A Magical Day

The Wedding of M. Joseph Curro and Dawn Marie Pagliaro

The day was beautiful, the clear sky a lovely sign of the wonderful day ahead.

At The Parsonage, Joe's Boys (tm) were already assembled, and quickly secured the area.

A good-looking bunch of cowboys, ain't they?

Just when we thought the day couldn't get more lovely, the bride arrived, accompanied by her father and attendant maids.

We can all see where she got her good looks!

Don't tell Joe, but his Best Man took some extra precautions to ensure the lady of the day would be relaxed for the big event.

Of course, her Maid of Honor made sure that Dawn stayed fresh and lovely.

Meanwhile, the rest of the guests were assembling, eagerly anticipating the big event.

Some more eagerly than others, of course.

The other members of Joe's Boys (tm) helped make sure things would go smoothly before, during and after the ceremony.

The youngest Pagliaro took his job particularly seriously, and made sure the altar was perfectly assembled. (Joe helped, too.)

The Priestess gave a lovely ceremony, and made sure everyone felt welcome and explained what each part of the ceremony meant.

Let the procession begin!

And the moment everyone was waiting for:

Ben was a very good Best Man. (I'm sorry I don't have any good pictures of the Maid of Honor. I couldn't get a good shot from my seat.)

Natalie Curro's happiness shone almost as brightly as the soon-to-be-newlyweds' themselves.

All eyes may have been on them, but they only had eyes for each other.

Occasionally the photographers got a chance for a more direct shot.

Everyone was happy for the two lovers, but none so much as their parents, whose pride was plain to see.

In a gesture of gratitude and love, the couple presented flowers to their parents.

Even before the final vows, we could see that their hearts were already joined.

A fact made manifest by the exchange of rings,

And the binding of hands.

Okay, so maybe this is the moment we were all waiting for!

One small hop for humankind, one giant leap for Joe and Dawn into their new lives together.

After the ceremony, the couple thanked all the guests individually, beginning with their court and family.

Two new sisters embrace.

A mother gains a daughter.

And a father gains a son.

As the rest of the guests relaxed and enjoyed hors doerves, the newlyweds and their court and family scurried off for a quick photo op. (Which gave me a great shot of Dawn's gown from behind!)

That Joe, always the ladies' man!

Some of the court got a little silly at this point. (Ben insists that he didn't drink at all that day, and with a sword like that, I'm not about to argue!)

Eventually, we all made our way into the large (mercifully air-conditioned) tent for dinner and dancing. There was a lot of dancing!

Joe and Dawn were kind enough to set an example for the rest of us.

Their court was quick to follow their lead.

In some corners, the silliness continued.

And everyone really cut loose!

These two are a tough act to follow, let me tell you. Just married and great dancers! You can't beat it!

The food was great, but I think the biggest hit was that Dip!

The rest of us weren't going to pass up some great dance music either! (Raise that roof, Shawn!)

Here's a shot to whip out when he brings his first date home!

The newest newlyweds get some affection and advice from the couple with the most marriage experience.

Now, I was proud of myself. I teared up a bit during the ceremony, but I didn't cry. And then I watched the Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dances. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

One of the most important and poignant dances in any father's life...

A moment of reflection, as a family grows and changes.

No one could be unmoved by the love this mother and son share...

Another moment of reflection.

Somewhere, amidst all that dancing, we ate. The food was delicious, but of course we had to start out properly, with the Best Man's Toast:

Ben was a very good Best Man, and kept everyone smiling. He handled all the details for Joe and Dawn over the course of the ceremony.

And finally, the Cake!

They were very good, and didn't mush it in each other's faces.

This shot is simply too cute. "Open wide, honey!"

The "Make Them Kiss In Front of the Cake Until Everyone Stops Cheering" game was very popular.

And then MORE dancing!

By this point, everyone was fully relaxed and having a good time. The DJ was great, and soon had us all singing along.

A rousing chorus from the Pagliaro table!

Some, however, needed a little encouragement. Smile, Pedro!

Let it never be said that this man lacks a sense of humor. But Joe, it isn't the Last Supper! It's the First Supper of your new, be-ringed life!

Well folks, we came, we saw, we cheered, we ate, we danced, and we all had a fabulous time. If anyone wants larger versions of these pictures sent to them, let me know, and I can print them up on glossy photo paper and send them to you on request. Just let me know which ones you'd like!

Emal requests to: acestes@smcm.edu

Special Note: All pictures here are for private use and are not to be distributed without permission of the photographer or the parties involved. If you're related to anybody here, through blood or friendship, that's fine, just let me know if you're going to use the picture somewhere. :-)

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