October 14, 2023
Emily and Antonio first met in 5th grade. Antonio caught Emily’s eye on the first day of school, when the ‘new kid’ sat right behind her. Emily shares, “Antonio and I grew up together – through our pre-teens, teenage years and into young adults. He was a football player, and I was a cheerleader, so our friend group intertwined. We often spent time together at post-football game parties and summer pool parties.” Despite the mutual attraction, they were always “just friends”.
Eventually the two headed off to separate colleges—Antonio to JMU and Emily to Longwood—while staying close friends. One evening in 2018 while Emily was living in Richmond and Antonio was on break from JMU, the two met up for drinks. This is where the love story officially begins! A few years of dating and adventuring led to Antonio asking the big question in Virginia Beach. Of course, after many tears, Emily happily said, “Yes!”
In high school Emily saw the wedding of her dreams on social media and was determined to make that her reality. They wanted the wedding to evoke a lavish feeling while still being very traditional. “Fun fact – when Antonio and I were engaged, I was not Catholic. I spent seven months prior to our wedding converting to the Catholic faith. Antonio’s family is Italian and bringing our two cultures together was very important to us.”
Favorite part of the day: Emily – “Of course, marrying the man of my dreams. But as an event planner, seeing all our hard work and vision come to life was incredibly fulfilling. Another unforgettable moment was seeing our son in the front row, his eyes filled with awe at the beauty of the church and the sight of mommy and daddy standing together at the altar. That pure, sweet moment made the day even more magical for us both.” Antonio – “Without a doubt, seeing my bride walk down the aisle. That moment—watching her radiate beauty, love, and happiness—felt surreal. It’s a memory I’ll cherish forever.”
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