Wedding In A Week's Big Event
Friday was the big day for Marc Stein and Melissa Rihn, after a busy week planning their wedding with the help of experts on The Early Show.
Many of the bride and groom's friends and family gathered on The Early Show plaza to celebrate the happy ceremony while Melissa, with the help of David Evangelista, was getting ready.
She wore the opulent embroidery gown, which was the same dress viewers selected at home. In the tradition of weddings, the borrowed item were rose-cut diamond earrings that Kleinfeld's lent her from their Fine Jewelry collection.
The traditional Jewish canopy (known as the chuppa) was surrounded with flower arrangements designed especially by David Stark. On one side were Marc with his parents, Marc's best man and four other groomsmen. On the other side were Melissa's sister, Rebecca, who was the maid of honor and six other bridesmaids all wearing a dark, deep red wine-colored dress donated by Lazaro.
Melissa walked down the aisle accompanied by her father, Michael, and mother, Roni, as an instrumental version of the aria "Ombra Mai Fu" from Handel's opera Xerxes played in the background. Before them was an 8-year-old flower girl.
Marc's childhood rabbi, Rabbi Albert J. Lowenberg, performed the wedding ceremony. Three important elements that are necessary for a Jewish wedding took place: The exchanging of rings, the seven blessings, and the ketubah (the traditional wedding contract).
The ceremony concluded when the groom stepped on the glass, followed by a performance of "When I Fall In Love" by saxophonist Chris Botti and a champagne toast made by Marc Bell of Perrier Jouet, who supplied the bubbly.
Special thanks to:
Ritz Carlton Battery Park
Modern Bride Magazine
Wedding Channel.com
Kleinfeld's Bridal
Kleinfeld's Fine Jewelry
Julie Clevering & Dana Ornstein - Hair and makeup for bride and bridal party
Macy's - Groom's tuxedo
Men's Wearhouse - Groomsmen's tuxedos
Lazaro - Bridesmaids dresses
Paul Tacorian of Tacori - Wedding rings
Perrier Jouet - Champagne
Ellen Weldon Design - Calligraphy
David Stark from Avi Adler - Flowers and tabletops
Polly Schoonmaker from Polly's Cakes - Wedding cakes
Bentley Meeker - Lighting
Dylan's Candy Bar - Favors
The Knot - Favors
Marcus Samuelsson and Riingo - Rehearsal dinner
Gray Line - Transportation
Spirit Cruises
David Salomone and The Studio Photographers - Wedding photos
Hank Lane Music - Reception band