Said I Do – October 10, 2015
“Working together, helping each other, showing patience, laughing at ourselves — it drew us closer together. Knowing we had this special surprise for the wedding gave us something to be so excited about. Then, going out there on our wedding day and performing that dance was the most magical moment for us.”
Happy couple Daniella and Danny came together through an online dating success story. While they eventually met for the first time at Bull Bar, it was a more family-oriented atmosphere that sealed the deal.
The couple had been dating for two years, approaching with caution, as each had been married previously. But it was at home, surrounded by their children, that Danny surprised Daniella with a proposal.
“He cooked dinner for the whole family — his famous spaghetti and spicy meatballs — and, as he served my plate, he got down on one knee and, in front of all the children, he asked me to spend the rest of my life with him,” Daniella recalled. “After two years, that was the first time he cooked for me!”
However, the proposal was a bit bittersweet. Daniella’s mother would not be in attendance at the wedding. She had died suddenly from pancreatic cancer just before Daniella and Danny first met.
“Danny knew how sad I was that she didn’t get a chance to meet him, and that she wouldn’t be there to be a part of our day,” Daniella said. “So, he and my wedding planner, Jackie Bressler Events, found a picture of my mother and put it in a gold heart locket that they attached to my bridal bouquet. They presented it to me at my rehearsal during an emotional moment.”
The wedding ceremony took place on Oct. 10, 2015, and was captured on film and video by Andreo Studio Photography & Cinematography. It took place on the lawn at Suri West in Wellington with the reception following in the Suri West ballroom.
The bride wore a gown by Sophia Tolle and was attended by Maid of Honor Kristina Hollister. Jaimie Saldana served as Daniel’s best man. A honeymoon in Las Vegas followed.
But the hardest-won victory — and most pleasurable moment for the couple — came after the ceremony, in the ballroom.
“The most important highlight was our wedding dance as husband and wife,” Daniella said. “I love to dance, and due to the fact that my father was pretty good at ballroom dancing, Danny wasn’t so confident that he would be able to pull that off.”
The couple had chosen Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” for their first dance together, and for 10 weeks, the couple worked with a local dance choreographer to get their moves just right.
Keeping their skill levels in mind, the choreographer put together a dance custom-designed just for Daniella and Danny.
“Working together, helping each other, showing patience, laughing at ourselves — it drew us closer together,” Daniella recalled. “Knowing we had this special surprise for the wedding gave us something to be so excited about. Then, going out there on our wedding day and performing that dance was the most magical moment for us. We were nervous, but so proud of what we accomplished together!””
