ABOUT THE COUPLE
How they met:
The couple met while undergraduate engineering students at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.
How he proposed:
Michael proposed at the Historic Inn on Charles Street in Boston.
Bride's occupation:
Cristina is an R & D engineer of medical devices at Creganna in Marlborough, Mass.
Groom's occupation:
Michael is a process engineer in the inkjet colorant division of Cabot Corporation in Haverhill.
THE CEREMONY
The ceremony:
Ocean Cliff in Newport, Rhode Island was the ceremony site.
The gown:
Cristina wore a Liancarlo strapless, silk taffeta gown with a dropped waist, low bare back, and shirred bodice with a tulle chapel-length train.
The bouquet:
Her bouquet included peonies, orchids and roses, all in shades of white.
The theme: While the wedding didn't have a set theme, the couple chose navy blue and cotton candy pink as their colors and used them in the details. Dinner napkins were navy blue and embroidered with the couple's initials in pink, which were used as an insignia on the invitations and ceremony program. Seating cards were tied to the branches of a tree in the foyer, and as guests were finding their places, a trio of musicians played throughout the cocktail hour. A slide show of compiled pictures of the bride and groom played continuously in a parlor area of the venue.
THE WEDDING PARTY
Matron of honor: Marisol Kosiba, sister of the bride, while Jamie Lavin, a friend of the bride, served as maid of honor.
Best man:
James Tessier, brother of the groom.
Bridesmaids:
Caitlin Tessier, sister of the groom.
Groomsmen:
Jose Lovell, groom's college friend and Sean Mulkerrins, groom's high school friend.
Flower girl:
Isabella Kosiba, niece of the bride.
THE RECEPTION
Number of guests:
145
The reception:
The reception was at the Ocean Cliff Hotel in Newport.
The cake:
The vanilla butter cake with strawberry filling and fondant was designed to resemble the bride's gown with white icing and pink fresh peonies.
First song:
"You're All I Need to Get By" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The couple chose it because it expressed all the right sentiments without being schmaltzy. During the song, Cristina and Michael wowed the guests with their first dance.
The menu:
Beef tenderloin and Chilean sea bass were on the menu, as well as several bars such as a raw bar and ice cream bar.
What made the day unique:
Cristina and Michael did the garter and bouquet toss with a twist. They threw a garter and bouquet made out of lottery tickets to give incentive to single folks who were perfectly happy being single.
Most touching moment of the day:
The couple says their most touching moment came during the ceremony when they said their vows as it was hard for them to get through the vows without crying. They also said that a sand ceremony, which symbolized the joining of their lives, and a blessing of the hands that will hold their family together.
Honeymoon destination:
St. Lucia