonski"

Featured Darianna Bridal Bride: Jessica Carter-Rudnet

Jessica Chose the Jordan gown by Enzoani. Jim chose the Parker tuxedo by Ike Behar. Attire by Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, Warrington PA.
Jessica Chose the Jordan gown by Enzoani. Jim chose the Parker tuxedo by Ike Behar. Attire by Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, Warrington PA.

Jessica called Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo after spotting one of our Enzoani Jordan bridal gowns.  As soon as she tried it on, she knew this was the dress she’d wear when she would marry her best friend, Jim Rudnet.  We invited Jessica to tell her love story here.

Our Meeting:  Jim and I met working together at Longhorn Steakhouse during college in Warrington, PA.  He was a bartender and I was a hostess.

bridal gowns
The ring, courtesy of Pennsylvania First Precious Metals, Warrington PA

The Proposal:  During our first vacation together in the Bahamas, Jim proposed to me on the balcony of our hotel room overlooking the beach.  I was completely shocked, I didn’t even know he was looking for rings!  We spent the next 5 days in the Bahamas celebrating.

Our Ceremony: We wanted a Catholic ceremony without the difficulty of going back and forth from church to reception. We found St. Miriam Church which allows a shortened Catholic ceremony outside of an actual church.  We met Father Joe and he was exactly what we wanted, humorous, kind, and easy going, while also still incorporating Catholic beliefs. Continue reading "Featured Darianna Bridal Bride: Jessica Carter-Rudnet"