The Meet Cute : These two native Rhode Islanders literally bumped into each other at Murphy ’ s Pub in Providence on St . Patrick ’ s Day 2018 . And when each of them replied “ scusi ” in Italian , sparks flew . Hours of chatting that night , in on-again , off-again Italian and English , led to their first date at the Rooftop at the Providence G .
The Engagement : Michael plotted a series of surprises for the soon-to-be betrothed : lunch at 22 Bowen ’ s Wine Bar & Grille in Newport followed by a fictitious art show at Beavertail Lighthouse in Jamestown . “ I totally did not believe this , but I went with it ,” jokes Nicole . When an engagement ring , rather than paintings , appeared , Nicole remembers , “ We were just starting to build a house together , so he said , ‘ Let ’ s build our lives together .’ It was sweet .” They later joined their extensive families for an engagement celebration .
The Ceremony : The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence “ is where I graduated high school , so I always knew I wanted to walk down that aisle again . I think it ' s one of the most beautiful churches I ' ve ever seen ,” Nicole says . “ Our priest that married us was actually one of my good friends from high school .”
The Reception : On a sprawling private waterfront property in Jamestown , the newlyweds hosted a festive celebration to beat all others . Their shared Italian heritage played a key role : The guest list included more than 250 people , and two bands ( one Italian , one American ) kept the dance floor packed beneath a clear-top tent all night . They embraced a Tuscan vibe with rich gold tones mixed with wood accents . “ We both really enjoy our family and our culture , and we wanted this celebration to be a reflection of everyone coming together celebrating for us , with us ,” Nicole says . “ It was just a very ‘ My Big Fat Italian Wedding .”
October 15 , 2022
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The Food : Nicole ’ s family owns Pranzi Catering in Providence and Pranzi Tents & Events in West Warwick . She is the vice president of business development there , so the food was the focal point . A table of imported Parma prosciutto , wild boar sopressata , salami , cheese and more tempted guests to start , along with a raw bar that included frutti di mare salad , Matunuck oysters and octopus . A family-style Italian dinner would be incomplete without pasta , so pumpkin ravioli with sage butter sauce accented with toasted sage as well as campanelle pasta with tomato sauce and fresh basil started the real feast . Black Angus tenderloin with demi-glace accompanied halibut with a sweet potato panko crust . Later , guests sampled from a luscious table of traditional Italian desserts including confettata , a candy station with Italian sugared almonds in assorted flavors . The dessert station also included gelato , and an affogato and coffee station with a barista provided the sugar rush and caffeine kick for dancing . This was all in addition to the sambuca almond wedding cake with almond buttercream frosting .
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