I Do, I Do | Spring Bridal - East Edition | Hersam Acorn Newspapers

8/2/2019 I Do, I Do | Spring Bridal - East Edition | Hersam Acorn Newspapers

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Special Section to: The Valley Gazette I The Stratford Star I The Milford Mirror I The Amity Observer I The Trumbull Times I Fairfield Sun I The Huntington Herald I The Monroe Courier I The Easton Courier

HERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS

I Do, I DoSPRING BRIDAL 2012

Lindsay and Mike Mazzarella of Stratfordnot only like to have fun, but they also

enjoy bringing smiles to other peoples

faces.

Thats why they started a business four

years ago Lots of Character where

they dress up as popular television

and film characters, such as Elmo and

Mickey Mouse, and entertain at chil-

drens birthday parties. When it came

to planning their wedding, it was only

natural that they incorporate this whim-

sical penchant into their celebration.

Last October, Lindsay and Mike took

their vows at Lighthouse Point Park in

New Haven against the backdrop of ahistoric merry-go-round. Their recep-

tion was filled with clowns, magicians

and balloons.

Though their families were skeptical at

first about this highly unconventional

circus and carnival-themed wedding, all

of the guests ended up having a great

time.

Susan Martino, Lindsays aunt, who

helped to raise the bride when her

mother passed away in 2006, said

everyone pitched in to make the day

special. In our family, we were all used

to traditional weddings, of course, but

everyone left there saying this was themost fun theyve ever had at a wed-

ding, Susan said.

Upon arrival, each of the 200 guests

were greeted by a costumed clown.

They were given their own clown

noses, which were donated by Ringling

A MERRY GO ROUNDfor bride, groom and guests

by Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn

Circus continued on page 6The wedding of Lindsay and Mike Mazzarella was filled with fun. Large lollipops decorated each table, a candy bar was a star attraction along with a surprise dance routine bythe wedding couple, which inspired many others to join in. Scott Mullin photos

Wedding


2/6

2 I Do, I Do: Spring Bridal Hersam Acorn Newspapers March 1, 2012

When I got married in 1989, I had two

bridal showers one given by my mother

for all of our female relatives, and a second,

smaller party given by my maid of honor.

Though we didnt describe it as a bach-

elorette party, thats exactly what it was.

Similar to the grooms traditional bachelor

party, where friends get together to blow

off steam and celebrate the end of single

life, it was an outdoor gathering hosted

by my closest girlfriends where we shared

some good food and drink.

In the last 20 years, though, bachelorette

parties have become much more creative.

In most scenarios, the bride is taken out to

dinner by the maid of honor and brides-

maids, followed by a long night of drinking

and dancing.

This is fun, and Ive been to many bach-

elorette parties like this, but I wanted to do

something more for my sister, Nicole, said

Gina. She and Melanie, the familys young-

est sibling, shared the maid of honor

role. Its just too ordinary and Nicole is

anything but that!

Gina and Melanie brainstormed with the

other members of the bridal party and tried

to come up with a party that would truly

represent their special sister and friend.

Gina said, There were a lot of fun, creative

ideas thrown out there a champagne

tasting followed by a night out in NYC,

make-your-own-wine class, dinner and

drinks in NYC, but then it dawned on me,

what about a wine tasting tour?

After researching online several different

venues in New England, Gina made a reser-

vation through Long Island Vineyard Tours.

They offered everything we were looking

for round-trip limo transportation, gour-

met lunch, wine tastings at four vineyards,

and then some, Gina said.

To make the day even more memorable,

one of the bridesmaids designed a T-shirt

for the bridal party to wear. In keeping

with the winery theme, the logo on the

front of the shirt said, Before they wed,

lets paint the town RED! On the back,

it said, Salute! 6.12.10. (the date of the

wedding).

Nicole said everyone had a great time. It

was planned perfectly, she said.

These all-inclusive vineyard tours have

become increasingly more popular for pre-

wedding parties, she added. No matter

whats planned, I think its important to

incorporate personal touches that make the

party feel like your own, she said.

Though she has also had a great time at

dinner and dancing parties, Nicole liked

being able to hang out with her closest

friends in a more intimate setting rather

than a crowded bar.

For this reason, some bridal parties opt to

rent out a restaurants private room. Two

sisters, Lori and Leslie, decided to have one

big bachelorette party since their weddings

were only three months apart. This worked

out well because they also shared the same

girlfriends.

Since the two sisters, who describe them-

selves as best of friends, were also each

others maids of honor, they planned the

black-and-white theme bachelorette party

themselves. Their guests were instructed to

wear black-and white attire, and when they

arrived at the Fairfield restaurant, where

the party took place, red leis were provided.

The party room was decorated in sparkles,

and there were black martini glasses at

each table setting.

Leslie said, We had a private bar and appe-

tizers served. After a few hours, we got into

a white Cadillac Escalade limo that took us

from Fairfield to Stamford for a very fun

night that is still memorable until this day

and I think it always will be.

Nicole, who attended Leslie and Loris bach-

elorette party, said its imperative to have

some kind of transportation provided when

alcohol is served. No drinking and driving

is a must, Nicole emphasized.

So, while the limo rentals are definitely a

fun addition to todays bachelorette parties,

theyre also serving an important role in

keeping the women safe.

Leslie said their friends appreciated their

combined bachelorette party because the

night can be costly. We knew we were

doing everyone a favor by having a joint

party, Leslie.

Because the two sisters had such a great

time, they wished that they had planned a

joint wedding, too.

We can assume their father was nodding

his head in agreement.

Information: livineyardtours.com/winetours/.

ROUND-TRIP LIMO, GOURMET LUNCH, TOUR OF FOUR VINEYARDS

A grand day out with your best friendsby Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn

Best friends gather for a tour of a Long Island vineyard to celebrate bride-to-be Nicoles forthcoming marriage.


3/6

March 1, 2012 I Do, I Do: Spring Bridal Hersam Acorn Newspapers 3

Brides today devote a great deal of time

to searching for the right wedding gown.

They also scour through fashion maga-

zines looking for the perfect hair style to

augment their dresses and ensure they

look picture perfect on their wedding

day.

When they finally settle upon an appeal-

ing look that they hope to emulate, its

disappointing to hear from their favorite

stylist that they cant do it with their type

of hair.

Some girls have very thin hair and some

have hair thats too short to accomplish

the style they were hoping to have,said Charlene Dombrowski, owner of

Charlenes Barber Shop in Monroe.

To enhance the length and fullness of

their hair, Charlene may recommend

that the brides get hair extensions woven

into their strands of hair. With hair

extensions, we can give them any style

they want, she said.

For example, most brides request some

kind of updo, where the hair is swept off

the neck and, using pins, piled in sec-

tions on top of the head. French twists

and chignons are types of updo fashions.

Hair products and styling tools, such as

curling irons and flat-iron straighteners,are also used to achieve the desired look.

However, Charlene said updos are much

easier to do with hair extensions. It

gives us more to work with, she said.

Extensions are also used to change the

brides hair color. Sometimes they want

some blonde highlights put in for the

wedding, but we could simply color the

hair extensions and get the same effect,

she said. Its great for girls who want

something special for their wedding but

dont want to go too over the top.

Glue-in hair extensions usually take

about two hours to put in. Fusion exten-

sions, though, take much longer and

must be done a few days before the

wedding date, she said. The cost varies

according to the number and the type of

extensions used.

When shes hired to style a bride, Bree

Thomas, a hairdresser for 11 years, said

she often takes care of the bridesmaids,

brides mother, grooms mother and

flower girls, too. Ive gone right to the

church to do their hair, she said.

Monica Vaz, a stylist from Shelton who

works at Charlenes, said she wouldrather style bridal parties all day than cut

and color hair. I really love it, Monica

said.

After learning the basics in hairdress-

ing school, Monica honed her skills by

styling the tresses of bridal parties. She

said the bride typically dictates how her

attendants wear their hair. She may say

she wants all of the hair to be up or half-

up and half-down or all down. Its really

her decision.

About a week before the wedding, most

hair stylists will do a trial run. Brides

bring their veils to the salon so that

after their hair is completed, they cansee exactly how they will appear as they

walk down the aisle. We want to make

sure the style is exactly what they want

for their wedding, Monica said.

Charlene said its important for brides to

feel beautiful on their wedding day. We

can really do anything with hair today,

she said. Its important for brides- to-be

to consult with their hairdresser during

the early part of their wedding planning,

though. We want to make sure theres

enough time to create the exact look

they envision that will complement their

gown, veil and other accessories.

For more information about hair

extensions and formal hair styles for

proms, religious celebrations and corpo-

rate functions, contact Charlenes Barber

Shop at 509 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe;

203-459-4336.

Charlenes Barber ShopYOU DONT NEED A FAIRY GODMOTHER, YOU DO NEED A SKILLED STYLIST

by Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn

With extensions, medium-length hair is trans-

formed into a cascade of elegant curls.

Plan a Wedding YoullRemember Forever

Denise Cregier Photographer

Tents

Tables

Chairs

China

Linens

26 Kenosia Avenue

Danbury CT203.790.7368

www.asrentals.net

Exceptional CuisineOutstanding Service

The Perfect Setting

The Perfect Setting


4/6


Family is all important, and when it

came time for Megan and Paul Merritts

wedding, Megan knew she wanted one

extraordinary family member to play

a very significant role. I lived with my

grandmother from the age of 16, and she

is the best, shes so very important to

me! Megan says, smiling.

Paul and I had already been together for

eight years, and we werent really thinking

we would do anything big for our wed-

ding. We were considering getting mar-

ried at the town hall, says Megan, just

something very simple and quiet, but my

grandmother found a fantastic venue and

we were off and running!

Megans grandmother, Dotti Bateman,

wanted her granddaughter to experience a

wondrous wedding day. Megan and I are

very, very close, very tight actually, Dotti

says delightedly, and when I realized that

she and Paul werent really thinking about

an elaborate wedding, I wanted to help

give them a truly beautiful and different

kind of a wedding day.

Dolce in Norwalk is an amazing spot,

Dotti says. I just fell in love with it when

I saw it I thought it would be perfect. I

was thrilled when Megan fell in love with

it, too. Hazel Scudder is the event planner

at Dolce, she and I have a long- standingrelationship, and working with her was

just like working with a family member! In

fact, the whole experience, the whole day,

was such a wonderful affirmation of how

a wedding is a real family affair!

Set on 66 acres of bucolic Connecticut

countryside, Dolce offers a setting of roll-

ing hills, meadows and woods with out-

door terraces, shimmering waterfront set-

tings and a distinct and diverse approach

to weddings.

Its so gorgeous, Megan says. The out-

side is stunning. Our wedding date was

October 9, 2011, and it was such a beauti-

ful day, our ceremony was held under a

big, beautiful tree the setting was just

magnificent.

I really was so happy that they were so

happy with Dolce, adds Dotti. We had a

budget we needed to stick to, and I hoped

for something special, not a cookie-cut-

ter wedding experience, and we got it at

Dolce. Hazel made everything so easy for

us, and she helped us stick to our budget.

We saved money by having the wed-

ding on a holiday it happened to be

Columbus Day weekend. Because Megan

and Paul were flexible with their date and

time, and willing to keep the guest list on

the smaller side and have the wedding

on a Sunday afternoon, Hazel was able to

work out an excellent package price for

us.

The package was just terrific, Dotti

says, they provided everything from

the DJ, the photographer, a scrumptious

cake, even a chocolate fountain, as well

as a bridal suite. Megan and Paul had

their choice of rooms, and they selected

the Norwalk Room, which had an indoor

and outdoor area, and was just perfect for

their 60 guests.

One thing that many other married

friends had told us, was that they wished

they had kept the guest list a little small-

er, says Megan. With our group of

60 close friends and family, I really felt

relaxed and felt like our day was espe-

cially personal.

This was a happy ending to a long court-

ship, Megan says, and having my grand-

mother play such an important role in our

new beginning, means the world to me.

I told her Grammy, you have to do my

flowers for me! Because she is an artist, I

wanted all the flowers to have her unique

touch.

Dotti says, This was a totally fantastic

experience for me, being so involved in

this occasion. Doing the flowers was such

a joy; I worked with lots of cut flowers,

including Megans favorite sunflowers, and

created just what she wanted. I also got to

walk Megan outside and over to meet her

parents, who then escorted her down the

aisle.

Megan smiles and adds, Even Dankness,

our beloved dog, was a part of the cer-

emony, serving as our ring bearer. He and

all the people that mean family to us were

there, which made it the perfect celebra-

tion.

A real family affairEVERYONE FELT LIKE FAMILY AT THIS SMALL, JOY-FILLED WEDDING

by Robin E. Glowa

After an eight-year courtship, Megan and Paul

Merritt, about to seal their vows with a kiss.At right, Megans Gram, Dotti Bateman,

brought her granddaughter from the reception

room to join her parents, who brought her down

the aisle. Daniel Whitham photos


5/6

March 1, 2012 I Do, I Do: Spring Bridal Hersam Acorn Newspapers 5

Neither Pedro Mila of Trumbull nor Nora

Shea of Derby met via any of the popular

dot-coms that guarantee finding the right

mate via a sophisticated computer system.

As a matter of fact, neither Pedro nor Nora

ever thought that they would experience

love again. Both had lost their long-time

spouses. However, age has no limits when

it comes to love, and so Pedro at age 92 and

Nora at age 76 met at the Trumbull Senior

Center and fell deeply in love. Pedro was

born in Cuba, and Nora is part Spanish and

part Italian. She was born in Brooklyn.

Weve been together for four years, said

Nora, explaining that she enjoys line danc-

ing, and Pedro also loves to dance, so they

already had something in common. When

he first approached me about going out on

a date, I told him I wasnt interested, said

Nora, recalling that she thought he was far

too old for her. However, he was so atten-

tive and so considerate that I couldnt ward

off his pursuits for long. Neither he nor I

had ever planned on meeting someone,

she said.

According to Jean Fereira, director of the

Trumbull Senior Center at Priscilla Place,

its not so uncommon that people meet

like-minded people at the Center. It hap-pens often enough, she said. Everyone

here is happy for Pedro and Nora. They are

a special couple.

Indeed, since they became sweethearts,

they have traveled to five countries in

Europe. Pedro told me, I will take you

anywhere in the world that you want to go,

and he meant it, Nora said, with a lilt in

her voice. They have traveled extensively,

visiting the Panama Canal twice. Were

very compatible and we have a great time

together. We love to dance, and we enjoy

going to the movies. He loves to eat and I

love to cook, she said, with a laugh. She

also pointed out that their relationship is

more than hugs and companionship. We

have an intimate relationship. Age doesnt

matter. We function as if we were younger.

We are in love, she said, in almost a girl-

ish way.

Ask Pedro about this relationship, and

he doesnt hesitate to respond. Im the

luckiest man in the world, he said. I feel

very good and I never get tired. I exercise

everyday and I love to dance. All of my vital

organs are fine; my heart is good and Im

physically fit. I was never a drinker and I

quit smoking 50 years ago. I am in such

good health that even my doctor thinks Im

amazing.

Pedro went to the Senior Center because

he doesnt like being alone and because his

son also insisted on it. When I met Nora,

I asked her some questions. Shes smart

and shes very feminine. Shes a wonderful

dresser, and I liked the way she wore her

clothes. I really love her, and I am glad that

I found her.

Both families approve of the relationship

and are happy that their parents have found

someone special at this time in their lives.

You live longer if you have someone, said

Pedro, who lives in an in-law apartment in

his sons Trumbull home. Nora owns her

own house, and though they go back and

forth, most often they stay at Pedros place.

Nora does the driving.

According to a report posted on the senior-

journal.com, couples who are in their

70s and older often meet in seniors-only

housing and live together unencumbered

by marriage vows. The report went on

to say that these relationships are com-

mitted and bonded, meant to last the rest

of their lives, sometimes even informally

blessed by clergy. Whats more, accordingto United States census figures, co-habita-

tion numbers for people 65 and older have

tripled in the past decade, jumping from

193,000 in 2000 to 575,000 in 2010.

Pedro and Nora are part of this grow-

ing trend, and with baby-boomers quickly

approaching senior status, chances are that

there will be many more happy seniors

who will find love, even when they least

expect it. Apparently, youre never too old

to have fun, excitement and passion in

your life.

Age has no limits when it comes to loveby Joanne Greco Rochman

Sweethearts Nora Shea and Pedro Mila found love when they least expected it. Wayne Ratzenberger

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6/6


Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

A magic show and photo booth, where

guests could have silly photos taken while

dressed in elaborate costumes, were also

part of the days activities. Live fish swim-

ming around in fishbowls replaced tradition-

al floral centerpieces. Strewn on each table

were large, five-inch colorful lollipops.

Susans sister, Kathy Fedor, was responsible

for the wedding dessert several tiers of

circus-themed cupcakes. Lindsay said she

was blown-away by the baked goods, as

well as its circus-themed presentation. We

just wanted our wedding day to be an exten-

sion of who we really are, said Lindsay.

One of her favorite memories was riding

on the merry-go-round with their extended

family after sharing her vows with Mike.

We wanted to share our first ride as man

and wife together with our family, she

explained.

In fact, all of the wedding plans were made

with their family and friends in mind. We

invited a lot of children, too, because we

both love children and children have been a

big part of my life, Lindsay said.

Lindsay has been working full-time at a

daycare center as she completed her under-

graduate degree. This fall, shortly before

her wedding, she began graduate studies in

social work.

Because her time is so limited, Mike took on

the majority of the wedding planning. Susan

said the family affectionately dubbed him

groomzilla.

Lindsay said she was happy to turn the reins

over to Mike, and he always ran all of the

major decisions by her. I just wanted to

make sure her day was perfect, Mike said.

At the wedding, Lindsay wore a strapless

gown of flowing chiffon, which fell to the

floor. Its bodice had delicate white bead-

ing. In keeping with the weddings theme,

Lindsay said she was actually looking to

purchase something more colorful for

the day. I was surprised to find this dress,

which I really loved, Lindsay said. I had

wanted to wear something that was com-

fortable, and this was.

Mike, too, wanted to eschew the traditional

grooms tuxedo for more comfortable attire.

He looked handsome and dapper in a sports

jacket, khakis, white shirt and blue tie.

Lindsay, 23, and Mike, 25, both grew up

in Stratford and attended Stratford High

School. They began dating during Lindsays

senior year. When I first met Mike, he was

part of Clown Alley, she said. It was so

much a part of him. Clown Alley is the

term used to describe a group of people

who get together to dress up as clowns and

learn clown skills, Mike explained.

Even Lindsay and Mikes first dance as a

married couple surprised their family and

friends. Starting out by moving in rhythm to

a popular Elton John ballad, Your Song, the

music then switched to a raucous dance mix.

The bride and groom then proceeded to bust

out moves to the Twist, the Macarena and

Michael Jacksons Moon Walk. No one was

expecting this, Lindsay said. Throughoutthe wedding, she and Mike agreed, there

was lots and lots of dancing.

The couples buffet was catered by On the

Border Mexican Grille and Cantina; guests

made their own style of fajitas. There was

also a Candy Bar. We had a table set up

with jars filled with all kinds of candy,

Lindsay said. We wanted people to come

up and fill up bags to take home.

For information about Mike and Lindsays

business, go to lotsofcharacter.org.

Top, a clown entertained both children and adults

alike. Right, the carousel provides fun for children. Far

right, some guests not only dressed for the occasion

but were equally enthusiastic when it came to danc-ing. Scott Mullin photos

Circuscontinued from page 1

I DoI Do

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I Do, I Do | Spring Bridal - East Edition | Hersam Acorn Newspapers